EP Carrillo’s Inch series was specifically designed for smokers that prefer larger ring sizes. As each edition’s blend was formulated, the level of strength and overall character changed. The Ecuadorian Colorado wrapper encasing this stick results in an earthy tasting full bodied, fairly strong smoke not found in it’s Natural and Maduro counterparts.
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican – Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Ecuador Habano
Two young guys from Austin Texas formed the Roma Craft company back in 2012. Since then they’ve made a huge impact on the small batch cigar market. All of their entries have been highly rated and are well made with an ample draw. As smokers palates have evolved over the years, this company has stood out by offering unique and complex blends pleasing the folks that steer towards high quality, medium-full bodied cigars. This strange looking little guy is Roma Craft’s He-Man stick that’s been around since 2015.. The exclusive blend of U.S. grown Pennsylvania Broadleaf, Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers along with a U.S. grown Connecticut binder encased in a Mexican wrapper is not for the squeamish. This is an extremely robust cigar that increases in spiciness and intensity as you move along. Buckle up, big time! Origin – Nicaragua Filler – Dominican – Nicaraguan – United States Binder – Connecticut Broadleaf Wrapper Type – San Andres
Just in case you didn’t know, Undercrown is made in the image of the coveted limited production Liga Privada line from Drew Estate. The company describes it as follows. “Incorporating many of the same rare tobaccos of different vintages and primings, this cigar is no mere replacement.”
Those smokers that felt the Undercrown maduro was a bit too strong will absolutely love this Shade edition. The most compelling evidence is the great reviews. Halfwheel @ 90. Blind Man’s Puff @ 93 and Stogie Press @ an astounding 95! And this is just a few! One taster says it best.“Want a smoke that’ll blow your pants off with delicious medium bodied notes of vanilla wafers and pancakes, pick this one up now!” What more would you like to know? This Undercrown is another winner for sure.
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade
Binder: Sumatra
Filler: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua
Factory: La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate
Blender: Willy Herrera
The Maduro and Sun Grown versions offer more medium to full bodied flavor and are equally wonderful!
La Vieja Habana Corojo is another one of Drew Estate’s masterpieces that are totally affordable for everyone to enjoy!
Believe it or not, La Vieja Habana was Drew Estate’s first brand! Handmade from the quality leaf left over from the manufacture of Drew Estate’s premium cigar brands, the La Vieja Habana is an exceptional smoking value. This tripa mezclado cigar consistently delivers a great flavor with an excellent draw and burn.
This cigar combines a beautiful Cuban Corojo wrapper with filler tobaccos from Estelí and the Jalapa Valley in Nicaragua. Like the other styles, it is a mixed filler cigar with a premium wrapper. Medium bodied with lots of flavors, it has an earthy taste with hints of spice and a pleasant aroma.
But Beware! Due to the popularity of these these cigars, they are in and out of stock frequently. So if you’re looking for an affordable, hand made smoke that can be enjoyed everyday, pick one we have and enjoy!
Check out the other styles of La Vieja Habana available on The Cigar Thief HERE
Origin – Nicaragua
Filler – Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Cuban Corojo Seed
Isla Del Sol is another masterpiece from Drew Estate. This hand made Nicaraguan and Sumatran beauty is priced literally so everyone can enjoy them. You’ll notice a bit of sweetness when your tongue touches the cap and a hit of infused coffee/cocoa beans throughout. Depending on your taste this cigar steers toward the mild to slightly medium spectrum.
One thing that will not disappoint is the fine construction and aromatic smoke production, the latter of which Drew Estate has definitely mastered. These totally affordable well made cigars are smartly packaged and adorned with tobacco leaves inside.
Origin – Nicaragua
Filler – Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper – Sun Grown Sumatra
Factory Smokes Sungrown is one of four of Drew Estate’s entries into the ever growing handmade Budget-Value category for all of us to enjoy for under $2 a stick!
