PUNCH MAKES RARE COROJO FULL-TIME RELEASE, LAUNCHES NEW SIZE: BOX-PRESSED El GORDO

The prayers of the cigar community have been answered! Previously released in limited quantities every year, Rare Corojo is now a regular-production cigar within the Punch portfolio. In addition, Punch is also launching a new, limited-edition Rare Corojo size just for 2025. That cigar, a Box Pressed El Gordo (6 X 60), features the same blend as prior Rare Corojo limited-production releases.  

Rare Corojo includes an extra-rich Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper with a distinctive reddish hue and uniquely smooth taste. It has a Connecticut Broadleaf binder and Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Dominican Piloto Cubano filler tobaccos. Rare Corojo is a medium-bodied blend with tasting notes of leather, wood, and cherry.  

Punch's brand manager, Scott Abney, said, “For years, Punch fans have clamored for more Rare Corojo, and we’re excited to deliver it to them as a regular-production line. The classic blend will be available across nine frontmarks in addition to the limited-edition Box Pressed El Gordo for 2025. You’ve waited patiently for this day to arrive; now it’s time to celebrate with a Rare Corojo or two.”  

Punch Rare Corojo is produced at the STG Danlí factory in Honduras. The limited-edition Box Pressed El Gordo will begin shipping in early January, and it contains 20 cigars per box. (Note: some Rare Corojo sizes contain 20 cigars per box, while others have 25, and the Rothschild frontmark includes 50 cigars per box.) 

Punch Rare Corojo Box Pressed El Gordo (6 X 60); SRP per cigar $11.49 

Punch Rare Corojo is also available in the following sizes: 

Champion (Figurado) (4.5 X 60); SRP per cigar $8.99 

En Crystale (5.5 X 54); SRP per cigar $11.39 

El Doble (5.9 X 60); SRP per cigar $11.39 

Magnum (5.25 X 54); SRP per cigar $10.39 

Pita (6.125 X 50); SRP per cigar $9.29 

Rothschild (4.5 X 50); SRP per cigar $8.29 

Gusto (Tube) (5 X 52); SRP per cigar $9.89 

Elite (5.25 X 45); SRP per cigar $6.49 

Rapido (5 X 40); SRP per cigar $5.19 

Las 6 Provincias ORT (6 x 56 Box Pressed)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Halfwheel.com website)

The sixth and possibly final installment of Espinosa Premium Cigars’ Las 6 Provincias Series, the ORT, is on its way to stores today.

The cigar is named for Oriente, the easternmost of the country’s six original provinces, and it’s a a 6 x 56 box-pressed toro that uses an Ecuadorian habano wrapper and a Nicaraguan binder and filler. The blend was developed by Espinosa Premium Cigars and produced at the San Lotano Factory in Ocotal, Nicaragua.

“We are very proud of this series,” said Hector Alfonso, director of operations at Espinosa Premium Cigars, in an e-mail to halfwheel. “From the cigars to the individual packaging, the opportunity to showcase the Cuba of old, prior to that disastrous revolution, was very special to us.”

Espinosa launched the Las 6 Provincias Series in 2018. Each cigar is named for one of the original six provinces of Cuba and features artwork by Edin Gutierrez as well as distinct packaging that celebrates each province’s culture.

Oriente is no longer a province in Cuba, as in December 1976, the Cuban government reorganized the island into 14 provinces and what was called a special municipality. In 2010, a 15th province was added when the La Habana province, which did not include the city itself, was divided into Artemisa and Mayabeque. Today, the area that was once considered Oriente is the home of five provinces: Granma, Guantanamo, Holguín, Las Tunas and Santiago de Cuba.

The company has not gone on record as saying if the release of the ORT marks the end of the series, and there has been speculation that a seventh release could be added. The company has also not said if it might re-release the earlier releases.

The cigar is nicely made and box pressed. It has an average feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was very good. The initial flavors at light up were lime, apple, citrus peel, brown sugar, and leather. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2 to 8. A very good start.

At the first third (22 minutes) the cigar is burning very evenly. The notes are the same and they are working together very well. The leather is noticeable but rather light. The finish is leather with good lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium bodied but I think we will move up the scale. Go slow with this type of cigar. You will get all these nice notes that way. I really like this type of cigar.  I rated the first third 95.

