Drew Estate to Release 2021 Limited Edition Undercrown Dojo Dogma Maduro and Undercrown Dojo Dogma Sun Grown

Thursday, April 29, 2021 — Drew Estate and Cigar Dojo team up once again to release the 2021 limited edition Undercrown Dojo Dogma Sun Grown and Undercrown Dojo Dogma Maduro. The pair of box-pressed Undercrown Dojo Dogma cigars will be available exclusively for Drew Diplomat Program participants and will be showcased on “Freestyle Live: Special Edition” on Drew Estate’s Facebook page (facebook.com/drewestatecigar) on Thursday, May 6, at 7 p.m. Eastern.

Drew Estate released the first Undercrown Dojo Dogma to celebrate Cigar Dojo’s first anniversary in 2014 to massive acclaim. The first Undercrown Dojo Dogma Sun Grown appeared three years later after the Cigar Dojo team named Drew Estate’s Undercrown Sun Grown its “Cigar of the Year.” Since then, the annual release of Undercrown Dojo Dogma has become highly anticipated for cigar connoisseurs who quickly snatch up the limited-edition box-pressed cigars.

Jonathan Drew, Drew Estate Founder and President explains, “The Cigar Dojo community represents true cigar fellowship ... !!  DE has always been proud of our association with Dojo and the vast, diverse crew who rep the name. Undercrown Dojo Dogma is a passion project for our factory torcedors and Pedro Gomez, our Factory Spokesman, who feel as though they are expressing their heart and soul directly to the final consumers with each puff ... almost as if they are speaking to them, face-to-face during our factory tours, Cigar Safari.”

Undercrown Dojo Dogma Maduro is a powerhouse cigar that was blend-based upon the Undercrown Corona Viva mega-hit. It’s composed of a toothy Mexican San Andres Maduro wrapper, a spicy Connecticut stalk-cut and stalk-cured Habano binder and incorporates a filler tobacco recipe featuring only the highest quality Nicaraguan Habano and Brazilian Mata Fina leaves. Earthy, rich and smooth with inherent sweetness, the 2021 Undercrown Dojo Dogma Maduro is a medium-to full-bodied cigar that is box-pressed and will be featured in the Corona Gorda (6 x 56) vitola. Previously, Undercrown Dojo Dogma Maduro cigars were packaged in 10-Count Soft Packs, but they will now be featured in 10-count wooden boxes that will be emblazoned with both the Undercrown and Cigar Dojo logos.

The box-pressed Undercrown Dojo Dogma Sun Grown (5 x 54, Robusto) features an Ecuadorian Sumatra sun-grown wrapper, Connecticut River Valley stalk-cut and stalk-cured sun-grown Habano binder and a blend of Nicaraguan premium filler tobaccos, including a leaf of extensively-aged ligero from the Nueva Segovia region along the Nicaraguan border of Honduras, providing extra body to the blend. Dogma Sun Grown will be packaged in 24-count wooden boxes that also feature the Undercrown and Cigar Dojo logos.

From the Cigar Dojo studios in Lakewood, Colorado, Master Sensei Eric Guttormson comments, “Undercrown Dojo Dogma has been our most popular collaborative cigar by far. They smoke great right out of the box and improve even more with proper age. Our friends and retailers who make up the Cigar Dojo community truly look forward to its release every year, and they never last long on retailers’ shelves or inside consumers’ humidors.”

The Undercrown Dojo Dogma Sun Grown is packaged in 24-count wooden boxes with an MSRP of $258 and will be available beginning in August. Undercrown Dojo Dogma Maduro is packaged in 10-count wooden boxes with an MSRP of $112 and will begin shipping in October.

Jas Sum Kral releases shop exclusive of the F**k de FDA blend

Jas Sum Kral is releasing a shop exclusive 5x50 robusto of the Fuck de FDA blend. A smaller version of the regular production vitola which measures 6x52. Only 500 bundles of 10 cigars are available. The blend is exactly the same with a Mexican San Andres wrapper over an undisclosed filler and binder. The cigars are rolled in July of 2020 and have been aging in the aging rooms of Tabacalera Aragon S.A. since. The Fuck the FDA in a 5x50 robusto is a full-body cigar that shines in this size.  

