Drew Estate Announces the Drew Estate Lounge at BB&T Center and the “Year of the Rat” Commemorative Cigar

Monday, March 28, 2016 — Miami, FL – Drew Estate announced today that a Drew Estate Lounge will open at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla., home of the National Hockey League’s Florida Panthers. This new Drew Estate Lounge is a major milestone in the company’s Lounge Program, officially placing Drew Estate in a professional sports arena for the first time.

“This new lounge brings the Rebirth of Cigars to a broad new audience of hockey fans at the BB&T Center. On a personal level, I am a huge fan of the Florida Panthers. I became a season ticket holder this year and have been so impressed with the ownership, their management of the team and the family environment that is reminiscent of the Drew Estate’s culture, so this is especially exciting for me,” Drew Estate President Michael Cellucci said. “We’re excited to join forces with the BB&T Center for this new chapter in Drew Estate’s Lounge program.”

“Drew Estate was our first choice when partnering with a cigar company. What we expected was a cool brand with creative execution; what we didn’t expect was a friendship with a group of people we so admire and with whom we absolutely love spending time,” Florida Panthers Executive Vice President Charlie Turano said. “The Drew Estate Lounge at the BB&T Center is a special place.”


Drew Estate also announced a new cigar called the “Year of the Rat”. The new cigar will be joining the ultra-premium Liga Privada Unico Serie line and is a commemorative cigar celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Florida Panthers 1996 Stanley Cup team. This cigar will launch April 1st and will only be available for sale at this Drew Estate Lounge.

The new “Year of the Rat” cigars presented in a 5-1/2 x 46 vitola featuring the iconic fan tail featured on many Unico Serie cigars. The cigar will feature a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper with a Brazilian binder and Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers. The cigar will be packaged in 10-count boxes and will have an MSRP of $14.00.


“Our Liga Privada Unico Serie line of cigars is reserved for our most exclusive, limited cigars. We wanted to create something extra special to commemorate our new partnership with the Florida Panthers and we believe the new ‘Year of the Rat’ expresses our sense of friendship with the team at the BB&T Center,” Drew Estate President Michael Cellucci said.

To learn more about the new cigar, visit http://drewestate.com.

About Drew Estate

Founded in New York City in 1996, Drew Estate has become one of the fastest growing tobacco companies in the world. Under their mantra “The Rebirth of Cigars”TM, Drew Estate has led the “Boutique Cigar” movement by innovating new elements to the tobacco industry with their unique tobaccos and blending styles that have attracted new and traditional cigar enthusiasts. In their Gran Fabrica Drew Estate, the Nicaraguan headquarters, Drew Estate produces a variety of brands such as ACID, Herrera Estelí, Herrera Estelí Norteño, Kentucky Fired Cured, Liga Privada, MUWAT, Natural by Drew Estate, Nica Rustica, Nirvana, Pappy Van Winkle Barrel Fermented Cigars, Tabak Especial, Undercrown, and Java by Drew Estate.

About BB&T Center

Home to the Florida Panthers Hockey Club and leading international concerts and events, the Broward County-owned BB&T Center is one of the top ranked venues of its kind in the world, servicing Broward, Collier, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach Counties.

PRE-RELEASE REVIEW: Hoyo Robusto (5 x 54)

Video review HERE.

General Cigar will launch a new version of Hoyo de Monterrey exclusively for brick and mortar retailers. The new collection called Hoyo will be available in four sizes ranging in price from $5.49 to $6.99 and begins shipping to all retailers on April 1.

According to Alan Willner, vice president of marketing, “We’re taking the legendary brand Hoyo de Monterrey and moving it into the future. The new Hoyo is about keeping the brand’s rich history of Honduran craftsmanship and infusing it with new ideas, new tobacco and new packaging.”

Hoyo was inspired by Hoyo Edición de Cumpleaños 150, a successful, limited edition cigar released last year. Hoyo 150th anniversary took the first step toward breaking the conventions of the brand by featuring a new variety of Nicaraguan tobacco, a shade-grown wrapper never used before in any other cigar. With sleek new packaging and a contemporary logo, Hoyo Edición de Cumpleaños 150 represented a new wave of the brand.

Hoyo begins with a proprietary wrapper called Esteli Habano Shade. Cultivated by the Plasencia Group exclusively for Hoyo, it is the first Cuban-seed, shade-grown wrapper, and is also one of the heaviest wrappers used in premium cigars. The Plasencias use special cultural practices to deliver a thick, pliable leaf with bold, peppery flavor. Given the power of the leaf, the Hoyo blending team chose to apply increased fermentation, taking place over two years, to bring deeper dimension to its taste.

