Recent Posts
Team Cigar Review: Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro Figurado 2020
Overall, the Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro Figurado 2020 is a good cigar. It is a nice Oliva and a solid Mexican San Andres offering. I don't think I would go crazy over the release, and I know Oliva has released better annual offerings, but a good cigar. Nice balance and flavors throughout.
Cigar News: Protocol J Train Announced
The Protocol J Train is made at The La Zona Cigar Factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. The vitola will be a 5X50 cigar with a Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper, a Nicaraguan binder, and a Nicaraguan and Honduran combination for the filler. The cigar is a solid medium plus on the body with some sweetness, slight white pepper aroma with a creamy finish.
Cigar News: Amendola Announces Distribution Deal with Illusione
Amendola Family Cigar Co. announces that they have reached a distribution deal with Illusione Cigars. Illusione Cigars casts a wide net of retailer relationships across the US and internationally which will further expose Amendola’s premium cigars to smokers.
Cigar News: La Gloria Cubana Spirit of the Lady Announced
La Gloria Cubana, the original boutique brand, has created a special five-country blend that celebrates the masterful artisans of the El Credito Cigar Factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic. Called “Spirit of the Lady,” the limited edition collection will be available exclusively at U.S. cigar shops beginning on March 2 and includes two box-pressed vitolas made from the finest aged tobaccos.
Team Cigar Review: Dapper Desvalido Lonsdale
The Dapper Desvalido Lonsdale is a good cigar and I believe with a little bit more age it will be very good. The complexity, depth and transitioning present in the blend was great. I loved the strength and body that was delivered, and the construction was top notch as well. Dapper Cigar Co. is a brand that to me continues to deliver quality blends and really enjoyable cigars. Well done!
Personal Cigar Review: E.P. Carrillo La Historia Doña Elena
The E.P. Carrillo La Historia Doña Elena started nicely with a good combination of flavors and transitioned nicely going into the second third. The enjoyment level dropped a bit in the final third as some char joined in. This is a cigar I would easily come back to and is a bright spot in the brands portfolio. I also think the price point fits the enjoyment level nicely.
Cigar News: Black Works Studio Hyena Announced
Black Works Studio (BLK WKS) is pleased to announce the release of Hyena: Hand crafted in Esteli, Nicaragua at Fabrica Oveja Negra. HYENA is a Limited Edition that will be shipping to select BLK WKS retailers at the beginning of March.
Team Cigar Review: Southern Draw Firethorn Augusta
The Southern Draw Firethorn Augusta was overall an enjoyable cigar, with the tannins in the last third serving as a distraction from an otherwise balanced profile. Construction was good, with one re-light required during the review, and a perfect draw. Like almost everything from Southern Draw, I would smoke another Firethorn Augusta if I saw it on the shelf.
Cigar News: Jas Sum Kral Nuggless Announced
Jas Sum Kral is releasing Nuggless, a CBD-free version of the Jas Sum Kral Nuggs, the first and only premium handmade cigar with CBD-oil. The Nuggs was released in 2019 and has been a huge success since. Soon there will be a CBD-free version available for Jas Sum Kral fans worldwide.
Team Cigar Review: Pichardo Reserva Familiar San Andrés
The Pichardo Reserva Familiar San Andrés provided a fairly consistent San Andres experience for most of the cigar review. A balanced medley of flavors that included cedar, baking spices, chocolate, cream, citrus and earth. I look forward to reviewing more cigars from Pichardo in the future.
Team Cigar Review: Foundation Charter Oak Habano Torpedo
The Foundation Charter Oak Habano Torpedo is a great example of a cigar that punches above its price point and delivers flavor complexity that is still restrained enough for the light bodied cigar smoker. I will happily return to the Charter Oak Habano.
Cigar News: United Cigar Announces Irish Car Bomb Firecracker
To celebrate this year’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities why not pour a green beer and light up the Irish Car Bomb Firecracker that features a candela and maduro barber pole, finished with the unmistakable wick that Firecracker is known for.
Cigar News: Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust DTT-EX-38 Announced as Event Exclusive for The Great Smoke 2021
DTT-EX-38 is a sample liga Steve Saka has been working on since 2016. It incorporates a seldom grown leaf of Costa Rican Morron, which is a derivative of a Negro leaf seed strain grown primarily as wrapper. His goal behind the blend was to incorporate the smaller corona leaves as a unique ligero into the tripa recipe due to its chocolate and softer pepper notes.
Team Cigar Review: Illusione PCA 2020 Exclusive
The Illusione PCA 2020 Exclusive is the first Illusione cigar released in the last few years in which I did not enjoy. There was no balance and complexities to the cigar. Being heavily charred red pepper spice and dry cedar oriented, it's not the typical DNA of Dion's masterful blending style that I'm accustomed to. I guess you can't win them all.