This release is a shop exclusive for Omerta Cigar Company and their online retail site Puro Cigar House.

Omerta Cigar Company runs 4 locations. Three in Oklahoma in South Oklahoma City, Downtown Oklahoma City, and its newest location South Tulsa, Ok along with another new location in Monroe, LA.

Fuck the FDA and win a firearm

Win a gun If you buy a bundle of the Fuck de FDA Robusto either in the Omerta Cigar Company locations (South OKC, South Tulsa, Monroe, La, or Puro Cigar House site) you’ll receive a raffle ticket. One bundle is one ticket. With that ticket, you can win 1 of 2 firearms (pending gun retailer's background check).

All tickets will be compiled together and drawn live on Sat, May 15th.

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The cigars will be released on May 14 (South Tulsa) and may 15 (South OKC, Monroe, LA, and Puro Cigar House website) during a quadruple-header release event at the Omerta Cigar Company locations.

Jas Sum Kral owner & founder Riste Ristevski will be Live In-Person in South Tulsa on the 14th and South Oklahoma City on the 15th of May.

Monroe, LA, and Puro Cigar House will release the cigars on Sat, May 15th coinciding with the South OKC Main Event! 

Omerta Cigar Co. South Tulsa 

6929 E 71st St, Tulsa, OK 74133

Omertá Cigar Co Oklahoma City  

7700 S Western Ave Suite B Oklahoma City, OK 73139

Omerta Cigar Monroe

1004 N Third St

Monroe, LA 71201

STAG Whisky & Cigar Bar

228 NE 2nd Street

Oklahoma City, OK 73104

The official afterparty takes place at the STAG Whisky and Cigar Bar from 9 PM on Saturday, May 15th.

A Shade Above Others: H. Upmann 1844 Classic to be released

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Altadis U.S.A. will unveil its first H. Upmann national brand release of 2021 at this year’s highly anticipated Tobacco Plus Expo in Las Vegas May 12 – 14.

Described as a “next-level shade,” the H. Upmann 1844 Classic presents a medium- bodied cigar that features an impeccable, Ecuadorian Connecticut shade wrapper over a perfectly balanced blend of Honduran tobaccos that boast flavors of toasted almonds and cocoa with a subtle spicy nuance.

Produced at La Flor de Copan in Honduras under the expert tutelage of the renowned Grupo de Maestros, the H. Upmann 1844 Classic is a welcome addition to the already versatile H. Upmann 1844 heritage line of premium cigars. Joining the H. Upmann 1844 Vintage Cameroon, 1844 Reserve, and the 1844 Añejo, the 1844 Classic will deliver adult cigar enthusiasts an elevated complexity rarely found in shade wrapper cigars. 

“The blend used for the 1844 Classic reflects elevated tradition and the heritage of the H. Upmann brand,” says Rafael Nodal, Head of Product Capability Tabacalera USA. “I am very proud of the passion and dedication of the Grupo de Maestros of La Flor de Copan, for crafting a blend that will satisfy seasoned cigar aficionados and those discovering the category alike.”

The 1844 Classic was created by the same team of master blenders who were honored with the No.10 spot in the acclaimed Cigar Aficionado Top 25 Cigars of 2020 for the Henry Clay War Hawk. The 1844 Classic is a cigar that appeals to a wide range of adult premium cigar smokers because it a smooth cigar that is also complex and full of flavor. 

The packaging of the 25 count boxes also reflects the heritage of the brand and the champagne-colored cigar bands compliment the rest of the H. Upmann 1844 line and make for an attractive humidor presentation.

“The H. Upmann 1844 heritage line represents over 177 years in cigar expertise,” says Jennifer True, Senior Brand Manager Altadis U.S.A. “With the introduction of the 1844 Classic, the brand aims to hone its signature identity which is rooted in rich tradition and experienced by today’s enthusiasts through the nuances that each H. Upmann cigar delivers.”

Experience the nuances of nature with the H. Upmann 1844 Classic: A Shade Above Others.