The blend consists of three different tobaccos – a Pennsylvania Ligero, plus Nicaraguan Esteli and Nicaraguan Ometepe leaves. Each of the filler leaves was aged for more than 18 months. The Pennsylvania ligero is a powerhouse, balanced by aged Ometepe leaves. The Esteli leaves lend a familiar earthy flavor that increases the cigar’s complexity.

An aged Ecuadoran Sumatra binder lends great combustibility and ensures an even burn.

Each of the four vitolas will be packaged in sleek, 20-count black boxes with silver branding elements. They are:

Gigante (6” x 60) – SRP per cigar is $6.99

Toro (6” x 50) – SRP per cigar is $6.79

Robusto (5” x 54) – SRP per cigar is $6.59

Rothschild (4.5” x 50) – SRP per cigar is $5.49

Wrapper: Esteli Habano Shade

Binder: Ecuadoran Sumatra

Filler: Pennsylvania Ligero, Nicaraguan Esteli and Nicaraguan Ometepe

The cigar is very dark and oily. 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 cedar, black licorice, espresso, leather, and black pepper rated at an 8. There seems to be a cream-like flavor mixed in with the cedar and licorice. The cigar is heavy on the espresso and leather. The leather is an old leather, not a newly tanned flavor. The sweet aspects seem to tone down the darker notes somewhat.

About 3/4 inch in the flavors have changed. There are still massive amounts of espresso and leather. The black licorice notes  have gone away but they were replaced with a buttery brown sugar which goes along nicely with the cedar. The finish is a cream flavor with leather aspects. There is quite a bit of lingering black pepper. The cigar is pretty much full bodied out of the gate. It's a low level full bodied.

2 inches in the leather notes have toned down a little, along with the espresso. The sweet, buttery cedar and brown sugar has risen to the forefront. The pepper continues to be very good on both ends. The cigar has settled down to a nice mix.

The cigar ended pretty consistent from the last segment with the exception of the leather moving upward a little. The cigar ended at a low level full bodied. The finish did not change much. The pepper remained very good on both ends. This new Hoyo has been a nice cigar with a good mix of sweet and dark notes. I enjoyed this cigar.

Score: 92

Aging Room Quattro F59 Espressivo (5 x 50)

Video review HERE.

(Portions of description taken from Cigar-Coop.com website)

This is the second box-pressed Quattro release from Aging Room Cigars.  The Aging Room Quattro F59 is a box-pressed cigar that features a Habano wrapper with Dominican binder and filler.

The second Quattro was originally intended to be called the Aging Room Quattro T59, but a decision was made to rename it to F59.  Originally this project had been slated to be a 2014 release, but as Rafael Nodal told us at the 2014 IPCPR Trade Show a decision was made to postpone the project due to the success of the Aging Room Quattro F55 (Cigar Aficionado’s #2 Cigar for 2013)

Blend Profile:

Wrapper: Habano

Binder: Dominican

Filler: Dominican

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic (Tabacalera Palma)

Vitolas Available:

The Aging Room Quattro F59 is being launched in five sizes. These are the same original five sizes as the Aging Room Quattro F55.

Concerto: 7 x 50

Vibrato: 6 x 54

Maestro (Torpedo): 6 x 52

Espressivo: 5 x 50 REVIEWED TODAY

Stretto: 4 1/2 x 46

The cigar is a beautiful box press and has a shiny oily wrapper.

The test draw after cutting the cap was effortless. The initial flavors were sweet cedar and brown sugar combination, along with black pepper rated at an 8.

About 1/2 inch in there are a lot of cinnamon notes to go along with the sweet cedar and brown sugar. There is also a touch of butter. There is a massive amount of black pepper and I believe it has increased since the start. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is a sweet cream with a custard like flavor. There is some nice lingering black pepper also.

About 1 1/2 inch in there is now a marshmallow cream. The cinnamon notes are very good at this point. The buttery brown sugar and cedar are just behind the massive cinnamon notes. The black pepper continues to be fantastic. There are some black coffee notes at the base. The cigar is very close to full bodied and you can feel the ligero. The finish is unchaged in flavor  but the pepper has increased. Everything about the cigar is better at this point.

Just past the midpoint all the flavors are at an even mix. The cigar is definitely full bodied. There is a very nice flavor combination.

