Cachitos by Global Premium Cigar (4 1/2 x 50)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Cigar-coop.com website)

Global Premium Cigars, best known as the makers of the 1502 brand, introduces a value-priced line known as Cachitos.

Blended by Enrique Sanchez Icaza, Cachitos consists of a Nicaraguan wrapper over a Honduran binder and a combination of Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers. Cachitos comes in one size – a 4 1/2 x 50 petite robusto. Cachitos will be sold in 20-count bundles and have a $5.50 MSRP. As with all Global Premium Cigars cigars, production of Cachitos comes out of the Plasencia factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.

Cachitos is new line under the Global Premium Cigars umbrella, but separate from the 1502 brand.

Blend Profile

Wrapper: Nicaraguan

Binder: Honduran

Filler: Nicaraguan, Honduran

Country of Origin: Nicaragua (Plasencia SA)

Vitolas Available

Cachitos: 4 1/2 x 50

The cigar has no band an average feel in the hand. The foot is partially closed.

And, the cap has a little dot. At the time of this post I am not aware of what the significance of the dot is but here it is.

The test draw after cutting the cap was very good. The initial flavors at light up were sweet cedar, a touch of caramel, brown sugar, cinnamon, an earthy dry nutmeg, and an earthy black coffee. The flavors are fairly in balance at the outset. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2. A rather sweet start with a lot of earthy notes.

At the first third (18 minutes) I still had the cedar which is now a dry cedar, touch of caramel, brown sugar, cinnamon, earthy dry nutmeg, and earthy black coffee. The nutmeg and black coffee have somewhat toned down. The finish is cedar, brown sugar, and nutmeg with a nice amount of lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium bodied. The flavors in this cigar will not offend anyone. It has good, basic flavors. I rated the first third 92.

At the second third (38 minutes) the flavors were the same but the percentages changed. The earthy black coffee started to elevate. The cigar is still medium bodied. The finish is unchanged. I rated the second third 91.

The cigar lasted 51 minutes. A nice, short smoke. In the final third the nutmeg elevated along with the black coffee. Some of the sweeter notes were lost. Again, the same notes are present but the percentages changed. The finish is basically unchanged. The cigar remains medium bodied. This was a good, basic cigar that would make a nice quick smoke. I rated the final third 90.

Overall Score: 91

Archetype Pupil by Ventura Cigar Co.

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Cigar-coop.com website)

Ventura Cigar Company has launched two new cigars under its Archetype brand known as Master and Pupil. These cigars are coming from the Joya de Nicaragua factory in the Dominican Republic.

In terms of the theme, Ventura Cigar Company explains, “Inspired by the studies of both Sigmund Freud and Karl Jung, who identified common threads and themes of storytelling that transcend both time and culture, Archetype cigars outline the familiar tale of a hero’s journey, with cigars punctuating each crucial stage. Master and Pupil incorporates the essence of Freud and Jung, teacher and student, and tensions uncovered with the reversal of roles and transition of student to teacher.”

It’s the first major release to come from Joya de Nicaragua for Ventura Cigar Company.

The Pupil is described as “mild and relaxed’ and features an Ecuadorian Connecticut Wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler. The cigar comes in one size – a 6 x 52 Toro.

“No matter where you are in life, you are a master or a pupil. And then, one day, you are both,” says Michael Giannini, General Manager of Ventura Cigar Company. “We are students first, learning from those who came before. And then we find ourselves as the teachers, imparting our knowledge on others just starting their quest. We are never fully done learning, either, so the roles of teacher and student are fluid, always changing. The Archetype Master and Pupil cigars explore these transitions and tensions through blends that offer strength and nuance throughout the smoke. We’ve worked on these for over a year with the masters at Joya de Nicaragua, of whom we are all students.

