Casa Cuevas Patrimonio Robusto Gordo (5 x 54)

Video review HERE.

(Description provided by Casa Cuevas Cigars)

The Patrimonio cigar brand translates to Patrimony in English. It is dedicated to Luis Cuevas Sr. and to the paternal lineage of the Cuevas tobacco history which began over a 100 years ago.  The Cuevas family’s tobacco history began when Juan Cuevas, a Spanish expatriate, began growing tobacco in Cuba in the mid 19th century.

The Patrimonio is the brainchild of Luis Cuevas Jr. and son Alec Cuevas. While the Patrimonio was created in conjunction with Master Blender Luis Cuevas Sr. at the Cuevas family-owned Las Lavas Cigar Factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic, the name of the new line, its significance, and its packaging was not revealed to Luis Cuevas, Sr. until the blend itself was finalized.  This was in order to surprise Cuevas, Sr. with a line that is an homage to him, his father, and his grandfather.

Luis Cuevas Jr., President of Casa Cuevas Cigars stated: “Patrimonio is a project that is extremely near and dear to my son Alec and myself. When my father left Cuba, he left tobacco behind. Years later, after rebuilding in the U.S.A., he was able to revive our family tobacco history by opening his cigar factory in the Dominican Republic. Because of my father’s perseverance, our family legacy continues to live on.”

Patrmionio is a full-flavored, full-bodied cigar. The blend features tobacco from various regions, with the purpose of creating an extremely complex blend with richly bold flavors. The Patrimionio is composed of a Honduran Corojo wrapper, Ecuadorian Habano binder, and filler made up of Peruvian, Nicaraguan, and Dominican tobaccos.

The Patrimonio blend will be available in three vitolas and packaged in 20 count boxes.

5 X 54—Robusto Gordo  $10.50 REVIEWED TODAY

6 X 52—Toro                   $11.00

6 X 60—Gordo                $11.50

The cigar has a beautiful, clean band 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 a nice tangy, cedar/citrus, brown sugar, nutmeg, light leather, and a little earthy black coffee. There was a lot of black pepper which I rated an 8. The retrohale has a ton of black pepper. The sweeter notes are a higher percentage of the flavors. A nice, sweet, very peppery start.

At the first third (29 minutes) the black pepper is simply amazing. It's at 8 to 8 1/2 now. I still had the tangy cedar/citrus, a little citrus peel, nutmeg, nice brown sugar, light leather, and black coffee. The finish is nutmeg and some of the cedar/citrus with good lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium bodied leaning toward medium to full. This is a sweet, peppery cigar. Two things I like. I rated the first third 95.

As I moved through the second third (1 hour 4 minutes) the cigar took a turn to the darker side. The nutmeg has increased and it's very earthy. The black coffee has increased. The leather has not but it's still in the mix. The sweeter notes are somewhat downplayed by the elevated darker notes. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is straight nutmeg with good lingering black pepper. The front end black pepper downgraded to around 7 1/2.  The cigar took a little hit. I rated the second third 92.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 27 minutes. In the final third the sweeter notes made a little resurgence. Not to the level of the first third but an improvement. The pepper also bounced back to around 8. The cigar is full bodied. The finish is citrus/cedar and nutmeg with good lingering black pepper. The cigar definitely improved. I rated the final third 93.

Overall Score: 93.33

Tatuaje The Frank Redux 1 (7 5/8 x 49 Box Pressed)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Halfwheel.com website)

Tatuaje digs into it's archives to bring it's next release; The Frank Redux 1.And yes, 1 is part of the name, a nod to its history as the first cigar in the company’s Monster Series.

The Frank 1 uses the same 7 5/8 x 49 box-pressed double corona vitola as original, as well as a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper, dual Nicaraguan binders and Nicaraguan fillers. Johnson said that the redux version has a blend that is similar to the original, but did not go into what kind of differences may exist between the two, for instance due to different crops of tobacco being used. The foot is closed and the cigars are individually wrapped.

Beyond the bullet points of the The Frank 1, it marks the return of The Frank, the 2008 release that kicked off the Monster Series, one of the most well-known and most coveted annual limited editions in the cigar industry over the last decade.