The cigar stayed just like the last segment all the way to the end. This is a great full boded cigar with fantastic flavors. Most of Rafael Nodal's cigars are not as full bodied as this cigar but I have very much enjoyed it. I loved this cigar.

Score: 94

VIVA REPUBLICA ANNOUNCES “STEALTHY” CIGAR SERIES: CLOAK & DAGGER

Jason Holly to release “Ojos Verdes”, the first blend under the Cloak & Dagger series.

Miami, Florida- Viva Republica, the premium handmade cigar manufacturer announces a new series named Cloak & Dagger. This new effort will allow the company to quickly release an array of limited edition blends. The Cloak & Dagger program is unique, as the blend contents will not be released to the public. The first blend under the Cloak & Dagger series is the: Ojos Verdes cigar.

The first release, Ojos Verdes or “Green Eyes”, is a 6" x 47 Corona Gorda, featuring a Dominican Candela wrapper. No other information on the blend will be released, and future blend information on cigars brands under the Cloak & Dagger series will be withheld. Production is limited to 250 bundles of 20 cigars with an MSRP of $8.50.

Jason Holly stated:” It's my belief that to enjoy a cigar you needn't know the blend components, in fact I think it's better to smoke a new cigar without being prejudiced by tobacco origin, marketing/positioning, proclaimed strength, etc. ”Cloak & Dagger was born out of the desire to create a vehicle, to quickly market test blends and unique concepts. Cloak & Dagger will be a limited production line, with an irregular release schedule.” Keeping in the political vein, Viva has themed its previous releases, and this one takes on the personality, of clandestine operations (or the Dark Arts). These releases will be non-boxed and shipped in mazos of 20. Each different release features the same Cloak & Dagger band, with a hang tag indicating the vintage, and codename for each release. “I'm excited about this line, because it will allow me to get projects out of the factory much quicker, than we have been doing in the past. With standard packaging prepared, we can turn out a wet-shipped release, in less than a week, or 30-40 days, with traditional minimum aging, stated Holly. Consumers should expect to see more releases under the Cloak & Dagger program this year, featuring different sizes, different blends and some novel concepts regarding both blending and construction. The theme for Viva for 2016 will be to reinforce our theme of "Where the Wild Things Grow" and Cloak & Dagger will certainly serve as one of the expressions of the brand.

Miami Cigar & Co. is the exclusive American distributor of Viva Republica.

ABOUT VIVA REPUBLICA Viva Republica is a boutique premium handmade cigar manufacturer, with all production being provided by La Aurora, S.A. Miami Cigar Co. serves as exclusive United States distributor www.vivarepublica.com.

About Miami Cigar & Co. Miami Cigar & Co. , founded by Nestor and Mariana Miranda, Miami Cigar & Co. has become one of the premier distributors of premium cigars boasting a portfolio which includes Tatiana, Don Lino and the Nestor Miranda brands. Miami Cigar &Co. also serves as the exclusive United States distributor for La Aurora, S.A and all Viva Republica brands.

Espinosa Habano No. 4 (5 1/2 x 50)

Video review HERE.

First unveiled at the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers trade show this year, the new Espinosa Habano features a modified blend, new packaging and new band artwork. Two of the cigar sizes, as well as the overall vitola count, have also been adjusted.

"We tweaked the blend and streamlined the design of the band and packaging," Jimenez said. "The vitolas have changed and have been streamlined to three offerings."

The cigar features Nicaraguan filler and binder tobaccos over an Ecuadoran Habano wrapper. Once offered in four sizes, the line has been reduced to three: No. 4, which measures 5 1/2 inches by 50 ring gauge; No. 5, at 6 by 52; and No. 8, at 6 1/8 by 58. The cigars retail from $6.75 to $7.50. "The No. 4 and No. 8 are new sizes in the line. We reduced the ring gauges in order to taste more of the rich Habano wrapper."

The cigars come in boxes of 20.

Wrapper: Ecuadoran Habano

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

The cigar has an average feel in the hand and is well made.

The test draw after cutting the cap was a touch firm. The initial flavors were dry roasted almonds, boysenberry with a high pitched sweetness of citrus, light coffee, and black pepper rated at a 7 1/2. The dry roasted nuts are very prominent.

1 1/2 inches in the flavors are changing. The dry roasted nuts continue to lead but now you have a sweet orange citrus with brown sugar and a touch of butter. The pepper seems to be increasing. The finish is a sweet cream with a touch of citrus and some lingering pepper. The cigar is medium bodied at this point.

