JC Newman

July 17, 2021

Protocol Pool Party Year 2 (6 x 52 Toro)





Video review HERE.


(Description taken from Cigar-coop.com website)

On Saturday July 17th, Protocol Cigars had it’s second annual Pool Party. Like last year, the company will offer a special exclusive cigar to all attendees. For this event, the company has announced that cigar will be its first barber pole offering.

The cigar itself will feature a Mexican San Andres Maduro leaf and a Connecticut Shade leaf intertwined together like a barber pole. It will be a 6 x 52 Toro featuring a rabito-style cap. The Protocol Pool Party Year 2 cigar will be available in 10-count paper bundles with a total of 250 bundles produced. Production is handled at Erik Espinosa‘s La Zona factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.

In a press release Juan Cancel, owner and founder said: “We are always looking to do interesting things with our limited releases. We were always curious about doing a barber pole but didn’t want to do anything too gimmicky when it came to the actual cigar. However for a cigar that will be given to those attending our Year 2 Pool Party a barber pole cigar seems perfect! What’s even more exciting is the fact we are using the wrappers of the Themis and Probable Cause to make a really cool and unique cigar only available to those attending this special event!!!”

As with the original Protocol Pool Party cigar, the Protocol Pool Party Year 2 will not be for sale. The cigars will be given to the first 250 attendees to the Protocol Pool Party on Saturday, July 17th.


The cigar looks nice and has a rabito cap.




It also has a very dense feel in the hand.




The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were a citrus/cedar combination, brown sugar, citrus peel, creamy nutmeg, light cocoa, and black coffee. There was nice black pepper rated at 7 1/2. Nice start.



At the first third (46 minutes) the citrus/cedar and brown sugar have greatly improved. I still had the citrus peel, creamy nutmeg, a dollop of chocolate, and the black coffee base. The black pepper is still very good. The cigar is medium bodied. The finish is nutmeg, citrus, brown sugar and average lingering black pepper. The cigar is quite tasty at this point. I rated the first third 93.




Moving through the second third (1 hour 17 minutes) the nutmeg has really come out. The citrus/cedar and brown sugar are reduced due to the elevated nutmeg. The nutmeg has somewhat leathery aspects. The other notes are still in play. The black pepper is still good. The cigar is also still medium bodied. The finish is heavy on the nutmeg with light brown sugar and improved lingering black pepper. I rated the second third 91.




The cigar lasted 1 hour 42 minutes. A very good burn time. In the final third there was a little bounce back of the sweeter notes. The nutmeg came back down and the brown sugar came out and now has a somewhat heated or scorched note. There is now more cedar than citrus notes. There was also light nutmeg, light chocolate, and black coffee. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is nutmeg and more brown sugar with good lingering black pepper. The cigar improved. Not to the level of the first third but definitely improved. I rated the final third 92.




Overall Score: 92

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