The Monster Series became known for its pre-Halloween release date, with cigars packaged in 13-count boxes designed to look like coffins, limited to just 666 boxes or cigars, and limited to just 13 retailers around the country that were known as the Unlucky 13. The series would go to become an annual release, with each subsequent cigar named for either a classic or modern movie monster. While subsequent releases would retain the 666 coffin-style boxes, Johnson would begin releasing cigars in more traditional-style boxes to meet consumer demand. He has also created a number of extensions to the line, such as the recently released Monster Mash, a sampler of all the previous Monster releases in a slightly shorter vitola than the original, which also included a new release known as the Tatuaje Creature. There has also been the Pudgy Monsters, Little Monsters, and a trio of versions under the name Skinny Monsters, including the Skinny Monsters Lanceros and Skinny Monsters Cazadores.

For this release, Johnson is creating 5,000 coffin dress boxes, each containing 13 cigars, making for a total run of 65,000 total cigars. The MSRP is set at $13 per cigar and $169 per box.

The cigar looks nice and has a nice feel in the hand. The foot is closed.

The test draw after cutting the cap was decent but the closed foot probably keeps the draw from being good. The initial flavors at light up were cedar, brown sugar, tangy apricot, a little dry cocoa, and black coffee. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2. There are not a lot of maduro characteristics at this point.

At the first third (40 minutes) I had sweet apricot, citrus peel, decreased brown sugar, leather, nutmeg, and a light black coffee. The cigar is medium bodied at this point. The finish is apricot and citrus peel with good lingering black pepper. The cigar is not very dark noted for a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper. The cocoa notes are no longer there. But, the cigar is quite tasty. I rated the first third 94.

As I moved through the second third (1 hour 19 minutes) not much changed. The black coffee has increased, the leather is light, and the sweet notes came out a little. The cigar is now medium to full bodied. The finish is apricot, nutmeg, and black coffee. With only minor changes I held the score of 94.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 46 minutes. The black coffee continued to rise. The leather is there but at a lower level than the black coffee. The sweet notes are a little subdued from the elevated black coffee. The nutmeg is also prominent. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is unchanged. I rated the final third 93. This is a good cigar and well worth trying.

Overall Score: 93.67

Warped Cigars Chinchalle (5 x 50)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Cigar-coop.com website)

Warped Cigars has released a cigar known as Chinchalle. It’s the company’s first Dominican-made release.

According to a report by Cigar Aficionado, Chinchalle is said to be a term used to refer to a small factory. The Chinchalle cigar is being produced at Tabacalera La Isla, the facility opened by Hostos Quesada in 2020. The cigar consists of an Ecuadorian Habano 2000 Rosado wrapper over a Dominican HVA binder, and all-Dominican fillers. The cigar is initially coming out in a 5 x 50 Robusto packaged in 25-count boxes. Pricing is set at $12.50 per cigar. The Cigar Aficionado Report says additional sizes are planned.

Currently Warped produces cigars for its other lines in Nicaragua (TABSA) and the United States (El Titan de Bronze).

Blend and Origin

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano 2000

Binder: Dominican HVA

Filler: Dominican

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic

Factory: Tabacalera La Isla

Vitolas Offered

Robusto: 5 x 50

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

The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were quite sweet; cedar, citrus peel, a lot of brown sugar, earthy nutmeg which is almost to the point of tasting like leather, and black coffee. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2 to 8. A nice sweet start with some earthiness and a lot of pepper. 

At the first third (28 minutes) the cigar has blossomed into a very sweet treat. There is now a tangy cedar with somewhat citrus flavors, a lot of brown sugar, a capsule of nougat, smooth, yet earthy nutmeg, and a minor amount of black coffee. The finish is a tangy cedar, nougat, and nice lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium bodied. I love the extreme sweetness. I rated the first third 95.

Moving through the second third (1 hour) there are now some leather notes. The extreme tangy notes have subsided. The notes now are cedar, brown sugar, a little nougat, nutmeg, leather, and a pronounced black coffee base. The cigar is still medium bodied. The finish is nutmeg, brown sugar, nougat, and improved lingering black pepper. The front end flavors are still very nice but not tangy and not to the level of the first third. I rated the second third 93.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 22 minutes. There were not many changes in the final third. I did, however, have faint notes of hay which is not unheard of in Dominican cigars. The other notes were about the same as the second third. I had notes of cedar, brown sugar, nutmeg, light leather, light hay, and black coffee. The cigar is now medium to full bodied. The finish is unchanged. The cigar has settled down. I held the score of 93 for the final third. For Warped's first Dominican cigar this is a very good one. You can purchase these cigars HERE.

