Blessed Leaf THEOPHANY Now Available!

From Ezra Zion Cigars:

This project began when we stumbled upon the most gorgeous and fragrant Corojo wrapper ever. We knew it was something special and had to be blended as such. No normal filler would do!

After calling in a few favors, we procured the "dream" tobaccos worthy of this project. Literally, the filler tobacco is so old in this cigar that you can taste the age! It's phenomenal!

Flavors begin with a bold leather wave across the palate. Blasts of vanilla, white pepper, and caramel give way to a luscious creamy finish. Elegantly full-bodied, strength through the retrohale is strong--but silky from the mature vintage Ligeros. 

As the cigar progresses, notes of cocoa powder, walnuts, and marshmallow begin to emerge. The final third introduces a beautiful red pepper spice, dark chocolate bar, cedar and whipped cream. 

Theophany is a decadent and luxurious smoking experience. We think it's gonna take the top spot in your humidor!

Theophany won't last long! Hurry and Getcha Some!

Davidoff Opens Flagship Store and Lounge in Houston

Basel/Houston (May 24, 2016). Davidoff is proud to announce the official opening of its Flagship Store and Cigar Lounge in Houston, Texas. ‘Davidoff of Geneva - since 1911’ Houston occupies a spectacular 2,000 square feet premium space in Oliver McMillan’s
upscale River Oaks District – located in the Houston loop.

The store is a beautiful illustration of Davidoff’s global retail concept, which features a luxury environment and guest experience. Guests are ushered into a premium cigar retail space, flanked by a walk-in humidor and luxury lounge. Private lockers are also available for lease by customers looking to store their personal collections.

“Oliver McMillan’s destinations are renowned for combining an outstanding array of luxury retail stores and premium restaurants, and it is an ideal location for us provide an unrivalled experience for Houston’s cigar aficionados,” says Jim Young, President of Davidoff of Geneva North America. “Our Houston store is an exceptional addition to our portfolio of now five company-owned properties, including three in New York and one in Atlanta, as well as licensed boutiques in Las Vegas and our hometown of Tampa, Florida.”

‘Davidoff of Geneva – since 1911’ Houston features an expansive selection of premium cigars with Davidoff as the centerpiece. An inviting retail space displays a selection of the finest accessories. The interior and architectural design is inspired by the traditions of the Dominican Republic, the home of Davidoff. In addition, a selection of custom art created by Dominican artist Fausto Ortiz and hand curated by Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard, CEO Oettinger Davidoff AG, adorns the walls.

To commemorate the opening and to celebrate the new presence of ‘Davidoff of Geneva – since 1911’ Houston, the company has commissioned “The Houston Exclusive” cigar, a beautiful Belicoso format that introduces sweet notes of coffee, leather and spice. These complex flavors provide a medium to full bodied smoking experience with a lot of character along with an intensely pleasurable aroma. The Houston Exclusive is only available at the Houston store and will retail for approximately $25.00 per cigar or $250 for a box of 10.


Store Information:
‘Davidoff of Geneva - since 1911’ Houston
4444 Westheimer Road, Suite G150
Houston, TX 77027
Phone: (346) 308-8355

Opening hours
Monday – Saturday: 10am to 7pm
Sunday: 12pm to 6pm

About Oettinger Davidoff AG
The CHF 1.23 billion Oettinger Davidoff AG with over 3600 employees around the world,
traces its roots back to 1875 and remains family-owned to this day with two distinctly different businesses: one focused on FMCG distribution in the Swiss market and the other dedicated to the core business of producing, marketing and retailing premium-branded cigars, tobacco products and accessories. The premium-branded cigar business includes Davidoff, AVO, Camacho, Cusano, Griffin’s, Private Stock, Zino and Zino Platinum. The Oettinger Davidoff AG business is anchored in a strong “crop-to-shop” philosophy, having pursued vertical integration from the tobacco fields in the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua to the global network of over 70 Davidoff Flagship Stores that complement a network of strong Appointed Merchants around the world.