Blend and origin:

Origin: Honduras

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut

Binder: Honduran

Filler: Honduran

The H. Upmann 1844 Classic comes in four vitola sizes.

MSRP: Corona (44 x 5) - $7.10; Robusto (52 x 5) - $7.40; Toro (54 x 6) - $7.70; Churchill (50 x 7) - $8.00

Herrera Estelí Limited Edition Lanceros Return as Drew Diplomat Program Exclusive

Drew Estate will release limited edition Lanceros for Herrera Estelí Habano and Herrera Estelí Connecticut Broadleaf for 2021. Exclusive for Drew Diplomat Program participants, the limited-edition Herrera Estelí Lanceros will debut during Drew Estate’s Freestyle Live: Special Edition, which airs on Thursday, May 6th, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern on Drew Estate’s Facebook Live page (facebook.com/drewestatecigar).

A notoriously difficult vitola to make, there are only four bunchero-rollera teams at La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate who are qualified to craft the Lancero size (7 x 38) due to its narrow ring gauge. Lanceros require expert hands to perfectly arrange the individual tobacco components, assuring the cigars’ complexity and ideal draw, which is difficult to attain. Cigar connoisseurs around the world appreciate the Lancero vitola partly because they respect the handcrafted talent that’s necessary to create the cigars and partly because they enjoy the heavy wrapper emphasis realized while smoking a Lancero.

Willy Herrera, Master Blender of Drew Estate, says from the El Titan de Bronze factory in Little Havana, “The Lancero size is the one vitola where you get to experience the real essence of a cigar’s blend and savor the truest taste of all of the cigar’s individual components. In larger sizes, where there is proportionally more binder and filler leaf in the blend, a wrapper’s flavor profile might be masked a little bit. A Lancero brings out the intensity of all the tobaccos’ flavor. I always prefer to smoke a Lancero when I can, and I wanted to make sure fans of Herrera Estelí could enjoy the same experience.”

The Herrera Estelí Habano Lancero is made using a flavorful Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Honduran Habano binder and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos. The medium-bodied cigars are sweet and spicy with cedar wood notes. The Herrera Estelí Connecticut Broadleaf Lancero is composed of an exceptional higher priming of Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper that Drew Estate reserves throughout the year exclusively for this cigar, a bold Brazilian Mata Fina and rich Nicaraguan filler tobaccos. The blend offers a smoking experience that’s spicy, elegant and smooth.

Jonathan Drew, Drew Estate Founder and President, adds from the Wynwood Safehouse, “Lanceros are certainly not as popular as large ring gauge cigars, but they have a cult following amongst the most educated cigar geeks who love majestic capa leaf, what I call the ‘oro’ of the plant. Everyone knows that Willy blends spectacular Lanceros.”

Both the Herrera Estelí Habano and Herrera Estelí Connecticut Broadleaf Lancero are packaged in 15-count boxes with an MSRP of $194.24. The cigars will be available exclusive to Drew Diplomat Program participants. Herrera Estelí Connecticut Broadleaf Lancero will be available beginning in June; Herrera Estelí Habano Lancero will be available beginning in August.

JOYA DE NICARAGUA INTRODUCES ANTAÑO GRAN RESERVA GT20

A SPECIAL PURO SALUTING 20 YEARS OF ANTAÑO, 

NICARAGUA’S BOLDEST CIGAR, SINCE 2001

Tuesday, April 27, 2021 — Estelí, Nicaragua–It was 2001 and in the dawn of the new Millennium, the cigar industry was still shaking-off the jabs and uppercuts of the last few years; blows that included natural catastrophes in Nicaragua and the implosion of the cigar bubble worldwide. It was then that Joya de Nicaragua once again  demonstrated its strong character and forged another of its monumental contributions to what would become the undisputable king of the tobacco world: the Nicaraguan cigar. This instance was sparked by the introduction of Antaño, an original Nicaraguan puro that transformed the appreciation and acclaim of Nicaraguan tobaccos forever; a blend that became popularly known as the “The Boldest Cigar out there.”

