The Good Stuff:

Protocol, a Cubariqueño Cigar Company brand owned by Juan Cancel and Bill Ives hit the ground running with their first releases and haven’t let off the gas yet. One of their newer blends hitting the market last year is an expansion to the popular Protocol line called the “Official Misconduct”. Cancel and Ives both have a history in law enforcement so the brand, and line name is rightfully named. Created at the La Zona Cigar Factory in Nicaragua the blend features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and fillers. The Protocol Official Misconduct comes in a single 6 x 50 toro format packaged in boxes of 10 running $9.89 a stick. Big thanks goes out to the Protocol team for sending a few of these our way to review.

• Size: 6 x 50
• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
• Binder: Nicaraguan
• Filler: Nicaraguan
• Body: Medium
• Strength: Medium
• Price: $9.89
• Pairing: Ommegang Wine Barrel Aged Three Philosophers (Quad 9.3% ABV)

Prelight:

The Protocol Official Misconduct starts out with a very consistent milky brown wrapper. The wrapper’s texture is very smooth with only trace amounts of tooth and oil. The wrapper itself feels dense and durable while the cigar feels a bit lightly packed and lightweight. The wrapper features a few smaller veins as well as nice tobacco webbing as its laid seamlessly over itself leading up to the round, triple-wrapper cap. The cigar carries an all silver and black band featuring Protocol’s crest on the front and the word “Guilty” in the back, as well as a smaller secondary band with the words “Official Misconduct” in the front. The cigar also carries a silver ribbon around the foot.

The wrapper on the Protocol Official Misconduct gives off strong cedar and earthy aromas while the foot of the cigar releases bold spice, pepper, and natural aromas. The cap cut clean and easily using my Xikar XO double bladed cutter. The cold draw produces more cedar, pepper, and musk.

First Third:

The Protocol Official Misconduct start out with a huge black pepper blast which really stuck around for quite sometime. After fading the cigar greeted me with bold musk, oak, dry raisin and a lot of dirt/earthy flavors. The draw is flawless as each tiny puff kicks out a huge cloud of thick, white smoke which really takes some time to dissipate while the cigar itself releases a good amount of stationary smoke as it rests in my ashtray. The burn line is dead even and razor thin leaving behind a compacted trail of white/light gray ash which held on for an inch before giving way.

Second Third:

Into the second third of the Protocol Official Misconduct and the pepper as finally made it’s exit. The remaining flavors are lots of dirt and earthiness over some like oak and musk. The flavor is rather dry at this point, but the beer is helping settle that out. The retrohale helps bring the musk and oak out of the flavor profile and I find myself doing it quite often to jump-start the experience. The burn line is still razor thin and even. I close out the second third with nothing in the nicotine department.

Finish:

Into the final third of the Protocol Official Misconduct and not a whole lot has changed. The Cigar still leads with earthiness and musk backed by oak and natural tobacco. It took me an hour and a half to take this cigar down to the nub and I experienced no harshness no extended heat. The cigar burned perfectly from start to finish and I never once had to reach for my torch to touch-up or relight the cigar. I put the cigar down feeling absolutely nothing in the nicotine department.

Overview:

While the Official Misconduct is a solid cigar, I found myself craving more body and flavor which fall on the subjective side of things. The profile was just a bit dry for me and I think some added sweetness would go a long way. But if you are a fan of smooth, medium-bodied cigars that start out with a nice pepper punch than this is one you should definitely try out. The cigar performed flawlessly from start to finish while featuring perfect construction, all while not knocking you on your ass.