As I moved through the second third (1 hour 7 minutes) there was a little earthiness and a little more leather. The sweet notes are the same but dipped just a little. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is sweet with lime, apple, and brown sugar with a little leather at the base and very good lingering black pepper. The cigar continues to be very good. I rated the second third 94.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 37 minutes. The sweet notes jumped back up and the leather remained somewhat elevated but it made the cigar very balanced. Again, go slow. The notes are so nice. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is unchanged. At points I got notes of red pepper. I noticed them at the end of the first third and during the second third but it wasn't enough to say much about but they were nice. This type of cigar checks a lot of boxes for me. I rated the final third 95. This is one of the best Las 6 Provincias cigars I've had. See what you think. Smallbatchcigar.com has these in boxes only but the box is a work or art in itself. Use code tinytim for 10% off.

Overall Score: 94.67

Morphine Toro 2024 (6 x 54 Box Press)

Video review HERE.

(Description provided by Black Label Trading Co.)

Black Label Trading Company is pleased to announce the shipment of Morphine to select retailers beginning next week.  Morphine is hand crafted in Esteli, Nicaragua at Fabrica Oveja Negra. 

“To celebrate 10 years of Morphine I wanted to do a mix of classic vitolas and a couple we’ve never done before. The classic Robusto and Lancero are being released with a Petite Perfecto and Box Pressed Toro.  The idea behind the Perfecto was to create a vitola that represents the Death’s Head Moth’s chrysalis. The Toro shows how versatile the blend is and how well it works in a larger format vitola. This vitola is also being released in a “Dressed Box” format.  Each has the dual San Andrés & Ecuadorian Maduro wrappers. This vintage of Morphine is sure to be one of the best,” said James Brown, creator of Black Label Trading Co. and partner at Fabrica Oveja Negra. 

MORPHINE will be available at select retailers.  

Blend and Origin:

Country of Origin: Nicaragua 

Wrapper: Ecuador Maduro and San Andrés 

Binder: Nicaragua  

Filler: Nicaragua 

Available vitolas:

Toro Box Press – 6 x 54 (20 count) MSRP $13.50 REVIEWED TODAY

Perfecto – 5 x 50 (20 count) MSRP $11.50 

Short Robusto – 4.5 x 52 (20 count) MSRP $11.50 

Lancero – 7.25 x 42 (20 count) MSRP $12.50 

The cigar is very dark and box pressed. It has a nice feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were raisin, a little citrus peel, and dark chocolate. There was black pepper rated at 7 to 7 1/2. Pretty good start.

At the first third (28 minutes) the notes were about the same but there is now some earthiness and light black coffee at the base. The cigar is medium bodied. The finish is light raisin and black coffee with average to good lingering black pepper. The raisin notes are nice and they are carrying the "sweet" load. I rated the first third 94.

As I moved through the second third (1 hour 7 minutes) the cigar is burning a little uneven. A box pressed cigar is hard to burn even but the slow parts usually catch up. There is now more black coffee. The raisin notes have slightly decreased. The cigar is medium bodied, leaning toward medium to full. The finish is a much improved raisin with very good lingering black pepper, which is also improved. I rated the second third 93.

The cigar lasted an impressive 1 hour 41 minutes. There was some improvement in the final third as the black coffee pulled back and the raisin notes came out better. There is still some dark chocolate preceding the black coffee. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is raisin and black coffee with very good lingering black pepper. The cigar got back to the nice notes of the first third so I rated the final third 94. This is a new size for the Morphine and definitely has a better burn time. The notes are pretty good. Give these a try. They are available at smallbatchcigar.com .

Overall Score: 93.67

WEST TAMPA TOBACCO COMPANY SHIPS CIRCLE OF LIFE

West Tamp Tobacco Company is excited to announce that Circle of Life will begin to ship on January 6th, 2025 and will be available both in the US and international markets.  

Circle of Life brings together two of the industry’s most well-known master blenders, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo and Rick Rodriguez.  “Ernesto has had such an incredible impact on my career.  As the first of four Hall of Famers to train under, reuniting with Ernesto on Circle of Life was an opportunity to connect with my past and lay another brick in my future,” said Rick Rodriguez. 

Circle of Life will be available full-time in three sizes, 20 cigars/box and rolled at Casa Carrillo in Santiago, Dominican Republic: 

Robusto (5X52)- $12.99 SRP(USD)    

Toro (6X54)- $13.99 SRP(USD)    

Gigante  (6X60)- $14.99 SRP(USD)  

J.C. Newman Cigar Co. Releases 2025 José Gaspar Cigars

Tampa has two-century-old traditions: Since 1885, Tampa has been known as “Cigar City.” Since 1904, pirates have been invading Tampa and throwing a large festival called Gasparilla. Each year, J.C. Newman Cigar Co. brings both traditions together by releasing a limited edition José Gaspar cigar.  Handcrafted by J.C. Newman, a 130-year-old, four-generation family business, José Gaspar cigars pack a punch perfect for any pirate.

