2020 Cigar of the Year Countdown: #10: 601 La Bomba Warhead V by Espinosa Cigars

“Each year Espinosa has delivered an excellent cigar with the Warhead – each bringing its own nuances to the table… the cigar brings a powerful punch to the table without sacrificing the flavor.”

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: San Lotano
Toro: 6 x 52
Price: $10.00

Sponsor: No
Samples Provided for Initial Review: Yes
Review: 601 La Bomba Warhead V by Espinosa Cigars (9/15/20)
Appearances on Countdown (By Year/Brand): 8 (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)

Coming in at #10 is the 601 La Bomba Warhead V by Espinosa Cigars. The 601 La Bomba Warhead is a near-annual limited-edition offering by Espinosa Cigars. It is based on the powerful 601 La Bomba blend, but it replaces the Habano wrapper with a Broadleaf wrapper. For each installment of the La Bomba Warhead, it features a different vitola and different packaging. In this case Warhead V is a 6 x 52 Box-Pressed Toro. As the name indicates the Warhead V was the fifth iteration of this line.

In addition to the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, the remainder of the 601 La Bomba Warhead V consists of all-Nicaraguan tobaccos. Production for the cigar is handled out of AJ Fernandez’s San Lotano factory in Ocatel, Nicaragua where Espinosa Cigars produces the rest of the 601 brand.

The 601 La Bomba Warhead V delivers bold notes of mocha (a fusion of coffee and chocolate), mixed pepper, earth, and cedar. While it’s a very straight-forward flavor profile, the flavors delivered are excellent and complement each other well. It’s a cigar that started out medium to full in strength and body, but by the start of the second third, Warhead V is full strength and bodied for the duration of the smoking experience. It’s a bold cigar that certainly doesn’t sacrifice the flavor.

For Espinosa Cigars, this marks the eighth consecutive time and eighth time overall it has landed on the Cigar Coop Countdown. The eight consecutive Countdown appearances mark the most by any company in the history of the Countdown. Espinosa’s eight appearances overall are the second most behind Davidoff (who has nine). It also marks four consecutive Top 10 appearances for Espinosa.

Warhead has also been a staple of the Countdown. Warhead V is the fourth different Warhead to appear on a Cigar Coop Countdown.