Brick House Classic Churchill (7 1/4 x 50)

Video review HERE.

(Description provided by J.C. Newman Cigars)

J.C. Newman launched Brick House; a true Cuban puro cigar made with the finest Havana tobaccos. To honor his family and heritage, J.C. modeled the Brick House label after his childhood home – the only brick house in their small, Hungarian village. Locals and visitors would gather at the house nightly to eat, drink, smoke and enjoy each other’s company. But with the Great Depression came the end of the Brick House.

Over 80 years later, grandsons Eric and Bobby Newman relaunched Brick House using the most exquisite Nicaraguan tobaccos.  Wrapped in a hearty Havana Subido™ leaf, every cigar features a rich blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos carefully hand-rolled by master artisans. Aged in the mountains of Nicaragua, every Brick House cigar is a melding of flawless construction, superb quality and master blend.

Wrapped in Nicaraguan Havana Subido leaf, with a Nicaraguan binder and filler, this medium-bodied cigar offers notes of spice, cedar, and a touch of sweetness, delivering a smooth and balanced smoking experience from start to finish.

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

The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were citrus, cedar, brown sugar, and tanned leather. There was black pepper rated at 7 to 7 1/2. Nice start.

At the first third (27 minutes) the leather has increased. The sweet notes are very nice but I wish they were more pronounced. They are lagging. The finish is an earthy leather with good lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium bodied. I rated the first third 93.

Moving through the second third (54 minutes) black coffee entered the mix. The sweet notes have dipped just a tad, probably due in part to the black coffee. Plus, there's leather. The sweet notes were already at a level that needed improvement so with the black coffee and leather they didn't stand much of a chance. The cigar is still medium bodied. The finish is unchanged. I rated the second third 92.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 20 minutes. Not much changed in the final third. The same notes and intensity continued. The cigar is medium bodied, leaning toward medium to full. The finish is leather with a hint of the citrus/cedar/brown sugar. The lingering black pepper is now very good. This is a solid cigar. The notes are nice but the sweet notes could be more intense. I rated the final third 92.

Overall Score: 92.33

Room101 15th Anniversary (6 x 52)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Halfwheel.com website)

Room101 is celebrating a major anniversary with a new limited edition cigar named the Room101 15th Anniversary, a 6 x 52 toro viola made entirely of Nicaraguan tobacco. Each cigar has an MSRP of $14.99—or $299.80 for a 20-count box—and production is limited to 40,000 cigars.

The cigars are being made by AJ Fernandez, which also produced Room101’s 10th, 12th, 13th and 14th Anniversary releases.

“I am both honored and humbled by your belief in and support of our brand,” said Matt Booth, founder of Room101, in a press release. “You have made this milestone possible for Room101. We have traversed several lifetimes, surfing the highs and lows of this journey together and I wouldn’t change a thing.”

While this might be the sixth year of these releases, it’s at least the seventh cigar. That is because, in 2022, Room101 released not only the 13th Anniversary but also a second size of the 12th Anniversary.

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

The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were tangy citrus, citrus peel, brown sugar, and black coffee. There was a ton of black pepper rated at 8 1/2 to 9. If you retro hale you will really get it. Very nice start.

At the first third (19 minutes) the notes are just like they started. The black pepper has toned down to around 8. There is light toffee in the mix which makes it a little sweeter. The cigar is full bodied already. The finish is black coffee with hints of citrus peel and brown sugar with very good lingering black pepper. The cigar is very good. I rated the first third 95.

As I moved through the second third (43 minutes) nothing much has changed. The only change is the finish has more of the citrus peel and brown sugar with light black coffee and very good lingering black pepper. The cigar is still full bodied. The notes work very well. I held the score of 95.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 13 minutes. In the final third the only change of note was the black coffee rose. There was enough extra black coffee to change the score to 94. Still a very good cigar. It's still full bodied and the finish is unchanged. This is an impressive cigar and the best Room101 Anniversary cigar I've had. Well worth trying.