Media Contact for Davidoff of Geneva USA:
Laura Peet
PeetCom Inc.
(917) 860-6285
lpeet@peetcom.com

Rocky Patel American Market

Information:

Country: Honduras

Wrapper: Connecticut Shade Ecuadorian

Filler / Binder: Honduras and Nicaragua

Length: 5.5

Ring: 50

Cost: 5.00

Background: If you have been anywhere around cigars in the past 15 years or so, you would be hard pressed not to hear the name “Rocky Patel”. He has been a stalwart in the industry for a long time and his name really is out there. Take for instance the recent April Fool’s joke that he ran with Famous Smoke Shop…

He has a loyal following for sure, though we have had some mixed results. Some were definitely hits, like the Vintage 1990 or the Decade. Some we saw as misses, like the Sun Grown, Ocean Club, and the Vintage 2003 Cameroon. And some sat in the middle of those extremes, like the Edge Maduro or the Nicaraguan. So where will this one fall in the grand scheme of things? We are hoping for the home run of course…

Appearance (0-20):  Let’s get right to the point on this – it isn’t the prettiest stick I have ever seen. The light wrapper on the American Market shows a number of small blemishes and imperfections that make me a little wary off the bat. There’s nothing really to scoff at with the bands – simple black and gold adorn the cigar, sporting the title line of “Rocky Patel American Market”.

Score: 13

Construction (0-20): For the most part, the stick feels pretty solid. There is a small gap at one point most of the way into the cigar, but otherwise it’s pretty standard. The initial cut only revealed a small amount of debris, and the prelit draw was just a slight bit loose for my liking. Thankfully, post lighting the cigar retained its resistance and didn’t get any looser.

Score: 16

Strength (0-20): This Patel is listed as a mild strength and it absolutely hits the nail right on the head – it’s mild through and through.

Score: 20

Flavor (0-20): The flavors of this are pretty consistent throughout the entire stick, and doesn’t really get too complex. The baseline of it is earthy with a bit of toast. From time to time there are hints of cedar that intermingle rather well, with a small bite of pepper on the retrohale.

Score: 14

Value (0-20):  A mild cigar, at $5.00 price point, seems to fit this one right.

Score: 17

Additional Notes: Paired with water. Cigar provided by Famous Smoke Shop.

Overall (0-100): So the question we needed to answer is where this one would it fall in terms of comparisons to other Rocky Patel offerings. To be honest, it falls in the middling phase where it isn’t bad but it also isn’t great.

The price of the cigar, at a mere $5, is one that people will be happy to pick up and try. And for those out there that stick in the mild realm, the American Market will satisfy that need. While the appearance may give people some pause, the actual flavor behind it is solid enough to put this into the category of being a decent value buy. Earth, cedar, toast, and some pepper will play across the palate – but it wont get much more complex than that.

Personally I veer toward things with more strength and complexity, but this one is a decent smoke for when you want to just relax and enjoy something easygoing. But Famous Smoke Shop has a decent, low price exclusive on their hands. It will definitely go well for a Sunday morning sort of cigar, along with a nice cup of coffee.

Score: 80

Drew Estate Announces New Florida Sun Grown “FSG” Cigar Line

Miami, FL – Today, Drew Estate announced their newest brand, “Florida Sun Grown”. This new brand features tobacco grown just outside of Orlando, Florida, in partnership with Jeff Borysiewicz, owner of Corona Cigar Co.

The new Florida Sun Grown cigar line will feature four new sizes, listed below:

·         Robusto (5 x 54), MSRP $230/20ct box

·         Toro (6 x 52), MSRP $260/20ct box

·         Belicoso (6 ½ x 54), MSRP $280/20ct box

·         Sixty (6 x 60), MSRP $300/20ct box

The FSG blend features Florida Sun Grown tobacco as an accent tobacco, which adds nuance and depth to the blend, but also features select Nicaraguan fillers. The binder is a Habano seed tobacco from Honduras and the cigar is finished off with a lush Brazilian wrapper.

There will also be a Limited Edition Trunk-Pressed Toro (6 x 54) with an MSRP of $150/10ct box. This limited edition size will feature its own unique blend, which utilizes a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, Mexican binder, and Florida Sungrown filler tobacco, along with fillers from Nicaragua and Honduras.