Pupil

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Factory: Fábrica de Tabacos Joya de Nicaragua, S.A

Toro: 6 x 52

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

The test draw after cutting the cap was pretty good but I decided to use my PerfecDraw tool to open the draw. The initial flavors at light up were cedar with a large amount of baby aspirin orange citrus, brown sugar, quite a bit of cinnamon, light sweet cream, light nutmeg, and a modest amount of black coffee for the base. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2. It's a very sweet start with modest lower level notes at the outset.

At the first third (29 minutes) the ash is still intact and appears solid. There are now more cedar notes to go along with the baby aspirin orange citrus flavor. There are nice brown sugar notes and a lot of cinnamon. There is a touch of cream intertwined in all the sweeter flavors. There is a small amount of nutmeg following the sweeter notes and a moderate black coffee base. The black coffee has actually increased slightly. The finish is cream and nutmeg with nice lingering black pepper. The lingering black pepper is smooth. The cigar is medium bodied at this stage. This is an extremely sweet cigar with nice lower level notes. The cigar is very tasty at this stage and I'm a fan of sweet notes. I rated the first third 95.

As I moved through the second third (1 hour 3 minutes) the cigar started to change. The nutmeg and coffee notes have risen. The massively sweet front end flavors have toned down. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is brown sugar, nutmeg, and black coffee. The lingering black pepper remains good. I'm not a Connecticut guy but this is a nice tasting cigar. With the lowering of sweeter notes I lowered the score to 94 but I'm still impressed with this cigar.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 27 minutes. The lead flavor is now primarily cedar with only touches of the baby aspirin orange citrus. There are still brown sugar and cinnamon notes. The nutmeg now has a toasted flavor. The cream is very light. There is moderate amount of black coffee for the base. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is unchanged. The massive sweetness that the cigar had at the beginning has obviously toned down. And with it the score slightly lowered. I rated the final third 93 but this is a very good Connecticut cigar that I could smoke many more times.

Overall Score: 94

Dissident Soapbox Toro Gordo (6 3/4 x 54)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Cigar-coop.com website)

The 2019 IPCPR Trade Show had the re-launch of Dissident Cigars by new owner Benjamin Holt and under James Brown’s Oveja Negra Brands umbrella. At the trade show, one of the original brands from Dissident Soapbox will see a return.

Dissident Soapbox comes with a different look and a different blend. The cigar is highlighted by a Brazilian wrapper over an Ecuadorian binder and fillers from Nicaragua. Production is being handled from Brown’s Fabrica Oveja Negra, and distribution by Boutiques Unified.

While the sizes are similar, gone are the old names of Rant, Rave, and Tirade; replaced by more the more traditional names of Petite Corona, Robusto, and Toro Gordo. Each of these three sizes will be presented in 20-count boxes.

In a press release announcing the Dissident Soapbox, Benjamin Holt commented, “I am very excited about this. A lot of thought, time and work has been put into making this happen and I’m ready to show it to the world. I think these blends are very unique and offer a special smoking experience for those who love cigars. They really highlight the quality of tobacco that’s used at Oveja Negra.”

Blend and Origin

Wrapper: Brazil

Binder: Ecuador

Filler: Nicaragua

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Factory: Fabrica Oveja Negra

Vitolas Offered

Petite Corona: 4 3/4 x 46 (SRP $8.00)

Robusto: 5 1/2 x 52 (SRP $10.00)

Toro Gordo: 6 3/4 x 54 (SRP $11.00) REVIEWED TODAY

The cigar's wrapper is very smooth and a medium to dark brown. The cigar also has a pretty good feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were sweet cedar, a lot of brown sugar and cinnamon, a touch of caramel, a dry/earthy nutmeg, and an earthy black coffee. There was a nice amount of black pepper rated at an 8. The flavor notes are very much inline with other James Brown cigars. This cigar has a nice sweetness with ample dry, earthy nutmeg. Nice start.