Overall Score: 94.67

Apostate Cigars joining Oveja Negra Brands beginning June of this year

We are pleased to announce Apostate Cigars will be joining Oveja Negra Brands beginning June of this year. 

Oveja Negra Brands is made up of Black Label Trading Co. (BLTC), Black Works Studio (BLK WKS), and Emilio Cigars. Apostate will be the fourth brand under the Oveja Negra Brands distribution group. Oveja Negra Brands offers a unified sales and marketing team and centralized distribution through L.J. Zucca, a tobacco distributor since 1947. 

“We’re thrilled and honored to be joining the Oveja Negra Brands, which we have long admired. We are excited for the things to come and look forward to adding our blends to this amazing table,” Kendrick Woolstenhulme, co-founder President of Apostate Cigars. 

“We’ve always carved our own path, and Oveja Negra has done the same through its family of cigar brands. Joining this family of misfits and makers isn’t just a business move; it’s a melding of values. Apostate Cigars was built on doing things our way, and now we get to do it alongside people who get it and have set one hell of a table for us to sit at with them. We’re stoked for what’s coming.” Brandon Oveson, co-founder Vice President at Apostate Cigars. 

"As Oveja Brands grows we feel it’s important to diversify our portfolio. Apostate is a great example of a uniquely different brand that fits what we’re looking for. Their predominantly Dominican portfolio and blend style will be a great addition to Oveja Negra Brands,” says James Brown, creator of BLTC/BLK WKS and partner at Fabrica Oveja Negra. 

Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich 57 (5 3/4 x 55)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Halfwheel.com website)

On Jan. 22, Guy Fieri turned 57. The Knuckle Sandwich 57 marks the third year in a row that Fieri has celebrated his birthday with a cigar, and the blend remains the same as used for those two previous cigars. The wrapper comes from Mexico’s San Andrés region, while the binder and fillers are Nicaraguan.

This year’s version is a 5 3/4 x 55 robusto gordo that gets an oval press, a midway point between a round cigar and a full box press with squared corners. The size is very similar to the Knuckle Sandwich 55, the first such birthday cigar that came out in 2023 and which measured 5 1/2 x 55. The Knuckle Sandwich 56 was a 6 x 56 oval press shape.

Production is limited to 1,700 boxes of 10 cigars, a total of 17,000 cigars produced by the San Lotano factory in Ocotal, Nicaragua. This year’s production is the largest number of cigars made for one of these limited editions, up from 1,500 boxes last year.

Pricing is set at $16 per cigar and $160 for a box of 10 cigars.

The cigar is dark and well made. It has an average to good feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was good; almost effortless. The initial flavors at light up were dry cocoa, brown sugar, chocolate, and a little black coffee. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2. Nice dark start.

At the first third (28 minutes) the ash was still intact and the cigar was burning evenly. The black coffee is up a little but other than that the notes are the same. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is dark chocolate with very good lingering black pepper. Note that there was dark chocolate on the finish but regular chocolate on the front end at this point. I rated the first third 94.

As I moved through the second third (56 minutes) dark chocolate moved in to the front end. The brown sugar decreased a little and the black coffee went up a little. But the cigar works because it has such nice dark notes. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is black coffee and dark chocolate with very good lingering black pepper. I held 94 for the second third.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 31 minutes. The brown sugar is back up with dark chocolate and black coffee. The cigar is full bodied. The finish is unchanged. This is a good, solid, dark noted cigar. It is much like last year's version. Espinosa does a good job with maduros. I held the score of 94. These tend to sell out fast so look for them before they're gone.

Overall Score: 94

PLASENCIA CIGARS TO INTRODUCE THE WORLD’S FIRST HIGH ELEVATION CIGAR, ALMA DEL CIELO, AT THE 2025 PCA IN NEW ORLEANS

Plasencia Cigars, a world-leading premium tobacco grower established in 1865, proudly announces the debut of Alma del Cielo, the first-ever high-elevation cigar, at the 2025 PCA in New Orleans. Alma del Cielo, meaning "Soul from the Sky," captures the essence of tobacco grown at Finca San Julian in Condega, situated at greater than 3500 feet above sea level. This cigar is a tale of family, love, passion, and destiny.