Pairing:

By now everyone should know of Ommegang’s Three Philosophers. If you don’t, the Cooperstown, New York brewery produces a Belgian-style quad mixed with a kriek that pretty much everyone loves. This rendition of the beer is then aged in red wine barrels before being dumped into cans coming in at 9.3% ABV. The beer leads with sweet cherry, malt, light oak, and a bit of earthiness with a very light mouthfeel before finishing with a nice sweet to light tart transition of the cherry, more malt, and oak. It’s not the most complex beer but it sure is delicious. I really think the sweetness and tartness of the cherry added a ton of the character I was looking for in the Official Misconduct brining it more in the flavor territory I crave for a cigar while the earthiness and oak paired up beautiful with the existing flavors in the cigar.

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As with all Protocol cigars, Themis is manufactured at Erik Epinosa’s La Zona factory in Nicaragua. The blend features an Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. The cigar was first released in Robusto (5 by 52) and Toro (6 by 50) in 2017 with the Lancero (7 1/2 by 38) and Corona Gorda (5 5/8 by 46) added this year.  The Corona Gorda vitola is exclusive to Famous Smoke Shop.

THE FACTS

Price: $10.50
Vitola: Lancero
Size: 7 1/2 by 38
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 25 Minutes

PRE-LIGHT

The Protocol Themis Lancero is dressed in a golden wrapper. Even though there a few medium-sized veins and scattered bumps, the cigar feels smooth, almost paper-like, to the touch. The cigar is rolled a bit looser than normal.

A sweet aroma of chocolate and honey is found on the wrapper leaf. More of the same notes come across on the foot of the cigar, but fuller and earthier. The draw is snug but workable. Again, the honey and chocolate are dominant on the cold draw, but this time there is a peppery spice and cedar alongside them.

FIRST THIRD

This 7 by 38 lancero opens with medium to full flavors of cedar, sweet grass, and a bright white pepper. A lingering spice heat can be felt on my lips between puffs as the pepper flavor and heat intensify as the cigar progresses. The burn is right on and holds well as a dark gray ash forms.

MIDDLE THIRD

A fantastic combination of sweet and spicy flavors is going on as I make my way into the second third of the Protocol Themis. There is a sour edge to the flavors that is working well. A dry cocoa makes it way into the finish of the smoke and a dried fruit flavor enters in near the middle of the cigar. The ash is dark and flaky, but not dropping off prematurely. 

FINAL THIRD

With the final third underway, the change in flavors is easily noticeable as the earlier cedar and sweet grass give way to earth, coffee, and cocoa. The pepper remains strong and the cigar is spicy up to the final draw. An eye-liner burn remains even as it has throughout the whole Protocol Themis Lancero. 

WRAP-UP

As is the case with many of the Connecticut Shade wrapped cigars coming out these days, the golden wrapper on the Protocol Themis is somewhat deceiving. But once the smoke starts flowing, you know this isn’t the typical mild to medium shade cigar. The flavors open medium to full and, along with the spice, hold their ground to the very end. The first two-thirds remained consistent flavor wise with just a hint in the second third of what was to come in the final third. The flavors were balanced and meshed well together. Even the sour quality enhanced the flavors. The Protocol Themis Lancero is an excellent smoke and one that is deserving of its $10.50 price tag.

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Like the Protocol Probable Cause, Official Misconduct is a law enforcement inspired cigar. Manufactured at Erik Espinosa’s La Zona factory, the cigar features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper with Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. While other sizes are in the works, only a 6 by 50 toro is currently available that is sold in 10-count boxes.

THE FACTS

Price: $9.89
Vitola: Toro
Size: 6 by 50
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 20 Minutes

PRE-LIGHT

The Protocol Official Misconduct wears a medium brown wrapper Ecuadorian Habano wrapper that has a marbleized appearance. The cigar gives slightly as I roll it lightly between my fingers. There are only a couple medium sized veins on the leaf and some scattered bumps. Even though a fine tooth can be seen upon close inspection, it cannot be felt underneath the fingers. 

The wrapper aroma is of graham cracker and honey, while notes of chocolate, raisin, and more of the honey sweetness is found on the foot. A shallow cut opens up a free draw that delivers spicy cold draw flavors of cinnamon, cedar, and honey.