At the first third (32 minutes) the burn is dead perfect. The cigar is going along just about like it started. There continues to be a tremendous amount of dry, earthy nutmeg but the sweeter notes are equaling them. The coffee notes are not as dominant as the nutmeg but they're noticeable. The cigar is medium bodied at this point. The finish is nutmeg with a touch of caramel to give it some light sweetness. There is a nice amount of lingering black pepper. I rated the first third 93.

At the second third (58 minutes) the overwhelming nutmeg notes decreased allowing the sweeter notes to rise. The cigar is now medium to full bodied. The finish is basically unchanged except there is now more lingering black pepper. While this cigar has a lot of the flavors of a typical James Brown cigar it is not quite as sweet. But, here in the second third the sweetness increase. I rated the second third 94.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 21 minutes. In the final third the coffee notes took an upward turn. The sweeter notes decreased. But, the sweet notes now have a toasted note. The cigar is now full bodied. The finish has more cedar on it now. It is now cedar, touch of brown sugar, and nutmeg with elevated lingering black pepper. The overall black pepper in this cigar has been very good. I rated the final third 93.

Overall Score: 93.33

Viaje Zombie Farmhand Andre (5 1/2 x 54)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from cigar-coop.com website)

Viaje has announced the release of its Viaje Zombie Farmhand Andre. It’s an offshoot to the Thanksgiving seasonal release introduced in 2019, Farmhand Andre.

Farmhead Andre represents Andre Farkas, the owner of Viaje Cigars. Last year, a cigar paying homage to him was released as a part of the 2019 Viaje seasonal release for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving releases have included Stuffed Turkey White Meat, Stuffed Turkey Dark Meat, Thanksgiving Leftovers, Farmer Bill Hatchet, Zombie Farmer Bill Hatchet, and Farmhand Andre.

Looking at the Thanksgiving-themed releases as a whole, Zombie Farmhand Andre is the first to be released outside the Thanksgiving Series.

Much like the relationship between Farmer Bill Hatchet and Zombie Farmer Bill Hatchet is unknown, so is the relationship between Farmhand Andre and Zombie Farmhead Andre. Zombie Farmer Bill Hatchet measures 5 1/2 x 54. The cigar itself is a box-pressed Toro shape. Blend details have not been released.

The zombie theme is something that has been seen across the company’s portfolio, but very little is known about it. There is a story that ties several Viaje releases together. The story goes that Viaje Skull and Bones WMD (Weapon Mass Destruction) explodes. Because of radiation from the explosion, people end up mutating into “Zombies.“.The Zombie Super Shot helps arm people for what Farkas calls the “Zombie Apocalypse”. The only way to cure the zombies is with the Zombie Antidote. Meanwhile, what we have learned now is that as a part of this story, Farmer Bill Hatchet and now Farmhand Andre have become zombies.

The cigar has an average feel in the hand and the foot is closed.

The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were sweet cedar, lots of brown sugar, lots of cinnamon, light caramel, smooth creamy nutmeg, light leather, and black coffee. There was nice black pepper rated at 7 1/2 to 8. Nice sweet start.

At the first third (32 minutes) I had a major burn issue and I am smoking the cigar slowly. I will let the cigar try to even out on it's own without touching up the burn. Here at the first third the sweetness has gone down. Actually, from the initial assessment to the 3/4 inch point the sweet notes went up! Then from that point to the first third they went steadily down. They are markedly lower at this point. The finish is nutmeg with some nice lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium bodied. I scored the first third at 91 but if the cigar continues to lose sweetness the score will go lower.