Melalina Torres, wife of Don Nestor Plasencia, spent much of her childhood on a family-owned piece of land now named Finca San Julian in Estelí, Nicaragua. This unique mountain farmland was a cherished location where Melalina spent many holidays and summer vacations with her family, surrounded by coffee plants and golden grain fields. As time passed, her father had to sell the farm, turning her childhood experiences into cherished but distant memories.

Years later, Melalina crossed paths with Don Nestor Plasencia at a celebratory gathering in Estelí, and an instant romance blossomed. Their marriage brought children and successes, but also challenges and difficult decisions, including relocating their operations to Honduras. In the 1990s, Don Nestor and his family moved back to Nicaragua and discovered that the beloved farm was available for purchase. As a surprise, Don Nestor acquired the land and gifted it to his wife Melalina, presenting her with this special piece of her childhood as an anniversary gift.

Today, Finca San Julian, named in honor of Melalina's father, stands as a testament to time's patience and love's unwavering strength. Every room echoes with history, every tree whispers stories of those who have walked its soil. The wooden house may have grown, and the high-elevation fields now flourish with tobacco plants, but the spirit remains untouched—a place where the past and present embrace, where family gathers, and where love is always in the air.

The tobacco grown in this field benefits from higher sunlight exposure and cooler climates, resulting in a unique and captivating flavor. Situated high above sea level, Finca San Julian is nurtured by an untouched stream that flows through the farm. “This cigar is more than a product,” said Don Nestor’s son, Nestor Andres: “It is a living memory, a symbol of our family, a reflection of our sustainable farming practices, and of nature at its most generous.” The soil is meticulously nurtured and done so in a manner as close as possible to how Mother Nature does this when on her own, in order to create tobacco that is not only more sustainable, but which ultimately yields a memorable cigar experience like no other in the world.

The Alma del Cielo cigar opens with a rich, creamy sweetness of marzipan and honey, accented by subtle hints of nougat. As the cigar evolves, earthy undertones weave through, accompanied by delicate traces of orange zest. The heart of the smoke unveils warm cedar and more nougat, while the finish delivers a harmonious crescendo, with a refined touch of ginger spice that lingers gently. Best paired with a fine luxury champagne.

Housed in elegantly designed 10 count boxes. The Alma del Cielo is available in three vitolas.

CELESTE – Robusto (4 7/8 x 52) MSRP / Cigar: $25.00 | MSRP / Box of 10: $250.00

BOREAL – Toro (6 1/8 x 54) MSRP / Cigar: $27.50 | MSRP / Box of 10: $275.00

AMANECER – Hexágono (6 x 60) MSRP / Cigar: $29.50 | MSRP / Box of 10: $295.00

Diamond Crown Julius Caeser Troublemaker (5.75 x 52 Soft Perfecto)

Video review HERE.

(Description provided by JC Newman Cigars)

The Troublemaker is the newest addition to our Diamond Crown Julius Caeser line, featuring a unique soft perfecto shape that enhances its complex flavor profile. Handcrafted with an Ecuadorian Havana-seed wrapper, a Dominican binder, and a blend of Caribbean and Central American fillers, this cigar delivers a rich, refined smoking experience.

The idea for The Troublemaker was born in the office of Rich Dolak, vice president of operations at both J.C. Newman and Arturo Fuente.

“One of my longtime mentors is Rich Dolak,” 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,” Newman added. “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 cigar is nicely made and has an average feel in the hand.

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

At the first third (30 minutes) the flavors have changed. Now it's lemon with a lot of brown sugar and black coffee. It's a little like the lemon drop candy. The cigar is medium bodied but it's leaning toward medium to full. The finish is lemon and brown sugar with very good lingering black pepper. The cigar is quite nice. I rated the first third 95.