Twenty years after the initial sweats and excitement during its release at the 2001 RTDA show, the legendary Antaño continues to be a cigar enthusiast’s favorite, driven by its unparalleled boldness. These traits result from Joya De Nicaragua’s doctrinal obsessions with quality and consistency, utilizing for more than two decades, without alteration, the same leaves from the same tobacco varietals grown in the same plots of land in northern Nicaragua; a composition that delivers on that unequivocal character loved by so many. It is for good reason that Antaño has become one of the company's best-selling brands around the globe.

Today, the Antaño family has expanded to encompass four sub-lines with more than 24 vitolas in total, all distinguished by the authentic Antaño lineage: the original Antaño 1970, the super full-bodied Antaño Dark Corojo, the award winning creamy Antaño CT and the smooth and elegant Antaño Gran Reserva.

“When anybody thinks of Nicaraguan powerhouse cigars, they undoubtedly think of Antaño. This is the cigar on which cigar legends are inspired,” says Dr. Alejandro Martínez Cuenca, Chairman of Joya de Nicaragua and Master Blender of Antaño. “When we first tried the blend in progress, it was a bomb! Everybody in the room became so excited because it was exactly what we wanted: it was full-bodied and really hit your palate in all the places where we wanted it to hit … and we knew it was to become a game changer.”

To continue building on Antaño’s ongoing legacy, Joya de Nicaragua introduces Antaño Gran Reserva GT20, a special edition that highlights only the best of Antaño. “Instead of only celebrating another wonderful occasion, we wanted to focus on forging the thriving future for Antaño by giving our cigar lovers an enhanced experience of Antaño. Thus, the blend selection was intricate, drafting on our more than 53 years of experience and on the best leaves of Nicaraguan tobacco in our bodegas. We chose to do a special version of our Antaño Gran Reserva blend, with all Nicaraguan leaves aged for more than five years. In this way, we have the original tobaccos and the original character, but with a smoother and more complex flavor profile that just upgrades the smoking experience to a whole new level. We guarantee this is the best Antaño you’ll ever smoke; that’s why we call it our GT!,” says Juan Ignacio Martinez, Joya De Nicaragua’s Executive President.  

Antaño Gran Reserva GT20 is a box-pressed Gran Toro (6x52), that comes in a 20-count box, with an MSRP of $9.50/cigar. It will be available for all Drew Estate customers in the United States as of August 2021.

Antaño Gran Reserva GT20 will be formally announced by Juan Martinez and the Drew Estate team during the Freestyle Live: Special Edition event on May 6th at 7pm. We invite cigar lovers around the world to join the online celebration and share their Joya de Nicaragua experience using.

#ANTANOGT20

#KEEPDARING

#JOYADENICARAGUA

JR Cigar to Release Aganorsa Lunatic JR 50th

BURLINGTON, N.C. – For the next major release celebrating its 50th Anniversary, JR Cigar is collaborating with legendary manufacturer Aganorsa – the result is a spin on the Aganorsa Lunatic.

Widely known for its intense flavor and bigger ring gauge, this Limited Release Aganorsa Lunatic will be offered in an exclusive, smaller size, the 46 X 6 Toro.

“This is a tremendous celebration for JR Cigar and we are so proud to be a part of it,” says Terence Reilly, vPvof sales and marketing for Aganorsa. “The Lunatic has always been one of our most popular lines and to bring in the smaller vitola is really going to give everyone an amazing smoking experience.”

The Aganorsa Lunatic JR 50th is hand-rolled in Nicaragua at Tabacos Valle de Jalapa S.A., Aganorsa’s main facility. The filler and binder are constructed of the legendary, sweet and smooth Aganorsa tobacco, grown on Aganorsa’s own farms in Nicaragua. The wrapper is a silk smooth Ecuadorian Habano leaf. The cigar also features a fringed foot, exposing portions of the binder and filler on the end.

This blend is well-known to adult smokers who enjoy a Nicaraguan cigar with notes of pepper, leather and tobacco sweetness prominent throughout. What makes this particular release special, however, is the thinner ring gauge. While the traditional Lunatic is known for its larger ring format, this thinner vitola enhances the flavor tremendously while reducing the strength slightly.

