In 2019, Southern Draw Cigars celebrated its fifth anniversary. As is the case with many cigar brands when they hit a significant milestone, they release a special cigar to commemorate the occasion. In the case of Southern Draw Cigars, the company decided to go back to one of its original lines and create an offshoot […]
Cigar Review: Alec Bradley Fine & Rare HOF / 506
William Cooper Reviews No Comments 91-93, Alec Bradley, Buy Multiples, Review
Late in 2019, Alec Bradley Cigar Company introduced the ninth installment of its Fine & Rare Series, the Alec Bradley Fine & Rare HOF / 506. The Fine & Rare Series is the company’s signature limited edition series. Since its launch in 2011, it has been an annual release by Alec Bradley. Over the years […]
Agile Cigar Review: Encore by E.P. Carrillo Valientes
William Cooper Agile Cigar Reviews, Reviews No Comments 88-90, Agile Cigar Review, Assessment Update, Buy Multiples, E.P. Carrillo, EPC
Agile Cigar Reviews are cigar assessments where we use a lightweight, shorter format. These will never take the place of our comprehensive reviews. They are only used on blends we have previously assessed. This might be a blend we are re-scoring or giving a score for the first time. It might be a blend we […]
Cigar Review: Bolívar Exclusivo Regional Andorra Short Bolivar
William Cooper Reviews No Comments 88-90, Bolivar, Buy Multiples, Habanos SA, Review
The Bolívar brand is certainly one of the world’s most iconic brands. It is most famous for being a Cuban cigar brand, but there is a non-Cuban version that General Cigar Company has marketed. It’s the brand named after Simón Bolívar, the South American military and political leader who helped lead Colombia, Venezuela, Panama, Ecuador, […]
Cigar Review: Alec & Bradley Blind Faith Toro
William Cooper Reviews No Comments 88-90, Alec Bradley, Buy Multiples, Review
j Back in 1996, Alan Rubin founded Alec Bradley Cigar Company, naming it after his two sons, Alec and Bradley. While Alan never pushed his boys into the company, both sons expressed an interest in joining their father in the cigar business. After playing a role in some of the operations of the company, the […]
Agile Cigar Review: AJ Fernandez New World Redondo (TAA Exclusive)
William Cooper Agile Cigar Reviews, Reviews No Comments 2019 TAA Exclusive Series, 88-90, Agile Cigar Review, AJ Fernandez Cigars, Assessment Update, Buy Multiples, TAA
Agile Cigar Reviews are cigar assessments where we use a lightweight, shorter format. These will never take the place of our comprehensive reviews. They are only used on blends we have previously assessed. This might be a blend we are re-scoring or giving a score for the first time. It might be a blend we […]
Cigar Review: E.P. Carrillo Cardinal Impact Maduro No. 52
William Cooper Reviews No Comments 91-93, Buy Multiples, E.P. Carrillo, EPC, Review
As I reflect back on the decade 2010 – 2019, if there is one cigar line that continues to have me scratch my head its the E.P. Carrillo Cardinal line. This was a line introduced in 2012 and it was intended to offer a bolder and stronger cigar into the E.P. Carrillo portfolio. The Cardinal […]
Agile Cigar Review: Atabey Ritos by Selected Tobacco
William Cooper Agile Cigar Reviews, Reviews No Comments 91-93, Agile Cigar Review, Assessment Update, Atabey, Buy Multiples, Selected Tobacco
Agile Cigar Reviews are cigar assessments where we use a lightweight, shorter format. These will never take the place of our comprehensive reviews. They are only used on blends we have previously assessed. This might be a blend we are re-scoring or giving a score for the first time. It might be a blend we […]
Cigar Review: BOTL Corona Gorda (2019) by Drew Estate
William Cooper Reviews No Comments 88-90, BOTL.org, Buy Multiples, Drew Estate, Review
In 2019, Drew Estate brought back one of its more popular limited releases, the BOTL. The name BOTL stands for “Brothers of the Leaf” and is a forum for the cigar community. The story of the BOTL cigar goes back to 2010. The story has it that a man by the name of Tim Podwika […]
Cigar Review: San Pedro de Macorís Ecuador Robusto by Royal Agio Cigars
William Cooper Reviews No Comments 88-90, Buy Multiples, Review, Royal Agio Cigars
For the past five years, Royal Agio Cigars has been positioning itself to expand its premium handmade cigar business in the U.S. market. After a three year run of distribution in the U.S. by Drew Estate, in 2017 Royal Agio Cigars would open its own U.S. headquarters. At the time this occurred, Royal Agio had […]