Moving through the second third (55 minutes) the burn was off. I had to touch up the cigar. On the opposite side of the cigar shown below was about an inch of wrapper that would not burn. The bigger notes is the black coffee. It has risen quite a bit. The sweet notes cannot keep up with the increased black coffee. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is unchanged. With the increased black coffee and bad burn I lowered the second third to 92.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 35 minutes. The cigar bounced back. The black coffee returned to it's normal amount and the lemon and brown sugar was allowed to shine once again. The strength is medium to full and the finish is unchanged. The cigar got nice again, much like the first third. I rated the final third 95. The middle section hurt the cigar but this is a good addition to the Julius Caeser line. Well worth trying.

Overall Score: 94

ROMEO Y JULIETA & KENTUCKY DERBY PARTNER AGAIN FOR 2025 LIMITED EDITION RUN FOR THE ROSES’ CIGAR RELEASE

In proud partnership with the Kentucky Derby® and Churchill Downs®, Romeo y Julieta is excited to unveil the 2025 limited-edition “Run for the Roses®” cigar. This release not only celebrates 151 years of the Kentucky Derby but also marks Romeo y Julieta’s 150th anniversary, bringing together two storied institutions in a shared legacy of tradition, excellence and innovation.

“We are honored to continue our partnership with Romeo y Julieta for the 2025 Kentucky Derby®," said Casey Ramage, Vice President of Marketing and Partnerships at Churchill Downs®. “As we celebrate the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby, this collaboration reflects our shared commitment to excellence and the enduring spirit of this iconic event.”

This year’s limited-edition release introduces a collector's box: the sequel of the “Run for the Roses®” cigar, featuring an all-new box design and a distinctive blend created by the acclaimed Grupo De Maestros at the Tabacalera De Garcia factory in the Dominican Republic. Aged over 5 years in the factory’s cedar room, this exclusive blend is full of rich flavor, depth and complexity. This exquisite 50 x 6 Toro is available in two packaging formats, a 20-count collector’s edition box and a commemorative coffin box containing one single cigar. The 20-count boxes will be sold at retailers nationwide and at Liquor Barn stores in KY. The single cigar coffin will be sold at kiosks around Churchill Downs during Derby Week only.

Building on our successful partnership from last year, we've expanded our relationship with Churchill Downs®  to make this product available nationwide," said Oliver Hyams, VP of Marketing at Altadis U.S.A. "This unique blend reaffirms our commitment to tradition, excellence, and innovation, making this release a landmark moment for both the Kentucky Derby® and Romeo y Julieta."

"We’re excited to welcome both premium cigar and Derby enthusiasts to experience this special release at our dedicated race day booth at Churchill Downs® during Derby Week, added Olivia Saad, Brand Manager for Romeo y Julieta. "Additionally, we’re offering an immersive experience at the Louisville Thoroughbred Society, a downtown private cigar lounge, giving members and guests a deeper connection to this milestone release."

Held annually on the first Saturday in May at the historic Churchill Downs® in Louisville, Ky., the Kentucky Derby® sets the stage for this exclusive release. For the 2025 edition, only 1,350 boxes will be available nationwide, ensuring that this collector’s item remains a truly exclusive opportunity for cigar enthusiasts. The product will start shipping on April 15th for retailers to sell in the lead up to the race on May 3rd.

Details:

·     Wrapper/Binder/Filler: Nicaragua

·     Strength: Medium-to-full

·     Origin: Dominican Republic

Sizes & Costs:

·     Toro (50 x 6), $20 per cigar, $400 for the box

·     Toro (50 x 6) coffin box, $25 per coffin

J.C. Newman Introduces Angel Cuesta Shade

J.C. Newman Cigar Co. is introducing Angel Cuesta Shade at the Premium Cigar Association Trade Show this weekend in New Orleans. First rolled a century ago, this historic cigar brand is named for Angel LaMadrid Cuesta, one of the founders of the storied Cuesta-Rey cigar brand.  Angel Cuesta was the official cigar of King Alfonso XIII, who ruled Spain from 1886 to 1931.  Angel Cuesta Shade is a companion to the award-winning Angel Cuesta Rosado, which J.C. Newman first released two years ago.