At the midpoint the flavors have changed again. I now get an apricot type flavor with brown sugar. The roasted nuts continue to be prominent. The finish is now a toasted cream. The cigar is still medium bodied. The pepper continues to improve on the front end primarily. I would rate it at an 8+.

Here at the end the brown sugar is the lead flavor. The apricot flavor is overwhealmed by the massive amount of brown sugar. The roasted nuts actually toned down from the midpoint onward. The pepper continued to move up on the front end and on the finish. The cigar ended at medium to full bodied. The cigar made several twists and turns. To me, it was the best from the midpoint onward. 

Score: 91

Bloodline OPA Habano Stemma (6 1/2 x 44)

Video review HERE.

(Portions of description taken from Cigar-Coop.com website)

This cigar is from Micah Johnson and distributed by Esteban Carreras Cigars. The O.P.A. stands for the Oliva, Perez, and Aganorsa and pays homage to these original growing fields that were in Cuba, but now have their seeds used in Nicaraguan.

This line uses the Soft Crush fermentation process. This adds pressure to the fermentation process by a gentle squeeze under weight.  This process adds natural heat and increases the temperature and duration.  In addition the cigars are made with up to 75 percent ligero in the blend.

Wrapper: Nicaraguan

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

The cigar is a sharp box press.

The test draw after cutting the cap was a touch firm. The initial flavors were boysenberry and graham cracker notes with dry wood. The pepper is a white pepper rated at a 7. Very interesting start for a Nicaraguan cigar.

About 1 1/2 inch in the flavors are changing. They are now a sweet orange and brown sugar with the typical Aganorsa tobacco flavor which is something like a vegetable type flavor. I am not sure if this cigar contains Aganorsa tobacco but it sure tastes like it does. The cigar is medium bodied. The finish is a sweet cream with a touch of lingering white pepper. This was a pretty big change.

At the midpoint there are not many changes. The vegetable type flavor seems to have toned down a touch and there are now low level black coffee notes. The sweet flavors of orange citrus and brown sugar are still there. The tangy aspects of the orange citrus are toned down by the vegetable flavors.

The cigar did not change from the last segment. It ended with the same notes. Any time I encounter the vegetable flavors this cigar had I am a little taken back. While it's not a bad flavor it takes away from the sweetness of the other flavors. I'm not a huge fan of the vegetable flavors but I could buy this cigar again. 

Score: 90

VILLIGER-GROUP ANNOUNCES NEW CEO

Pfeffikon/LU, March 15, 2016 –Heinrich Villiger, Chairman of the Board of the Villiger Soehne AG hands over his function as CEO of the Villiger Group after 65 years in charge. The new CEO of the Villiger Group is Robert Suter (M.sc. Swiss Instiute of Technology) who has extensive experiences in international Swiss industries. In his last position he successfully acted as Group CEO of Conzzeta AG a Swiss holding company.

“We are very pleased that we were able to hire with Robert Suter a renowned and experiences Swiss manager as CEO for the Villiger Group. Robert Suter has a long and exceptional career as top executive in industrial groups. Among other positions he acted successfully as Group CEO and Chairmen of the Executive Committee at Conzzeta Ltd.” Heinrich Villiger said who will remain Chairman of Villiger Soehne AG and the Villiger Holding.

“It is the right time” emphasizes Heinrich Villiger. For 65 years tobacco was his life as being in charge as entrepreneur of the tobacco group. Heinrich Villiger hands over his responsibility with immediate effect. Starting from March 2016 Robert Suter will take over his new role as CEO. The board of Villiger Soehne Holding AG and Villiger Soehne AG remains unchanged.

This news comes on the heels of Rene Castaneda being named President of Villiger Cigars North America. Robert Suter will work together in tandem with Castaneda as Villiger Cigars North America continues to make big strides in 2016.

The Villiger Group is a Swiss family company in the international tobacco industry in the fourth generation. The group has 1500 employees globally and has sales of about 200 Million Swiss Francs a year. Production locations are Europe, Americas and Asia.

ABOUT VILLIGER SONS LIMITED AND VILLIGER NORTH AMERICA: Villiger Sons Limited was established in 1888 by Jean Villiger in the small town of Pfeffikon, Switzerland, where Villiger remains headquartered to this day. The company manufactures and sells more than 1.5 billion cigars annually, world-wide. Today, under the leadership of Heinrich Villiger, the company prides itself in its commitment to quality, in all their products made in many countries around the globe.