With attention to detail, all Factory Smokes are made by hand. The big difference is the tobacco inside is made up of mixed fillers available at the factory. To put it another way, these leaves are the same crop used in their premiums! And on top of this, Factory smokes were created by Master Blenders Willie Herrera and Jonathon Drew himself!
A point often overlooked is that bundled cigars are rarely review and rated. But it’s no surprise that many critics were duly impressed. With this in mind, here’s what some had to say about Factory Smokes Sungrown:
Smooth burn/Clean finish/Notes of cedar and spice/Good draw/No sour or bitter tastes/Great taste/
Notes of cream, natural tobacco, and sweet woodsy nuances
You be the judge. But without a doubt, these cigars are worth more than their price for sure!
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Habano Sungrown
Binder: Indonesia
Filler: Indonesia
Factory: La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate
Blenders: Willy Herrera, Jonathan Drew
Ferio Tego Metropolitan Selection Habano is one of a collection of 5 different blends. And this one is considered the best of the bunch.
With attention to detail, the dark Habano wrapper encases selected Nicaraguan longleaf fillers and binder. When this Nicaraguan puro edition was launched in 2017, it got serious notice as the Gordo size garnered a 91 rating. Venturing out of the mild to mellow flavor zone, this cigar goes directly into the solid medium plus to full body realm. What catches everyone by surprise is that the Metropolitan Selection Habano possesses a signature Cuban style thats also tempered with smoothness. The bonus is a perfect draw giving way to a huge volume of aromatic smoke as well.
Just so you know, these cigars are in and out of stock quickly. Stay connected with us to see when more come in.
See all the Ferio Tego cigars available on The Cigar Thief HERE
This Nicaraguan puro JJ edition is a collaboration of Garcia and his son. In order to make them exactly the way they wanted, production is tightly supervised at their Miami facility. The vintage Corojo and Criollo tobaccos yield a full body flavored cigar with a distinct mix of sweet and spicy tastes.
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: My Father Cigars S.A.
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua (Corojo & Criollo)
Kentucky Fire Cured Swamp Thang is perfect for fans of both Fire Cured and Candela tobaccos. Pairing this deliciously sweet green candela wrapper with the smoky & tasty Kentucky Fire Cured tobaccos creates a uniquely balanced, complex and savory cigar.Yes! You have two wrappers on this cigar!
Wrapper: Dominican Candela plus Kentucky Fire-Cured
Binder: Undisclosed
Filler: Undisclosed
Factory: Joya de Nicaragua (Nicaragua)
Factory Smokes Shade is one of four of Drew Estate’s entries into the ever growing handmade Budget-Value category for all of us to enjoy for under $2 a stick! Jonathan Drew’s creation of Drew Estate started a revolution of amazing cigars. From Acid to Liga Privada , Undercrown and beyond. No matter which Premium or Super Premium brand he produced we knew one thing, we got what we paid for.
This Shade entry offers those of us that enjoy smooth tasting mild to medium bodied cigars an everyday choice. Blind Man’s Puff gave this cigar a 90 rating! And on top of this, Factory smokes were created by Master Blenders Willie Herrera and Jonathon Drew himself! What more do you need to know?
Check out the other three blends on Factory Smoke available on The Cigar Thief HERE
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade
Binder: Indonesia
Filler: Indonesia
Factory: La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate
Blenders: Willy Herrera, Jonathan Drew
Ok, I’m sticking my neck out here. I think this is one of the absolute best cigars you can buy for the price. Oddly enough, this edition has been flying under the radar for over 15 years. Since it’s been available, I’ve emphatically recommended it more times than I can remember. Davidoff acquired the Cusano brand many years ago and performed magic with the brand. All you need to know is that every component in these cigars has been seriously aged up to 18 years. The result of this true luxury blend is a spectacularly tasty, rich and flavorful mellow to medium flavored jewel with a great draw and a perfect burn. Try a five pack when we have them and see for yourself.