Angel Cuesta Shade cigars are handmade in The American Room at J.C. Newman’s iconic El Reloj cigar factory in the Cigar City of Tampa, Florida.  They feature a beautiful, silky smooth Nicaraguan Shade wrapper with a blend of aged binder and filler tobaccos from three continents and a pigtail cap.  They are rolled in three sizes and packed in cabinets of 20 cigars:

Angel Cuesta Shade Doble Robusto – 5.5” x 56 with a suggested retail price of $20

Angel Cuesta Shade Toro – 6.25” x 52 with a suggested retail price of $21

Angel Cuesta Shade Salamones – 7.25” x 57 with a suggested retail price of $23

A team of two rollers with decades of experience roll a total of 150 Angel Cuesta Shade cigars per day.  Because of this, Angel Cuesta cigars are very limited. J.C. Newman first released Angel Cuesta cigars to Tobacconist Association of America retailers last fall as part of the El Reloj Collection box set. This is the first time that Angel Cuesta Shade will be released in cabinets of 20 cigars.

A century ago, Angel Cuesta was one of the leaders of the cigar industry in Tampa.  Inside each box of Angel Cuesta is the following excerpt of a piece written by Angel Cuesta on how Tampa was the Fine Cigar Capital of the World:

“If you are a man who enjoys a really fine cigar, you have probably long since discovered the hand-made Tampa cigar with its superb smoking qualities – choice, clear Havana tobacco at its best! If you haven’t made this discovery, we believe it is time you did. And so we tell you how these cigars are created, and about Tampa, too – for the story of fine cigars is inseparable from the story of Tampa.

“Tampa today is the bustling metropolis of Florida’s West Coast, center of the most populous – and prosperous area of Florida. Despite the fact that it is the State’s leading industrial city, it is also a resort city – equally a fine place to work, to live, and to play. It is a city of color and contrasts; of carnival gaiety and progressive modern enterprise. Its Latin Quarter is a carry-over from the Old World into the new. In this Latin Quarter, center of life for some 40,000 persons of Spanish and Cuban descent, are located the majority of the cigar factories that produce these fine cigars. 

“The story of these cigars begins long ago. It begins in the mild, tropical climes of Cuban’s picturesque tobacco plantations. It begins in the skilled fingers of the cigarmaker, whose art is a heritage from the Old World.  Yes, and it begins in the minds of a few enterprising men who had the foresight to recognize Tampa’s advantages as a potential cigar center. 

It was Senor V. Martinez Ybor who pioneered the movement which made Tampa the cigar capital of America. In 1869 Ybor had transferred his factory from Havana to Key West, to escape the depredations of the Spanish volunteer troops. As others followed, Key West became the center of America’s clear Havana industry of America’s clear Havana industry. 

“Seventeen years later, Ybor and Eduardo Manrara, his partner, were impressed by the climatic and geographical possibilities of Tampa as a manufacturing site, when seeking a more favorable location for their operation. Tampa, then but a sprawling, lusty frontier hamlet, offered a large area of local hands to the cigar men, thus laying the cornerstone for one of the city’s principal industries. Other alert cigar men followed. Ybor’s example, and Tampa’s emergence as the manufacturing hub of Florida became an accomplished fact. 

“Today, the finest cigars in the world are made in Tampa. 

Angel LaMadrid Cuesta

April 1948”

This is the fifth of five new products that J.C. Newman will be introducing at the PCA Trade Show this weekend.

J.C. Newman Introduces the Home Run Humidor

For more than a century, J.C. Newman has celebrated the tradition of baseball and cigars. This legacy continues with the new Home Run Humidor. Handcrafted in America by Jason LeGear, owner and craftsman]of Milwaukee Humidor Company, the Home Run Humidor is a series of 50 unique cigar humidors made from game-used professional baseball bats. The first humidor will be unveiled this weekend at the Premium Cigar Association trade show in New Orleans. 

“Baseball and cigars go hand-in-glove,” said fourth-generation owner Drew Newman.  “These unique humidors are shaped like home plate with five sides. They were handcrafted from broken bats provided by a professional baseball team. Due to league rules, I am not able to disclose the team.”

