Caldwell The Last Tsar Lancero - CLUB EXCLUSIVE

Founded by Robert Caldwell in 2014, the Caldwell Cigar Company came bursting onto the boutique cigar scene with four cigars that premiered at the IPCPR in July 2015. Robert Caldwell’s love of cigars began when he was just 12 years old after visiting Ernesto Perez-Carrillo’s factory in Little Havana, Miami, Florida. When starting the company, Robert decided that he was going to do things his way and began scouring the world for the best tobacco leaves which he would test over and over again until getting the exact flavors he was looking for — before testing it again. He is so committed to his product that he keeps production limited to ensure that he is delivering a superior cigar. Currently, Caldwell Cigar Company is based in the Dominican Republic and has built a new factory aptly named the Caldwell Cigar Factory.

If you are a fan of boutique cigars then you probably know of the Caldwell brand. They are known for impressive smokes that are not only edgy but also are unique combinations that garner high ratings and loyal followers alike. The Last Tsar fits that bill by utilizing a golden brown Connecticut Arapiraca maduro hybrid wrapper that you’ll be hard pressed to find on any other cigar. While we would love to tell you more about the fillers and binder, all we can tell you is that it is jam-packed full of a secret blend they haven’t disclosed. Light ‘er up and find delicious medium to full bodied notes of cedar, pepper, and smooth, creamy cocoa with a natural sweetness and a hint of citrus. This limited production smoke is even more limited as the lancero size you are receiving is being released just to you, our Rare Cigar Club members, and won’t be found anywhere else! Enjoy this smoke with a Don Papa Rum 10 Years or your favorite aged rum.

Though tobacco is indigenous to Hispaniola, the tobacco industry in the Dominican Republic existed in the shadow of Cuba’s dominance through the 1960s. When the exodus of Cuban cigar makers began in the wake of the revolution, many decided the Dominican Republic would be ideal for the resumption of their livelihoods. Unrest in Nicaragua in the 1980s fueled the Dominican cigar industry further. The country now makes more than half of the premium cigars imported into the U.S.

The Cibao Valley and the nearby city of Santiago are the center of cigar production in the Dominican Republic. Three main varieties are grown here: the mild and native Olor Dominicano; the intense Piloto Cubano, brought from the Vuelta Abajo of Cuba; and San Vicente, a milder and more acidic Piloto hybrid. Dominican puros were once unheard of as it was widely thought impossible to grow quality wrapper leaf on the island, but new growing techniques are now allowing some exceptional puros to be produced.