Drew Estate Launches Liga Privada Unico Year of the Tiger Exclusively for CoH Cigars

To mark the upcoming Year of the Tiger, which begins with the Chinese New Year on Feb. 1, 2022, Drew Estate will release the limited-edition Liga Privada Unico Year of the Tiger cigar exclusively for CoH Cigars in Hong Kong.

The Liga Privada Unico Year of the Tiger (6" x 48) is made from a luscious Broadleaf capa from the Connecticut River Valley, a flavorful capote of Plantation Grown Brazilian Mata Fina leaf and bold tripa tobaccos from Nicaragua. These dark air-cured tobaccos combine to create a dense, deeply textured and complex, but surprisingly smooth, cigar that invites cigar enthusiasts to journey through a range of intense flavor experiences that satisfy and linger on the palate, including robust earth and espresso notes.

“Tigers are brave and forceful ... the very symbol of power and command and they are usually associated in Chinese culture with emperors or kings,” says Jonathan Drew, Founder and President of Drew Estate. “To honor the Year of the Tiger, we created a cigar that is adventurous and ambitious, powerful and commanding. The taste both grabs your attention and demands your respect. All you Tiger Kings and Tiger Queens lurking in the concrete jungle, please take note ... you’re going to want to hunt down this special smoke!”

The limited-edition Liga Privada Unico Year of the Tiger will be sold exclusively through CoH Cigars in Hong Kong and is available in 8-count wooden boxes with an MSRP of $195 per box beginning in early February.

LCA Reserva Vintage 2021 (6 x 44 Lonsdale)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Halfwheel.com website)

The LCA Reserva Vintage 2021 is a Honduran corojo puro offered in a 6 x 44 lonsdale vitola, with all of the tobacco coming from the 2018 crop of the Eiroa family’s farms in Honduras. It is made at CLE’s factory in Danlí, Honduras, with pricing set at $14 per cigar and $350 per box of 25 cigars.

“Each year’s LCA Reserva release will be blended by a different master blender, but the focus for LCA Reservas will always be on producing the best cigar possible using only one year of crop from a single farming estate,” said Brian Desind of the Limited Cigar Association via a press release. “In beginning our focus on the craft cigar movement, it is important that we are able to produce a cigar using all tobaccos from one single farm, all grown in the same year. LCA Reserva Vintage 2021 certainly lives up to this standard. We are proud to have been able to collaborate with Christian on this project, and are grateful to him for digging into his tobacco reserves and producing what can only be described as an exceptional cigar.”

Also notable about the project is the packaging, as each cigar come in a sustainably packaged box, with each cigar in a recyclable, hard paper coffin.

A total of 1,600 boxes have been produced, for a total run of 40,000 cigars.

The cigar has a typical feel in the hand for a lonsdale.

The test draw after cutting the cap was very good. The initial flavors at light up were sweet apricot, caramel, cinnamon, and black coffee. There was a nice amount of black pepper rated at 8. Nice sweet flavors. Very good start.

At the first third (18 minutes) this is a tasty cigar. The black pepper is amazing. It may have moved up. There is some richness in the cigar. I still had the same notes; apricot, caramel, cinnamon, and black coffee. The finish is apricot with very good lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium bodied. Very good flavors in this cigar so far. I rated the first third 95.

Moving through the second third (38 minutes) the only thing that happened was a slight loss in the overall richness. The same flavor notes are there. The caramel notes slightly decreased which probably account for the slight loss in richness. The finish is still apricot with very good lingering black pepper.  The cigar is still medium bodied. I rated the second third 94.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 2 minutes. The final third reverted back to the way it was in the first third. Same flavor notes with some richness. The black pepper is still very good. The cigar is medium bodied leaning toward medium to full. The finish is still apricot and very good lingering black pepper. This is a very tasty cigar. I rated the final third 95. I highly recommend you try this cigar and buy as many as you can.