The Florida Sun Grown line was blended by Drew Estate Master Blender Willy Herrera over the course of the past two years, during which Drew Estate has been fermenting and processing the new Sun Grown tobaccos. When asked about the new tobacco, Willy stated that, “it was a unique challenge working with the Florida Sun Grown tobacco. It was something completely new to me, and it took me numerous blends to figure out how to incorporate it into a blend I really loved. The final blend we’ve come up with is one I’m extremely excited about, and I can’t wait to see what everyone thinks of this special new tobacco.”

When asked about his experience growing this tobacco, Jeff Borysiewicz, owner of Corona Cigar Co, said that, “this has been one of the most difficult challenges of my life. Tobacco growing is just as much an art as it is a science, and growing tobacco in this area of Florida was totally uncharted territory. It took a lot of trial and error to get it to where it is today, but we couldn’t be happier with the way it’s smoking.”

Drew Estate Founder Jonathan Drew reflected on his history with Borysiewicz: "My first memorable experience with Jeff Borysiewicz was at 1am in the morning inside the DE factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.  We spoke until 3am, while DE's first seven packaging girls and myself prepared for the launch of ‘NATURAL Cigars by Drew Estate’.  It must have been 2000.” 

“The next morning, after sleeping only a few hours, I drove a rented car four hours to Managua on that pothole crater-ridden Pan American Highway just to bring Jeff some samples of what would later become ‘Industrial Press Cigars’. Friendship founded, boom, for life. 

Here we are, now 17 years later and ready to make magic happen again. Florida Barn Smoker and the FSG Label bring me back to the earliest days when we had nothing but a dream."

The new Florida Sun Grown line will hit store shelves in June of 2016, and will be available exclusively at Corona Cigar Co. To be among the first to try the new Florida Sun Grown blends, attend the Florida Barn Smoker on June 4^th, 2016 (http://barnsmoker.com).  

About Drew Estate

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

Black Label Trading Co. Press Release - National Sales Manager

May 24, 2016 — Black Label Trading Company is pleased to announce the appointment of Derek Matthews as their National Sales Manager for both BLTC and Black Works Studio premium cigar brands. 

Mr. Matthews, an avid cigar enthusiast and Certified Retail Tobacconist, brings years of cigar retail experience and expertise in sales and marketing, promotions, special events and management to Black Label Trading Co.  He will be responsible for sales team leadership, collaborating with management to develop growth strategies and implementing initiatives for brand awareness.

Stephanie Harris managing partner at Black Label Trading Co. said: “We have been growing organically since we started in 2013 and are ready to take things to the next level. When we opened our own factory in 2015 our primary focus shifted to product development and operations in Nicaragua.  Bringing Derek on board is going to help put the focus on maintaining our relationships with our cigar retailers and directing the growth for the future.”

Derek Matthews said: “I’ve witnessed the profound passion and tremendous talent behind BLTC over the years and am honored to have received this opportunity.  As the National Sales Manager for Black Label Trading Co. I will be supporting a brand I believe in while building a culture of positive growth in the boutique cigar category.”

Black Label Trading Company is redefining the standards for cigar making. With a less is more philosophy Black Label Trading Co. creates hand crafted premium cigars of the utmost quality in small batch, limited quantities.

Black Label Trading Co. & Black Works Studio premium cigars are distributed by Boutiques Unified.  More information can be found at www.BlackLabelTrading.com

The Cigar - Moments of Pleasure Review

We mentioned in a previous post that there was a book released earlier this year called “The Cigar – Moments of Pleasure” that we were looking forward to getting our hands on. The folks at the Danish graphic design company, Ehrhorn Hummerston, were generous enough to send us a copy to review. But the one thing we didn’t want to do was rush a review out there without really delving deeply into the book. But now that we have had the time to digest it... It’s fantastic.

The book literally takes you back to the origins of cigar smoking, some of the original myths associated with it, and chronicles the earliest civilizations to show signs of tobacco use. It then traverses across both landscapes and time to show its progression and spread to various parts of the globe. There’s a lot to take in since the spread of tobacco, in a general sense, was impactful in so many ways and happened at various times.

The book also follows the path of tobacco and how it comes to be formed into the cigar as we know it. Namely, it looks at the full process that it takes to make just one cigar. It’s not just an overhead view of the process either, which often happens when trying to talk about such a broad topic. Instead they go into extreme detail to talk through the things that can affect the cigar – the type of seed, growing region, if it’s grown in the shade or in the sun, etc. Taking things one step further, they also break down the general taste characteristics that are often representative of a type or region.