Offered in a 10-count box, The Aganorsa Lunatic JR 50th is available in one size: 46 X 6 Toro. Only 250 boxes were made for this project.

Priced at $9 per cigar – $81 per box – this cigar will be released Thursday, April 29th exclusively at www.JRcigars.com.

Diamond Crown MAXIMUS Robusto No. 5 (5 x 50)

Video review HERE.

(Description provided by JC Newman)

Stanford Newman wanted to create a hearty complement to the wildly successful Diamond Crown line. To accomplish this, he enlisted the help of two legendary cigar families, the Fuentes and Olivas. After years of collaboration, for the company’s 110th anniversary, J.C. Newman launched a full-flavored, bold cigar that could only be created by these three cigar masterminds, the Diamond Crown MAXIMUS.

Exclusively hand rolled in the Dominican Republic with Carlito Fuente’s very best master rollers, the long filler in MAXIMUS is a secret blend of specially aged Dominican filler tobaccos. The MAXIMUS wrapper is a special Ecuadorian tobacco, exclusively grown on the El Bajo region of the Oliva’s Ecuador plantation. El Bajo sits in a pristine valley where the mountain’s natural minerals and nutrients, washed down by centuries of rain, have made the soil exceptionally rich; perfect for growing tobacco. 

The unique and remarkably smooth, full-bodied flavor of the Diamond Crown MAXIMUS is unparalleled.Only the richest, hardiest and darkest tobacco from the top priming ‘corona’ of the plant is used in Diamond Crown MAXIMUS. Because of the tobacco’s weight, Carlos Fuente is able to re-bulk and re-ferment the tobacco, further contributing to its full flavor and dark color.

Diamond Crown cigars continue to be one of the best-selling Super Premium cigars on the market.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian El Bajo Sungrown

Binder: Dominican Republic

Filler: Dominican Republic 

On August 16, 2020 I reviewed the No. 4, 6 x 50 version of the Diamond Crown MAXIMUS and received a score of 91.67.

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

The test draw was good with a touch of firmness. The initial flavors at light up were a nice peach and apricot, brown sugar, citrus peel, nutmeg, light leather, and black coffee. There was black pepper rated at 7. I like the peach and apricot combination. A very good start.

At the first third (30 minutes) it's hard to find anything that has changed. I still had all the flavor notes that the cigar started with. And they are still very nice. The finish had peach and nutmeg with nice lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium bodied. I like the flavor mix. I rated the first third 93.

Moving through the second third (57 minutes) the cigar seemed to get a little sweeter and tangy. Other than that not much has changed. The cigar is still medium bodied. The citrus peel is a little more pronounced and maybe that's where the tanginess comes from. The sweetness is still very good. I love the peach and apricot notes. The leather is light and the nutmeg is there but definitely not intrusive. The flavor notes are not something I typically get in a predominantly Dominican cigar. The black coffee seems to be a little more elevated. The cigar is still very good. I maintained the score of 93 for the second third.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 17 minutes. This is a very consistent cigar. It does not make many changes. And that's good. It started very good and remained very good to the end. Being critical the cigar has more black coffee now. The peach and apricot is still very sweet. There is less citrus peel. The nutmeg is now very creamy and the leather is light. None of these things did anything to hurt the cigar. The cigar is still very good. And if  you can afford it they are box worthy. Very good. I held the score of 93 for the final third.

Overall Score: 93

Joya de Nicaragua to Release Annual Cinco Decadas Limited Edition Cigars

Three years ago, Joya de Nicaragua celebrated its 50th anniversary and released one of the most iconic blends in its portfolio, Cinco Decadas. As a commemorative cigar, Cinco Decadas pays tribute to the incredible individuals who have shaped the company, and the Nicaraguan cigar industry, over the last 53 years. Each year since 2018, Joya de Nicaragua has released annual limited editions of Cinco Decadas. The 2021 Cinco Decadas edition will be showcased by Juan Ignacio Martinez, Executive President of Joya de Nicaragua, and the Drew Estate team during Freestyle Live: Special Edition on May 6, beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern on Drew Estate’s Facebook page (facebook.com/drewestatecigar).