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican
Binder – Dominican
Wrapper Type – Connecticut Broadleaf
Wrapper: Honduran Corojo (5th Priming)
Binder: Honduran Corojo
Filler: Honduran Corojo | Pennsylvania Broadleaf
Factory: Diadema Cigars de Honduras, S.A. (Honduras)
Romeo y Julieta Aniversario is a very, very special cigar to say the least.
You’re definitely a serious shopper if you’re looking at this amazing cigar. In 2003, Altadis reached out to Master Blender Jose Seijas who is a veritable icon of the industry for over 40 years. With attention to detail, his skillful multi country blend of long fillers is encased in a dark Ecuadorian Sumatra seed wrapper. Without a doubt this produces an amazingly complex, smooth tasting medium bodied cigar. While this masterpiece took a while to get passed around, it’s eventual 92 rating is a testament of Seijas’ ability to give smokers a truly great experience.
Just so you know, along with the high score, Cigar Aficionado placed this great cigar in the top 25 of the year. If you want to see what has been pleasing discerning smokers for over twenty years, this Romeo has to be in your humidor today. Hands down!
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican-Nicaraguan-Peruvian
Binder – USA Connecticut Broadleaf
Wrapper – Ecuadorian Sumatra
See all the Romeo y Julieta cigars available at The Cigar Thief HERE
Montecristo Monte by AJ Fernandez is another fantastic collaboration between Master Blender A J Fernandez and this iconic brand. This is the fourth cigar blended and rolled by Fernández for Altadis U.S.A.
With attention to detail, this creation contains vintage Dominican piloto cubano and criollo 98 fillers along with a prime Nicaraguan corojo 98 binder. And encasing all this is a 17-year-old Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. How’s that for complexity and craftsmanship! Without doubt the blend yields a balanced, smooth medium-full bodied flavor. To say the least, this dark, box pressed cigar is perfectly made with an exceptional draw.
When renowned industry reviewer Katman rated it at 95, his description of this flavor bomb is spot on. ” This may just be the maltiest blend I’ve smoked. In addition, flavors of chocolate, caramel, creaminess, red pepper, dried fruit, roasted nuts, cedar, and toasted buttered French bread make this cigar a winner.”
If you consider yourself a fan of Montecristo and AJ Fernandez, this one must be in your humidor for sure!
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan Corojo 98
Filler: Nicaraguan Criollo 98, Dominican Republic Piloto Cubano
Factory: Tabacalera Fernandez S.A.
Blender: AJ Fernandez
See all the Montecristo cigars available on The Cigar Thief HERE
Without doubt, Montecristo Espada is one of this iconic company’s best cigars ever!
The Spanish lesson for today is: Espada means sword. When the Espada appeared garnering a 92 rating and becoming one of the top 25 cigars of the year we all knew it was worth the price. What must be remembered is Espada is made in Nicaragua at Plasencia Cigars and is a collaboration between Plasencia and the Altadis blending team, Grupo de Maestros.
With attention to detail, the very rare wrapper from 2010 encases vintage Nicaraguan filler and binder tobacco from three prized growing regions. In fact, the filler and binder leaves are even older! The result is a medium bodied purebred with an interesting combination of sweetness and spice thats creamy and balanced. Cigar Aficionado describes this amazing smoke perfectly. “An exceptional smoke offering the spice of a gingersnap with touches of cinnamon that build to a sweet, spicy finish.”
It’s no surprise Espada has been pleasing cigar smokers for almost a decade and is still going strong.
