Featured Cigars - January 2018

Most people know the legendary A.J. Fernandez and some of his highly rated cigars, but most don’t realize that it’s actually a father and son team with his father, Ismael, helping his son run his huge operation. He also helps with the blending process, and the Enclave was one of the many projects Ismael created, so it’s no surprise that this highly rated cigar focuses more on flavor than strength and is a little more old-fashioned and Cuban...

Handmade in Cofradia, Honduras, this is 100% Honduran from head to foot. While Punch, a so-called “ancient brand”, originated in Cuba in 1840, this world famous cigar line has been handmade in Honduras since 1969 from Cuban-seed tobaccos. The Honduran handmades that made them famous were mellowed by the inclusion of Dominican tobaccos in their blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan leaves. The Punch Gran Puro is a bold step up from the regular...

For those who are fans of Rocky Patel’s ITC cigars, you may remember this smoke from the 90’s and boy are we excited it’s back! These gorgeous cigars are handmade in Danli, Honduras—a region that enjoys warm weather even during the winter months. But for those of us who live in cold-weather climates, this is a great winter-time smoke, as the thick Connecticut Broadleaf maduro will hold up well in cold weather, which is part of why we chose to...

Until recently, Xikar was only known for their lifetime guaranteed high-end cigar accessories. Then, a few short years ago, Xikar started making its own premium cigar line that over the last few years has had numerous 90+ ratings! The band on the cigar features palm trees that are meant to represent the El Corojo farm in Cuba where the style of the tobacco used in this cigar was developed. Following in the steps of the wildly popular Corojo...

In June 2016 the Cusano Nicaragua Estelí was released and this handrolled smoke is sure to please novices and veterans alike. This medium to full stogie features a stunning Mexican San Andres wrapper, an Ecuadoran Connecticut binder, and a bevy of Dominican and Nicaraguan filler leaves. Medium to full bodied, expect notes of pepper, warm cedar, and toastiness that remains balanced and bright throughout the smoke. Our panel recommended to...

Also known as Gurkha Le Grande, the Crest Maduro easily ranks among Gurkha’s finest creations. High in demand, the Crest is hand-rolled in Nicaragua and is crafted with a vintage mixture of Cuban-seed long-fillers from Nicaragua's top growing regions that is hugged by a premium Nicaraguan binder. On top is a chewy and thick Connecticut maduro wrapper that is aged for over nine years! Medium to full in strength, this one-of-a-kind smoke has...

Founded by Robert Caldwell in 2014, the Caldwell Cigar Company is bursting onto the boutique cigar scene with its four new cigars that premiered just recently at the IPCPR in July 2015. 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...

Romeo y Julieta was founded in Cuba in 1875 and was named after one of Shakespeare’s literary masterpieces, Romeo and Juliet. During the 20th century, Romeo y Julieta was becoming increasingly popular, but due to the Cuban Embargo they decided to set up shop in Dominican Republic. Today, Romeo y Julieta cigars are produced and distributed by Altadis USA, which started a revamp of the brand by introducing the Romeo line that focuses on fuller...

The EGO Red Habano ’98 is truly a special cigar. Starting from the inside out, this baby is filled with carefully aged Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos, an Indonesian binder, and is topped with a gorgeous red Habano Criollo ’98 wrapper. This smoke is then finished by ‘pressing’ the tobaccos together and aging them carefully before they are boxed up. Medium to full in body, expect rich notes of cedar, spices, coffee, earth, and a hint of pepper...