But of course, the writers didn’t stop there. The entire process is shown, with nothing being thrown to the wayside. And when I say that, I don’t mean just they focus on the making of the cigar itself – they get into how the boxes are manufactured, the application of the bands, packaging, shipping… and a variety of other things. Heck, they even get into storage, cutting, lighting, and information on how a cigar can falter.

The book is well written, informative, and engaging – something most books on cigars aren’t able to do. The authors, Morten Ehrhorn and Justin Hummerston, put a lot of time and effort into making this a comprehensive volume on cigars. Their love for craft is extremely evident through both the writing and the gorgeous photographs throughout. I would highly recommend picking this up on Amazon or from Cigars International for anyone who may even be remotely interested in cigars. It really is a coffee table or man cave book that just about anyone can pick up and enjoy.

The only regret I have at all with this book is that I couldn’t be a part of experiencing all that Morten and Justin did when writing it… simply amazing.

The King is Dead Premier

Information:

Country: Dominican Republic

Wrapper: Dominican Republic

Filler / Binder: Dominican Republic, Corojo

Length: 5.5

Ring: 50

Cost: $8.38

Background: Caldwell Cigar Company has been doing some interesting things over the recent months. The first instance in which I had heard of them is with the Blind Man’s Bluff. While we haven’t reviewed the cigar here at The Cigar Broskies, we have both smoked it and enjoyed it. Then this offering came through and netted the number 19 cigar of the year (in the payday size). So we are giving a whirl to this, the Premier (Robusto) size.

Appearance (0-20):  This simple but elegant looking cigar is one that it intriguing for a variety of reasons. The wrapper is solid, with only some small veins and a seemingly tight wrap. There’s a slight discoloration toward the end of the first third of the cigar, which is noticeable if you look closely. At the foot you’ll find a beautifully wrapped set of tobacco, whereas the cap is a tight pigtail. The most elegant part though, is the band. It’s one of the most truly artistic that I have seen – edged in matte gold, the band sports an off-white backdrop and has printed on the sides “THE KING” and “IS DEAD”, but it flanks a throne that is split directly down the center.

Score: 17

Construction (0-20): Nothing really adversely negative to note here. All areas on the cigar feel solid to the tough. It’s well packed from all early indications. Initial cut had only a small amount of debris, and the prelit draw was a bit tight. That same draw remained tight until about a third of the way in, when it opened up a little more fully and hit the perfect resistance. Roughly two inch ashes held firm before getting a little rickety, which shows the quality.

Score: 17

Strength (0-20): The strength here begins in the medium range and amps up quickly to close to the high end of the medium spectrum, then slowly descends. That is until the final third where it kicks like a mule, going hard into the full part of the spectrum. It falls well within the medium to full range that it is being marketed as, though it obviously slides through the range.

Score: 18

Flavor (0-20): The one thing that The King Is Dead has is spades (see what I did there?) if flavor. From the first light you are greeted with a heavy pepper that is counterbalanced with an inherent sweetness. There’s also a nice heavy woodsy flavor. I want to say cedar or oak, but I can’t quite put my finger on which.

Moving through the smoke, the woodsy flavors pick up and take over, along with a very bitter dark chocolate. The same spice exists that is found in the first third but it drops quite a bit here. I can taste a distinct coffee with a bit of cream and sweetness too, though again it’s nowhere near as prominent as the other flavors.

The final third keeps the same base characteristics (woodsy and dark chocolate flavors), but the pepper comes back with a vengeance. Some of the original sweetness from the first third is back to help balance.

Score: 19

Value (0-20):  Much of the value here resides with the fact that it is a superb flavor for less than $9.00. Worth it.

Score: 19

Additional Notes: Paired with water. Cigar provided by Cigars City.com.

Overall (0-100): The king may be dead, but this cigar certainly reigns supreme here. The construction and appearance have a couple of small knocks against the stick, which need to be noted. On the other hand, the imagery on the band is whimsical and portrays the brand really well. The strength falls in line as a medium to full, and it pretty well ping pongs in that area.