FIRST THIRD

The Protocol Official Misconduct toro opens up with a spicy profile in terms of both heat and flavor. After a half inch, the spice settles just enough to let a coffee flavor peak through. After knocking off the first ash that is flaky in appearance, I see a tunnel forming that is having a drastic impact on the flavors and smoke production.

MIDDLE THIRD

As I enter the second third, the cigar is no long tunneling, but a quick hit with the lighter is required to get the cigar burning again. The salt and pepper spice remain the dominant characteristic of the profile, making for a very meaty profile matched with the dark coffee.

FINAL THIRD

After a mostly consistent profile through the previous two thirds, a very welcomed sweet cedar has joined in. The strength that I was beginning to feel earlier is in full force as I smoke through the final third of the Protocol Official Misconduct. 

WRAP-UP

Right off the bat, the Protocol Official Misconduct opened with a spicy profile that held strong throughout. The spice drowned out anything else the cigar had to offer. Even the coffee had a hard time keeping up with the spice and the sweet wood joined in a little too late. Combined with the tunneling, the cigar struggled to stay lit making for a sub-par performance. This may be a good cigar to try down the road to allow time for the tobaccos to mesh and balance out. If you like strong and spicy cigars, this may be the cigar for you. I would maintain them a tad dryer than normal to help with the burn. Even though it wasn’t the favorable smoking experience I had with the Probable Cause, I realize it is a handmade product with a lot of contributing factors. Because of that, this is a cigar I want to revisit six-months down the road.

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Manufactured in Nicaragua at Erik Espinosa’s La Zona, Protocol Probable Cause features a Mexican San Andres wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. There are currently three vitolas on the market: Corona Gorda 5 ⅝ by 46, Churchill (6 ½ by 48) and Lancero (7 ½ by 38).

THE FACTS

Price: $9.79
Vitola: Corona Gorda
Size: 5 ⅝ by 46
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 30 minutes

PRE-LIGHT

Probable Cause by Cubariqueno Cigars wears an extremely dark brown, nearly black wrapper. The leaf is loaded with bumps and a fine tooth making the cigar rough to the touch. A couple of medium-sized veins run the length of the cigar.

The wrapper gives off barnyard, smoky bbq, and wet earth aroma. A big aroma of chocolate and graham cracker is found on the foot of the cigar. A cinnamon spice and some cedar are on the cold draw that has a good amount of resistance.

FIRST THIRD

The flavors come out of the gate full and thick in the mouth. There is Latakia-ish flavor and pencil shavings, paired with a hefty amount of pepper and an underlying sweetness to the smoke. The smoke production is satisfying and the burn is even. To avoid the ash falling my lap, I lightly tap it in the ashtray at three-quarters of an inch.

MIDDLE THIRD

The pepper spice is medium in the mouth, but as I retro-hale the smoke, it is full in the sinuses. The burnt/charred wood Latakia flavor continues as the central flavor in the Probable Cause profile. This smaller cigar carries a good amount of strength that I am already beginning to feel by the middle of the cigar, moving me into a relaxed state of mind. The flavors have settled with the main components remaining the same.

FINAL THIRD

The Latakia has evolved to charred wood and there remains the sweetness to the smoke as I enter the last leg of the smoke. The burn is not as even and the ash is flakier in appearance than earlier, but I have no need to touch-up the cigar. 

WRAP-UP

The Protocol Probable Cause Corona Gorda may be a smaller cigar, but it bumps out big flavors, a good amount of spice, and a sweetness that pulls everything together. When you light up this cigar, you instantly know you are smoking Mexican San Andres tobacco and, while dominant, it doesn’t overwhelm the flavors. The Nicaraguan quality still shines through. There were no problems with the construction which I have come to expect with La Zona made cigars. The boys in blue have created a great cigar through their partnership with Erik Espinosa and La Zona. There is a lot of competition at $10, but this is still a cigar I feel is worth the price.

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