Overall Score: 94.67

Sin Compromiso Paladin de Saka (7 x 52 Box Pressed)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Cigar-coop.com website)

Throughout his career at both Drew Estate and now Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust, Steve Saka has been known to take one of his existing blends, make some tweaks to it, and get another profile. At this year’s Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust will release an offshoot of its Sin Compromiso line. It’s called Sin Compromiso Paladin de Saka.

Saka started working on this blend shortly after Sin Compromiso. The goal with the Paladin de Saka was to give the cigar a little more robustness and still keep the smoothness. To do this, some Pennsylvania Seedleaf, a leaf used as a ligero substitute, was incorporated into the blend. Sometimes Pennsylvania Seedleaf can be on the bitter side, so to offset this, the cigar was given a full box-press as opposed to the softer box-press used on the rest of the Sin Compromiso line.

The Sin Compromiso will come in one size – a 7 x 52 box-press. The cigars will be priced at $28.75 each and presented in 13-count boxes. The cigars are rolled at the Joya de Nicaragua factory with the rest of the Sin Compromiso line.

The plan was to release the Sin Compromiso Paladin de Saka in 2020, but that was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so the cigars rolled have a year of age. Saka says the production of Paladin de Saka will be an ongoing limited production.

Blend and Origin

Wrapper: San Andrés Negro “Cultivo Tonto”

Binder: Hybridized Ecuador Habano “Thin Ligero”

Filler: Independent Plantation Grown Nicaraguan, Pennsylvania Seedleaf

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Factory: Fábrica de Tabacos Joya de Nicaragua, S.A.

Vitolas Offered

Paladin de Saka: 7 x 52

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

The cap is finished with a pigtail.

The test draw was a bit firm so I used the PerfecDraw to open the draw. The initial flavors at light up were sweet peach, nutmeg, unsweetened dark chocolate, and leather. There was black pepper rated at 7 to 7 1/2. 

At the first third (29 minutes) I had the same basic flavors; sweet peach, creamy nutmeg, a slightly lesser amount of unsweetened dark chocolate, and leather. The black pepper seems to have increased. The finish is peach and creamy nutmeg with good lingering black pepper. The cigar has some good dark notes and the peach has a lot of sweetness. The cigar is medium bodied. I rated the first third 94.

As I moved through the second third (59 minutes) the unsweetened dark chocolate has really come out. The peach notes suffered as a result and there are now light citrus peel notes. There is still nutmeg and the leather is slightly elevated. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is dark chocolate with hints of peach with very good lingering black pepper. I rated the second third 93.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 30 minutes. In the final third the cigar bounced back to the way it was in the first third. The nice sweet peach notes were back to their full amount. The nutmeg was again creamy and the unsweetened dark chocolate and leather returned to their nice amount. The cigar is full bodied. The finish is peach with a minimal amount of leather and very good lingering black pepper. The black pepper continued to rise over the course of the cigar. The cigar is very dark noted but it has nice sweetness. I rated the final third 94.

Overall Score: 93.67

Systematic Cigar Company unboxing

Video review HERE.

Systematic Cigar Company is a monthly subscription includes 4 cigars of varying shapes, sizes, and blends delivered right to your door every month.. They arrive the last week of the month and shipping is included. If you become a member there is a 6% discount off the cigars in their on-line store.First box includes a free cutter and box of matches! Free shipping! You can skip a month. Cancel anytime.

Price: $25

Here is a typical box.

Opening your first box you will see 4 cigars, a cutter, and matches.

In the box I received the cigars were:

Montecristo White Robusto

Nica Libre Toro

Romeo y Julieta Churchill

Fidalgo Churchill

Doing a quick internet search for typical on-line prices I found the cost of each cigar as:

Montecristo White Robusto        $11.21

Nica Libre Toro                         $5.00         

Romeo y Julieta Churchill          $7.30

Fidalgo Churchill                       $2.00

Total:                                        $25.51

So, the membership is $25 per month. Now, you must remember that the cigars are shipped free. So, all in all it's not a bad deal.

I think this club would be good for anyone who wants to be surprised by new cigars each month or for the beginner who wants to get acquainted with many different cigars to find out what they like.

You can get all info on their website.

