CAO Arcana Thunder Smoke (6 1/2 x 52)

Video review HERE.

(Description provided by General Cigar)

CAO is proud to announce a third groundbreaking addition to its acclaimed Arcana lineup: CAO Thunder Smoke. This release is set to make brand history as the first cigar to feature tobacco from South Africa and Zimbabwe, alongside tobaccos from Cameroon.  

Thunder Smoke gets its name from Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, known to the local Sotho people as “Mosi-Oa-Tunya,” which translates to “The Smoke That Thunders.” 

The Zimbabwe filler leaves in CAO Thunder Smoke are grown in the Limpopo River Basin in the shadows of the mighty Victoria Falls. This tobacco is part of a carefully curated five-country blend, highlighted by the all-African filler, a first for CAO. 

The blend is completed with a Honduran Olancho San Augustin wrapper and a binder grown in the legendary Mexican San Andres Valley, creating a truly global masterpiece. 

Ed Lahmann, Senior brand manager for CAO said, “With CAO Thunder Smoke, we are pushing the boundaries of cigar making, venturing into uncharted territories to craft an unparalleled smoking experience. Our mantra, ‘We Go Where The Tobacco Takes Us,’ has guided us to innovate and redefine the industry standard. This release is not just a milestone for CAO, but a bold leap forward for the entire cigar world.” 

Thunder Smoke is medium-bodied with notes of earth, hazelnut and raisin.  

CAO Thunder Smoke is handcrafted at General Cigar’s Santiago factory in the Dominican Republic. The limited-edition cigars will be released in a single size and presented in 20-count boxes. Thunder Smoke will ship in early September, and CAO fans should expect to see it on shelves by mid-month. Quantities are limited.  

Toro Grande (6.5" × 52): SRP per cigar $12.99 

The cigar is dark and has a nice feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was good with a touch of firmness. The initial flavors at light up were a tangy orange citrus, peach, light brown sugar, and earthy leather. The leather is more of a worn type leather. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2. Pretty good start.

At the first third (25 minutes) the front end flavors of orange citrus and peach have morphed into more of a tangy raisin flavor. It's quite sweet. There is a little nuttiness in the mix. It's light but detectable. Now there is earthy, leathery black coffee at the base. The cigar is medium bodied. The finish is raisin with good lingering black pepper. The cigar is very good at this point. I rated the first third 94.

As I moved through the second third (1 hour) the nuttiness that was light is now up. The earthiness is way up. The finish is the same but now the lingering black pepper is very good. The cigar is medium bodied. I can take or leave nuttiness but the earthiness is usually not a good thing. The finish is very good with the nice raisin notes but the front end notes have dipped. I rated the second third 92.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 28 minutes. There is a little sweetness now but the earthiness shifted into 4th gear. The cigar is medium bodied. The finish is hints of raisin with earthiness and very good lingering black pepper. There is too much earthiness at this point. I rated the final third 88. The cigar started out very nicely but could not hold it. The first and second thirds are the best. Smallbatchcigar.com has these in 5 packs for $65 and you can get 10% off with code tinytim.

Overall Score: 91.33

Room101 Big Payback 70s Maduro (7 x 70)

Video review HERE.

(Description provided by Forged Cigar Co.)

Room101 is bringing a popular — and hefty — size to The Big Payback Maduro line. The new cigar, Room101 The Big Payback 70s Maduro, is a 7 X 70 and the biggest size offering in the The Big Payback Maduro line.  

Room101 70s had been out of production since 2016, until last year when the brand launched a Sumatra version of the Big Payback 70s (produced at HATSA in Honduras).  

This release will be the second 7 x 70 cigar currently available under Room101.  

Room101 The Big Payback 70s Maduro features a US Broadleaf wrapper, a Nicaraguan binder, and filler tobacco from Honduras and the Dominican Republic. It was produced at the HATSA Factory in Honduras.  

The new cigar marks the return of a fan-favorite size, and it will emphasize the uniquely powerful yet refined flavor profile of The Big Payback Maduro.  

The Big Payback 70s Maduro showcases unique branding with blue-and-yellow bands and box art, distinct from the rest of the frontmarks in The Big Payback Maduro line. Each box will include 30 cigars. SRP per cigar is $8.99. It will ship to retailers on August 1, 2024.  

Other sizes of The Big Payback maduro include: 

Gordo (6 X 60) 

Robusto (5.25 X 50) 

Toro (6 X 54) 

Papi Chulo (4.5 X 50) 

The cigar is dark brown and huge! It has a hefty feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were apricot, lime, brown sugar, nutmeg, and dark chocolate. There was black pepper rated at 7. Not a bad start.