Overall Score: 93.67

STG Promotes Justin Andrews to New Business Development Manager

Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) announced today that Justin Andrews, senior brand manager for Diesel, has been promoted to New Business Development Manager of the company’s North American Branded and Rest of World divisions, effective November 1.

In his new role, Justin will retain global oversight of the Diesel brand, with the added responsibility of acting as a liaison between STG’s cigar making teams and the company’s existing/future contract manufacturing customers. Justin will also be instrumental in developing collaborations and executing strategic partnerships between STG and other premium cigar makers for distribution by General Cigar and Forged Cigar Company. He will report to Chris Tarr, vice president of marketing.

“In this newly-created role, Justin will lead our contract manufacturing business, bringing a deeper level of innovation to the entire STG organization. Leveraging his passion for tobacco and knowledge of blending, Justin will help to develop exciting new releases and deepen our relationships with strategic partners. We’re looking forward to the many contributions he’ll bring to the company, and to the premium cigar category,” said Chris Tarr, vice president of marketing for General Cigar.

Justin has been in the premium cigar business for eleven years, having joined the industry in 2010. He was hired by General Cigar in 2015 as a Brand Manager and was promoted to his most recent role of Senior Brand Manager in 2017. Over the last six years, he has cross trained within STG, having worked in various roles across sales, marketing, blending and third-party manufacturing. Throughout his tenure with STG, he has had a pivotal role in many key initiatives, such as taking over the Diesel Brand in 2017 and the development of high-profile collaborations, including Cohiba Serie M with El Titan de Bronze, Warzone by Espinosa, and Diesel Whiskey Row by AJ Fernandez.

Justin Andrews said, “This new role will have me working with STG’s amazing team and collaborating with many cigar makers that I admire. It’s an opportunity for me to leave an imprint on the handmade cigar category, even if much of the work that I’m doing will be behind the scenes. We have many exciting collaborations in the works and with the power of STG, we’re going to make things happen. Expect to see a lot more of me, and more importantly, and a lot of excitement coming from STG.”

JR Cigar to Release Herrera Estelí By Drew Estate JR 50th Anniversary

JR Cigar is teaming up with another iconic cigar manufacturer to continue its year-long, 50th anniversary celebration. 

Drew Estate, one of the largest manufacturers of premium cigars in the world, is the latest company to partner with JR Cigar by producing a custom blend made specifically for this project. The Herrera Estelí by Drew Estate JR 50th was blended by Willy Herrera, Drew Estate’s master blender for the last several years.

“Fifty years is an unbelievable achievement and one we are proud to be a part of,” Herrera says. “We knew we had to do something unique and truly special to stand out and we definitely accomplished that.”

The Herrera Estelí by Drew Estate JR 50th is hand rolled at La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate in the heart of Estelí, Nicaragua.  It uses aged Nicaraguan and Honduran tobaccos for the filler, along with a hearty Honduran binder and a zesty Ecuadorian Habano wrapper.

The blend makes this a unique offering from Drew Estate.  Its use of Honduran tobaccos for the filler and the binder is something not typically seen in Drew Estate’s normal lineup.  This combination of aged tobaccos gives the cigar a rich and earthy center along with hints of pepper, leather and a touch of dark fruit notes from the wrapper. It is medium-full body but smooth and complex throughout.   

The cigar is rolled into a 48 X 7 Churchill and is packaged in custom boxes of 10. Only 500 boxes have been made. 

Priced at $13.25 per cigar; $119.95 per box, this cigar will be available October 26th exclusively at www.JRCigars.com.

Viaje Oro Delicado 2021 (6 x 50)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Halfwheel.com website)

Viaje has announced that it is bringing back its original releases in the Oro and Platino lines, some of the debut cigars that helped put the company on the map when it launched 14 years ago. While the cigars are returning, though they are being given a bit of an update for their return.

Most notably, both of the lines are being produced at Tabacos Valle de Jalapa S.A. (TABSA) in Estelí, Nicaragua, the factory owned by AGANORSA Leaf. The packaging is also being updated to an 8-9-8 style stained wood box, meaning the top row of the box features eight cigars, the middle row has nine cigars, and the bottom row has eight cigars.

As for the blends, both cigars are Nicaraguan puros and are getting what the company referred to as slight modifications “to deliver a newer take on an old classic.”