Meet the owners

With a love of all things cigars, Nick and Mike combined their talents to start the Systematic Cigar Co. in 2021. With Nick's background in business marketing and Mike's in engineering, these two brothers contributed both skills and talent to create a new wave of cigar discovery.

NICK & MIKE MISCHISSIN

CAO RELEASES SECOND ARCANA SERIES WITH FIREWALKER

CAO continues to highlight old-world processing methods with the limited return of its Arcana Series. For 2022, a blend called “Firewalker,” which is inspired by the Chincagre method of aging will be released in one, limited edition size.

Applied solely to the Nicaraguan-grown filler tobacco in Firewalker’s blend, Chincagre is an archaic process of primary aging used by local tobacco farmers in Western Nicaragua. There, in the region of Masatepe where the filler is grown, the tobacco is placed into a pilón that is buried deep in the volcanic soil. The subterranean conditions allow the tobacco to ferment naturally, locking in an inherently sweet and aromatic quality. After two months, the Chincagre process is complete, and the pilón is then transferred to the factory for nine months of secondary fermentation.

Rick Rodriguez, CAO’s blender/ambassador said, “The Arcana series is an opportunity for us to unite CAO fans with rare tobacco methods they might not otherwise learn about on their own. This is our way of sparking conversation about what it takes to make a great cigar. We hope it also speaks volumes about our passion for tobacco and the lengths we’ll go to deliver exciting cigars to our fans.”

Wrapped in Ecuadoran Habano Rosado, with a Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan filler, CAO Firewalker is a medium-plus-bodied cigar full of depth and character. The experience is unique and layered, melding the traditional spice and vibrant savory notes of Ecuadoran tobacco with an earthy-sweet quality derived from the Chincagre aging of the Nicaraguan filler.

Firewalker (6.5” x 56) will sell for an SRP of $11.99 per cigar. The singular frontmark will be packaged in 20 count boxes and only 5,000 boxes will be made, reserved solely for the U.S. market.

CAO Arcana Firewalker is handcrafted at American Caribbean in Nicaragua and ships to retailers the week of February 1, 2022.

CAO ARCANA FIREWALKER (6.5” x 56); SRP per cigar $11.99

MACANUDO INSPIRADO GREEN GIGANTE TO HIT RETAIL IN FEBRUARY

Macanudo Inspirado Green will launch its fourth frontmark in February with a large format cigar called “Gigante.”

At 6” x 60, Gigante will round out the Inspirado Green line which debuted 2020 and currently consists of a Robusto, Toro and Churchill.

Laurel Tilley, brand ambassador of Macanudo said, “Macanudo Inspirado Green Gigante brings together the unique experience of Brazilian tobacco with one of the cigar industry’s most in-demand sizes. We’re confident that this new and distinctive smoke will deliver increased excitement to the top-selling Macanudo brand.”

Handcrafted at General Cigar Dominicana in Santiago, D.R., Macanudo Inspirado Green is a medium-bodied collection that features hand-selected tobaccos from four-countries. A rich Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper serves as the foundation of the blend, providing a lustrous aesthetic and imparting subtly sweet and picante notes. Beneath an Indonesian binder is a blend of Dominican and Colombian filler leaves that mingle with the wrapper to create a full-flavored, medium-bodied smoke brimming with earth and pepper.

Macanudo Inspirado Green “Gigante” will ship to retailers on February 15, 2022 and will come in boxes containing 20 cigars.

Gigante (6” x 60); SRP per cigar $8.29

Studio Serino Elenor Rose Eagle (5 5/8 x 50 Figurado)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Cigaraficionado.com website)

Florida-based cigarmaker Serino Cigar Co. has formed a new division within the company called Studio Serino, an artistic, experimental branch that seeks to utilize unique tobaccos, alternate packaging and different vitolas from their core line of products. The first release from Studio Serino is a regular-production line called Elenor Rose.

“Studio Serino was established on the core belief that art is the hammer with which we forge our reality. Cigarmaking is a big part of our family’s story,” vice president Carson Serino stated. “The studio is a place where myself, my father Anthony Serino and other collaborators have a space to be creative and passionate in the art of cigarmaking.”

