2017 Cigar of the Year Countdown: #11: Saga Short Tales Tomo II-Tales of the Land: Cotuí by De Los Reyes Cigars

“De Los Reyes knocked it out of the park with this blend… De Los Reyes is creating unique smokes with each installment of Short Tales thus far. Not only are the cigars unique from one another, but they are quite unique of anything out on the marketplace.”

Wrapper: Dominican Cotuí
Binder: Indonesian
Filler: Dominican, North America
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic (De Los Reyes)
Belicoso: 5 x 54
Price: $8.50
Review: Saga Short Tales Tomo II-Tales of the Land: Cotuí by De Los Reyes Cigars (4/5/17)
Appearances on Countdown (By Year/Brand): 2 (2016, 2017)

Coming in at #11 is the Saga Short Tales Tomo II-Tales of the Land: Cotuí by De Los Reyes Cigars. Tomo II means “Volume 2” and this cigar is the second installment in the Saga Short Tales series by De Los Reyes Cigars.

For Tomo II, “Tales of the Land: Cotuí”, the cigar builds a blend using a never-before-used wrapper that is grown in the Cotuí region of the Dominican Republic. Cotuí is a region in the Dominican Republic located about 60 miles Southeast of Santiago. The region is known for its gold mining as well as farming. In the region, the De Los Reyes worked with Monika Kelner, the daughter of Henke Kelner, to produce the wrapper.

In addition to the Dominican-grown Cotuí wrapper, the blend incorporates an Indonesian binder and combination of Dominican and North American tobaccos for the filler. The cigar is produced at the De Los Reyes Factory in the Dominican Republic. Keeping to the spirit of “Short Tales” (smaller smokes), Saga Short Tales Tomo II is a 5 x 54 short belicoso.

Consistent with the Saga Short Tales line, the packaging is designed in the form of a classic novel – complete with a “story” of the cigar included.

Saga Short Tales Tomo II – Tales of the Land: Cotuí lands De Los Reyes cigars on a Cigar Coop Countdown for the second year in the row. It also marks the fourth consecutive year that the De Los Reyes factory has landed on a Cigar Coop Countdown. Tomo II is also the first figurado-shaped cigar to make the 2017 Countdown. Finally, it follows up Saga Short Tales-Tales of High Priming which was the #17 Cigar of the Year foe 2016.

Flavor-wise, Saga Short Tales Tomo II delivers a complex mix of notes including cinnamon, cedar, generic wood, earth, and a mix of red and green pepper. The cigar is a medium to full-bodied smoke countered by medium strength.

Saga Cigars has some high-quality offerings and Saga Short Tales Tomo II is simply an excellent offering – one worthy of a spot on the 2017 Countdown.