Moving through the second third (59 minutes) the cigar continued to lose sweetness. Now there is a lot of nutmeg. There is a very small amount of a whipping cream flavor but it does not help much. The brown sugar, caramel, and cinnamon are greatly reduced. The black coffee base is slightly elevated but it's not very high. The light leather may or may not be there at this point. It's quite faint. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is still heavy on the nutmeg with just a touch of brown sugar. The lingering black pepper is pretty good. For the raw score I rated the second third 89 but I am deducting 1 point for burn issues so the actual score is 88.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 18 minutes. The cigar continued to lose sweetness. It also continued to have burn issues. The cigar started so nicely but ended unimpressive to me. I had high hopes but they were not met. You still have a lot of nutmeg and just a touch of sweetness. The finish is unchanged. The cigar is medium to full bodied. This cigar just didn't do it for me. I rated the final third 88 and deducted 1 point for burn issues giving you a score of 87.

Overall Score: 88.67

Altadis releases The Henry Clay War Hawk Rebellious Ltd. Ed.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – On the heels of the hugely successful 2019 launch of the Henry Clay War Hawk – which earned a 93 rating– Altadis U.S.A. is releasing the limited-edition Henry Clay War Hawk Rebellious Ltd. Ed. 

 A collaboration between Rafael Nodal and AJ Fernandez, the Henry Clay War Hawk Rebellious Ltd. Ed. is handmade in Nicaragua. With just 1,200 boxes produced, shipping begins July 15 for this special cigar available in 20-count boxes.

“We are extremely proud of what we accomplished with our 2019 War Hawk, which was made at La Flor de Copan in Honduras and earned exceptional ratings,” said Nodal, who is Head of Product Capability for Tabacalera USA. 

“With the War Hawk Rebellious Limited Edition, we are offering adult consumers a complex, medium-bodied, Nicaraguan blend that complements the original War Hawk and provides smokers with a unique Nicaraguan experience,” Nodal said. 

War Hawk Rebellious Limited Edition:

Exclusive Limited Edition

Featuring oily Habano wrapper, well-aged

Nicaraguan binder and filler

Medium strength

20-count boxes

One size: Toro (54 x 6)

MSRP: $9.60

Leaf by James (6 x 50)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Cigar-Coop.com website)

Black Label Trading Company has become the latest manufacturer to produce a cigar for Jim Robinson’s Leaf series. Leaf by James will be the fourth installment of the series. 

Leaf by James gets its name from James Brown, partner in Black Label Trading Company and the Fabrica Oveja Negra factory. The cigar consists of a Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper, an Ecuadorian binder, and Nicaraguan fillers. Production is coming out of Fabrica Oveja Negra.

“I’m excited to be working with Jim on this new Leaf project. I think the bold style of Oveja Negra is a great addition to the portfolio,” stated James Brown press release.

This is the fourth collaboration that Robinson has done for his Leaf series. It’s a collaborative series that has focused on working with new and upcoming blenders. The series is best known for the blends under the Leaf by Oscar line, a project done in collaboration with Oscar Valladares featuring cigars wrapped in a tobacco leaf. There have been two other collaborations done that have had more limited releases – Leaf by Esteban (a project done with Nice Sueno’s Esteban Disla) and Leaf by Noel (a project dowe with Noel Rojas).

Blend Profile

Wrapper: Pennsylvania Broadleaf

Binder: Ecuador Habano

Filler: Nicaragua

Country of Origin: Nicaragua (Fabrica Oveja Negra)

Vitolas Available

Toro – 6 x 50

The cigar has obvious veins and a somewhat dry wrapper. It has an average feel in the hand for a toro of this size.

The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were cedar with a little tangy note, light caramel, a lot of brown sugar and cinnamon, an earthy, dry nutmeg, and a light black coffee base. There is much more earthy nutmeg than black coffee at the outset. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2. Nice sweet start.

At the first third (26 minutes) I noticed for a Connecticut broadleaf cigar it doesn't really have any chocolate notes and the black coffee notes aren't over the top either. At this point the coffee notes are a little elevated over the start and now there are dry cocoa notes. The other flavor notes are still in play. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is nutmeg, cedar, and brown sugar with a nice amount of lingering black pepper. This cigar is very good. It's somewhat subdued compared to other James Brown cigar creations but just a little. I enjoyed the first third. I rated it 94.

