Hammer + Sickle Tradicion Churchill

Known also for their exquisite vodka, Hammer & Sickle cigars are one of the fastest growing boutique brands in the cigar industry after launching in 2010. Creator Eric Hanson adopted the hammer & sickle as the cigar’s logo but points out that it does not represent the Soviet Union but symbolizes Russia’s industrial north and agrarian south, and is a heritage symbol and not political. The Tradicion cigar you have in your shipment today embarks on a journey of tradition over what is currently trending, and it has been well-rewarded by Cigar Aficionado with a 94 rating and spot #11 on the Top 25 cigars of 2015. It’s hand-rolled in Nicaragua and features a blend of three year old Dominican tobaccos which are secured by a Dominican binder and cloaked with a handsome, rich, and creamy five year old Connecticut shade wrapper. Mild to medium bodied, expect flavors of cream, pepper, cedar, citrus, and leather. Great for any time of day, try it with a full bodied rum like Flor de Caña Centenario 18.

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.