Both blends are being offered in two vitolas; the Oro is available in a 5 x 52 robusto called Fuerza with an MSRP of $9.28, and a 6 x 50 toro named Delicado that is priced at $9.44. 

Today we look at the Oro in the Delicatodo (toro) size.

The cigar looks nice and has a somewhat oily wrapper. It has an average feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were a tangy cedar, citrus peel, brown sugar, nutmeg, quite a bit of leather, and a light black coffee at the base. There was black pepper rated at 7. The leather and nutmeg are really coming through. We'll have to see how that plays out.

At the first third (29 minutes) the tangy cedar notes are almost an afterthought. There remains citrus peel, along with a lot of earthy nutmeg, leather, and black coffee. The sweet notes have really taken a hit. The finish is nutmeg and a hint of citrus with good lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium bodied. The cigar has almost lost me already. I rated the first third 86.

As I moved through the second third (1 hour 1 minute) the cigar continued to decline. There is a minor amount of sweetness in citrus peel, and a ton of earthy nutmeg, leather, and black coffee. There is also some bitterness. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is nutmeg and leather with good lingering black pepper. The cigar is not appealing with these notes. I rated the second third 82.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 26 minutes. In the final third the notes condensed into nutmeg, earthy leather and earthy black coffee. There were not sweet notes. The finish is leather and black coffee with good lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The cigar is straight dark notes. This is not a good cigar. I rated the final third 75.

Overall Score: 81

Tatuaje Cojonu 2021 (7 x 58 Belicoso)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Cigar-coop.com website)

It’s been nine years since we have seen an ongoing new addition to the Tatuaje Cojonu series, but at the 2021 Premium Cigar Association Trade Show, Tatuaje Cigars showcased the Tatuaje Cojonu 2021.

The Tatuaje Cojonu 2021 consists of an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler. It is available in one size – a 7 x 58 Belicoso. The cigars are presented in 21-count cabinet-style boxes.

The Tatuaje Cojonu 2021 joins the Cojonu 2003, Cojonu 2006, Cojonu 2009, Cojonu 2012 (Habano, Broadleaf, Capa Especial), and Gran Cojonu as on-going releases in the Tatuaje portfolio.

Blend and Origin

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Factory: My Father S.A.

Vitolas Offered

Belicoso: 7 x 58

The cigar is large and quite beautiful. The wrapper is dark and oily. The cigar has a very weighty feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were a sweet orange citrus, brown sugar, a touch of cinnamon, light citrus peel, quite a bit of leather, and black coffee. There was black pepper rated at 7. Nice leathery, sweet start.

At the first third (53 minutes) the cigar is burning very slowly. I still had the citrus, citrus peel, brown sugar, cinnamon, a lot of leather, and a lot of black coffee. The cigar is quite dark but has sweetness. The cigar tastes very full bodied but the strength is medium to full at this point. The finish is leather and black coffee with good lingering black pepper. The cigar has heavy leather and black coffee but the sweeter notes are coming through nicely. I rated the first third 92.

As I moved through the second third (1 hour 45 minutes) the cigar got a little more earthier. The leather and black coffee are elevated and now there is creamy nutmeg in the mix. The sweeter notes are still there but they have been reduced slightly. The cigar is full bodied. The finish is unchanged with good lingering black pepper. The cigar is still good but darker. I rated the second third 91.

The cigar lasted an impressive 2 hours 22 minutes. Overall, the cigar held serve in the final third. Nothing really changed. The same flavor notes were there in the same amounts; rather light sweeter notes with heavy leather and black coffee. The cigar is full bodied. The finish is unchanged. If you like heavy leather and black coffee this may be the cigar for you. And you will definitely get your money's worth with the cigar lasting almost 2 1/2 hours. I rated the final third 91.

Overall Score: 91.33

Drew Estate Releases Liga Privada Unico UF4 Exclusively for Casa de Montecristo

Every year since 2010, Casa de Montecristo in Countryside, Illinois, has been the exclusive home to Drew Estate’s annual limited-edition release of Liga Privada Unico UF4. The 2021 UF4 will premier at Casa de Montecristo’s Halloween Party on Oct. 29 from 6 to 10 p.m. Central Standard Time. The event will be hosted virtually by Jonathan Drew, Drew Estate’s Founder and President.

Liga Privada Unico UF4 was created as Drew Estate developed the blend for Liga Privada T52 in 2008/2009. Searching for an “Ultra Fuerte” Liga, the UF4 blend was called “Liga Privada Blend #4” on the production floor but was passed up in the final round of blend selection, and the current T52 blend was ultimately selected.

The UF4 blend, however, was far too delicious to ignore and thereafter became a personal favorite of Jonathan. Built using a lush Connecticut Habano wrapper, Brazilian binder and Nicaraguan and Honduran filler tobaccos, Liga Privada Unico UF4 offers rich, spicy and bold smoking characteristics, and has become a favorite among Casa de Montecristo’s customers.

“I remember it like it was yesterday,” exclaims Jonathan. “I was in Chicago visiting the fellas, Mike and Sam at Casa, and asked them for their opinion on this 6 x 52 berserker while we sat at the lounge downstairs. They were like, ‘Yo, JD, this is blah blah blah,’ acting in all sorts of ways, all animated and shit. I like those dudes a lot and I wanted to make ‘em happy. Turns out, our decision was a nightmare for the first few years … as we had to change the name various times from JD4 to MF4 and finally to UF4. One of those changes required a mega-urgent band change in Miami, so the Padron family allowed me to work with a few of their packaging people at the last minute to remove the MF4 bands and place the UF4 bands. Welcome to my life, passion and torture. The stick is now a classic, and it’s definitely one of our proudest commemoratives.”

Previously available in 10-Count Soft Packs, the 2021 limited-edition Liga Privada Unico UF4 will be sold in 10-count wooden boxes. Each individual cigar will be wrapped in cedar and will also feature a ribbon around the foot. The cigars will debut during Casa de Montecristo’s annual Halloween Costume Party on Oct. 29, which Jonathan will host virtually. The event will include dinner, a UF4 cigar, special deals and unique swag. Those coming to the event dressed in a costume will be eligible for an additional exclusive deal and may also win prizes. Tickets to the event cost $50.

Event tickets may be purchased exclusively at Casa de Montecristo via its website, casademontecristochicago.com, or at 708-352-6668. The Liga Privada Unico UF-4 cigars may be purchased on Casa de Montecristo’s e-commerce site at www.cdmcigars.com or by calling 630-834- 7777.

DIESEL LAUNCHES SECOND “SUNDAY GRAVY” EXPRESSION; PECORINO

Diesel is rolling out the first follow-up to Sunday Gravy with “Pecorino,” a three-country blend that’s just begun shipping to retailers nationwide. Pecorino takes its name from a deliciously rich and flavorful Italian cheese often substituted for a more expensive variety. Here again, the culinary world and the cigar category collide, as Sunday Gravy Pecorino offers a satisfying smoking experience at a surprisingly affordable price.

Blended by AJ Fernandez and Justin Andrews and handcrafted at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez in Esteli, Nicaragua, Diesel Sunday Gravy Pecorino features a Mexican San Andres wrapper over a Cameroon binder and bold Nicaraguan Esteli Habano filler. This is a medium-plus smoke brimming with character. The Mexican wrapper delivers a peppery note and when combined with the subtle sweetness from the Cameroon binder and the boldness of the filler, the experience is unique and dimensional.

Justin Andrews said, “AJ and I had a lot of fun blending Diesel Sunday Gravy Pecorino. And as often happens over Sunday sauce, we brought our opinions to the table. ‘Pecorino’ represents what he and I both believe is the best of our palates: AJ’s nod to a bold smoke is there on the Nicaraguan ligero filler and my style is represented through the complexity and balance of the Mexican San Andres wrapper. This is the perfect cigar to enjoy, share or gift this holiday season and the size makes Pecorino the perfect smoke for any occasion. ”

Pecorino is being released in a robusto gordo size only, which both AJ and Justin agree is the best expression of the blend.

Pecorino (5” x 56); SRP per cigar $4.99

Diesel Sunday Gravy Pecorino will be available nationally from October-December 2021, or until the cigars are sold out. The next Sunday Gravy blend will be released in January, 2022.

Diesel cigars are produced by Scandinavian Tobacco Group and distributed by Forged Cigar Company.

About Diesel Sunday Gravy

Diesel Sunday Gravy launched in August 2021 as a full-time line of seasonally-released, Nicaraguan-forward smokes, blended and handcrafted through Diesel’s winning partnership of AJ Fernandez and Justin Andrews. Blends will be released quarterly, sold until their limited supply is deleted and offered at an unbelievable SRP of less than $5.00 per cigar.

Emilio Cigars releases the LA MUSA 2nd Street Exclusive

Emilio Cigars releases the LA MUSA 2nd Street Exclusive; hand crafted in Esteli, Nicaragua at Fabrica Oveja Negra.

This is the first shop exclusive for La Musa. The artwork and cigar blend for La Musa were created by James Brown. Mr. Brown, owner of BLTC and Fabrica Oveja Negra, stated, “I’m very excited for this project. Emilio has come a long way in the last couple of years and La Musa is one of my favorite releases. This new Lancero version is bold and intense. It’s true to the original blend but the Maduro wrapper adds additional richness, strength, and spice. It’s very complex, has great balance and the 7x40 boxpress is just beautiful to look at. Clyde Percy at 2nd Street Cigars has been a huge supporter for the brand and will be launching this at an event October 29th.”

LA MUSA will be available at 2nd Street Cigar Co. in Edmond OK.

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Ecuador Maduro

Binder: Nicaraguan Habano

Filler: Nicaragua

Lancero – 7x40 Box Press (16 count) MSRP $10.92

Emilio Cigars is a brand with old school roots and new school attitude. With an eclectic portfolio, Emilio is sure to have something for everyone.

Drew Estate Releases Undercrown 10 Factory Floor Edition

Debuted during “Freestyle Live: Special Edition” in May of this year, Drew Estate’s very limited production Undercrown 10 Factory Floor Edition is now shipping to participating Drew Diplomat Retailers nationwide.

The heralded Undercrown brand was “Born on the Factory Floor” in 2011 with a unique lens upon the rollers who initially created the blend. Today, Drew Estate pays homage to Undercrown’s tenth birthday with “A Decade of Dedication” celebration that features the signature Undercrown 10 Factory Floor Edition.

Featured in the Lonsdale (6 x 46) vitola, Factory Floor Edition is handcrafted using the same rich blend of savory dark, air-cured tobaccos carefully selected to create the entire Undercrown 10 line. The thinner Lonsdale format accentuates the Mexican San Andres Dark wrapper’s impact on the overall blend, enhancing the Mexican hot chocolate notes to go along with waves of intense black pepper and hints of naturally sweet raisin and cacao, sun-dried cherries, espresso, woodiness and earthiness that the blend’s other tobaccos offer. Additionally, Undercrown 10 Factory Floor Edition is proudly “All Dekk’d Out” in beautiful blue with gold trim 20-count boxes that include a unique “tobacco leaf library,” giving each lucky purchaser the opportunity to see, smell and touch the very leaves that Drew Estate’s torcedores painstakingly chose for Undercrown 10’s blend.

“The epic presentation behind Factory Floor Edition is an added touch of class to Undercrown 10, offering an experiential component while you burn your cigar,” says Jonathan Drew, Founder and President of Drew Estate. “It’s as if you’re magically transported by Elon Musk to our factory floor, where our torcedores warmly greet you and demonstrate the blend selection behind Undercrown 10. It’s like, yo, we want you there with us at the factory but that’s not possible right now. So, snag a box of these and let’s ride.”

With an MSRP of $272 per box or $13.60 per cigar, Undercrown 10 Factory Floor Edition is now available at Drew Diplomat Retailers nationwide.

Joya de Nicaragua’s Dos Cientos is Now Shipping

Earlier this year, Joya de Nicaragua announced the launch of Dos Cientos, a commemorative limited-edition cigar to celebrate the bicentennial of Central America’s independence from the Spanish empire. This one-time release is part of Joya de Nicaragua’s Obras Maestras series, which is composed of the company’s most prestigious cigars.

After a couple of months of delay due to materials and logistics problems, cigar enthusiasts around the United States will finally have access to this ultra-limited and special cigar beginning on Oct. 18. “This year we have faced enormous challenges … from longer lead times in transportation, to limited capacities from our vendors … to cope with the surge of demand we are seeing,” says Daniel Barrios, Joya de Nicaragua’s Global Commercial Manager. “The launch of Dos Cientos wasn’t an exception.”