The humidors are made from American Maple and Birch wood and European Beech wood from the baseball bats. Walnut details, sourced in Wisconsin by LeGear, mimic the stitching of a baseball. LeGear carefully repurposed each game-used baseball bat into veneers in order to transform them into one-of-a-kind humidors. In 2023, he handcrafted The American All-Star Humidor from the 2011 NBA All-Star Game court. Last year, he created humidors for the Tampa Bay Lightning with game-used pucks. He recently launched Milwaukee Humidor Co.’s premier product, the Modern Drybox, a humidor specially designed for dryboxing cigars.

“Any opportunity to incorporate handcraft and engineering into art is a challenge I am excited to step up to the plate for,” said LeGear. “The Home Run Humidor is the pinnacle of functional humidor design for me as a craftsman. The biggest challenge has been rendering baseball bats, a notoriously round object, into flat veneer, and then meticulously hand-seaming each individual piece into a cohesive whole, as well as designing a functional humidor of a non-standard shape. Every baseball and cigar enthusiast will be thrilled to be a part of the unique history and celebration of America’s national pastime every time they open the Home Run Humidor to enjoy a cigar.”

Because the wood used in the bats varies, each of the 50 humidors is a unique work of art. Each humidor has a capacity of 100 to 125 cigars and will include 25 Tampa Smokers cigars. The suggested retail price is $2,000. These special humidors will be ready to ship this summer. LeGear will be available at the trade show to meet with retailers and showcase his craft.

This is the fourth of five new products that J.C. Newman will be introducing at the PCA Trade Show this weekend.

ROOM101 CIGARS UNVEILS LIMITED-EDITION ANNIVERSARY HUMIDOR

Room101 Cigars is following up the release of its much-anticipated 15th Anniversary Cigar with a limited-edition Anniversary Humidor. The Humidor, which will be available in burgundy, teal, and black, features a selection of cigars from every limited-edition Room101 Anniversary release to date (Room101 Anniversary 10th — 15th).  

The humidor includes 126 cigars (21 from each release), including six special Culebra versions of each of the previous six Room101 Anniversary releases. These Culebras are only available in this humidor. The rest of the cigars are Toros. All are Nicaraguan Puros and made by AJ Fernandez with the exception of the 11th Anniversary, which is made by Oliva. 

Matt Booth, Creative Director of Room101 Cigars, said, “This showpiece humidor is a celebration of our brand in product form. We’ve overcome the odds many times to reach this point, and the Anniversary Humidor is an expression of our gratitude for the support our fans have shown us over the years.” 

Only 101 of the Room101 Anniversary Humidor have been made. Boveda packs are included. SRP for the humidor is $2,500. 

Cigars included in the Room101 Anniversary Humidor: 

Room101 10th Anniversary (6” X 52 Toro and 7” X 38 Culebra) 

Room101 11th Anniversary (6” X 52 Toro and 7” X 38 Culebra) 

Room101 12th Anniversary (6” X 52 Toro and 7” X 38 Culebra) 

Room101 13th Anniversary (6” X 52 Toro and 7” X 38 Culebra) 

Room101 14th Anniversary (6” X 52 Toro and 7” X 38 Culebra) 

Room101 15th Anniversary (6” X 52 Toro and 7” X 38 Culebra

ROOM101 CELEBRATES A DECADE OF JOHNNY TOBACCONAUT WITH 10TH ANNIVERSARY CIGAR

Room101 Cigars is set to take your taste buds to outer space with the return of a fan-favorite, limited-edition cigar with a twist. The new smoke, Johnny Tobacconaut 10th Anniversary, celebrates this stellar blend’s ten years of sporadically delighting cigar lovers. The new cigar — a Nicaraguan Puro — boasts rich tobacco designed and built by Matt Booth, Room101 Creative Director, and AJ Fernandez. This limited-edition blend is a full-bodied expression that stands in contrast to the most recent 2023 Johnny Tobacconaut full-time blend, which featured a Connecticut shade wrapper.  