Made at La Corona Cigars S.A. in Nicaragua, Studio Serino Elenor Rose gets its name from both the reddish Ecuador rosado wrapper and aspects of the packaging. Elenor Rose is available in three sizes: Lady 48, measuring 5 3/4 inches by 48 ring gauge ($8.75); Revolver, 5 3/4 by 54 ($8.95); and The Eagle, 5 5/8 by 50 ($9.25).

Both Beatles fans, Anthony and Carson Serino also named the line in homage to the song “Eleanor Rigby,” Anthony’s favorite song from The Beatles’ 1966 album Revolver (which one of the sizes is named after). The Eagle size is named in tribute to Carson’s favorite song on the album, “And Your Bird Can Sing.”

Under the Ecuadoran wrapper is a Nicaraguan Criollo ’98 binder from Jalapa, along with Corojo ’99 and Criollo ’98 fillers from the Estelí and Jalapa regions, respectively. There’s also some Pennsylvanian broadleaf and Peruvian tobacco which La Corona’s owner, Omar González Aléman, bought specifically for this project.

The line ships in decorative, paper-wrapped  bundles of 10 cigars and will also come in 10-count boxes early this year.

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

The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were a nice citrus/pear combination, brown sugar, toffee, nutmeg, and a black coffee base. The nutmeg is quite noticeable at this point. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2. There is a lot of sweetness but the nutmeg is quite abundant. We'll have to see if the nutmeg tones down.

At the first third (34 minutes) the citrus notes are coming out more and the pear notes are subtle. There is still brown sugar and light toffee. The nutmeg is still quite high and it's creamy. The black coffee base remains. The cigar is medium bodied. The finish is a little of the citrus, nutmeg, and very good lingering black pepper. The cigar is on the edge of being great for me. The elevated nutmeg is holding it back. I rated the first third 92.

As I moved through the second third (1 hour) the citrus notes are very nice, sweet, and tangy. The pear notes are very light. The nutmeg appears to have toned down somewhat but I now thing there are also almond butter notes with them. That would explain the creaminess I got in the first third. The finish is unchanged. The cigar is still medium bodied. The black pepper is very good in this cigar especially on the finish. The cigar improved in the second third. I rated it 93.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 24 minutes. In the final third the black coffee rose dramatically. The nutmeg and almond butter are still quite prominent also. The citrus and sweeter notes really suffered. The cigar is still medium bodied, leaning toward medium to full. The finish is a lot of nutmeg with hints of citrus and very good lingering black pepper. The cigar took a turn. The first two thirds are much better and the middle third is definitely the best. I rated the final third 90.

Overall Score: 91.67

HUMIDIFGROUP TO SHOWCASE SMART PACKAGING WITH INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE AT TPE 2022

HumidifGroup USA, a world leader in luxury packaging, design, and accessories for the tobacco industry is ready to showcase their Smart Packaging technology at Tobacco Expo Plus 20. The TPE 2022 takes place in Las Vegas from January 26th through the 29th at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The Smart Packaging technology was introduced to the public late 2021 in conjunction with the launch of Ferio Tego Cigar Co. The Smart Packaging technology enhances the consumer experience by way of NFC technology. Smart Packaging immerses the end-user with information, slick videos, and education with a simple tap of the phone. HumidifGroup is the first packaging company to create this technology in the tobacco industry.

The TPE 2022 is the perfect setting to introduce the public to HumidifGroup’s Smart Packaging technology by way of interactive experience guided by a HumidifGroup representative.

Pierre Jebian, Director of HumidifGroup USA stated: “We welcome everyone to visit booth 1024 to experience the Smart Packaging technology firsthand as your smart phone will serve a portal to experience the next big thing in packaging.  Smart device stations will also be at the ready to further enhance the experience.”

