About ten years ago, Esteban Carreras was an “under the radar” brand and was truly one of the best kept secrets in the cigar world. Today, the company is much better known than it was a decade ago, and much of that can be attributed to a line introduced known as Chupa Cabra. Chupa Cabra […]
Cigar Review: Zino Nicaragua Robusto
Over the past nine years, Davidoff has revamped many of its non “Davidoff” brands. We’ve seen major makeovers of the Camacho, Avo, Cusano, and Winston Churchill brands. 2021 would see the Zino brand undergo a major change. For many years Zino has been positioned as an ultra-premium brand. Most of the releases over the past […]
Cigar Review: Aging Room Bin No. 2 C Major by Boutique Blends Cigars
In 2019, Boutique Blends Cigars’ released the Aging Room Bin No. 2 line. As the name indicates, “Bin No. 2” is a follow-up to another release, the Aging Room Bin No. 1. The original Bin No. 1 was made in the Dominican Republic at Tabacalera Palma by Jochy Blanco. The Bin No. 1 got its […]
Cigar Review: Protocol The Law (Robusto)
Since Protocol Cigars launched in 2015, the company has developed a portfolio that almost any cigar enthusiast can enjoy. It’s quite an amazing set of offerings. At the close of 2021, the company had 11 core blends, and by our count released 19 limited edition offerings. The majority of these offerings have kept to the […]
Cigar Review: Tatuaje T110 Reserva
There was a time when shop exclusive cigars were truly something special. One region that has had many shop-exclusive cigars has been the State of Hawaii. Back in 2009, Tatuaje Cigars released a powerhouse of a cigar known as the Tatuaje T110 (which is believed to mean Thermonuclear 110 with 110 being the approximate length […]
Cigar Review: Alec Bradley Trilogy Authentic Corojo Robusto (2021)
In 2021, Alec Bradley Cigar Company brought back its Trilogy line. The Trilogy is a set of three distinct blends: Authentic Corojo, Native Cameroon, and Exotic Maduro. The unique thing about the Alec Bradley Trilogy series is that each cigar has a triangular press. The Trilogy was originally introduced in 2002, but eventually would be […]
Cigar Review: E.P. Carrillo Short Run Retro 2021 Extended Play
From 2010 to 2016, there were two limited edition cigars from E.P. Carrillo that were staples each year – the Edición Limitada and the Short Run Series. The Edición Limitada was an annual premium release featuring a different blend, while the Short Run Series (until 2016 when it was added to regular production for a […]
Cigar Review: Southern Draw Firethorn Augusta (Belicoso Fino)
If there is one portfolio that has been one of the more interesting evolutions that have been seen over the years, it has to be that of Southern Draw. Over the years, the portfolio has grown to become a series of excellent cigars where there truly is something for everyone. Perhaps the most interesting thing […]
Agile Cigar Review: CAO Zócalo Robusto
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: Romeo y Julieta Eternal by Altadis USA
2020 was a big year for two of Altadis’ iconic brands. Montecristo celebrated its 85th anniversary and Romeo y Julieta celebrated its 145th anniversary. The COVID-19 pandemic and associated supply-chain problems made it a challenge to get commemorative releases into the market in time. Altadis worked with AJ Fernandez to develop the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary […]