#10 – Tatuaje Cigars / My Father – La Union – For My Father

The La Union by Tatuaje for My Father Is a special cigar and warrants a special occasion. While my special occasion is being alive, the cigar still delivered an exceptional experience. The flavor profile was great, and to honest something a bit different than you’d expect from Tatuaje. Instead, it seemed like this was a cigar that Pete Johnson blended specifically for a My Father profile which is EXACTLY how it’s presented. The price is steep, and I don’t expect to keep these on hand. But if I am looking for a cigar to celebrate with friends, or any special occasion this will absolutely be a contender.

Read the review here

#9 – The Crowned Heads Las Calaveras 2024

Every year I look forward to the Las Calaveras release. Not only to remember those we lost, but also, they are usually damn good cigars and the 2024 version is no exception. It’s been one of the more memorable Las Calaveras releases to date. Complex, full body, and full flavor. While it might be a touch more powerful than something a novice cigar smoker would enjoy, us vets love it. I usually grab a box of these to keep on hand and slowly smoke throughout the years and I will absolutely be grabbing more of these.

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#8 – Joya de Nicaragua Joya Cabinetta Lancero

I love when a cigar reminds my how much I love a particular format. I love it even more when it’s a lancero. There is just something special about a great lacenro and the Joya Cabinetta is a prime example of it. The flavors are great, tasty, and pleasant especially as the grew more complex into the final stretch. The price point is incredibly affordable and I am glad I have so many on hand as I will be sad once these once again make their departure.

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#7 – Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Sin Compromiso Seleccion No. 4

Let’s just get this out of the way. Steve Saka makes great cigars that I love. Bias? Whatever you want to make of that. I just feel a lot of his brands fit my personal preference very well and in the end, that’s what matters. This is why I liked it: First, the construction and burn was perfect from start to finish. I never had to mess with my torch. Second, the flavor profile was great. It’s not the most complex cigar and it didn’t need to be. I really enjoyed the flavor structure and consistency. Lastly the cigar has a ton of great body, but isn’t overpowered by strength. This mixture makes for a wonderful cigar that I would love to keep in my regular rotation.

Read the review here

#6 – RoMa Craft Tobac Cromagnon Clovis EMH

I have always loved the Cromagnon from the first time I smoked it in Skip’s initial release sampler packs. To this day I keep my humidor stocked with them. When Skip announced the blend changed I didn’t really worry much, if anything I got excited. I know the tobaccos are both very similar, but I also know that Skip wouldn’t have made the change if he didn’t think it was worthy to carry the same Cromagnon moniker. I’ll probably end up copying that portion of the overview over when I review the standard new release, but I figured it applied here too. Now the Clovis carries a very similar experience only there are some lighter herbal notes I am able to pick up which differentiate it from the standard Cromagnon. Or maybe it’s a placebo. Either way I do feel there are little nuances that make the cigar different. While it’s a bit pricey and hard to find, it’s a worth cigar if you do find it and urge you to pick it up as it won’t be around for very long as I already had a hard time getting my hands on it.

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#5 – Illusione OneOff Black

The Illusione OneOff Black has such a unique flavor profile I dont think I have ever smoked a cigar with this much dark chocolate. Outside of that the changeups were wild which made for a complex experience with surprises around every corner. I also thing the changing of the profile isn’t very subtle which means that it won’t take a seasoned cigar smoker to pick up, and enjoy the experience. The price is a bit up there, but still makes for an affordable cigar. Keep in mind it’s using a pretty rare tobacco which I’d imagine isn’t cheap to grow. Get them while you can, cause at only 1,000 boxes being produces, these will sell out fast.

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#4 – Tatuaje Cojonu 2018 Broadleaf

Wow, just wow. I have been a fan of the Cojonu 2018 for a while now, but the added Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper just takes a great cigar to a whole new level. I can honestly say it’s been a while since I have enjoyed a cigar as much as this one. The complex profile is incredibly pleasant and really pleases my personal palate. The burnline was perfect from start to finish and the price point is pretty affordable for a cigar that delivers as much as this one. Box worthy? Yes. Multiple box worthy? Yes and yes.

Read the review here

#3 – Black Label Trading Co. Intergalactic Event Horizon

The original Intergalactic didn’t really knock my socks off, however the Event Horizon is a completely different beast that surely rocked them right off my feet. The flavor profile was right in line with everything I personally look for in a cigar while being very balanced, yet complex. It was fun trying to sort through all the layers of great flavors. The cigar performed perfectly, is priced well, and is something I will definitely track down more of while I can before they are all sold out.

Read the review here

#2 – Illusione Group of Five RB

There are certain cigars you smoke and you’re like, “That’s Illusione”. Or there are Illusione cigars you purchase because you want a certain experience. The Group of Five is that cigar, except on a more exceptional level. I really feel like whatever tobacco Dion chose to use here really added a level of not only flavor but complexity that moves this cigar is a category of its own. Yes it’s pricey, but the experience is worth it. This is a box worthy purchase for sure and easily one of the best cigars I have smoked all year.

Read the review here

#1 – RoMa Craft Tobac Marquette La Maestranza

I’ve had some really good cigars this year, and I’d be hard pressed to find one that stood out more than the RoMa Craft Tobac Marquette La Maestranza. I haven’t compiled my list of best cigars for the year yet, but I’d be shocked if I didn’t make its way onto the list. The flavor profile is incredible and really matches up well with exactly what I look for in terms of my personal palate. Take the subjectiveness out of the picture and the cigar burned perfectly from start to finish, it’s pretty affordable, and burned slow enough to get a ton of bang for your buck. I smoke a lot of RoMa Craft cigars and this is one that will likely be in my rotation for a very long time to come.

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The Good Stuff:

Skip Martin, founder of RoMa Craft tobac announced earlier this year that our beloved Cromagnon would be undergoing a change. Due to tobacco sourcing limitations the company was forced to swap the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper with a Pennsylvanian Broadleaf. The Clovis features the same blend as this version of the Cromagnon: a hybrid Sumatran binder over Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers. It still carries the updated wrapper, only the Pennsylvanian Broadleaf is separated, barber pole style with an Ecuadorian Candela leaf. The cigar is offered in a single “EMH” 5 x 56 format. The cigar comes packaged in boxes of 24 running $13.15 per cigar with only 500 boxes being produced. I purchased mine over from Small Batch cigar.

• Size: 5 x 56
• Wrapper: Pennsylvania Broadleaf / Ecuadorian Candela
• Binder: Sumatra Hybrid
• Filler: Dominican Republic and Nicaraguan
• Price: $13.15
• Body: Full
• Strength: Medium/Full

Prelight:

The RoMa Craft Tobac Cromagnon Clovis starts out with the obvious standout characteristic of its very dark brown and army green barber pole style wrapper. The brown is mostly consistent with a few lighter areas around the tobacco’s natural veining while the green is so consistent it almost looks like plastic. The construction on this cigar is flawless as the wrapper is not only perfectly separated but laid over itself seamlessly. The wrapper’s texture is very toothy and very gritty with a good amount of oil coating it. The wrapper is thick and dense while the cigar as a whole is very hard and solid leading up to its round, double-wrapped cap. The cigar is then polished off with the updated Cromagnon wrapper which still carries the same standard black and white pair with an updated silver text on the Cromagnon embossing.

The wrapper on the RoMa Craft Tobac Cromagnon Clovis gives off a very musky, woodsy aroma with a light floral character while the foot of the cigar is more earthy with notes of spice and natural tobacco. The cap took a bit to cut due to its thickness. The cold draw produces loads of woodsy and oaky notes with musk and a touch of sweetness.

First Third:

The RoMa Craft Tobac Cromagnon Clovis starts out with a nice little black pepper punch which fades very quickly allowing the cigar to release notes of strong cedar and musk over lighter notes of dark chocolate, light espresso and a dry earthiness. There is also a nice herbal tea note in there that is trying to fight its way through the flavor profile. The draw is perfect. Each puff kicks out a good amount of thick, white smoke which dissipates very quickly while the cigar releases almost not stationary smoke while it rests in my ashtray. The burn line is rock solid and sharp leaving behind a trail of tightly compacted light gray ash which held on for almost an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Second Third:

Into the second third of the RoMa Craft Tobac Cromagnon Clovis and the cedar and musk have really taken over. The cedar flavor is remarkable. Under the woodsy flavors I find the same rich, dark chocolate, espresso and just a solid dryness. There isn’t much sweetness in this profile at all. The retrohale really pumps up the cedar to a whole other level. I close out the second third with only a minor nicotine kick which is surprising considering how slow this cigar burns.