Now the more interesting part, and where The King is Dead shines – the tobacco. The blend contains what is known as “HVA 20/20”, or the Hybrid Vuelta Abajo 20/20. Along with it is Dominican Corojo Ligero and Dominican Viso leaves. This unique combination leads to a unique flavor. Its complex – and at times I will say there are flavors I missed too (and plan to smoke another one or three to try and catch those). But at its core, you’ll find pepper, oak or cedar, a natural sweetness, dark chocolate, and coffee.

This cigar really hits the mark. Hop over to Cigars City.com and pick up a few!

Score: 90

Nomad Cigar Co. Releases the Nomad SA-17

Estelí, Nicaragua (May 17, 2016) – Nomad Cigar Company is pleased to announce the release of the Nomad SA-17 to retail stores on May 18, 2016. 

The SA-17 was actually a “sister” blend to the Nomad C-276 back when Fred Rewey, the man behind Nomad Cigar Company, started experimenting with San Andres tobacco.  

Nomad SA-17 marks the seventh full production cigar Nomad has done in Estelí at Tobacalera AJ Fernandez.

“I love working with tobacco at AJ Fernandez’s factory. Ask anyone around, he has amassed some of the best aged, most diverse, quality tobacco. For me, blending is a creative process. It is nice to have that home in Estelí to blend and experiment.” - said Rewey.

This is not the first time that San Andres has shown up in Fred’s work. Recently San Andres was used as a binder in the Nomad Connecticut Therapy blend and as a wrapper in the Stogies H-Town Lancero.

“I love San Andres wrapper. It may have taken me several years to wrap my arms around how it ages and plays with other tobaccos…but, for me it was worth the wait.” – Rewey added.

Details on the Nomad SA-17 include… 

Wrapper: San Andres

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Factory: Tobacalera AJ Fernandez

21 Count Box.

Available in sizes…

Robusto (5x50)

Coronita (5.5x46)

Toro (6x50)

Shorty (4x56)

MSRP $8.50 - 9.75.

For additional questions contact:

Fred “Godfadr” Rewey, Nomad Cigar Company

Twitter: @Godfadr

Godfadr@NomadCigarCompany.com

Phone: 855-MYNOMAD (or 855-696-6623)

Famous Smoke Shop Introduces 'Baptiste' by Oliva Cigars

New full-bodied blend will be offered in four shapes with a select Ecuadorian wrapper

EASTON, PA – Famous Smoke Shop, the leading online distributor of discounted premium cigars, specializing in offering the web’s widest selection of cigars at the lowest prices, has just added a new, affordably-priced line to its stable of Oliva cigars. Named "Baptiste by Oliva," the line features a full-bodied blend of diverse Nicaraguan long-fillers rolled in a flawless Ecuadorian-grown Habano wrapper leaf.

The Baptiste line is presented in the following four shapes in boxes of 20 cigars:

Presidente (7" x 52) MSRP- $5.81/cigar

Grand Robusto (6" x 60) MSRP - $6.15/cigar

Toro (5½"x 54) MSRP - $5.63/cigar

Torpedo (5½" x 54) MSRP - $5.81/cigar

The name was reportedly inspired by the character, "Andre Baptiste," the ruthless Liberian dictator played by Eamonn Walker in the 2005 film, Lord of War, starring Nicholas Cage, which may account for the knife-shaped "t" in Baptiste as seen on the label.

However, as Famous Smoke Shop Brand Manager, Tarah Sutter, points out: "The smoke may be 'decadent,' but it's not wicked like the Baptiste character in the movie; although you could say that it's 'wicked-good.'"

Baptiste offers a well-balanced, full-flavored smoke imbued with an earthy-spicy character that reveals notes of cedar, black coffee, and a hint of pepper on the finish.

"Those who enjoy smoking cigars like the Oliva Serie O, Oliva Serie V, and Vindicator by Oliva will find the new Baptiste by Oliva cigars especially satisfying, as well as cigar smokers who are typically drawn to the best full-bodied Nicaraguan cigars," added Ms. Sutter.

See more information on Baptiste by Oliva cigars here.