While Johnny Tobacconaut Cigars first appeared in 2015, the line has returned over time in varying capacities (2021 and 2023) with different blends. Johnny Tobacconaut 10th Anniversary is being produced in limited quantities at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua S.A. Johnny Tobacconaut is classed as an Unobtanium sub-brand of Room101 Cigars.  

Room101 Johnny Tobacconaut 10th Anniversary is a full-bodied cigar. It offers tasting notes of earth, pepper, and hints of sweetness along with a smooth, satisfying finish. 

“I'm beyond excited to celebrate the tenth year of the Johnny Tobacconaut brand. It's ten years in space for Room101 and it tastes incontestably delicious,” said Booth. “I’m looking forward to the next ten years and beyond of galactic disruption.” 

Johnny Tobacconaut 10th Anniversary will be available in a single size — a 6” X 52 Toro. SRP for the cigar is $11.99. Boxes will contain 20 cigars.  

Note: This release will be featured at PCA, but a ship date is currently unavailable due to the recent fire at AJ Fernandez’s factory.  An exact ship date will be provided as soon as possible. 

Toro (6" × 52): SRP per cigar $11.99 

DIESEL TO LAUNCH NEW LIMITED-EDITION PULLED-PORK CIGAR

When it comes to BBQ, every part of the country has their own way of doing things. Diesel’s new Backyard Barbecue Series was created to celebrate those unique styles. Its first stop? North Carolina, for Diesel Backyard Barbecue Series Pulled Pork.  

Inspired by the barbeque culture of the Tar Heel State and crafted at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua S.A., Pulled Pork is a hefty smoke fans can really sink their teeth into.   

“The Diesel BBQ Pulled Pork is THE cigar of the summer,” says Diesel Assistant Brand Manager Joe Krzyston. “This unique seasonal offering is just in time for grilling season, with its rich and full-bodied flavor. If you’re looking for your new backyard cigar, this is it.” 

With a blend that features a Habano Rosado wrapper, Jalapa binder, and Jamastran, Esteli and Condega filler, this limited-edition release boasts earthy notes of charred wood and hazelnut. It’s the perfect accompaniment for a day spent manning the grill.  

Diesel Pulled Pork will be available in 10-count boxes and begin shipping to retailers on May 1. This release is limited to 2,000 boxes. 

Robusto (5” X 56): SRP per cigar $7.49 

DIESEL TO LAUNCH NEW LIMITED-EDITION RACEKING CIGAR WITH RABBIT HOLE DISTILLERY

Inspired by the legacies of Kentucky bourbon-making and horse racing, Diesel is releasing the latest installment in the Diesel Whiskey Row Founder’s Collection series: Diesel Founder’s Collection Raceking, made in collaboration with Rabbit Hole Whiskey.   

Crafted at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua S.A., Diesel Raceking features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper and is filled with a Raceking Founder’s Collection Bourbon barrel-aged Nicaraguan binder, as well as a Nicaraguan filler. 

 

This limited-edition cigar is a full-bodied smoke boasting nutty notes of earthiness and cocoa that pair perfectly with rye whiskey, brown ale, and, of course, the Founder’s Collection Raceking Bourbon.  

 

“We’re thrilled to release another cigar in our Whiskey Row Founder’s Collection in collaboration with Rabbit Hole,” said Joe Krzyston, Assistant Brand Manager for Diesel. “This barrel-aged blend honors the history and legacy of Kentucky bourbon. Whether you’re watching the race or simply enjoying the quality of the craft, this cigar is truly exceptional.”  

 

Diesel Raceking is available in a Toro in 10-count boxes and will begin shipping to retailers on May 1st, just in time for fans to enjoy during one of the biggest horse races of the year - The Kentucky Derby and  

beyond. This release is limited to 2,300 boxes. 

 

Diesel Founder’s Collection Raceking is the fifth cigar crafted in tandem with Rabbit Hole. The series debuted in 2018 with Diesel Whiskey Row and has expanded to include Diesel Whiskey Row Sherry Cask, Diesel Whiskey Row Founder’s Collection Boxergrail, and last year’s Diesel Whiskey Row Founder’s Collection Mizunara. 

 

Toro (6" × 52): SRP per cigar $15.99