A Drew Diplomat Program exclusive product, Dos Cientos (6 x 54, Gran Toro) is medium-bodied and smooth, yet complex. Available in 21-count boxes, one cigar within each box is wrapped in special paper. Joya de Nicaragua hopes that consumers will save that specially wrapped cigar to enjoy during a virtual celebration that will be held on Nov. 18th, 2021.

“We invite our followers around the world to keep an eye on our social media where we will be announcing how to reserve your spot for our virtual event,” Joya de Nicaragua’s Executive President, Juan Martinez says. “We are very excited about it and working hard to give everyone a great experience. We want people to learn about our history, about the product and how it can be paired, but more important, about how our industry was built on the shoulders of a great community.”

Cohiba will debut its largest frontmark to date with the release of Cohiba Blue 7 X 70

Cohiba will debut its largest frontmark to date with the release of Cohiba Blue 7 X 70, an eye-catching cigar named after its sizeable dimensions.

Cohiba Blue 7 X 70 marks the sixth vitola in the Dominican-made collection. Shipping this week with an SRP of $14.99 per cigar, Cohiba Blue 7 X 70 will be presented in the bright blue, handpainted wooden Cohiba Blue boxes, each containing 15 cigars.

Handcrafted at General Cigar Dominicana in Santiago, DR, Cohiba Blue is a velvety, medium-bodied cigar with a three-country blend that represents the world’s most revered tobacco growing regions. The experience is sophisticated and memorable with an enticing aroma.

The Cohiba Blue blend starts with a silky, rosado-hued Honduran Olancho San Agustin (OSA) wrapper that sits atop a Honduran OSA binder, with the layered wrapper-binder imparting subtle, earthy notes. The blend consists of Honduran Jamastran, Nicaraguan Ometepe and Dominican Piloto Cubano that lend hints of cocoa and caramel, with a light touch of sweetness.

Cohiba Blue debuted in 2017 as an expression created to appeal to all who seek the indulgence of a fine cigar.

Warped Cigars La Hacienda First Growth (4 x 50)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Halfwheel.com website)

Last March, Warped Cigars announced a new version of its La Hacienda line called First Growth that was supposed to come out in “Fall 2020.” While it never came out last year, it will begin shipping to stores this week, but not without some changes in comparison to what was announced.

Kyle Gellis, founder of Warped Cigars, confirmed to halfwheel that the La Hacienda First Growth will be a 4 x 50 petit robusto. That’s a change from the original-announced dimensions of the cigar: 4 1/2 x 48. The blend uses the same components as the regular La Hacienda line—all Nicaraguan tobaccos—but the First Growth has higher priming tobaccos to add “more body, spice, and a unique darker sweetness.” Corojo 99 is used for the wrapper, binder and filler, though there’s also criollo 98 in the binder and filler.

One thing Warped did not change was the MSRP, it remains $8.95 per cigar and will be sold in boxes of 25.

First Growth refers to the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, which categorized Bourdeaux wineries by quality. First growth vineyards were considered the top tier according to the classification.

The cigar reminds me of a firecracker. It's short and well made. It has an average feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was good with a touch of firmness. The initial flavors at light up were a pronounced, sweet orange citrus, citrus peel, brown sugar, nutmeg, and light leather. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2. A nice peppery, sweet start.

At the first third (26 minutes) I had a small burn issue but I blame myself. I believe it will even out. Now the flavors are just like they started but the orange citrus is even more pronounced. The black pepper is up to close to 8. There are light caramel notes. The finish is primarily nutmeg and some light citrus notes with very good lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium bodied but it seems to be moving up. The cigar is quite tasty. I rated the first third 94.

As I moved through the second third (42 minutes) the cigar evened out the burn. The flavor notes are pretty much the same but now you have cinnamon notes also. The caramel notes are now scorched. It's like a baked desert that has some scorched edges. Nice! I still had citrus, citrus peel, scorched brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and light leather. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is unchanged. The cigar continues to be very good. I held the score of 94 for the second third.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 1 minute. It continued to be fantastic. The notes were citrus, light citrus peel, very creamy nutmeg, light caramel, and leather. The lingering black pepper is amazing. It lingers and lingers. The finish is still primarily nutmeg with a hint of citrus. The cigar is medium to full bodied. I looked back at the initial review of the La Hacienda Gran Robusto back on March 14, 2016 and it received a score of 92. But this version is better. I held the score of 94 for the final third. This is one to try. A very good cigar. You can purchase them HERE.

Overall Score: 94