About Famous Smoke Shop 
Famous Smoke Shop is the nation’s #1 discount retailer of premium cigars online, offering one of the largest selections of handmade cigars, machine-made cigars, cigar humidors and accessories. Famous offers the web’s lowest prices on a wide selection of cigar brands including Acid, Davidoff, Macanudo, Romeo y Julieta, Ashton, Padron, Oliva and Perdomo cigars, and many more. Famous offers their customers the best prices on all premium cigars as well as friendly and knowledgeable customer service.

Famous Smoke Shop

90 Mort Drive

Easton, PA 18040

800-564-2486

Lavida Habana - LH Premium Maduro

Information:

Country: Costa Rica

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Criollo

Filler / Binder: Brazil, Nicaragua, Peru

Length: 6

Ring: 60

Cost: $8.24

Background: LH (Lavida Habana) Premium Cigars isn’t a name that I, or many cigar smokers for that matter, may actually be intimately acquainted with. So should we be? From the sound of the write-ups on the brand perhaps we should. The goal of the line is to give a traditional Cuban cigar experience via the unique profile of blended tobaccos. This one is a bit peculiar with seeing 4 different origins for the tobacco used (Brazil, Nicaragua, Peru, and Ecuador), but it very well could be something interesting…

Appearance (0-20):  This stick looks delicious. It’s pretty damn big at a 6x60 size, with a nice solid heft to it. Some small veins adorn the stick and the wrap job seems clean. No major blemishes of note, but there are a couple of smaller ones here and there. Much like the previous review for the Acid Progeny, the foot of the cigar is one that I wouldn’t quite call a shaggy foot, but it’s also not the traditional clean cut. It makes for a really interesting look. Now the banding – it’s simple with a black base and matte gold borders and an LH in the center.

Score: 17

Construction (0-20): Everything feels relatively correct about this. It is silky to the touch and it quite smooth. Feeling along the stick reveals no pockets to worry about at all. It’s well packed, well wrapped, etc. There was only a small amount of debris on the cut. Prelit draw was a hair tight, but it opened up to nearly the perfect resistance once lit. The darker grey ash held on for an inch and a half at a time but then flaked off.

Score: 18

Strength (0-20): Medium to full. It’s pretty close to that range. Through the majority of the cigar I believe it was closer to being a straight medium with just the smallest of inclines, eventually reaching close to the full range.

Score: 17

Flavor (0-20): The initial puffs have a nice bittersweet combination going on. The bitterness reminds me of a really rich coffee, whereas the sweetness that it is overlaid upon is chocolate. On the retrohale you’ll find the peppery kick that lingers on the back of your palate. Progressing forward into the second third, and the chocolatey sweetness drops and begins to balance a bit with an earthy flavor. The pepper and coffee flavors still exist but as footnotes to the others. At times I also get some smaller tones, such as vanilla, cream, and a hint of cherry. It’s a nice mixture with complex backing. Entering the final third, the cherry and earth get amped up, while the chocolate and pepper fade back even further. There’s some more deviation here, with the cherry dropping back and letting the pepper come through at times, but nothing consistent.

Score: 19

Value (0-20):  $8.24 is right around the point where people begin to question the prices, but still low enough to be a potential bargain. This one is aptly priced.

Score: 18

Additional Notes: Paired with water. Cigar provided by Cigars City.com.

Overall (0-100): I haven’t had much interaction or knowledge of the LH brand at all until this point. I’m really glad that my friends over at Cigars City.com decided to send this one on to me and get me with the acquainted with the brand. Just from an appearance perspective, I don’t know if it’s one I would have picked up. That’s not to say that the appearance is horrible, it just kind of falls into the run of the mill category. The construction was very good, with just some slight debris and perhaps ashing a little earlier than I would have hoped, but still it wasn’t adverse in any way. From a strength perspective, I felt it didn’t quite hit my expectations as it’s listed in the medium to full category. I know technically that this still fits, but it’s more a medium cigar that slowly builds toward full.

Where this stick shines is the flavor. There is a nice balance between bitterness and sweetness that shows between coffee and chocolate. What makes it more interesting is there is a deviation to the chocolate where an earthiness comes in and balances things even further. This is all with a pepper kick that begins heavy but fades, for the most part, over time. Variances in flavor come in to add to the complexity with vanilla, cream, and cherry with the cherry being the most prominent of those.

This one is a really intriguing stick to say the least, so I’m interested in seeing what other offerings they have in the future.

Score: 89