Villiger Cigars North America was established to service the premium cigar enthusiast primarily in the United States. With production from some of the most respected manufacturers in Dominican Republic, Central America and elsewhere, it is the goal of the company, to introduce the finest smoking experience a premium

handmade cigar has to offer. Today, and in the future, one can rest assured that when they choose a Villiger cigar, the quality of the leaf, the manufacturing, and even the packaging will be second to none.

PRESENTING THE NEW HOYO

General Cigar will launch a new version of Hoyo de Monterrey exclusively for brick and mortar retailers. The new collection called Hoyo will be available in four sizes ranging in price from $5.49 to $6.99 and begins shipping to all retailers on April 1.

According to Alan Willner, vice president of marketing, “We’re taking the legendary brand Hoyo de Monterrey and moving it into the future. The new Hoyo is about keeping the brand’s rich history of Honduran craftsmanship and infusing it with new ideas, new tobacco and new packaging.”

Hoyo was inspired by Hoyo Edición de Cumpleaños 150, a successful, limited edition cigar released last year. Hoyo 150th anniversary took the first step toward breaking the conventions of the brand by featuring a new variety of Nicaraguan tobacco, a shade-grown wrapper never used before in any other cigar. With sleek new packaging and a contemporary logo, Hoyo Edición de Cumpleaños 150 represented a new wave of the brand.

Continuing along the path carved by Edición de Cumpleaños 150, Hoyo is an artisanal line featuring special tobaccos, proprietary aging techniques and old world craftsmanship. Hoyo takes the same Esteli-grown Habano shade wrapper used in “150” and adds extended fermentation to deepen the flavor. The blend was also updated to complement the wrapper and features longer aging on the filler and binder to deliver a deep, rich smoking experience.

Hoyo begins with a proprietary wrapper called Esteli Habano Shade. Cultivated by the Plasencia Group exclusively for Hoyo, it is the first Cuban-seed, shade-grown wrapper, and is also one of the heaviest wrappers used in premium cigars. The Plasencias use special cultural practices to deliver a thick, pliable leaf with bold, peppery flavor. Given the power of the leaf, the Hoyo blending team chose to apply increased fermentation, taking place over two years, to bring deeper dimension to its taste.

The blend consists of three different tobaccos – a Pennsylvania Ligero, plus Nicaraguan Esteli and Nicaraguan Ometepe leaves. Each of the filler leaves was aged for more than 18 months. The Pennsylvania ligero is a powerhouse, balanced by aged Ometepe leaves. The Esteli leaves lend a familiar earthy flavor that increases the cigar’s complexity.

An aged Ecuadoran Sumatra binder lends great combustibility and ensures an even burn.

Each of the four vitolas will be packaged in sleek, 20-count black boxes with silver branding elements. They are:

Gigante (6” x 60) – SRP per cigar is $6.99

Toro (6” x 50) – SRP per cigar is $6.79

Robusto (5” x 54) – SRP per cigar is $6.59

Rothschild (4.5” x 50) – SRP per cigar is $5.49.

Future new releases will be branded under the name of Hoyo. In keeping with the brand’s artisanal approach, new products from Hoyo will showcase the craftsmanship and expertise of our Honduran factory.

“Small batch cigars, collaborations and other exciting special projects are all possibilities under the new Hoyo,” noted Willner.

NOW SHIPPING: LA AURORA PURO VINTAGE 2006 111 ANIVERSARIO MASTER CASE SERIES

(Miami, Florida) March 11, 2016 – La Aurora is pleased to announce that they will begin to ship the Puro Vintage 2006 111 Aniversario Master Case Series today Friday, March 11. Limited to only 500 cases, the Master series features replica packaging of the same boxes that La Aurora used in 1906.

The Master Series houses the Puro Vintage 2006 111 Aniversario expressed in three different vitolas (Salomon: 6 1/2 x 50/60, Toro: 5 3/4 x 54 and, Preferido: 6 X 58). There are a total of 54 cigars divided into 18 of each vitola in the package. The Puro Vintage 2006 Master Case Series made its debut at the 2015 IPCPR in New Orleans.

Puro Vintage 2006 Blend:
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Havana
Binder: Brazilian
Filler: Nicaraguan, Brazilian, Dominican

ABOUT LA AURORA

Founded in 1903 by the Leon Family, La Aurora is the original cigar factory in the Dominican Republic with a portfolio that includes its namesake brands, La Aurora and Leon Jimenes, as well as, La Aurora Preferidos, Guillermo Leon & Fernando Leon brands.

