“This cigar was nothing short of a grand slam home run and is one of the standout releases I have had in 2015.”

Wrapper: Habana Ecuador
Binder: Piloto Cubano
Filler: Piloto Cubano, Criollo 92, Nicaragua Condega Ligero
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Lord Byron: 6 x 48
Review: Felipe Gregorio Art of Power Lord Byron 2015
Brand Appearances on Countdown: 1 (2015)

Coming in at #15 is the Felipe Gregorio Art of Power Lord Byron 2015.  This becomes the first cigar by Philip Wynne’s Felipe Gregorio Cigars to make the Countdown. In 2015 Felipe Gregorio is celebrating 25 years in business.  The Art of Power line was introduced ten years ago as Felipe Gregorio Cigars was celebrating its 15 years in business. The original Art of Power introduced four unique artesian-style figurado vitolas. For 2015, the Wynne introduces a new blend for the Art of Power and has released three more traditional (parejo) vitolas.

In 2014 Felipe Gregorio turned its attention to Costa Rica releasing two Costa Rican puros made in Costa Rica. In 2015, the company headed back to its Dominican roots. The Art of Power is a cigar made in the Dominican Republic. The blend has an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, a Piloto Cubano binder, and a mix of Piloto Cubano and Nicaraguan Condega Ligero for the filler. The Lord Byron size is a Short Churchill measuring 6 x 48.

The Art of Power Lord Byron 2015 is an absolute flavor bomb. It consists of notes of dark chocolate, nut, earth, white pepper, and cedar. There is also a very unique salted caramel note that really cements this flavor profile. At the same time, this cigar very much maintains a “tobacco taste”.  Both the strength and body start out medium and by the last third hit the medium to full mark..

This is a release that might have flown under the radar, but this is a cigar definitely worth checking out.

For details of the 2015 Cigar of the Year Countdown, see our December 2015 Editor’s Corner