Each vitola is named to represent a milestone or individual. Diadema (6 x 54, Perfecto) was the first shape ever made at the factory. El General (7 x 50, Churchill) represents one of the pioneers of tobacco in Nicaragua. El Fundador (6 x 54, Toro) was introduced in 2019 as a tribute to the founders of Joya de Nicaragua.

“As we have always said, this is the best cigar that comes out of Joya de Nicaragua’s factory in Estelí.  That is why we pay so much attention in guaranteeing that every annual batch has the same quality level as the first one we sold in 2018. This year, global demand of cigars is surging, however, we remain true to ourselves, and we are selling the number of cigars that can be rolled with the Cinco Decadas standards,” Martinez says.

The 2021 Cinco Decadas limited release will be available beginning in July and it will feature 600 boxes each of the Diadema, El General and El Fundador vitolas. These cigars will be sold exclusively to Drew Diplomat Program participants in the United States. MSRPs for the cigars are: Diadema $20.40/cigar; El General $19.50/cigar and El Fundador $20.40/cigar.

“Each year, I look forward to the Cinco Decadas release,” says Joya de Nicaragua’s Field Market Manager, Sarah Hearton. “It is not only a beautifully constructed line of cigars, but truly represents the history, growth and triumph that Joya de Nicaragua has had over the last 50-plus years.”

The Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Decadas and all of the #DEBonanzaTakeover releases can be found at www.drewestate.com/de-bonanza-takeover 

Aganorsa Leaf to Release Lunatic Habano in Toro Vitola

Aganorsa Leaf will be launching a new vitola in their popular Lunatic Habano blend: Hombre Libre. A 6x54 parejo wrapped in Ecuador Habano cover leaf, the Hombre Libre is the first toro to be released in the Lunatic Habano blend.

Quote from Terence Reilly: Toro is overall the most popular vitola and so it made sense to create one for our most popular brand.

Packaged in boxes of 28, Hombre Libre will retail for $8.25 and will be available for purchase at The Tobacco Products Expo (TPE) in May.

Drew Estate Releases 6-Cigar Traditional Sampler Petaca

Drew Estate is releasing a six cigar traditional sampler box containing Herrera Estelí Habano, Undercrown Maduro and Undercrown Shade. Each box contains a total of six cigars: two Herrera Estelí Habano (6 x 50), two Undercrown Maduro (6 x 50) and two Undercrown Shade (6 x 50).

Herrera Estelí Habano was the first cigar created for Drew Estate by its Master Blender, Willy Herrera, and is Drew Estate’s homage to the great Havana classics of yesteryear. Using a blend of Ecuadorean Habano wrapper, Honduran binder and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos, Herrera Estelí Habano cigars are spicy, sweet and complex. The medium- to full-bodied cigars offer a truly Cubanesque smoking experience.

Born on the factory floor at La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate in Estelí, Nicaragua, the Undercrown brand represents DE’s pride in the talent and commitment of our cigar rolling torcedor team who, in a legendary moment of inspiration, created the first Undercrown cigar for their own smoking pleasure ... and it is they who have blended each of the Undercrown offerings since.

Undercrown Maduro is the original Undercrown expression, using an Otapan Negro Último Corte (San Andres, Mexico) capa, a T52 Connecticut River Valley Stalk-Cut Habano capote, and a tripa filler blend of Select Brazilian Mata Fina and Nicaraguan Cuban Seed tobaccos to offer a medium- to full-bodied cigar that is lush, smooth and creamy with a natural sweetness. Undercrown Shade is blanketed with an Ecuadorean Connecticut capa, Ecuadorean Sumatra capote, and tripa blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan Criollo ’98 and Nicaraguan Corojo ’99 tobaccos. Shade delivers creamy notes with hints of vanilla, caramel and pepper, and is more robust than most other cigars that utilize Connecticut-seed shade-grown wrappers.

From the Wynwood Safehouse, Jonathan Drew, Founder and President exclaims, “This is a nice little goodie, geared as a trade pickup for our beloved Retailers who need the perfect snag-item for on-the-run-eatin’ individuals who pop into the cigar shop and bounce. Please note the NORE quote, ya’ll.”