Finish:

The final third of the RoMa Craft Tobac Cromagnon Clovis is where the body of the cigar really ramps up. First that mild black pepper is back and with force. Underneath is it very bold musk and cedar over dry, deep dark chocolate and espresso and the floral earthy flavors that have been poking in and out are very evident now. It took me almost 2 hours to smoke this slow burning cigar down to the nub. There was no harshness, no extended heat and no sap. The cigar burned perfect from start to finish with no help needed from my torch as I close out with a decent little nicotine hit.

Overview:

I have always loved the Cromagnon from the first time I smoked it in Skip’s initial release sampler packs. To this day I keep my humidor stocked with them. When Skip announced the blend changed I didn’t really worry much, if anything I got excited. I know the tobaccos are both very similar, but I also know that Skip wouldn’t have made the change if he didn’t think it was worthy to carry the same Cromagnon moniker. I’ll probably end up copying that portion of the overview over when I review the standard new release, but I figured it applied here too. Now the Clovis carries a very similar experience only there are some lighter herbal notes I am able to pick up which differentiate it from the standard Cromagnon. Or maybe it’s a placebo. Either way I do feel there are little nuances that make the cigar different. While it’s a bit pricey and hard to find, it’s a worth cigar if you do find it and urge you to pick it up as it won’t be around for very long as I already had a hard time getting my hands on it.

The post RoMa Craft Tobac Cromagnon Clovis EMH appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

#10 – My Father Cigars – Don Pepin Garcia 20th Anniversary Limited Edition

While not as power-packed in terms of strength as the original, the Don Pepin Garcia 20th Anniversary Limited Edition is a much more complex and flavor-packed version of the cigar. The delicate mixture of flavors is decadent, and extremely enjoyable while the cigar performed like a star from start to finish. While I normally don’t gripe about costs, this cigar is very pricey and while I loved it, the price keeps it out of contention for something that would fall into my regular rotation. Which it should. This isn’t a cigar for casual smoking. This is a celebratory cigar created to go alongside any of your accomplishments and celebrations and does a great job at doing so.

Read the full review here

#9 – Foundation Cigar Highclere Castle Senetjer

While the $33 price tag is pretty impressive, so is the performance that the Foundation Cigar Highclere Castle Senetjer put on. The flavors are incredible, in tune with my personal palate, enjoyable, and complex with just the right amount of change-ups to keep me entertained all the way through. The burn-time is a factor here as well as you get a lot of bang for your buck. While these aren’t a cigar that I will keep in my regular rotation mostly due to price, they are a cigar that I will keep around for those days when I have an urge to smoke something extra special.

Read the full review here

#8 – RoMa Craft Tobac Quinquagenario

A big part of a collaborative effort is to make sure each contributor leaves behind their personal mark and that’s exactly the case in the Quinquagenario. While I am used to the deep, rich and bold flavors skip bakes into each one how blends, this cigar has a bit of a finer touch to it which is likely attributed to E.P. Carrilo’s touch. It’s different for sure, but incredibly enjoyable. The flavor profile is refined, yet complex despite being creamy if that makes any sense. It’s a cigar you don’t have to thing about. It’s just good as a great cigar should be. I only have one more of these left, and plan on picking up a few more to keep around as I really enjoyed it and want to make sure they aren’t sold out before I have a chance to get my hands on more.

Read the full review here

#7 – Tatuaje 20th Merveille

The Tatuaje 20th is a damn good cigar. I really, really enjoyed the flavor profile especially the clove which I feel isn’t something I pick up in cigars too often. In fact, this is one of the best flavor profiles I have had in a cigar all year. I smoked a handful of these and each time they got better and better so I am curious how they will age especially considering that they are a regular production line. This is a box worthy purchase for sure and one I can see myself coming back to very, very often.

Read the full review here

#6 – Crowned Heads Las Calaveras 2023

I have always been a fan of all the Las Calaveras releases and it’s an annual tradition for me. Both for what the cigar represents and how great they usually are. I am happy to report that this has probably been one of, it not my favorite Las Calaveras blend to date. I feel like I have said that before, and if I have it only shows how great Jon Huber is as coming up with new blends that always evolve. This release is extremely complex with a flavor profile that absolutely fits my personal preference. It burned great for start to finish and still falls in a price that affordable enough to keep quite a few on hand. Its box worthy for sure, while you can still get them.

Read the full review here

#5 – Illusione Singularé Origen

In a single word the Illusione Singularé Origen is GREAT. I can’t really say it fits in with the rest of the Singulare series since this was created to be more of a standalone blend, however I can say that this cigar just feels special. And to me, thats what the Singulare always represented. Solid construction, very enjoyable and complex flavors at an excellent price point. I am also a huge fan of not having to chase down limited edition cigars and hoard them if they are good so extra points awarded there. This is absolutely a box worthy purchase and I can see myself smoking these on repeat for quite some time.

Read the full review here

#4 – Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Mi Querida Black PapaSaka

I loved the SakaKhan last year, and could wait for the PapaSaka release this year. I am happy to report that it completely lived up to my personal built-up hype. In fact, I may have even enjoyed this year more. The flavor profile is where this cigar really shines. Subjective, I know, but this is one of those cigars I feel were created for my own personal palate. The profile is extremely enjoyable, not overly complex, and one that I think would also appeal to quite a large amount of smokers who enjoy full-bodied cigars. A big plus here as that the bold flavors didn’t come at the cost of a stronger cigar as the PapaSaka fell comfortable in the lower medium-medium/full arena. The price is on par and likely even a bit lower that I’d expect to pay for an experience like this, however its a pretty limited run and will sell out very quickly.

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#3 – Tatuaje DB Capa Especial

I am a huge fan of anything with Tatuaje’s Capa Especial wrapper and I am glad to see that Pete is putting it into use more. The Tatuaje Capa Especial DB is a hell of a cigar and I feel like it was created for my own personal palate. I love the flavors, the boldness, and the complexity not to mention the long burn time which made me happy to pay $17 per cigar on this one. This is a stick that I am glad I have a few more of as it’s not really available anymore and will not be remade. I’ll save these for special occasions or when I am really craving a unique experience I know I’ll love.

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#2 – Illusione Original Documents Habano

All the hype I built up for myself leading up to The Illusione Original Documents Habano was fulfilled as I not only enjoyed it, but couldn’t stop smoking them right off the truck. The flavor profile is great, well balanced, and complex enough to keep me interested in the blend from start to finish. Not to mention it hit on everything my personal palate looks for in a cigar. The construction was flawless and the cigar burned like a dream from start to finish. This blend is box worthy for sure and something that I can see myself smoke a whole ton of going forward.

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#1 – RoMa Craft Tobac Intemperance Volstead VO 1920 Noble Experiment

There aren’t too many brands out there currently that kick out stellar releases one after another like RoMa Craft. I honestly don’t think I have ever come across a RoMa Craft I didn’t just enjoy, but thoroughly enjoy and the Volstead VO 1920 is no exception. The flavor profile is balanced, yet complex enough to keep me entertained. The profile itself marries up really well with my subjective palate as I really enjoyed the flavors. The construction was top-notch and the price is very affordable and the full-production releases will always be easily available. This makes this a perfect, box-worthy cigar that will find its way into my everyday rotation.

Read the full review here

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The Good Stuff:

Skip Martin, founder of RoMa Craft Tobacco unveiled the newest addition to the Intemperance, the Volstead VO 1920 at this year’s PCA show in Las Vegas. Produced at the Fábrica de Tabacos Nica Sueño S.A. in Nicaragua, the blend features an Ecuadorian Sumatra Hybrid wrapper over a Mexican San Andres binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. The Intemperance Volstead VO 1920 is offered in the following regular production formats: Izzy Einstein (4 x 46), Belle Linvingstone (4 1/2 x 52), Bill McCoy (5 x 50), George Remus (5 x 56), and the Roy Olmstead (5 1/2 x 54 Belicoso). Each comes packaged in boxes of 24 with the exception of the Izzy which comes packaged in boxes of 30. The regular production lines range between $6.75 and $9.25 per stick. In addition to the regular production lines the company is also releasing six different limited-production formats: Blind Pig (8.25), Senator Volstead (5 x 50), Noble Experiment (5 x 56), Revenuer (5 3/4 x 46), Gran Perfecto (5 5/8 x 60), and the Judas Hole (6 1/2 x 44). Each limited production format comes packaged in boxes of 12 except the Bling Pig and Revenuer which comes in boxes of 24. The limited production releases range between $8.25 and $13 per stick. I purchased mine from our friends over at Neptune Cigars.