At the first third (50 minutes) I had more apricot notes, citrus peel, brown sugar, nutmeg, and dark chocolate. The dark chocolate seems to be morphing into more of a black coffee. The cigar is medium bodied. The finish is black coffee with good lingering black pepper. The notes aren't too bad. I'm not a fan of the ring gauge but based on the notes I'd rate the first third 92.

As I moved through the second third (1 hour 31 minutes) the cigar developed a substantial amount of earthiness to go along with dark chocolate and black coffee. The sweet notes are very much downplayed. The cigar is still medium bodied. The finish is black coffee with very good lingering black pepper. The appealing sweetness of the first third has gone. I rated the second third 88.

The cigar lasted 2 hours 17 minutes. For a brief time early in the final third the cigar improved somewhat. But it was short lived. The cigar showed it's true colors and boiled down into light brown sugar with a lot of earthy black coffee and dark chocolate. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The black pepper is now rated at 7 1/2. Those are positives but that's about it. The finish is dark chocolate with hints of apricot with very good lingering black pepper. The cigar took a turn downward for me. I rated the final third 86. If you're interested, Smallbatchcigar.com has these in 5 packs for $45 and you get 10% off with code tinytim.

Overall Score: 88.67

J.C. Newman's Historic El Reloj Cigar Factory Survives Hurricane Milton

Last night, Hurricane Milton landed just south of our home in Tampa, Florida. This major hurricane was the worst storm to strike the “Cigar City” in more than 100 years. The Newman family is relieved to report that its 114-year-old El Reloj cigar factory has survived Hurricane Milton with minor damage and no power. After being closed for three days, J.C. Newman expects to reopen and resume rolling and shipping cigars tomorrow morning unless it takes longer to restore electrical service.

“The last time a major hurricane struck Tampa was in 1921,” said fourth-generation owner Drew Newman.  “Our iconic El Reloj cigar factory survived the 1921 storm, and I am relieved to report that it survived Hurricane Milton as well. The factory experienced some leaks and minor water damage, but that is not uncommon for our 90,000-square-foot, 114-year-old, historic red brick building. My family and I are tremendously grateful to our security team members who rode out the storm in El Reloj, protecting the building and all of the cigars and tobacco that are inside.”

If you ever wondered what cigar makers do while evacuating, Drew Newman used the time to crowdsourced ideas for a new "HURRICANE" cigar on social media. 

"While we evacuated during Hurricane Idalia last year, I thought the name 'HURRICANE' would be perfect for a cigar so I registered it with the U.S. Trademark office," said Newman. "As I hadn't figured out yet what the perfect HURRICANE cigar should be, while evacuating again yesterday, I asked our followers on social media for advice and received hundreds of great ideas. As soon as our factory reopens, I am going to start working to create this new cigar so that we can release it at the start of next year's hurricane season on June 1."

In addition to the historic El Reloj factory, the Sanchez y Haya building across the street survived Hurricane Milton as well. The Newmans are in the midst of restoring this building, which is also 114-year-old. When it reopens in 2026, the building will feature an 11-room luxury inn on the second floor with an upscale restaurant and elegant cigar lounge on the first floor to serve the cigar enthusiasts who visit El Reloj and the "Cigar City" of Tampa, Florida. 

PLASENCIA CIGARS CELEBRATES DON NESTOR PLASENCIA’S 75th BIRTHDAY BY RECOGNIZING THOSE WHO HAVE ASSISTED THE FAMILY THROUGHOUT HIS DECADES LONG JOURNEY

Plasencia Cigars, a world-leading premium tobacco grower established in 1865, celebrates a monumental occasion—the 75th birthday of patriarch, Don Néstor Plasencia on the 8th of October. For six decades, Don Nestor has achieved incredible success, and many recognize him among the industry’s greats. Remarkable success is never achieved without the assistance and loyal support of others. For this reason, Don Nestor has created 750 10 count boxes of his personal blend to be gifted to those that walked alongside him throughout this journey. This blend is not for sale, but a token of gratitude.

 A Heartfelt Appreciation

As he celebrates 75 years of life, he also wishes to celebrate the countless people who have walked this path with him. Don Néstor has always emphasized that Plasencia’s success is a shared one. From the farmers who nurture each tobacco leaf, to the artisans who roll every cigar by hand, and to the distributors and retailers around the world who ensure that these exquisite products are available for cigar enthusiasts everywhere, Don Néstor extends his deepest gratitude. "The heart of our company is its people," he often says. "Without them, none of this would be possible." His gratitude extends to friends, colleagues, and associates.

Nestor Andres Plasencia. stated: “75 years is a milestone birthday, and it inspires us to look back and appreciate all that he has accomplished. His accomplishments in the tobacco industry speak for itself. My father looks forward to recognizing those close to us with these special personal blends.”