The 6-cigar Traditional Sampler Petaca comes to retailers packaged in 5-count sleeves. All the cigars contained within the Traditional Sampler Petaca are made exclusively using dark, air-cured tobaccos. Each individual Traditional Sampler Petaca has an MSRP of $53.58, and they will be available beginning in July.

The 6-cigar Traditional Sampler Petaca and all of Drew Estate's #DEBonanzaTakeover releases can be found at www.drewestate.com/de-bonanza-takeover 

Punch Signature Pita (6 x 50)

Video review HERE.

(Description provided by General Cigar)

Punch is rolling out a new look for its “Signature” line of cigars. The revamped packaging began hitting stores this month, housing the same, award-winning blend that made Punch Signature a fan favorite in the Punch portfolio.

Ed Lahmann, senior brand manager of Punch said, “Punch Signature represents the best of Central American cigars. It has a great blend and a medium-plus profile that people really love. This blend was out of stock recently while we updated the packaging so with pent-up demand and the new box design that really pops at retail, we’re sure Punch Signature is going to fly off the shelves.”

The new look of Punch Signature eschews the acrylic window from the original, wooden-box packaging and replaces it with bi-fold panels that tell the story of the blend and expand the brand vista, optimizing the box for display on retailer shelves.

Punch Signature debuted in 2015. The five-cigar collection pays tribute to the original Punch blend by using tobaccos from the same countries of origin, adding layers of complexity through a blend of proprietary aged and younger tobaccos.

Development of the Punch Signature blend began in 2012 when the HATSA team worked with an independent grower to cultivate a special Ecuadoran Corojo wrapper exclusively for this cigar. Related to the original Cuban Corojo, the aged wrapper possesses abundant natural oil, with a lustrous look and silky feel. In a nod to the classic Punch blend, the blend for Punch Signature uses filler leaves from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, this time in both aged and newer varieties to deliver a unique, balanced strength. A proprietary Connecticut Habano binder completes the blend. This is a flavorful cigar, with hints of cocoa and an earthy spice.

Punch Signature is a full-time line handcrafted at the HATSA factory in Danli, Honduras, and is available in 18-count boxes in the following sizes:

Robusto 5 x 54; SRP per cigar $8.59 REVIEWED 3/22/15

Gigante 6 x 60; SRP per cigar $8.99

Rothschild 4.5 x 50; SRP per cigar $6.89

Torpedo 5.75 x 52; SRP per cigar $8.89

Pita 6 x 50; SRP per cigar $8.19 REVIEWED TODAY

The Punch Signature Pita is a medium brown and has a nice feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was very good. The initial flavors at light up were very pleasing; cedar with light citrus notes, brown sugar, light cinnamon, dry nutmeg, leather, and black coffee. Nice black pepper rated at 7 1/2. Nice start. The flavors sort of remind me of a sweet wafer or cookie.

At the first third (37 minutes) the flavors are much like they started but a tad better. The citrus notes are a little more pronounced. The cedar is still the lead flavor but the citrus notes are elevated. The leather gives the cigar some bottom flavor but it is not intrusive. Neither does the coffee. It makes a nice base but you don't fixate on it. The dry nutmeg is also non-intrusive but makes a nice bridge flavor from the very sweet cedar, brown sugar, and citrus through the leather to the black coffee. The cigar is medium bodied. The finish is cedar, brown sugar, and nutmeg with average lingering black pepper. The flavors in this cigar are very pleasing. I rated the first third 93.

As I moved through the second third (1 hour 10 minutes) not much changed with the Pita. The overall appeal of the cigar dipped just a bit with the elevation of leather and black coffee. The cigar is still very sweet and very nice. Not much changed with the finish or strength. The cigar is still very good but not quite to the level of the first third. I rated the second third 92.

The Punch Signature Pita lasted 1 hour 31 minutes. A very good burn time. In the final third the flavor balance bounced back. The cigar's nice, sweet cedar, citrus, and brown sugar are back to the level of the first third with the nutmeg, leather, and black coffee also back to their original amount. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is a lot of nutmeg and brown sugar. Very sweet. The lingering black pepper is very nice. Overall, this is a very good cigar and something that you could easily smoke every day. Nice price point too. I rated the final third 93. You can purchase these cigars HERE.