Moving through the second third (54 minutes) I noted this cigar has a lot of cedar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. The cigar is very sweet. The nutmeg is dry and somewhat pasty. There is still light caramel and dry cocoa. The black coffee is still there but it's not the usual amount in a typical James Brown cigar. I continue to enjoy this cigar. I rated the second third 94.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 12 minutes. Basically what you start with you have throughout the cigar. Here in the final third the sweetness dropped just a bit. Not much, but it's not at the level of the first or second thirds. The strength is now full bodied. The finish is unchanged. I enjoyed this cigar. It's the type that I could smoke every day. Very good. I rated the final third 93.

Overall Score: 93.67

Now in Magnum Size: Romeo by Romeo y Julieta

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – One of the premium cigar world’s most classic brands is getting bigger. With wide ring gauges and a world of rich flavor, the smooth and full-flavored Romeo by Romeo y Julieta is adding a 60 x 6 Magnum size. The new, bigger Romeo began shipping to retailers Friday, June 12.  

Cigar enthusiasts may recall that Romeo by Romeo y Julieta was Cigar Aficionado’s No.3 cigar of the year in 2012 with a 93 rating.   

“Made with the finest tobaccos carefully selected and delicately aged, Romeo cigars are meticulously crafted at the famed Tabacalera de García factory,” said Rafael Nodal, Head of Product Capability for Tabacalera USA.  “This new Romeo is for those adult connoisseurs who understand that bigger sometimes really is better.”    

The select Ecuadorian Habano wrapper is handpicked for its dark, rich color and robust taste, Nodal said. “The slightly mellow Dominican binder works harmoniously with the bold wrapper, and the unique filler blend of Dominican tobaccos completes this wonderfully complex full-bodied cigar that culminates in an unforgettable smoking experience,” he said. 

 

ADDED MAGNUM SIZE

60 X 6 

WRAPPER

Ecuadorian Habano 

BINDER

Dominican 

FILLER

Dominican 

ORIGIN 

Dominican Republic 

• An exceptional celebratory cigar 

• Has an excellent burn, which leaves a solid white ash 

• #3 Cigar of the year in 2012 by Cigar Aficionado magazine 

• Magnum 60 x 6 

• Box of 20 

MSRP $10.85 

Bishops Blend 2020 5 Year Anniversary Robusto (5 x 48)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Cigar-coop.com website)

The year 2020 marks the fifth anniversary of Black Label Trading Company’s Bishops Blend.

The blend features an Ecuadorian Habano Maduro wrapper over an Ecuadorian Habano binder and combination of Nicaraguan, Connecticut Broadleaf, and Pennsylvania Broadleaf tobaccos. 

The cigar is produced at Fabrica Oveja Negra and distributed by Oveja Negra Brands.

Vitolas:

Lancero - 7 x 42 (12 count) MSRP $12.00 (previously reviewed; score 96)

Robusto – 5 x 48 (20 count) MSRP $11.00 REVIEWED TODAY

Corona Larga – 6.25 x 46 (20 count) MSRP $11.5

Wrapper: Ecuador Habano Maduro

Binder: Ecuador Habano

Filler: Nicaragua, Connecticut & PA Broadleaf

The cigar is well made and looks very nice. It is quite dark and has an average feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was not good. I was not surprised as these have a very dense cap and I do not take much off. I used my PerfecDraw tool to open the draw. The initial flavors at light up were an orange citrus/cedar combination, a lot of brown sugar, cinnamon, pasty nutmeg, and a dark roasted black coffee. There was nice pepper rated at 7 1/2 to 8. A very nice start which is a little different from the lancero.

At the one inch point (10 minutes) the dark chocolate notes entered the picture. They seem to be somewhat sweet but it may be coming from the citrus or brown sugar notes.