• Size: 5 x 56
• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra Hybrid
• Binder: Mexican San Andres
• Filler: Nicaraguan & Dominican Corojo
• Body: Full
• Strength: Medium
• Price: $9.50

Prelight:

The RoMa Craft Tobac Intemperance Volstead VO 1920 starts out with a beautiful, milk-chocolate brown wrapper that’s very consistent in color except for a few darker areas around the cap of the cigar. The wrapper’s texture is slightly toothy and slightly oily. There are some smaller veins running through the cigar’s body. The wrapper itself feels a bit thin and delicate while the cigar is packed tightly and has a great weight to it. There are no soft spots to be found throughout the cigar. There is a very small, unfinished foot area that exposes some of the cigar’s binder/filler. The wrapper is laid seamlessly over cigar’s soft box-pressed body leading up to its round, double-wrapped cap. The cigar is then polished off with the standard, elegant white and brown Intemperance band along with an additional, reversed color band featuring the Volstead 1920 logo embossed across the front. One note I need to make is the quality of paper stock used on all RoMa Craft’s cigars. It’s exceptional.

The wrapper on the RoMa Craft Tobac Intemperance Volstead VO 1920 gives off a sweet mixture of tobacco and honey aromas while the foot of the cigar is much more musky with notes of natural tobacco over soft spice and a bit of sweetness. The cap cut clean and easily using my Xikar XO double bladed cutter. The cold draw produces notes of honey and cinnamon over loads of musky tobacco.

First Third:

The RoMa Craft Tobac Intemperance Volstead VO 1920 starts off with a soft blast of black pepper which fades almost instantly allowing the cigar to release bold notes of cedar musk and honey over lighter notes of pecan, cinnamon, espresso and vanilla, with a great little nutmeg aftertaste. It kind of reminds me of a lightly Christmas-flavored coffee drink and I totally dig it. The draw is absolutely perfect as each little puff kicks out huge clouds of thick, white smoke which take a white to dissipate while the cigar releases a good amount of stationary smoke while it rests in my ashtray. As a quick side note that I know my readers have heard my play on repeat since the beginning of time: I absolutely love how comfortable soft box-pressed cigars are in both my hand and my mouth. I with we’d see them a lot more often. The burn line is razor thin and dead even leaving behind a trail of tightly compacted medium gray ash which held on for about 3/4 of an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Second Third:

Into the second third of the RoMa Craft Tobac Intemperance Volstead VO 1920 the flavor profile is dominated by musk and honey with bold notes of espresso and cinnamon and light notes of pecan, raisin, and vanilla. There is also this really crazy spearmint flavor that sneaks into the aftertaste every once in a while. I don’t pick I up often at all. The retorhale brings out more spice and a little bit of black pepper. Considering how much I enjoy the flavor profile of this cigar as it sits, I don’t find myself doing it too often. The cigar is still burning like a champ and I close out the second third with nothing in terms of a nicotine kick.

Finish:

The body of the RoMa Craft Tobac Intemperance Volstead VO 1920 has really ramped up now as it sits well in the full-bodied arena. The musk and honey still lead the charge with a more balanced mixtures of vanilla, cinnamon and raisin at this point. The cigar burned much slower than I anticipated which I am happy about as it took me almost 2 hours to take it down to the nub. I experienced no harshness nor any extended heat. I never once had to reach for my torch to touch-up or relight my cigar as it burned flawless from start to finish. I close out with only a very minor nicotine hit.

Overview:

There aren’t too many brands out there currently that kick out stellar releases one after another like RoMa Craft. I honestly don’t think I have ever come across a RoMa Craft I didn’t just enjoy, but thoroughly enjoy and the Volstead VO 1920 is no exception. The flavor profile is balanced, yet complex enough to keep me entertained. The profile itself marries up really well with my subjective palate as I really enjoyed the flavors. The construction was top-notch and the price is very affordable and the full-production releases will always be easily available. This makes this a perfect, box-worthy cigar that will find its way into my everyday rotation.

The post RoMa Craft Tobac Intemperance Volstead VO 1920 Noble Experiment appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

With that out of the way, lets get rocking!

#10 – Drew Estate Liga Privada Unico Year of the Rat

This cigar actually reminded me much more of a No.9 than a rat, and that’s likely why I enjoyed it so much. The flavor profile was spot-on with what I look for in a cigar, the burn and construction were perfect, and the burn was so slow it really allowed me to get more comfortable with the cigar. All in all this is a near-perfect cigar if it wasn’t for the availability which I really hope expands more in the near future as I’d love to keep this in my daily rotation.

Read the Full Review here

#9 – The Crowned Heads Las Calaveras 2020

This year’s Las Calaveras release simply put, is fantastic. It seems a bit of a departure in flavor from previous releases as the flavors seemed more on the sweet/chocolatey side vs more organic tobacco flavors. The construction is flawless, and the price point as always, is very affordable. This was one of the better cigars I had this year, but I still don’t believe it competes with last year’s release as far as the flavor profile goes which is strictly subjective. I even smoked them back to back to make sure my bias against how much I enjoyed last year’s wasn’t leading my decision and I still choose last year’s release over this one. I can’t stress this enough, that doesn’t mean this cigar isn’t on par by any stretch, it certainly is.

Read the Full Review here

#8 – Tatuaje Escasos N

To me the Cazadores line always had this nice sweetness to it, but the Escasos is a much more dry experience in a very special way. The cigar is complex, and the flavors are very enjoyable. While the blend is similar in some aspects to the Cazadores, the experience is not. This blend actually seems like they took a more Cuban spin on the Cazadores line, which may be why it’s been circulated more in Europe as they tend to smoke more Cubans that us Americans do. Either way, its a great, special cigar and I can’t wait to get my hands on more.

Read the Full Review here

#7 – The Crowned Heads Four Kicks Capa Especial

It’s no surprise that I absolutely loved this cigar. The Crowned Heads Four Kicks Capa Especial falls right in line with the rest of the portfolio. The cigar absolutely delivered on both taste, complexity, and overall smoking experience. It’s very likely that this one will fall in my top 10 cigar list as its one of the best cigars I have smoked all year.

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#6 – Tatuaje Karloff

The Boris was one of my absolute favorite Tatuaje cigars released to date. While the memory is distant, reviewing my notes and what still exists up in my brain this cigar feels very similar, only with a bit more body to it. Taking the Boris out of the equation, the Karloff is an incredible experience. The flavors are incredible, well balanced, and just complex enough to keep me on my toes. On the subjective side those flavors really appeased my personal palate, especially the sweetness the cigar offered. The experience was perfect with not snags at all, and the price is well worth it. The only gripe, as you’d guess it, is the availability. That just means I gotta throw in a little more effort to pick up more of these before they are gone.

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#5 – Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Sobremesa Brûlée Blue

It goes without saying that I thoroughly enjoyed this cigar. And any Connecticut-wrapped cigar that can product enough flavor to be paired with a bold pastry stout without being overpowered by the beer demands attention. The flavors were incredible and a great change of pace for cigars I’ve smoked recently. They were complex enough, yet smooth and balanced. This is really a cigar for all occasions and something I would like to get quite a few more of before they are gone.

Read the Full Review here

#4 – RoMa Craft Tobac Baka Jengi

I am a big fan of RoMa Craft’s cigars and there is no hiding that. While I smoked quite a few Baka last year, I never got around to reviewing them. I just kept smoking them thinking “It’s ok, you can just grab more when you’re ready to review them”, and then suddenly they were gone. Not making the same mistake with the Jengi I am glad to finally give my thoughts on this cigar. Plain and simple, I absolutely loved it. The whole Full-Body, Medium-Strength combination is my preference and this flavor profile is incredible. Its complex, yet easy to pick apart. The chocolate and oak flavors really appease my personal profile. All while delivering a flawless smoking experience. The only gripe I have is the availability, but that just means I need to buy more up front and make them last right? Box-worthy for sure.

Read the Full Review here

#3 – Aganorsa Leaf Supreme Leaf Robusto

The Aganorsa Leaf Supreme Leaf has been flying off shelves, with good reason, its a fantastic cigar. I have always been a fan of the brand and thier newest releases have just been on a whole new level. The flavor profile for the Aganorsa Leaf Supreme Leaf is complex, and really showcases the superior quality tobacco in which the company uses. The price is VERY affordable and in my opinion much lower than what I’d drop on a cigar like this. Lets just hope they start coming in more regularly so I can stock up and keep them on hand for my regular rotation.

Read the Full Review here

#2 – Fonseca by My Father Robusto

I’ve been on pins and needles awaiting the moment I could get my hands on these cigars. Quesada has been a favorite brand of mine for as long as I can remember, and My Father, I mean, who doesn’t love them? How did it go? Well, in short, it was absolutely amazing. The flavor profile is incredible and right up my alley, the smoking experience was flawless and the price is way below what I feel like I’d be comfortable paying for such a fantastic cigar. This is box worthy for sure, and a strong contender for my top 10 cigars of the year as it sits currently.