“José Gaspar was one of most feared pirates in the Americas,” said Drew Newman, fourth-generation owner. “Sailing from his base near Tampa Bay in the late 1700s, he terrorized the Gulf of Mexico and amassed a great fortune.  Gaspar celebrated victories with a bold and flavorful cigar.  This cigar honors his legacy and the tradition of Gasparilla.”

This year, J.C. Newman is releasing 10,000 José Gaspar cigars to 17 reatilers across the Tampa Bay area.  The 2025 release of José Gaspar is a 6 x 54 toro cigar wrapped with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. The 2025 José Gaspar cigars are sold in packs of 5 cigars with an MSRP of $40. José Gaspar cigars are only available at the following locations in the Cigar City of Tampa, Florida:

Cigar City Brewery Co.

Corona Cigar Company

Grand Cathedral

Hotel Haya

J.C. Newman Cigar Museum and Factory Store

King Corona International Plaza

King Corona Cigars Ybor

Tobacco Depot

Casa de Montecristo (Soho)

Sterling Cigar Lounge

The Columbia

Visit Tampa Bay

Tampero Cigars Ybor City

Central Cigars

Bruton's Cigar Shop

Cigar Castle

Casa Santo Stefano

“When pirates invade Tampa and parade down Bayshore Boulevard on January 25th, they will be enjoying José Gaspar cigars,” said Newman.  “Just like the pirates of Gasparilla, however, José Gaspar cigars will sail out of Tampa Bay at the end of Gasparilla season and will not be available again until next year.”

 Shortly after J.C. Newman Cigar Co. relocated to Tampa in 1954, leading cigar makers invited the late Stanford J. Newman to become a pirate and join the Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, the organization that hosts the annual Gasparilla celebration.  This invitation was a symbol that J.C. Newman had been welcomed and accepted into the cigar community in Tampa, which was then widely recognized as the fine cigar capital of the world. 

CAO WELCOMES FANS TO THE JUNGLE WITH A 2025 AMAZON BASIN RE-RELEASE

Crafted using tobaccos from the depths of the Amazon Rainforest, CAO Amazon Basin will return to stores in January 2025. First launched in 2014, Amazon Basin is a limited-edition blend that offers an exotic and flavorful smoking experience.

Cory Beardsley, Brand Manager for CAO, said, "When we launched Amazon Basin over a decade ago, we had no idea how much it would resonate with fans. Sourcing rare tobacco from the rainforest, transporting it by canoe, and growing it on unspoiled land was a logistical nightmare—but we knew the end result was a cigar worth the effort. We’re thrilled to bring back this special blend for 2025 and answer the calls for more Amazon Basin."

CAO Amazon Basin centers on a rare tobacco called “Bragança,” which is organically grown on unspoiled tropical land in the Amazon Rainforest. Seedlings are transplanted directly into the soil a full yard apart, resulting in less than half the yield of other tobacco plants.

The leaves are rolled by hand into tubes called “carottes,” where they undergo six months of natural fermentation. They are then transported out of the rainforest by canoe, taken to the mainland and ultimately brought to the CAO factory in Esteli, Nicaragua.

There, CAO’s blenders allow the aromatic Bragança leaf to take center stage, surrounded by tobacco curated from four different countries. With a hearty Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper from the highest priming, a Nicaraguan binder, and Dominican and Colombian tobacco in the filler to compliment the Brazilian Bragança, the CAO Amazon Basin experience is as exotic as the tropical rainforest from which it originated.

Handcrafted at STG Esteli, this medium-bodied CAO blend is earthy and nutty with notes of caramel, briny nuances and a pleasantly dry finish, offering an adventure into the unexpected. CAO Amazon Basin comes in 18-count rustic wooden boxes. Cigars will begin shipping to retailers in early January.

CAO Amazon Basin (6” x 52) – SRP per cigar $14.49

Youtube

Youtube is aggressively taking down my cigar review videos. They don't like the fact that there are links to some of my sponsors who sell cigars. At some point Youtube will probably cancel my channel which will be unfortunate since I have so many review videos on that platform. In recent months I have started uploading them in to Rumble so you may be able to find them there. 

In a world where it seems anything goes it's confusing why a legal product is being singled out. I will continue to review cigars and post my videos on Rumble. Be sure to catch them there. Search for @TinyTimCigar.