Follow La Aurora on Social Media: Facebook: La Aurora Cigars, Instagram: @LaAuroraCigars

ABOUT MIAMI CIGAR & CO. Founded by Nestor and Mariana Miranda, Miami Cigar & Co. has become one of the premier distributors of premium cigars, boasting a portfolio which includes Tatiana, Don Lino and the Nestor Miranda brands. Miami Cigar &Co. also serves as the exclusive United States distributor for La Aurora, S.A, Viva Republica, and Toscano brands.

For media inquiries and interviews, please contact Creativas Group at info@creativasgroup.com.

Caldwell Cigar Co. The King is Dead; Broken Sword (5 x 40)

Video review HERE.

The King is Dead uses an uncommon tobacco called Negrito. It is not commonly used due to the difficulty in blending it with other tobaccos. It has a distinctive taste. But when blended well the result is very nice.

Blend:

Wrapper: Shade Grown Negrito Dominicano – 2008

Binder: Corojo Dominicano – 2006

Filler: Corojo Ligero Dominicano 30% (2006), Negrito Viso Dominicano 20% (2008), Habana Vuelta Abaja 20/20 50% (2010)

The cigar is a medium brown and has the color of milk chocolate. The cigar is well made and has an average feel in the hand for a cigar of this length.

The test draw after cutting the small pigtail was a bit firm but workable. The initial flavors were brown sugar, marshmallow cream, caramel, and black pepper rated at an 8. These are very nice flavors to begin with. The finish is a creamy caramel with some dry wood notes. The cigar is medium bodied and I expect it to move upward.

About one inch in I would add butter notes to the other flavor notes. The initial assessment was on point. The flavors are very nice and the butter adds to the nice flavors. The finish is unchanged. There is a lot of lingering black pepper. The cigar is still medium bodied but I expect it to move to medium to full bodied any minute. 

At the midpoint the cigar is medium to full bodied. The various flavors are now evenly distributed. The pepper continues to be fantastic on the finish which is a very sweet cream caramel. The dry wood notes are fading away.

The cigar ended with the same flavor notes. This has been a very good short cigar. I loved the flavors in this cigar. The cigar got very close to full bodied at the end. I picked up this cigar at The Cigar Box on Main Street in Columbia, SC. This is a fantastic cigar and a must try for everyone. I was quite impressed with the sweet flavors and the even mix. The black pepper was fantastic especially on the finish. A must try cigar.

Score: 94

CAO Steel Horse Will Welcome Two New Vitolas

CAO Steel Horse is launching two smaller-format smokes -- Handbrake (4.5” x 50 – SRP per cigar is $6.99) and Roadkill (5.5 x 54 – SRP per cigar is $7.00) will be available at retail beginning next week.

A spin-off of CAO’s wildly-popular Flathead line, Steel Horse is wrapped in a proprietary Connecticut Habano Grueso leaf and features a four-country blend. Made with a signature flat-head top, Steel Horse was released in 2015 and is known for its easy-smoking flavors of leather and spice. 

King's Cigars El Duque (4 x 50 Figurado)

Video review HERE.

This is the new cigar from King's Cigars. It came out last year and it's a short 4x50 figurado. The cigar has a Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, Jalapa binder, and Nicaraguan filler.

The El Duque is a light to medium brown in color. Here is a shot of the foot.

The test draw after cutting the cap was firm. That's typical with a figurado. Once lit, the cigar tends to draw better. The initial flavors at light up were sweet orange citrus and caramel with light butter, black coffee, and black pepper rated at an 8. The finish is a caramel-like flavor with some lingering pepper.

About one inch in I am fairly satisfied with my initial assessment. There are now some roasted almonds on the front end. The finish is still one of caramel but now some of the roasted almonds are moving over. The cigar is medium bodied at this point.

At the midpoint the ash was still intact. There are no changes in the flavors but the strength of the cigar is now medium to full bodied. 

As the cigar ended the flavors remained unchanged; sweet orange citrus, caramel with light butter, roasted almonds, coffee, and black pepper. The finish was unchanged; caramel with roasted almonds and lingering black pepper. The cigar ended at medium to full bodied. All of Kings Cigars have done well with me and I also enjoyed this cigar. It is a short 40 minute smoke. Look for these where Kings Cigars are sold.

Score: 92