Overall Score: 92.67

Viaje PHAT Purple Jalapeño (5 3/16 x 55)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Halfwheel.com website)

The PHAT Purple Jalapeño is a new cigar, part of Viaje’s Pepper Series that began in 2015. It’s a variation of the 2020 release of Viaje PHAT Jalapeño, itself a cigar based on the original Viaje Jalapeño from 2015.

“The purple variety shares a similar bite to a regular jalapeño, but there is a little more sweetness to these chilies,” said the company on social media.

When asked to elaborate on the change, a representative said that the company chose tobaccos that “dialed back strength and added sweetness.”

It is the same size and price as the other PHAT cigars from Viaje: a 5 3/16 x 55 perfecto with an MSRP of $9.44 per. The representative from the company told halfwheel that it is a Nicaraguan puro and made in Honduras, though a factory was not specified.

When asked how many cigars were being released, the representative replied, “Just the right amount.”

This year's pepper sports a shiny purple sleeve. The cigar has an average feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was firm but I expect it to open up as it burns. The initial flavors at light up were orange peel, light orange citrus, quite a bit of earthy nutmeg and earthy black coffee. There was black pepper rated at 7 to 7 1/2. For a cigar advertised as having elevated sweetness I do not detect any at this point.

At the first third (32 minutes) the cigar has very little sweetness. I had hints of orange peel and orange citrus. There was a lot of earthy nutmeg, leather, and earthy black coffee. The black pepper is pretty good. The finish is earthy nutmeg and black coffee with decent lingering black pepper. Still, where's the elevated sweetness? I've reviewed many in the Pepper series over the years and many have scored very well. They also had significant sweetness. This cigar lacks any significant sweetness. I rated the first third 82.

Moving through the second third (56 minutes) I still had the same question; where's the sweetness? The little sweetness it had in the first third is gone. Now I had leather, earthy nutmeg, and earthy black coffee. The finish has a hint of orange peel, nutmeg, and black coffee. The cigar is medium to full bodied. I rated the second third 80.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 9 minutes. Nothing has changed. Little to no sweetness. The cigar is heavy on the earthy notes; nutmeg, leather, and black coffee. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is unchanged. This is not an impressive cigar. Quite heavy on earthiness with very little sweetness. It was billed as having more sweetness than other peppers but it simply does not. I rated the final third 78.

Overall Score: 80

CASA DE MONTECRISTO AND RED MEAT LOVERS CLUB TEAM UP TO PRESENT ‘MONTECRISTO STEAK’

HOUSTON / DALLAS – The “Red Meat Lovers Club” is headed to Texas for the first time for two nights only, taking over Casa de Montecristo locations in two cities to turn the cigar stores into a one-of-a-kind dining experience — “Montecristo Steak,” a charity event to raise funds for special local causes.

The first Montecristo Steak event will take place on May 12 at Casa de Montecristo 6608 FM 1960 Rd. W, Houston, and the second event on May 13 at Casa de Montecristo’s Dallas location at 3878 Oak Lawn Ave, Dallas.

Adult guests of Montecristo Steak will enjoy an unforgettable evening featuring delicious, epic proportions of beef, paired with top Montecristo Cigars and specialty cocktails featuring Woodford Reserve.

Additionally, all adult guests will have the exclusive opportunity to be among the first to experience the new Montecristo Epic Vintage ‘12 and have a first look at the Limited-Edition Montecristo B.R.M watch and humidor, featuring the B.R.M Limited Edition Montecristo – an extremely limited cigar with just 1,200 cigars produced.

Ticket prices for the adults-only event start at $160 and include a delicious beef dinner of epic proportions, four top-rated Montecristo cigars, specialty Woodford Reserve Cocktails and Woodford Double Oaked, as well as special silent and live auctions. All proceeds from the event auction will benefit the Alzheimer’s Association of Houston and the Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity.

For more information and to purchase tickets please visit www.cigarsteak.com