LH Nick Sofos

Today, we review the LH Nick Sofos. Sofos is an extension of LH Premium Cigars’ Nick line, a short salomon. The cigar serves two roles. First it pays homage to owner and blender Nick Syris‘ Greek heritage. Second, it pays homage to the craft of cigar-making as a whole

At the time the Nick Sofos was announced, Syris broke down the story behind this cigar:

“The Salomon cigar shape is named after King Solomon from Greek mythology and the biblical figure. King Solomon is renowned for his wisdom. “Salomon” suggests grandeur and sophistication, fitting for a cigar shape that exudes luxury and craftsmanship, much like the reputation associated with King Solomon himself.

“King Solomon was revered for his wisdom, and “Sophos,” (Σοφός) the Greek word for ‘wise’ or ‘learned, perfectly encapsulates the essence of this exceptional cigar. The Solomon Sophos combines the rich tapestry of Greek heritage and history with the craftsmanship of a premium cigar blended with aged tobaccos within the distinctive Solomon shape.”

If you look at LH’s portfolio, you will see two pillars. There is the LH pillar and the Nick pillar. The Nick pillar traces back to 2017 when Syris collaborated with “Island Jim” Robinson to release the “Nick & Jim.” “Nick & Jim” proved to be a hit. Soon, Syris began getting customer requests for other sizes and blends, which led to the Nick brand’s launch.

Without further ado, let’s examine the LH Nick Sofos and see what this cigar offers.

LH Nick Sofos | Cigar Review

SPECIFICATIONS

Blend and Origin

The LH Nick Sofos blend features a Habano Criollo ’98 seeded Ecuadorian wrapper with a Habano 2000 Ecuadorian Binder. The fillers consist of tobaccos sourced from Ecuador, Peru, and the Dominican Republic, with a touch of Brazilian Ligero. Production comes from Tabacos de Costa Rica in Puriscal, Costa Rica.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Criollo ’98
Binder: Ecuadorian Habano 2000
Filler: Ecuadorian, Peruvian, Dominican, Brazilian Ligero
Country of Origin: Costa Rica
Factory: Tabacos de Costa Rica

Vitolas Offered

The Nick Sofos measures 58 x 6. It will initially be available in 20-count bundles, with boxes to follow in the future.

Appearance (*)

The Ecuadorian Habano Criollo wrapper of the Nick Sofos had a rich chocolate brown color. There was a light sheen on the surface of the wrapper. Upon closer examination, a slight amount of toothiness could be observed on the wrapper. The wrapper itself had some visible veins. Any visible wrapper seams were minimally visible. The Salomon has a pointed tip by the head and an open footer. Examining the Salomon, the widest point is close to an inch above the footer. The Salomon tapers in that last inch toward the open footer.

PERFORMANCE

Pre-Light Draw (*)

A straight cut was used to remove the tip of the Nick Sofos. About 2/3″ was clipped to still allow for the tapering effect of the cigar. Once the tip was removed, it was on to the pre-light draw ritual. The cold draw delivered a mix of bittersweet chocolate, natural tobacco, and subtle amounts of red hot candy. The red hot candy might seem like a reach for a flavor, but it’s a mix of sweetness, cinnamon, and a slight spice note. Overall, this was an excellent pre-light draw. At this point, it was time to toast up the Nick Sofos and see what the smoking experience would deliver.

Tasting Notes

The Nick Sofos picked up where the pre-light draw left off with more notes of chocolate, natural tobacco, and red hot flavor. In addition, some cedar notes also surfaced. As the cigar moved through the first third, the chocolate and red hot flavor moved to the forefront. The natural tobacco and cedar settled into the background. Meanwhile, there was a layer of red pepper on the retro-hale.

As the Nick Sofos moved into the second third, natural tobacco took over as the primary note. The red hot and chocolate notes settled into the background. Simultaneously, the cedar notes increased in intensity while the red pepper emerged and increased on the tongue. Just past the midway point, the cedar notes joined the natural tobacco in the forefront.

There wasn’t much change in the final third. The natural tobacco and cedar notes remained primary. The pepper notes were in the background, with touches of chocolate and the red hot flavor. A slight citrus note also emerged. This is how the Nick Sofos came to a close. The resulting nub was soft to the touch and relaxed in temperature.

Burn

The burn of the Nick Sofos required several touch-ups to maintain a straight burn path and burn line. While the touch-ups did the trick, slightly more were needed than I preferred. The resulting ash was silver-gray in color, skewed toward the looser side. As for the burn rate and burn temperature, both maintained ideal levels.

Draw

The draw of the Nick Sofos was outstanding, especially for a Salomon. Most Salomon cigars draw too open for me, but the Nick Sofos had a touch of resistance, making it ideal in my book. This was a low-maintenance cigar from which to derive flavor.

Strength and Body

The Nick Sofos delivered medium-strong and medium-bodied flavors from start to finish. The intensity of strength and body slightly increased along the way, but both stayed in the medium range of their respective spectrums. In terms of strength versus body, both attributes balanced each other nicely, with neither attribute overshadowing.

BANDING AND PACKAGING NOTES (*)

The cigars under LH Cigars’ Nick pillar are known for their typewriter-font-styled bands, which date back to the original Nick and Jim cigar. The Nick Sofos doesn’t employ that style. The font is more contemporary. On one side is the text “SOFOS,” while on the other side is the Greek word “Σοφός.” In the end, I like what Syris did with this particular band.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

One thing I have found hard to find is an excellent Salomon at a fair price. The good news is that Nick Syris has delivered one in the LH Nick Sofos. This is a cigar that excels in the most critical category – flavor. It also offers a very different cigar, but living up to the quality of the Nick offerings. Ultimately, this is a cigar I could recommend to any cigar enthusiast. At $14.00, this is a no-brainer to have in the humidor, and it’s one that I would pick up multiples of to smoke again. Coming in at 90 points, the LH Nick Sofos earns a Cigar Coop Standard of Excellence designation.

Summary

Key Flavors: Earth, Dark Chocolate, Fruit, Cedar, Pepper
Burn: Very Good
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium
Strength: Medium
Body: Medium
Finish: Very Good