VETERANS HONORED WITH SPECIAL EDITION FROM UNITED CIGARS

 

United Cigars honors our veterans with its yearly release of a Special Edition box of United Toro, aimed at expressing gratitude by sharing a cigar with our nation's veterans. Special Edition United Toro boxes, measuring 6 x 54, will feature a unique twist that extends beyond the cigar. To capture the spirit of Veterans Day on November 11th, United Cigars has specially marked boxes thanking our veterans with two complimentary, yellow foot-banded cigars inside to be shared with a veteran.  

Every United Toro Special Edition box will have 20 cigars inside, with two yellow foot banded cigars – an invitation to share these extra cigars with a veteran and a heartfelt way to say, "thank you for your service." This patriotic initiative provides an opportunity to participate in an act of appreciation for those who have served our nation with honor and courage. The blend features and Ecuador Habano wrapper, Dominican binder and Dominican blend featuring a bold Dominican Broadleaf. 

This direction reinforces the company's commitment to supporting our veterans and the community at large. Each box of United Cigars always includes a star that was meticulously cut from a weathered U.S. flag by a veteran. United Cigars collaborates with the nonprofit organization Stars For Our Troops to source these stars, thereby contributing to a noble cause. The stars are carefully placed within each box, serving as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by our veterans and first responders. 

Oliver Nivaud, Director of Operations for United Cigars, expressed, "Our Special Edition United Toro boxes are a symbol of our deep appreciation for the brave men and women who have served our country. We believe that honoring our veterans is not just a one-time act, but a continuous commitment. With this special release, we hope to share our gratitude with those who have made tremendous sacrifices for our freedom."

The Special Edition of United Toro cigars will be available at select retailers across the country and will begin shipping October 21st. With the two complimentary cigars designated for veterans, the box of 20 cigars will have a special retail of $171 a box. By purchasing a Veterans Day box, cigar enthusiasts and patriots alike can join United Cigars in showing their appreciation for our veterans and supporting a worthy cause.

ALEC BRADLEY LAUNCHES HEFTY NEW LINE CHUNK MADURO

Introducing Alec Bradley Chunk Maduro! For years, Alec Bradley has released Chunk frontmarks for some of the brand’s most beloved cigars (Magic Toast, Double Broadleaf, Gatekeeper, among others). Now, this squat cigar shape is getting its own full-time release with Chunk Maduro.  

Chunk Maduro is a full-flavored, powerful cigar packed into a short and chubby package. It boasts a rich Mexican Maduro wrapper, a Honduran Jamastran binder, and Dominican Piloto and Nicaraguan Estelí filler tobacco. Chunk Maduro offers a spicy and peppery yet pleasantly balanced flavor profile. It is manufactured at the HATSA factory in Danli, Honduras.  

Alec Bradley Senior Brand Manager Ed Lahmann said, “The Chunk frontmark has become a signature Alec Bradley size, and now we’re pleased to unveil a full-time line dedicated to these hefty smokes. Beyond the eye-catching branding and approachable price point, Chunk Maduro delivers a big, satisfying smoking experience that we know our fans will love.”  

Alec Bradley Chunk Maduro is available in three full-time sizes and two limited-edition frontmarks. Chunk Maduro boxes include 20 cigars per box — except the 4XL frontmark, which contains 18 cigars.  It began shipping to retailers October 14. 

Chunk Maduro Sizes: 

L (3” X 58): SRP per cigar $5.59 — LIMITED EDITION 

XL (4" X 60): SRP per cigar $5.89 

2XL (Torpedo) (4" X 64): SRP per cigar $6.39 — LIMITED EDITION 

3XL (4" X 66): SRP per cigar $7.49 

4XL (4" X 80): SRP per cigar $8.29 

Killer Bee Buzz Saw (5 x 56 Perfecto)

Video review HERE.

(Description provided by Black Works Studio)

Black Works Studio is pleased to announce the upcoming release of Killer Bee Buzz Saw as a Smoke Inn exclusive, handcrafted at Fabrica Oveja Negra in Esteli, Nicaragua.

“Smoke Inn has been a big supporter of Black Works Studio, so we wanted to do something special with our first exclusive release. The Buzz Saw perfecto was a fan favorite from the 2021 Hive release. This cigar is bold and very intense. The Buzz Saw is a great representation of the Killer Bee and definitely deserved an individual release,” said James Brown, creator of BLTC and partner at Fabrica Oveja Negra.

Killer Bee Buzz Saw is available at Smoke Inn.

Blend and Origin:

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Ecuador Maduro and Connecticut

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Perfecto – 5 x 56 $99.95 for 10-count

The cigar is a beauty and well made. It has an average 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 lime with a little underlying apple, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a substantial amount of black coffee. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2. Pretty good start.

At the first third (27 minutes) the flavors are mixing well. Now there is a little almond in the mix. The cigar is medium bodied. The finish is black coffee with very good lingering black pepper. The black coffee is starting to increase. I rated the first third 94.

As I moved through the second third (55 minutes) the flavors are about like they were in the first third. The cigar is medium bodied. The finish is unchanged. At the midpoint, which is the largest part of the cigar, there was quite a bit of earthiness and the black coffee was very elevated. Since we are past the midpoint and a smaller ring the cigar has reverted back to the way it was in the first third. I held the score of 94.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 15 minutes. As the cigar reached the smallest ring portion the lime and underlying apple became faint. The earthiness is still there and the black coffee is somewhat elevated. There are still some almond notes in the mix. The cigar is still medium bodied. The finish is black coffee and almonds with very good lingering black pepper. The sweet spot for this cigar is the third points. The middle was earthy and lots of coffee. The end (final third) lost sweetness and had lots of earthiness and black coffee. Still, this is a good cigar. It just changes a lot as you smoke. I rated the final third 92. Another good cigar from James Brown. Look for them at Smoke Inn.

Overall Score: 93.33

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.’”