Thank  you.

Top New Releases of 2024, Part 2 (1 - 15)

Video review HERE.

2024 was a pretty good year for new releases. In total I reviewed 106 cigars. 30 of them scored 94 or above and that's where my Top 25 come from. 

If you follow my reviews you can expect some surprises in the list due to head to head comparisons. 

The reviews of each cigar stand on their own as they are my true thoughts at that time. Once you put the top cigars in a head to head comparisons things can change. 

Click the name of each cigar to go to the original review.

The original scores in thirds is shown for each cigar along with the date reviewed.

So, with that in mind here is my list of the Top 15.

No. 1

Supreme Leaf Rothschild

4 1/2 x 50

(95-93-94)

Reviewed 1/28

Originally, I had only one sample for this cigar for review. It was actually a cigar sent to me by Aganorsa Leaf as a pre-release. So I did an "on the spot" review. The cigar did well and scored a 94. But with only one cigar to do the review I was somewhat conservative with my scoring. I typically like to have 3 cigars for a review to get a good feel. After doing the review I purchased more cigars and found I liked them very much. In fact, I have purchased at least 6 full boxes of this cigar. I absolutely love them. It was an easy choice for my Cigar of the Year.

No. 2

H. Upmann 180th Anniversary Churchill

7 x 50

(96-95-95)

Reviewed 8/24

No. 3

Intergalactic Event Horizon Toro

6 x 48

(96-95-96)

Reviewed 10/19

No. 4

Coffin Nails

5 x 40

(95-94-95)

Reviewed 9/10

No. 5

Punch Golden Era Lancero

7 x 38

(96-95-94)

Reviewed 9/17

No. 6

Orthodox Toro

5 3/4 x 50

(96-94-95)

Reviewed 5/4

No. 7

Sin Compromiso Selección No. 4

5 x 54

(95-94-95)

Reviewed 11/15

No. 8

Sobremesa Brûlée Blue Wagashi

6 x 50

(95-96-95)

Reviewed 11/22

No. 9

Cohiba Riviera Lancero

7 x 38

(96-94-93)

Reviewed 6 11

No. 10

Dias de Gloria Brazil Toro

6 1/2 x 54

(95-94-94)

No. 11

Knuckle Sandwich Chef Special 2024

6 x 54

(95-94-95)

Reviewed 7/5

No. 12

Knuckle Sandwich 56

6 x 56

(95-95-94)

Reviewed 2/17

No. 13

Filthy Ghooligan

6 x 50

(95-94-94)

Reviewed 10/5

No. 14

Sancho Panza Extra Chido Robusto

5 x 50

(95-94-96)

Reviewed 5/20

No. 15

Paper Crane Corona Gorda

5 x 46

(95-95-95)

Reviewed 4/16

And...that's my Top 15. I feel it's a strong list. Let me know your thoughts. 

I look forward to sharing my reviews in 2025. See you then!

Top New Releases of 2024, Part 1 (16-25)

The Best New Releases of 2024, 

Part 1

16-25

Video review HERE.

Here are my top cigars of 2024. This is part 1. It will consist of number 16-25. I will reveal 1-15 next week. All these cigars scored 94 or above. In total I reviewed 106 cigars this year. Here are number 16-25 for 2024.

No. 16

Protocol Phoebe Couzins Maduro 

(6 x 52 Box Pressed) 

(95-94-95) 4/13 review

No. 17 

Redemption Robusto 

(5 x 50) 

(95-93-95) 8/4 Review

No. 18 

Las 6 Provincias ZDT 

(6 1/2 x 48 short Churchill) 

(94-95-95) 1/6 Review

No. 19 

AJF 20th Anniversary Toro 

(6 x 56) 

(94-95-94) 11/29l Review

No. 20 

Warped Cigars El Oso 10th Anniversary-Grand Papa 

(6 x 50) 

(94-94-94) 3/29 Review

No. 21 

Karen Berger K-Fire 

(6 x 52) 

(95-94-94) 2/24 Review

No. 22 

MOLOTOV 2024 

(5 x 50) 

(95-94-94) 10/8 Review

No. 23 

Loaisiga Cigars Infiel Maduro Robusto 

(5 x 54) 

(94-94-94) 1/1 Review

No. 24 

Umbagog Bronzeback 

(5 x 48) 

(94-95-93) 11/12 Review

No. 25 

Diesel Vintage Series Natural Robusto Gordo 

(5 x 56) 

(94-95-95) 5/7 Review

That's my number 16-25 for 2024. Come back for number 1-15 next week.