Read the Full Review here

#1 – Illusione Cigares Prive PCA 2020 Exclusive

This Cigares Prive is a pretty big departure from the Illusione cigars I have smoked lately, yet somehow still feels similar. The flavor profile is very complex, and extremely impressive as it suits my personal palate extremely well. The cigar burned like a dream from start to finish, and the price is something I would pay time and time again for this cigar resulting in a perfect mixture. My only gripe is the availability. This just means I’ll need to buy quite a few more as a Christmas present for myself before these are gone.

Read the Full Review here

Thanks for sticking it out with us this year. I hope each and everyone one of you have an amazing holiday and a much better 2021!

The post Top 10 Cigars of 2020 – Tony Casas Edition appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

#10 Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust – Sin Compromiso

Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust’s Sin Compromiso is one of this year’s most highly anticipated / most sought after cigars. Making it’s debut at this year’s IPCPR show in Las Vegas Sin Compromiso or “Without Compromise” consists of tobaccos that were specifically grown just for this blend. Everyone knows just how picky, and meticulous Steve Saka, founder of Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust can be so to hear that he went through the trouble of carefully picking and growing specific tobaccos to create such a unique experience creates a considerable amount of anticipation. The cigar starts with Nicaraguan filler tobaccos covered with an Ecuadorian Habano binder, then wrapper with a special San Andres Negro wrapper which is grown by using a similar process Japanese fruit farmers use. As the tobacco plant grows workers remove the bottle leaves of the plant which causes more nutrients to be consumed by the tap of the plant resulting in a much bolder tobacco leaf. The end result to all the hard work results in what Saka calls the blest blend he has ever created. 

Read the Full Review Here

#9 Tatuaje – 15th Anniversary Habano Oscuro

The Tatuaje 15th Anniversary is a great celebration of 15 strong years in the cigar community. The cigar is bold, complex, with great flavors and great balance. The experience and construction is great, while the price point is just a bit high I don’t see that stopping me from grabbing more of these to keep in my humidor for those great nights when I am craving an extra special treat. I really enjoyed the flavor profile and the fact that the cigar burned so slowly taking me 2 hours to smoke down to the nub so you definitely get quite a bit of bang for your buck.

Read the Full Review Here

#8 The Crowned Heads – Four Kicks Maduro

Several months ago, I lit up the Four Kicks Maduro with my close friend and former boss. As soon as the smoke started flowing, I knew this cigar was something special and one I had to review. Full flavors, medium/full strength and a hefty amount of spice are masterfully matched up with balance and smoothness. Other than a single touch-up, I have no complaints on the performance. The price of $9.60  is a little more than I prefer to spend on a regular smoke, but the Four Kicks Maduro is one that is worth it.

Read the Full Review Here

#7 Caldwell Cigar Co. – The T

So, you decide you want to put 3 of the more prominent, forward thinking cigar minds in the game in one room to create a single product. In a lot of cases, the hype is stronger than the cigar, but in the case of The T. The outcome was an incredible cigar. From start to finish this cigar was flawless. The burn, the construction and the profile were all exactly what I look for in a cigar. The price is slightly high, but what I would consider on-point for a cigar of this stature and I would gladly pay it for what the cigar delivered. My only gripe would be availability as I know sooner rather than later this cigar is going to become a whale.

Read the Full Review Here

#6 Warped – Serie Gran Reserva 1988

I’ve really liked the Warped cigars that I’ve had so far, and this one is no exception.  There’s a decent amount of complexity and the transitions are somewhat subtle, but it carries a great balance of rich flavors on a medium body, and makes for a very enjoyable experience.  Combined with the one I previously smoked indoors, I would have to say that the construction is excellent, as is the burn.  It can easily be smoked at various times of the day and will appeal to a wide range of smokers.  With a more than fair price, I have no problem giving the Warped Serie Gran Reserva 1988 a strong recommendation, so pick up a few or a lot.

Read the Full Review Here

#5 Black Label Trading Co. – Bishops Blend

It’s not just Texas love ya’ll, Black Label Trading Co. has produced some of the greatest blends in the recent years and the cigar community has quickly grown to appreciate and embrace the boutique brand. I have been high on their blends for a few years now and Bishops Blend has made it’s way into one of my favorite blends they have made to date. My only issue is how hard it is to find. The construction is flawless, the experience is memorable and the flavor profile is complex an right on key with my own personal preference. I love how bold it was without being over the top, or over powering. The price point is perfect and this cigar would easily make its way into my regular rotation if it was easier to acquire. 

Read the Full Review Here

#4 RoMa Craft Tobac – Black Irish

I have been a long-time fan of RoMa Craft Tobac’s releases and I have to be honest hear, the Black Irish is probably one of the best cigars I have smoked from the team. The flavor profile is unique, and incredible while the cigar sports perfect construction, and the price point is about where you would expect it to be. I bet you can guess that my only gripe is that these are pretty near impossible to find. So if anyone has been hoarding onto these… let me know.. now please.

Read the Full Review Here

#3 Drew Estate – Pappy Van Winkle Tradition

Its no secret that I have been a longtime fan of Willy Herrera’s blends, and in all honesty I think the Pappy Van Winkle Tradition is right up towards the top of my favorite cigars that he has made. The flavors are solid, meticulous, complex, and so well balanced without hitting you in the face. That’s something I have always been able to appreciate with his blends and why he fits right in and Drew Estate. The Pappy Van Winkle is an exclusive, limited, and expensive cigar which fits right in with the Pappy branding. In all honesty, I think this cigar is worth the coin. I dropped so much money on the La Palina Goldies and I can easily see myself buying a box of the Traditions as well. If you find them, buy them.

Read the Full Review Here

#2 Illusione – One Off

The Illusione OneOff is a fantastic cigar through and through and I couldn’t think of a better team than Casa Fernandez and Illusione to bring this brand back to life. While I haven’t smoked the original OneOff in years and years I do remember how much I enjoyed it which is similar to just how much I enjoyed this version of the cigar. It’s complex, bold from the start, has a wonderful flavor profile, and burned like a dream. While the price is a bit steep it’s not more than what I would personally pay to make sure I had this cigar ready and available in my regular smoking rotation. The 10 count packaging makes it much more manageable as well and I will go back on record for the thousandth time in saying the more manufacturers should follow that route.

Read the Full Review Here

#1 Joya de Nicaragua – Cinco Decadas Diadema

What a fantastic cigar. Not even going to try to hide how much I enjoyed it. Usually Joya de Nicaragua cigars are packed with both power and punch, but I found the Cinco Decadas was the perfect balance of full flavor without being an overly strong cigar. I kept finding myself really relaxing and taking in all the flavors the cigar had to offer. While this cigar is limited, and pricey, its a perfect cigar for a seasoned smoker who is looking for a special experience. The price would be the only thing keeping this out of my day to day rotation.

Read the Full Review

The post Top 10 Cigars of 2018 – Tony Casas Edition appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The press release from Famous gave some insight on the name:

Whiskey Rebellion 1794 cigars by RoMa Craft Tobac take their name from the protest known as the Whiskey Rebellion, which began in 1791 under George Washington’s presidency. Washington’s Treasury Secretary, Alexander Hamilton, introduced a tax on all distilled spirits in an attempt to lower the nation’s debt without raising the nation’s already-high import taxes; the Whiskey Tax was the first tax on domestic goods in United States history, and was roundly — and vehemently — opposed by many rural American communities.

Manufactured in Esteli, Nicaragua at Nica Sueno, the Intemperance Whiskey Rebellion 1794 is produced in limited quantities, but is stated to be a regular offering for the foreseeable future. There are currently five sizes including: Hamilton (4 by 46), Jefferson (4 1/2 by 52), McFarlane (5 by 50), Bradford (5 by 56) and Washington (5 1/2 by 54). The cigars will run you between $6.15 and $8.99.

You can purchase the Roma Craft Tobac Intermperance Whiskey Rebellion 1794 from our site sponsor Famous Smoke Shop. Make sure to use coupon code “CASASAVINGS” for $15 off orders over $100.

THE FACTS

Price: $7.35
Vitola: McFarlane
Size: 5 by 50
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Ligero
Binder: Indonesian Besuki
Filler: Dominican and Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 5 Minutes

PRE-LIGHT

The Whiskey Rebellion 1794 wears a medium brown wrapper that is coated in oils and has an extremely fine tooth. Veins web down the leaf with only a couple medium-sized veins to be found. There seems to be a void in the filler tobaccos between the band and the tapered head that can be easily felt and almost seen. Other than that, the cigar give just slightly when rolled between my thumb and index finger.

