Cigar Review: Spring 2021

Powerful, patiently aged long-fillers from three countries (Nicaragua, Honduras, Dominican) are used to create this full-bodied cigar. I notice roasted coffee and richness from the Nicaraguan leaves. I notice dank earth and toasty tobacco nuances from the Honduran leaves. I notice cedar and sweetness from the Dominican leaves. The Brazilian Habano wrapper offers a sweet spice. I find all these flavors and I respect the cigar’s strength, while appreciating its incredible balance. Silky smooth yet powerful. This robust cigar is nothing short of well done.

Historically, Ave Maria is focused on mellow strength levels and graceful flavors. Dark Knight was blended to be a potent puro, so I was eager to try it. Since doing so, I’ve been burning them nonstop. I love the rich, chewy flavors this cigar puts out. Rich cocoa. Rich leather. Rich espresso bean. The finish is spicy-sweet. The room is filled with oily, charcoal aromas. The smoke is soothing, and I can feel its strength in my belly, like a homecooked meal. This is as close as a cigar can get to comfort food, and I enjoy it immensely.

I’m British. I love cigars. I’m a big fan of Winston Churchill. That said, I was excited to try the cigar that dons his name. Made in the DR, this well-stuffed handmade is oily and toothy to the touch. The wrapper is Ecuador Habano. The long-fillers are Dominican and Nicaraguan. The binder is Mexican. The flavor is sophisticated, and I note earth, stone fruit, sweet cedar. The Mexican binder is present with a hint of black pepper. The flavor doesn’t stray, and this cigar can easily top off any evening with a single malt.

RP Number 6 was recently named the #9 cigar of 2020, so I decided to give it a whirl. I’ll say now, I concur. Made with a Honduran Corojo wrapper, this Toro combines long-fillers from Nicaragua and Honduras inside a Honduran binder. The smoke is uniquely sweet from start to finish, offering a nimble marriage of pepper and cashew, with soft hints of vanilla bean and citrus. The finish has a touch of spice, completing a medium-bodied cigar that is full in satisfying flavor.

A golden, seamless Connecticut leaf from Ecuador hugs this 61-ring Double Perfecto. This leaf imparts a creamy, smooth element to the richer tobaccos beneath. Vintage Dominican long-fillers offer a toasty touch of cocoa, while long-leaf Peruvian tobaccos create a gentle spice that lingers long but elegantly after each puff. I enjoy its mature layers of balanced flavors…a sign of quality, aged tobaccos that have been carefully fermented. A tick or two above medium in strength, but elegant enough for the novice.