At the first third (27 minutes) I'm getting a lot of brown sugar. The foremost flavor has aspects of cedar but more aspects of orange citrus. There is also quite a bit of cinnamon. There are plenty of pasty nutmeg, dark chocolate, and black coffee notes. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is black coffee, dark chocolate, and a touch of brown sugar sweetness with nice lingering black pepper. This robusto is quite impressive. I rated the first third 96.

At the second third (56 minutes) the sweeter notes are still going great. There is a lot of black coffee in the cigar but the sweeter notes really hold their ground. The nutmeg is pasty and smooth. It does not overtake the cigar. The cigar is close to full bodied. The finish is unchanged. This cigar is coming across as very sweet. I like that. At this point I held the score of 96. Very tasty.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 12 minutes. The nice flavor notes continued right to the end. I am still surprised that the larger ring had such sweet flavors. The cigar ended full bodied. The finish was unchanged. While most people wanted to smoke the lancero this robusto is equally as good even though it's a little different. It's different in a good way. I rated the final third 96.

Overall Score: 96

Nat Sherman Timeless TAA 2020 Limited Edition (6 x 50)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Cigar-coop.com website)

While the Tobacconist Association of America (TAA) Convention has been postponed, that hasn’t stopped Nat Sherman International from announcing its 2020 TAA Exclusive Cigar, the Timeless TAA 2020 Limited Edition.

The 2020 edition is a Nicaraguan puro handcrafted at the Plasencia factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. The cigar will come in one size – a 6 x 50 Toro and will be packaged in 10-count mazos. Production is limited to 650 mazos and pricing is set at $120.00 MSRP per mazo/$12.00 MSRP per cigar.

“The 2020 TAA Limited Edition is quite a special cigar and a bit of an unorthodox pedigree for a Nicaraguan puro,” explains Michael Herklots, Nat Sherman International’s Vice President in a press release. “All of the filler tobaccos were grown in the Jalapa region of Nicaragua, an area known for elegance and subtlety, and often used for wrapper. We used higher primings across multiple vintages in order to deliver a wider breadth in flavor and complexity from this region. The wrapper for this Limited Edition is a low priming sun-grown leaf from Estelí, Nicaragua. Though Estelí is more commonly known for rich filler tobaccos, this elegant wrapper adds the influence of Estelí’s terroir to the blend in a more graceful and thoughtful way.”

Blend and Origin

Wrapper: Nicaraguan

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Factory: Plasencia S.A.

Vitolas Offered

Toro: 6 x 50

The cigar is well made and has a nice feel in the hand. The black band is quite hard to read but the name Timeless sticks out nicely.

The test draw after cutting the cap was very good. The initial flavors at light up were a dry cedar with citrus influence, quite a bit of brown sugar and cinnamon, a lot of dry, earthy nutmeg, light leather, and a light black coffee base. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2. The cigar is starting off very sweet with a lot of earthy, "scratchy" flavors that seem to be accentuated by the black pepper. You can feel them on the palate. Nice start.

At the first third (29 minutes) the cigar is just slightly different from the way it started. There is now a lot more leather and "scratchy" earthy nutmeg. The sweeter notes have dipped just a little. The cigar is very intriguing. The finish is nutmeg with a little influence of cedar and nice lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium to full bodied. I like the mix of flavors. I rated the first third 94.

Moving through the second third (1 hour 1 minute) the cigar improved a bit. There are now toasted caramel notes and the overall sweetness went up slightly. All the other darker, earthy flavors are still there and they don't seem to have decreased. The cigar is now full bodied. The finish is unchanged. The nutmeg is still earthy and "scratchy". The black pepper continues to aid in those notes. I rated the second third 95.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 27 minutes. In the final third the cigar reverted back to the way it was in the first third. The sweetness dipped just a little leaving the elevated earthy nutmeg, leather, and black coffee. The cigar is still full bodied and the finish is unchanged. This has been a very good cigar. Plasencia did a very good job for Nat Sherman. I rated the final third 94.

Overall Score: 94.33