An aroma of wood, pungent barnyard, and a faint chocolate are found on the wrapper, while a rich aroma of chocolate and raisins are on the foot. Upon clipping the tapered head, a beautiful free draw opens up showing off cold draw flavors of cedar and potpourri like spices.

FIRST THIRD

With the Intemperance Whiskey Rebellion 1794 underway, thick smoke flows easily across my palate with each small draw. The flavors start out with rich woodsy notes that are paired up with a more musty earth flavor. There is just enough sweetness tied to the woodsy flavor to round out the profile. As the cigar warms up, the spice intensifies, especially as the smoke is moved through my sinuses, which brings forth both pepper and salt. Through the first third, the cigar has burned mostly even, but a somewhat ugly gray ash is being formed.

MIDDLE THIRD

Moving into the second third, the earlier saltiness that first appeared on the retrohale has moved into the profile, along with heavier earth flavor.  With the woodsy flavor now departed, a more yeasty note has developed in the profile with the sweetness still hanging around, but tone down. There is a bite to the profile that is intriguing and some strength is already showing up. As I near the end of this third, a quick touch-up is required to get the burn back in-line.

FINAL THIRD

The bands remove with ease to begin the last leg my journey of the Intemperance Whiskey Rebellion 1794. The flavors from the second third continue to hold steady, just a little bit darker and richer than earlier. A satisfying amount of smoke is brought forth with each draw and the resting smoke is quite impressive. As I come to the last inch of the cigar, the strength of this Intemperance Whiskey Rebellion is really hitting and I am glad this cigar isn’t any larger. 

WRAP-UP

I was first introduced to RoMa Craft cigars and the Intemperance brand after winning an Intemperance sampler from a Casas Fumando giveaway back in 2012 (You can check it out HERE). Ever since, I have been a huge fan of Skip Martin’s work and I don’t think I’ve come across a cigar from him that didn’t impress me. The Intemperance Whiskey Rebellion 1794 does a great job carrying on the theme of the brand and it is an excellent addition to the line. The WR 1794 brings a heck of a lot more strength to the table than the BA XXI and EC XVII and a whole different profile. The cigar pumped out full-flavors from beginning to end (or as Skip likes to say “Front to back. Top to bottom”), kept my attention, and behaved moderately well. The strength did me in by the end of the cigar, which doesn’t usually happen. I would highly recommend this cigar to a seasoned cigar smoker who isn’t scared of a little strength and enjoys full flavors and spice in their smoke.

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The Good Stuff:

The RoMa Craft Tobac Neanderthal is the first full-production line that we’ve seen from them in quite sometime (you can check out some of our past RoMa Craft Tobac reviews here: (CroMagnon, Aquitaine, La Campana de Panama Soberana) . In fact, word of the Neanderthal product hit the cigar community back in 2013. In 2014 the RoMa Craft offered samples of the Neanderthal at the IPCPR trade show in Las Vegas, and now the blend we all have been waiting for has finally started to creep into shops and we’ve been dying to get our hands on them. Skip Martin, co-founder of RoMa Craft, created the Neanderthal along with Esteban Disla at the Nica Sueño Factory in Nicaragua. The goal was to create a full-strength cigar that also delivers in the flavor department. Coop, over at Cigar Coop had some great information on just how Skip managed to accomplish this:

RoMa Craft Tobac co-founder Skip Martin discussed details of this cigar on the 4/18/14 edition of Stogie Geeks. As Martin was becoming more experienced with the blending process, he discovered that increasing the strength of the blend through adding ligero is something that really did work. At the same time, Martin learned that different tobaccos have different nicotine levels. He was introduced to a Pennsylvania Double Ligero leaf known as Green River Valley Sucker One (GR-S1). This is a regrowth leaf from Pennsylvania broadleaf that has a natural higher nicotine level (between 9% to 13% – significant higher than the 5% – 6% found in Esteli, Ligero). Using this leaf allowed Martin to increase the blend’s strength. Various filler tobaccos were then added to balance out the flavor and aroma.

The blend consists of the Pennsylvania Double Ligero mentioned above, Nicaraguan leaf from the Condega, Jalapa, Pueblo Nuevo, and Esteli regions as well as some Dominican Republic tobacco for the fillers along with a U.S. Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro Binder, and a Mexican San Andreas Maduro Wrapper. The RoMa Craft Tobac Neanderthal is available in a single, complicated to manufacture, full-production format called the “HN” which stands for “Homo Neanderthalensis”. The HN is a 5 x 52/58 figurado with a completely flat cap.

Along with the standard format, the RoMa Craft Neanderthal is also offered in a 4 1/2 x 52 vitola called the “SGP” or “Shallow Gene Pool” which is a store exclusive limited to Serious Cigars in Houston and Riverside Cigar Lounge in Indiana which will also be available as an event exclusive. While I don’t know exactly what the packaging and prices on the SGP will be, the HN comes packaged in boxes of 50 and runs $12 a stick. I picked mine up at Cigar Hustler who quickly shipped them out to me, and still has them in stock.

Size: 5 x 52/58
Wrapper: Mexican San Andreas Maduro
Binder: U.S. Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Filler: Pennsylvania Double Ligero (GR-S1), Nicaraguan (Condega, Jalapa, Pueblo Nuevo, Esteli), Dominican Republic (Olor)
Body: Full
Strength: Full
Price: $12
Pairing: Prairie Artisan Ales Barrel Aged Bomb! (Double Stout 11.2% ABV)

Prelight:

As I stated above, the RoMa Craft Tobac Neanderthal is far from a traditional format. The cigar starts with a completely dead-flat cap and a 52 ring gauge which widens out to 58 towards the foot of the cigar before quickly tapering back in a bit just before the foot. The wrapper on the RoMa Craft Tobac Neanderthal is a beautiful, consistent, dark brown with a few darker areas around the foot of the cigar, and running parallel to the larger vein that runs the course of the cigar’s body. The texture is a slightly oily and very beady with a lot of rough tooth while the wrapper itself feels extremely dense and thick. Hell, the whole cigar feels so heavy I could probably knock someone out with it if I hit them over the head with it. That being said, there aren’t any soft spots whatsoever as the bell of the cigar leads up to the flat cap. The boxes of these cigars actually come with a razor blade to aid in the clipping of the cap. The RoMa Craft Neanderthal is polished off with the beautiful letter-pressed bands I absolutely love. This one is a light tan and features the word “neanderthal” embossed in the front and a small RoMa Craft Tobac crest in white on the back.

The wrapper on the RoMa Craft Tobac Neanderthal gives of some nice oaky aromas while the foot of the cigar is much more natural with some damp tobacco and pepper scents. The cap was a bit difficult to line up properly using my double bladed Palio cutter. If I had a razor blade similar to those that came in the box that would have been my weapon of choice, but I made do and after a bit of precision work I cut just a tiny sliver off the cap, exposing the filler tobacco. Skip’s a one man army trying to teach people how to properly cut cigars. The cold draw produces a really meaty mixture of plum, oak and spice with some natural tobacco mixed in.

First Third:

The RoMa Craft Tobac Neanderthal starts out with a bang leading me in with some bold cayenne pepper, strong oak, plum, pecan and spice. The pepper was so strong it would leave my lips and tongue tingling for a few seconds after every round of draws. It took about a quarter inch for the pepper to fade out and as it did more and more of that oaky goodness came out. Despite the cigar being packed with tobacco the draw was absolutely perfect. Each tiny puff kicked out massive clouds of thick, white smoke. The cigar let loose a good amount of stationary smoke as well as the cigar rested in my ashtray. The burn line had one good sized wave but it started to correct itself as I neared the end of the first third. The ash left behind was tightly compacted, dark and medium gray, and held on for about an inch and a quarter before falling into my ashtray.

Second Third:

The RoMa Craft Tobac Neanderthal continues to impress with the sheer amount of flavors being pumped out. The oak is still leading the way with some dark chocolate, coffee, pecan, spice, plum, and some slight char and sweetness. It’s got some bite too as I started to feel the nicotine about halfway in. The retrohale is way sharp coating my nasal passage with a bit too much cayenne pepper backed by some of the oak I pick up on the standard draw. As I suspected the burn line has fixed itself and is now burning razor thin, and perfectly even.

Final:

Again, the flavors are killing it into the final third of the RoMa Craft Tobac Neanderthal. The oak is still taking center stage back by lots of spice, chocolate, and coffee. There is still some slight spice and sweetness mixed in as well. After that wave in the first third, the cigar has burned perfectly and razor thin without any extra help from my torch. Usually, stronger cigars tend to build up a good amount of harshness towards the end of the smoke, but after the 2 hours it took to take this bad boy down to the nub it was clean and smooth, still boasting a ton of flavor and a great deal of strength. I walked away from this cigar with a nice nicotine kick.