Don Nestor Plasencia’s personal blend’s contents are undisclosed. Each box will contain 10 cigars in a 7X50 Churchill size.

For over six decades, Don Néstor Plasencia has dedicated his life to perfecting his craft. Quality, innovation, and craftsmanship have become synonymous with his name. His journey began as a young boy working alongside his father in the tobacco fields of Cuba, where his passion for the craft was born. Today, Plasencia maintains the largest library of premium tobacco in the world, becoming one of the world’s most respected names in premium cigars. His resilience and commitment to excellence has led to the production of some of the finest cigars in the world.

MOLOTOV 2024 (5 x 50)

Video review HERE.

(Description provided by Dissident Cigars)

The MOLOTOV is a mild/medium limited edition cigar originally released, to much fanfare, over two years ago! Dissident's most popular & most requested release of all time, the MOLOTOV is available to ship immediately and offered on a first-come, first-served basis to Oveja Negra Brands retailers. 

About the MOLOTOV, owner/blender Cynn Coburn says "The Limited Edition MOLOTOV sold out quickly upon its original release and has since been requested constantly from fans & retailers alike. We kept everyone waiting long enough, it’s time to set the world on fire once again with this badass cigar that’s full of flavor and attitude!”

MOLOTOV

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper(s): Ecuadorian Rojiso

Binder: Ecuador

Filler: Nicaragua, Dominican

Size: 5x50 Robusto (20 count box) MSRP $12.50

The cigar is very nicely made and features the wild "MOLOTOV rag" cap.

The cigar has an average feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were orange citrus with underlying pear, brown sugar, cinnamon, and earthy, leathery black coffee. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2. Nice start.

At the first third (16 minutes) the cigar is burning evenly. The lead flavor is a very nice peach. It's sweet and tangy. There's also brown sugar, cinnamon, earthy black coffee with leather. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is peach and leather with very good lingering black pepper. The cigar is very good at this point. I rated the first third 95.

As I moved through the second third (36 minutes) the earthiness went up. The peach and brown sugar notes are still nice but they are somewhat watered down by the earthiness. There are also some nutty flavors in the mix between the sweet notes and the earthy leathery black coffee. The finish is a little peach and some earthiness with very good lingering black pepper. The cigar is full bodied. I rated the second third 94.

The cigar lasted 52 minutes. Nothing much changed in the final third. There is still some elevated earthiness and the cigar is still full bodied. The finish is unchanged. I held the score of 94. I found this cigar to be better than the 2022 version. A full point better. I'd give these a try if I were you. This is a very good cigar. 

Overall Score: 94.33

J.C. Newman Cigar Co. Introduces The Troublemaker

J.C. Newman Cigar Co. introduces The Troublemaker, a new size to its top-selling Diamond Crown Julius Caeser brand of luxury cigars. The Troublemaker is a 5.75” x 52 soft perfecto. It is packed in leather boxes of 20 cigars with a suggested retail price of $17 per cigar. Like all Diamond Crown cigars, The Troublemaker is handcrafted by the Fuente Family for the Newman Family at Tabacalera A. Fuente in the Dominican Republic. 

“One of my longtime mentors is Rich Dolak, the vice president of operations at both J.C. Newman and Arturo Fuente,” said fourth-generation owner Drew Newman. “Since I was a teenager, I’ve sat in Rich’s office and listened to him teach me about the cigar business. Above Rich’s desk hangs a vintage poster with a unique cigar shape. Three years ago, I asked him, ‘Why can’t we roll a cigar like that?’”

“We call it ‘The Troublemaker’ because it was very difficult to make,” said Newman. “Rich used a knife to shape a dowel to match the cigar shown in the poster above his desk. We then used that hand-carved dowel to create custom cigar molds for this special size.”

The first boxes of The Troublemaker shipped today to the 36 Diamond Crown Cigar Lounges across the country. The Troublemaker will be exclusive to the Diamond Crown Cigar Lounges until it becomes available nationwide early next year. 

“Because this cigar was such a pain to create, the factory has another name for it,” said Newman. “As that name is not appropriate to print, its officially called ‘The Troublemaker.’”

Bricktoberfest 2024 (6 x 52)

Video review HERE.

(Description provided by JC Newman)

J.C. Newman Cigar Co. has shipped Brick House Bricktoberfest  cigars to 113 retailers across the United States and in Germany. This year’s release of Brick House Bricktoberfest cigars is a 6 x 52” cigar with a pigtail cap. Rolled at J.C. Newman PENSA in Esteli, Nicaragua, these limited-edition cigars features a Havana Rosado wrapper grown in Ecuador with a hearty blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos.  This blend is designed to pair perfectly with a bold Oktoberfest style lager. Packed in boxes of 10, Brick House Bricktoberfest cigars have a suggested retail price of $10 each or $100 for a box of 10. Consumers who purchase seven Brick House cigars from participating retailers will receive a traditional Oktoberfest beer stein hand-painted with Brick House and Bricktoberfest images.

