Red Cloud Limited Edition Maduro Torpedo

The Red Cloud Brand goes back to 1874 and the then-frontier town of Red Cloud, Nebraska, where Red Cloud stogies were manufactured continuously until a fire destroyed their operation in 1922. Being wise and proud Midwesterners, the family retained the rights to the Red Cloud name and held onto many of their printed materials, now collectors items. In 1996, the current Red Cloud in Fullerton, California, bought the rights. The cigar we're sharing with you this month was developed for Red Cloud in Esteli, Nicaragua, renowned for the best tobaccos in the country. It boasts a seven-year-old luscious Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper and a Nicaraguan Habano binder. The blend consists of two types of Nicaraguan Lijero leaf. Not surprisingly, this is a full-bodied cigar. What surprised our panel is how smooth it smokes. Look for notes of cocoa and coffee, with rich slightly sweet overtones. The construction rivals that of Olivia family cigars. The draw is easy and the burn even. This is a very limited edition—only 50,000 are rolled per year. That may sound like a lot; but in the cigar world, it's too small a production to even warrant mention in The Encyclopedia of Cigars. Typically, they retail between $12.00 and $15.00 each. If you're a full-bodied-smoke fan take a look at our re-order prices—they'll blow you away. A cigar this serious calls for a full tawny port or VSOP cognac to match its prowess.