Overview:

Skip has just added to an already stacked arsenal. Out of the gate I expected the RoMa Craft cigars to have a bit more bite than they had when they first launched (mostly due to Skip’s love for full-bodied, full-strength cigars), but was surprised with the more mild approach. It’s not a bad thing by any means as I’ve been a huge fan of each of the past sticks in their portfolio, but they delivered a powerhouse cigar with great balance, and bold flavors with the Neanderthal. This cigar comes out of the gate firing on all cylinders and doesn’t give up until your fingertips are burning. At $12 a pop it’s not the most affordable cigar out there, but it’s more than justified and very box worthy. Being that the Neanderthal is a full-production line I can see it having a permanent place in my regular rotation for a very long time. The Aquitaine has been my favorite RoMa Craft Tobac stick for a very long time, but it now has some competition. Now if we could just get them in a shop here locally, that would be great.

Pairing:

A little nod here to Skip and his love for Prairie Artisan’s stouts. The first time I smoked a Neanderthal I knew I wanted to pair with something that would really match up to the bold oak I encountered throughout the cigar. There was little doubt in my mind that the Barrel Aged Bomb! from Prairie Artisan Ales would be the perfect pair. Brewed at the Prairie Artisan Brewery in Oklahoma this 11.2% ABV imperial Stout is aged in Balcones Distilling whiskey barrels with coffee, cacao, and vanilla beans and chilies added. The Barrel Aged Bomb! starts out with lots of sweetness, vanilla, chocolate, and malt with a very heavy mouthfeel before finishing with more sweet milk, chocolate, a bit of booze, spice and a nice bourbon aftertaste. What more can I really say, it was a match made in heaven. I think the RoMa Craft Tobac Neanderthal would also pair wonderfully with just about any big stout, a Belgian quad, or a few fingers of bourbon.

The post RoMa Craft Tobac Neanderthal appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff: As I said, the Aquitaine Blockhead is a shop exclusive to Monte’s in Albuquerque and used to be only available at events. The Aquitaine blend itself is not an exclusive and made it’s debut at last year’s IPCPR. The exclusiveness pertains to the box-pressed format of the blockhead while the blend remains the same. The Aquitaine blockhead isn’t RoMa Craft Tobac’s first shop exclusive. Actually, it’s not even the first “Blockhead”. Skip Martin of RoMa Craft Tobac had previously released a Blockhead version of the Aquitaine’s sister line, the Cromagnon (which I reviewed here) to Tower Pipes and Cigars in Sacramento, California and Tobacco Grove in Maple Grove, Minnesota. The Aquitaine starts off with an Ecuadorian Habano Ligero wrapper, a Cameroon binder, and 3 different Nicaraguan fillers each from Esteli, Condega, and Pueblo Nuevo which is a small town on the Northern border of Nicaraguan and Honduras. The blend is identical to the Cromagnon only replaces the Connecticut Broadleaf with the Ecuadorian Habano Ligero. The Aquitaine comes in 8 different sizes including the Box Pressed Blockhead (6 x 54), the Knuckle Dragger (4 x 52), the Mandible (4.5 x 60), the EMH Early Modern Human (5 x 56), the Anthropology (5.75 x 56), the Cranium (6 x 54), and two limited edition sizes including the Atlatl (7 x 38) and the Mode 5 (5 x 50 perfecto). The Blockhead runs $9 a stick and they had plenty in stock at Monte’s while I was there. For more information about Monte’s you can visit their site here, Facebook here, instagram here or twitter here. I always stop in whenever I am in town (El Paso isn’t too far from them) and they have always been great people.

Size: 6 x 54 Box Pressed
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Ligero
Binder: Cameroon
Filler: Nicaraguan from Condega, Esteli, and a Ligero from Pueblo Nuevo
Body: Medium/Full
Strength: Medium/Full
Price: $9.00
Pairing: Prairie Artisan Ales / Evil Twin Brewing Bible Belt (Imperial Coffee/Vanilla/Chili/Cacao Stout 13% ABV)

Prelight: The Aquitaine Blockhead is one badass looking cigar. We’ll start with the format in which the name “Blockhead” is obviously pulled from. It’s box-pressed to the max almost forming a perfect square. The corners and edges are real sharp and hard. Again, I’ve said it over and over I am a huge box-press fan and absolutely love this size. It’s very comfortable in both the hand and the mouth. Next we have the wrapper. The Aquitaine carries a very thick, incredibly toothy, and incredibly oily texture. It’s definitely one of the prettier wrapper leafs as the medium and dark brown color showcases the natural webbing in the leaf and carries only a few smaller veins. The Blockhead is rather firm and packed pretty tightly. It’s a heavier cigar but again the box-press makes it really comfortable to hold despite being a longer format. There are absolutely no soft spots or construction flaws. The cigar is capped off with a stoutly round, seamless, triple cap. The Aquitaine Blockhead is then polished off with the standard brown, and white layered, letterpressed bands with the word “Aquitaine” pressed into the front and the RoMa Craft Tobac logo in white on the back. I am a HUGE fan of these bands. Simple, elegant, clean, and they serve the purpose of distinguishing your cigars without the need to be overly flashy letting the cigar’s appearance speak for itself. I’ll put these bands up there with the Liga Privada, Most Tatuaje, and Illusione bands as my all time favorites.

The wrapper on the Aquitaine Blockhead lets looks a whole ton of syrupy, molasses, chocolate aroma mixed over some bold tobacco notes while the foot of the cigar is a bit more modest only showing some natural tobacco and spice aromas. The cap cut very clean and easily using my handy Palio double bladed cutter. The cold draw produces some strong syrup, and raisin notes with a bit of spice and tobacco mixed in.

First Smoke: The Aquitaine Blockhead starts off with some modest black pepper backed by some sharp spice, raisin, espresso and some grassy tobacco flavors. As I smoked down the first inch the pepper completely faded away and a real nice brown sugar sweetness crept its way in. While the Blockhead is very tightly packed with tobacco the format makes it incredibly easy to get a nice, big, thick draw with every little puff kicking out tons of dense, white smoke. The burnline is a bit thick, but dead even forming a compacted medium and dark gray ash which held on for about an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Halfway There: As I venture into the second third of RoMa Craft Tobac’s Aquitaine Blockhead some really interesting charred meat flavors began to sneak into the flavor profile. Maybe I’m just hungry, maybe the heat is starting to get to me but it was actually pretty potent and mixed in well with the syrup, cedar, and spice while there was still a slight sugar and espresso on the aftertaste. The retrohale far more modest than I was expecting as it coats my nasal passage with some soft cedar, spice, and plum. I really enjoy the retrohale from the Aquitaine and find myself routing it that way quite often. The draw is still flawless and the burnline is perfect and I am feeling zero in the nicotine department.

Finish: RoMa Craft Tobac’s Aquitaine Blockhead really took off into the final third. The spice and espresso ramped up, the pepper came back, the brown sugar and raisin stayed strong, and even that meaty flavor stayed with it. This is a flavorful cigar and I found it pretty bold, but the one thing I enjoyed the most was how creamy and balanced the flavors were. They weren’t fighting for your attention, instead they complimented each other resulting in a complete performance. The burn and draw were perfect the entire time and I never had to take my torch back out of my pocket for any touchups or relights nor did I feel much in the nicotine department. It took me about 2 hours to smoke this bad boy down to the nub and I enjoyed every minute of it. I experience no harshness and the only heat I felt was from the sun on my head.

Overview: It’s not hard to tell how much I enjoy the Aquitaine blend. I always have. Jeremy and I actually had a conversation the other day about where we would rank each of Skip’s blend and both of us had the Aquitaine right up at #1 or #2. The Blockhead has to be one of my favorites in terms of formats for the Aquitaine. The boxpress is comfortable and produces a massive draw which really lets the cigar showcase how complex, yet balanced it’s flavors are. At $9 a pop these are priced perfectly and I am glad I picked a few up while I was at Monte’s. The shop is about 4 hours away from me, but I tend to visit Albuquerque quite often so it’s not too hard for me to get my hands on them and I plan on picking up quite a few more next time I make a trek up there. Hell, this is a box purchase for sure as these are the perfect addition to just about anyone’s rotation.