“My grandfather, J.C. Newman, was born in the only house made out of brick in a small village in Austria-Hungary,” said Eric Newman. “He lived with his family on the second floor while the first floor was the local tavern and general store. The ‘Brick House’ cigar label depicts his family’s home. My ancestors gathered in the original ‘brick house’ to relax and celebrate with beer and cigars 150 years ago, and Bricktoberfest is the perfect way to celebrate the season with beer and Brick House cigars today.”

The cigar is a reddish brown and has a nice pigtail cap. It has a nice feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was very good. The initial flavors at light up were orange citrus, brown sugar, subtle pear, and leathery black coffee. There was black pepper rated at 8. Very nice start.

At the first third (27 minutes) I had the same notes. The black pepper is still very good. The finish is leather with very good lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium bodied. This cigar is starting off very typical of past Bricktoberfest's. I rated the first third 94.

Moving through the second third (57 minutes) the notes were about the same but now there is earthiness. Not a lot but enough to take away a little of the sweet notes. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is unchanged. The earthiness didn't hurt too bad but I lowered the second third score to 93.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 24 minutes. The earthiness toned down and the nice orange citrus and brown sugar notes rose. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is unchanged. This cigar never fails to deliver. It's a good Nicaraguan heavy cigar. I rated the final third 94. Look for these while they're around and pick up one of those beer steins.

Overall Score: 93.67

Filthy Ghooligan (6 x 50)

Video review HERE.

(Description provided by Alec Bradley Cigars)

Alec Bradley is expanding its line of limited-edition Black Market cigars with a new release for Halloween. The new cigar, Alec Bradley Black Market Filthy Ghooligan, is a spin-off of the popular St. Patrick’s Day releases Black Market Filthy Hooligan and Shamrock.  

Like Filthy Hooligan and Shamrock, Filthy Ghooligan features a barber pole wrapper. Unlike the St. Patrick’s Day cigars (which use green Candela tobacco in their wrappers), Filthy Ghooligan’s wrapper is composed of Ecuadorian Habano and US Broadleaf tobacco.  

The remainder of the blend includes an Indonesian Besuki binder and Nicaraguan Jalapa, Estelí, and Condega fillers alongside Dominican Piloto.  

The limited-edition Filthy Ghooligan offers a sweet and balanced smoke perfect for chilly October nights, Friday the 13ths, or any occasion that calls for a bewitching, medium-bodied barber pole.  

Alec Bradley Senior Brand Manager, Ed Lahman, said, “Filthy Ghooligan offers our fans a fun new spin on a classic Alec Bradley concept. Just as Black Market Filthy Hooligan and Shamrock have become staples of our St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, so too will Filthy Ghooligan deliver an unforgettable smoking experience for Halloween and beyond. It’s scary good.” 

Dark but medium-bodied, Black Market Filthy Ghooligan delivers notes of cocoa and honey-like sweetness within a smooth and rich flavor profile. It was produced in Honduras and will ship to retailers in September 2024.  

Production is capped at 1,500 boxes, each containing 24 cigars. The cigar is available in a single size: a 6 x 50 Toro. 

Toro (6" × 50): SRP per cigar $14.09 

The cigar looks nice with the barber pole wrapper. It has an average feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was a little firm but workable. The initial flavors at light up were a citrus-apricot, honey, cinnamon, and earthy black coffee. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2. Nice start.

At the first third (22 minutes) I had the same basic notes but there may be a little more earthy black coffee but it is not hurting the cigar at all. The sweet notes of apricot, honey, and cinnamon are very nice. The cigar is medium bodied. The finish is apricot with a touch of black coffee and very good lingering black pepper. The cigar is very tasty. I rated the first third 95.

As I moved through the second third (47 minutes) the black pepper is a little better. Now between 7 1/2 and 8 and it's mixing well with the other notes. There is now an increased earthiness and it's taking some of the impact of the sweet notes. The cigar is medium bodied with a little tilt toward medium to full. The finish is unchanged. The increased earthiness hurt the cigar just a little. I rated the second third 94.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 10 minutes. Nothing much changed in the final third other than the strength is now medium to full bodied. The finish is unchanged. This is a surprising cigar and nothing like the Filthy Hooligan and Shamrock that came out around St. Patrick's Day. This cigar is much better in my opinion. I held the score of 94 for the final third. Check these out.

Overall Score: 94.33