With more than 30 years in market, HumidifGroup felt it was time to embrace the latest in technology. HumidifGroup USA ushers in this technology by embedding an NFC chip within the cigar box or cigar accessory that is created for their customer. With a simple TAP of a smartphone, Smart packaging tech offers the most secure authentication system and opens a wide channel for the customer’s experience and interaction. Users will enjoy amazing features such as VR, AR, pairing notes, tap to reorder and much more. The new Ferio Tego Cigar Co. brand will be the first to market with HumidifGroup Smart Packaging technology.

Smart Packaging solution turns the product into a powerful digital platform and enables logistics optimization. HumidifGroup feels strongly that their Smart Packaging technology will change the way the cigar industry does business.

Romeo y Julieta Bed of Roses Humidor – A Special, Limited Edition Humidor

As William Shakespeare famously penned, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” With that poetic imagery in mind and the end of Winter in sight, the makers of Romeo y Julieta have struck on a special sweet Spring offering that the Bard himself would have surely appreciated.

Altadis U.S.A., the cigar maker, has crafted a special Romeo y Julieta Bed of Roses Humidor that will showcase two dozen gorgeous cigars, hand rolled with love by the esteemed Plasencia Family in Nicaragua. Just 100 of the special humidors will be released.

“The Romeo y Julieta Bed of Roses Humidor is a romantic reminder of the bed of roses that falls from the iconic Verona balcony where our ingenue Julieta once shared secret moments with her Romeo,” said Gabrielle Winchester, Senior Brand Manager, Altadis U.S.A.

“These special hand-made cigars are rich, sweet, complex and elegantly blended using some of the most unique tobaccos from the Plasencia farms,” said Rafael Nodal, Head of Product Capability for Tabacalera USA. The humidor and cigars will be unveiled at the Tobacco Plus Expo at the end of the month and shipping to retailers in March.

Befitting its name, the humidor features a cherry-red piano finish coating, with exquisite cedar-lined trays. The humidor, which is 20 inches high, by 12 inches wide and 12 inches deep, retails, along with the 24 cigars, for $2,000.

The Details:

· Cigars are 100% Nicaraguan

· Medium body, habano wrapper

· Creamy, elegant, sweet with hints of pepper and coffee

·Size: A special Churchill size, 50 x 7 ½

UNITED CIGARS SAVES BASEBALL'S OPENING DAY WITH BIG PAPI FIRECRACKER BY EL ARTISTA

The MLB lockout may delay the start of the baseball season, but United Cigars has a different opening in store. The Big Papi Firecracker is set for Firecracker fans to light up for the scheduled MLB Opening Day. Retailers and cigar media will get a first glimpse at the TPE Show this month in Las Vegas, NV. This Special Edition Big Papi Firecracker is a variation of the Slugger line by El Artista with an added boosts to the blend from third-generation owner Ram Rodriguez.

“This was a special project that I wanted to be a part of,” said Ram. “This Firecracker is a unique vitola and for a Big Papi Firecracker it had to b special. I wanted tobacco that was grown in the Dominican in the 60’s and Dominican Negrito was that tobacco.”

The Big Papi Firecracker measures 3 ½ x 50 and will be presented in collectible boxes of 20 cigars. The boxes will feature a QR Code for a special ‘Thank you’ video from former MLB 1st Baseman and Designated Hitter David Ortiz. Ortiz played 14 seasons in the majors, finishing his career with ten All-Star appearances, three World Series rings and seven Silver-Slugger Awards. Making the boxes even more collectible will be the 10 MVP mystery boxes with his signature inside and sealed at the factory in Tamboril, Dominican Republic.

Production will be limited to 1000 boxes.

Featuring a dark, oily Mexican San Andres wrapper, the Big Papi Firecracker will use Dominican Negrito as its binder. The filler is a blend of Dominican Criollo 98, Nicaraguan Jalapa and PA Broadleaf for base rounding pop. The box has a MSRP of $159.99 or $7.99 a cigar. Contact your United Firecracker Retailers or ask your local cigar lounge for preorders. Big Papi Firecrackers will begin shipping in mid to late March of 2022 and will be featured at this year’s TPE Show in Las Vegas, NV.