Pairing: This is the second time I’ve paired a cigar with Prairie Artisan Ale’s Bible Belt which they produced in collaboration with Evil Twin Brewing (see Espinosa’s 601 La Bomba Bunker Buster). Why? Two reasons: 1) It’s simply a badass beer which pairs perfectly with most bolder cigars and 2) Skip has been on a tear with these beers lately and I found it fitting to do an homage to him. Bible Belt is a hefty Imperial Stout weighing in at 13% ABV which is basically a mash up of Prairie Artisan’s popular Prairie Bomb! (which I paired with Viaje’s 2013 Christmas Tree) and Evil Twin’s Even more Jesus. The result is a crazy flavorful stout aged over coffee, cacao nibs, vanilla beans and chili peppers. In contrast to the Prairie Bomb! the Bible belt is much more chili heavy which creates this awesome spice which pairs up perfectly with the spice in most cigar experiences while the creaminess, sweetness, coffee and chocolate do the rest of the work marrying up with the robust flavors of the Aquitaine creating a pairing that’s near flawless and impossible to replace. Knowing how often Skip smokes his own supply it’s easy to see why he’s been such a fan of this beer.

The post RoMa Craft Tobac Aquitaine Blockhead (Monte’s Exclusive) appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

As we mentioned in our original post, we both do this out of sheer enjoyment. To share our thoughts and get in touch with others who share the same passion that we do and we believe we’ve come a long way and accomplished quite a bit in our time here thus far. Now we have to admit that the joy we take from this site would be significantly decreased if it wasn’t for the awesome feedback we receive you all of you, our readers. Everytime we get an email notification that there’s been a comment on our posts, we rush to open our emails to see who it is and what they have to say! Whether it’s a frequent visitor or a new name we’ve yet to see, it’s always a treat.

www.casasfumando.com

Now we need to take a moment to recognize all the wonderful sponsors that made our contest possible. The support they provide to us on a regular basis is truly amazing and rarely found in many industries. The cigar world is an unbelievable mix of friendly people and companies that make it a joy to be a part of. So one more time, here’s the list of awesome sponsors, let’s give them a grand (virtual) round of applause!

Bonita Smoke Shop

Roma Craft ToBac

E.P. Carrillo

Rocketfuel Coffee

Emilio Cigars

Ortega Cigar Company

Miami Cigar

Joya De Nicaragua

Smoke Inn

Thank again to our wonderful sponsors!

Now onto the Honorable Mentions from our FINAL Day #9 – Smoke Inn

Now we first need to admit this contest theme had probably our favorite responses of the entire 9 days. There were some awesomely hilarious answers and we were glad to see everyone jumping in and poking fun at both Tony and myself. Any frequent reader will know we love to bash each other for various reasons, especially because Tony is such a slacker (see what I did there! ). Without further adieu, let’s check out some of our funniest comments, 2 chosen by me and 2 chosen by Tony!

Tony’s Honorable Mention #1 – Troy Taormina

I can’t decide who I like best because I believe you are both one and the same person (kinda like that fight club movie). You tipped your hand in one of the comments above with your Toniel/Danielony comments. That was the missing piece of the puzzle I needed to solve this once and for all. I’ve never seen you both in the same room, so I must be correct about ths. And you are so duplicitous, you have created one personality in Texas and one all the way in Canada- just to throw us off the trail. It’s pure genius, but I have discovered your secret, Toniel/Danielony.

Fight Club was an awesome movie! haha, very creative Troy!

Tony’s Honorable Mention #2 – Val

Gentleman. Appreciate the contest love this week. Its been great reading everyones storys of smoking and enjoying life and all the memories created by this wonderful hobby, scratch that, lifestyle we have chosen. Todays round is tough, like asking a father to pick which of his children is his favorite.
Tonys got seniority but Daniel has breathed fresh life into the site. Im sure Tony will attest that constantly coming up with fresh new content is a full time job for one man. Appreceiate the time you have put in for the benefit of your readers! You both have a great sense of humor and I have been compelled to start pairing my smokes with some really good beers and wines in large part because of you guys and being jealous about the flavors youre getting from your smokes that you havent picked up before and vice versa. You both have a gift for photography. Love the shots Tony comes away with and Daniel has stepped up the creativity with the “cigar in the tree” or the “cigar in the wrought iron fence” shot…. lol. More than anything I want to say thanks for your efforts. I cant imagine how much time you guys put into this site but I appreciate it very much and look forward to getting an email everyday saying there is a new post up on the site.
Gotta say thanks to Abe as well. Abe is great guy and a great advocate for all of us and this passion we share. He has built great relationships with cigar manufacturers and created some great blends with them. The Tat Anarchy was amazing and the Pardon SI was fantastic as well. Highly reccomend your readers catch his radio show on the weekend. Great interviews with all the stars of this industry.
In closing of this ass kissing bonanza…. In all seriousness. Thanks to you guys. Appreciate all you do. Look forward to the reviews and the love on twitter. The cigar community is bar none the greatest in all the world. The fact that a Canuck and a Cow Poke from TX like Tony can connect and appreciate one another and have a common ground out the gate is awesome. Happy anniversary! Looking forward to many more reviews.

Kissing butt doesn’t always pay off but this time it got you an honorable mention and almost a prize pack! haha. Thanks again for the awesome words Val!

Daniel’s Honorable Mention #1 – Josh

To be honest with you after this awesome contest I would spoon with either of you (or both) and I am an extremely heterosexual man. I put my vote in for Tony because he liked my photo from last week. Great site and contest, I have it bookmarked and will look often.

This one made me crack up, shows just how far a grown man will go to get some good cigars! HAHAHA, thanks for the laugh Josh, even though you chose Tony!

Daniel’s Honorable Mention #2 – Dan

Hmm..who do I like better…This sure is a tough one…
Tony “T-bags” Casas
Pros:
– His last name means “houses”
– Pairs his cigars with water because, “who cares!”
– Has a photo bombing pussy cat
Cons: See above
Daniel ‘DALAMLDADASMMOSUSESUISUSOsus.32120(sx)” T(nobody knows his last name”
Pros:
– CANADIAN
– Endless supply of beer glasses
– Grows a mean mustache
– Has a penchon for buggery
Cons:
– See pro #4
After careful deliberation for many hours…Drum roll please……………..*drum roll*
DT with a side order of TC, a tall glass of I&G and some rainbow ice cream on a waffle cone.

Not only do you have an awesome name, you also have some great creativity! lol Well done!

Now for our winner of the Smoke Inn Prizepack!

So here is our winner chosen by both of to ensure some fairness and unbiased winner! We actually battled over this one a bit since there were so many great comments.

Our big winner is Michael Constantine

In a society predicated on the basis “What have you done for me lately?” I am going to say I may dislike you both equally. “Why?” you may ask. Well I’ll tell you why. All your contests state that making a simple comment is all that is neccesary to win. However, all winning entries were elaborate and well thought out. Now, being that I am retarded in conveying my stories and thoughts onto paper, I thought to myself, “Wow!, a simple contest even a half witted (good looking and successful) dude like myself can win.” Every passing day my hopes and dreams for all dim wits alike were dashed as the apparent “young author” winners of my youth had struck once again. My stories are the funniest (Ortega D named after the recently deceased Heavy D) or the most polished. But damnit, how many of us BOL are? Imagination is not my strong suit but right now I will pretend to like Tony better because after all, he is supplying the winners info to Abe. Also I have read some of his reviews and his writing skills are on par with mine!

See Michael, whining works sometimes! haha. funny write up here, you had us both laughing! Enjoy the prize pack!

Congrats! Please email your name, and address to “casasfumando@gmail.com”. Thanks again to everyone who entered this contest and all the others we’ve been running. We had a great time with this and we hope you all did too!

The post A HUGE Thank You! (And Day #9 Winner!) appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Up on the docket for Day 3 is none other than Ernesto Perez Carrillo. The E.P. Carrillo brand has made a huge splash in the few short years since it was created. From their tasty limited editions to their very popular regular production lines, their success has been great. Based out of Miami, Ernesto is definitely not new to the cigar industry but his self-named brand is a new project. The official kick-off was in 2009 and he continues his family run legacy along with his son and daughter. Be sure to head on over to www.epcarrillo.com and take a look at their current offerings and be sure to read a little bit of their interesting history.

E.P. Carrillo and family have definitely been a great support for us here at Casas Fumando and we’re grateful for the kindness and generosity they have showed us. Yet again, they are showing their awesome side and have given up a box of their Core Line Natural Golosos. The Golosos vitola is a massive 6.25 by 60 cigar filled with an interesting mixture of Ecuadorian, Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos. We actually reviewed the Core Line Natural awhile ago in the Club 52 vitola, you can find that review here.

So now the big question is, how do you win yourself this awesome box of cigars? Well, we’re gonna make this an easy one but you’ll have to put on your creative hats and think of something. You can use any of the following methods to enter:

 
So here is your mission if you choose to accept it!
Come up with your own creative name and blend for a large 6.25 x 60 cigar.

We’re leaving this totally open with no theme to follow, we just want to see some funny/interesting/creative/weird ideas. Tie it into yesterdays line names if you posted one but let’s focus just on the one vitola this time. Let’s make sure to keep it (somewhat)clean!
That’s it, easy-peasy! Now hop to it before we decide to smoke all these cigars ourselves!

*Note* 18 years or older ONLY. The winner will be announced tomorrow.
 
 

Now onto the winners from Day #2 – RoMa Craft Tobac

 
The lucky person is going to receive a wicked package from RoMa Craft Tobac, specifically an Intemperance Sampler pack! We had an awesome amount of replies for the contest and we got some very creative ones too. Here’s a couple of honorable mentions that Skip Martin picked for the contest:

Honorable Mention: nwbonick

Line: Seven Deadly Sins
Wrath. 5 x 42. Comprised of 100% Nicaraguan Sungrown Ligero and infused with ghost chilis.
Sloth: 4 x 26. Pre-cut cigarillo.
Pride. 6 x 50. Barber pole wrapper with a band depicting the Irish flag.
Lust: 8 x 52. Diameda format. ‘Nuff said.
Greed: 7 x 50. Connecticut wrapper and gold embossed band. Retails for $100/cigar.
Gluttony: 4 x 60. Infused with bacon. Also known as the “Baconater.”
Envy: 7 x 60. Oscuro wrapper.

Honorable Mention: revjava

So my idea for a cigar line is Coffee Inspired …
The line would be called: SmokeBucks and have a green mermaid as a logo (No trademarks violations!) The line would consist of :
The Peaberry~ a 5×42 Petit Corona Claro that would be mild and take 5 months of extra aging to bring it from green to dried
Coffea Arabica~ (nicknamed-“The Daniel”) a 5×50 Toro Colorado Maduro that would be full flavored and infused with Maple Syrup. This Cigar would only be sold at Tim Hortons, Hockey Games and Scuba Shops Side Note~ each box would come with a pint of Canadian Grade B
The Ethopian~a 6×42 Lonsdale Oscuro that is Earthy in it richness and smooth in it’s fullness, like the space that inspires it.
Café Robusta~(nicknamed “The Tony”) a 6×60 Gordo Maduro infused with Imitation Banana and Brisket flavorings. A quirky yet consistent smoke, known by many. The Tony would be sold in box that looks like a Foosball table and come with a Bobblehead of Wayne Newton
Caffees Fumando # 9~ a 7×49 Double Corona Colorado produced by Drew Estate in the Liga Privada line, This cigar would hope to made weekly, but in truth would come out more often ( most weeks). This cigar has the ability to Tweet, post on FB, take really really good pictures and give great samplers to Coffee addicts that show some creativity…

WINNER #1: JoeyV

In a nod to old school hip hop which anyone who follows Chief Hava on twitter knows is a big deal, Id name my line GrandMaster and all the vitolas would be a nod to the legends of hip hop.
4 x 52 Petite Robusto – Bushwick
4 ½ x 60 Petite Gordo – Sugarhill
5 x 55 Robusto Extra – Furious 5
6 x 46 Grand Corona – Bambatta
6 x 60 Gran Toro – Notorious
It would be a two blend cigar. Full flavored, full strength binder and filler. One wrapped in Conny and one wrapped in Conneticut Broadleaf. Word to yer mutha!

WINNER #2: Jeremy H.

Driven by my love for cigars and fishing, I will have to carry on a fish theme with my cigar line “Outrigger”.
Half Corona – 4.25 x 42 “Minnow”
Corona – 5.5 x 42 “Perch”
Rothschild – 4.5 x 50 “Pan Fish”
Robusto – 5 x 50 “Flathead”
Toro – 6 x 50 “Wally”
Lancero – 7 x 38 “The Pike”

Congrats to our winners and a big thank you to our Sponsor! Please be sure to email us your name, address, phone number and email address to casasfumando@gmail.com

The post Contest Day #3 – E.P. Carrillo (and Day #2 Winner!) appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with RoMa Craft Tobac, here is an excerpt from www.havacigarshop.com, online home of RoMa Craft Tobac:

”RoMa Craft Tobac was formed in 2012 by Michael Rosales and Skip Martin combining the operations of their two companies, Costa Rican Imports, LLC and Galveston Bay Tobacco, LLC. The combined company holds the CroMagnon, CroMagnon Aquitaine, Intemperance, Adrians Costa Rica, and Hava Cigar brands and manages manufacturing operations in Esteli, Nicaragua and San Jose, Costa Rica.”

Now, we are all familiar with Skip. Skip is, and always has been one of the most stand up, and genuine guys in the industry. Not to mention someone I would like to call my friend. I spent some time with him on a recent trip to the Dominican Republic, and I have to say, the guy is exactly as his online persona appears. Within 5 minutes of meeting him, he had already pissed off an American Airlines flight attendant while in line to buy gummi-bears. That being said, he made the trip fun, and interesting with his funny stories, crazy late-night shenanigans, and his constant singing of old-skool hip hop.

Not only is Skip a great guy, but he and Michael really know their stuff. Their debut blend, the CroMagnon is proof of that. You can read my review here, which I can openly say that I, along with many others loved. Here we are a year or so later and Skip and Michael have teamed up again, along with their newly established factory to bring you, the Intemperance. This release is hot off the press, and if I am not mistaken Skip’s wife Angela had just made mention that she was dropping off some of the first pre-orders for shipping! Here is a little info about the blend:

The Intemperance Volstead Sampler contains all eight cigars in the liga.
Intemperance is presented in two capa varietals. Each contains four vitolas, two parejos and two figurados:

Intemperance EC XVIII – Ecuador Connecticut

The Charity, a 4 x 46 Petito, $5.00
The Virtue, a 4 1/2 x 52 Short Robusto, $6.00
The Faith, a 5 x 50 Short Perfecto, $6.50
The Industry, a 5 1/2 x 54 Belicoso, $7.00

Intemperance BA XXI – Brazil Arapiraca

The Intrigue, a 4 x 46 Petito, $5.00
The Avarice, a 4 1/2 x 52 Short Robusto, $6.00
The Envy, a 5 x 50 Short Perfecto, $6.50

Gotta love Skips naming conventions, probably the best, and most original in the industry. Anywho, if you would like more information on the cigar you can visit Hava Cigar Shop here, and even order directly from the site. Browse around, Skip has started to fill the shop with some awesome swag along with cigars. You can also stay up to date with RoMa Craft Tobac by following them on Facebook and Twitter.

Want to be one of the first ones with this cigar? Here is your chance. RoMa Craft Tobac has offered up 1 full, Volstead sampler. That’s right, all 8 cigars in the line could be yours.

Entry is simple, I want you guys to think of a cigar line. Your personal blend, something that you hold dear to you. Now think about the sizes you would make, and what you would name each one. I really think that Skip has a knack for his vitola titles, and I want to see how creative you guys can get! Leave a comment below with your sizes and titles and we will pick one lucky winner to receive an Intemperance Volstead sampler directly from RoMa Craft Tobac!

Again, 18 years or older ONLY. The winner will be announced tomorrow.

And of course, onto the winner of our contest, Day #1 – Bonita Smoke Shop.

Before announcing the winner, I wanted to post a few of the entries from people who allowed me to post their pictures. I loved the creativity, and some of them literally made me crack up when opening them. It’s also nice to put a face to so many of you people.

Corey - As long as it's not a Flyer, I'm OK with that.

Paul - Who I am assuming is smoking at work. Lucky dog. (Cool Pink Hanger)

Michael - Mean looking dude with a pretty colored wall.

Leo - with his badass Humi-Clock. Look at that proud, proud man.

Keith - who promised to give me this watch. So kind of you man, so kind.

Josh - Time for a cigar indeed.

Jmulley - with his beautiful little one (and an awesome hat)!

Jesus - who had to travel a long way to get all the way up to the clock.

Jeremy - Getting all sorts of creative (and a little creepy).

Jeff - Alas, the man behind the curtain!

Jake - this is his email to me: " Please don't judge me based on this photo. I wasn't ready. My eye itched. It was taken by a midget. A sleepy midget. a sleepy, cranky midget. A sleepy, cranky midget that doesn't care what contest it's for, who only wants to snap this awful picture and go to bed. Pick any excuse you want, just don't think I look like this all the time." I'm telling your wife what you called her.

Doogie - keeping it real.

Derek - showing us the goods, making our mouths water.

David - awesome picture, vacation time. something that I really need.

And…. our winner, from a Galaxy far, far away.:

Lupe - yes, appearently that's a guys name too, lighting it up, sith style.

The post Contest Day #2 – RoMa Craft Tobac (and Day #1 Winner) appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.