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano (Jalapa) Vintage 2010
Binder: Nicaraguan Habano (Jalapa) Vintage 2009
Filler: Nicaraguan Habano (Jalapa) Seco Vintage 2008, Nicaraguan Habano (Jalapa) Viso Ometepe Vintage 2008, Nicaraguan Habano (Condega) Ligero Vintage 2008
This is probably one of the best full bodied cigars you’ve never heard of. This 90 rated stick has been flying under the radar for over six years. What sets this Nicaraguan puro aside from many others is the characteristic of its blend, Soon after lighting up it hits you with a robust burst of flavor that begins to settle down with a bit of sweetness as you move along then ramps back up again. This is a very very flavorful cigar with a great aroma.
Origin – Nicaraguan
Filler – Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Nicaraguan
This edition is yet another accomplishment of Casa Fernandez’s unique ability to continue crafting intricate blends appealing to every smokers desires and specific taste preferences. This Maduro is medium to full bodied and loaded with rich flavors of espresso, cocoa and light pepper. There’s also a bit of a cherry like sweetness throughout as well, if you can believe it!
Wrapper: Mexican San Andrés Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan Aganorsa
Filler: Nicaraguan Aganorsa
La Opulencia received a 95-rating and was named the #2 Cigar of 2018. Make no mistake, this box pressed beauty is a full bodied smoke. However, it’s unusually creamy and smooth along the way without harshness.
Origin – Nicaragua
Fillers – Nicaraguan [Cuban seed tobaccos grown by the Garcia family]
Binders – Nicaraguan [one Corojo and one Criollo]
Wrapper Type – San Andres Oscuro
Tabak Especial Dulce the original coffee infused premium cigar. The underlying taste of roasted coffee beans combined with a unique blend of tobacco produces a very enjoyable medium bodied smoke. Needless to say, it’s great with a cup of espresso! Enjoy!
Origin – Nicaragua
Filler – Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Connecticut Broadleaf
*These items cannot be shipped to Massachusetts state addresses
Joya De Nicaragua Black is one this iconic brand’s newer amazing selections.
When Black hit the scene in 2018, not only did it get a 93 rating, it was also named one of the top 25 cigars of the year! The addition of a dark and oily San Andreas Mexican wrapper made this medium bodied, slow burning stick a huge hit at a fairly friendly price.
With this in mind, it’s no surprise why so many seasoned smokers are rediscovering this time honored brand.
Check out all the other Joya De Nicaragua cigars available on The Cigar Thief HERE
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Negro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Factory: Fabrica de Tabacos Joya de Nicaragua S.A.
Blender: Juan Martinez
Isla Del Sol Maduro is another masterpiece from Drew Estate.
As found with the Original Sungrown blend, this darkly encased edition offers an enjoyable smoke with hints of infused coffee/cocoa beans. The big difference is the oily maduro wrapper which gives way to a smooth medium bodied taste. The bonus is that this one is priced right for all of us to enjoy as well.
One thing that will not disappoint is the fine construction and aromatic smoke production, the latter of which Drew Estate has definitely mastered. These totally affordable well made cigars are smartly packaged and adorned with tobacco leaves inside.
Filler – Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Maduro
When you have a chance, click on the “Ask Richie” icon on the upper part of the screen and read my “Bundles of Joy” submission. You’ll then understand how important the valued priced bundle category has been to both cigar makers and lovers.
This edition is one of the best medium bodied smokes available for the price. It’s well made with a great draw yielding a smooth, satisfying smoking experience across the board.
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican
Binder – Connecticut
Wrapper Type – Cameroon
I remember when this line appeared in the early 90’s. Up to then, the Avo brand was as hugely popular with smokers who enjoyed mild cigars as it is to this very day. The medium bodied XO immediately appealed to two groups of folks. People that enjoyed Avo Classics and felt their palates were graduating towards a more flavorful smoking experience. And those smokers that wanted the renowned Avo quality who enjoyed medium bodied cigars as part of their daily diet.
Avo cigars have never been cheap. In fact, their kind of pricey. What’s undisputed is that Davidoff has continued to produced Avo cigars perfectly over decades. Each one is flawlessly made with an abundant draw. It’s wonderful to see so many new choices available to try within this iconic brand.
Origin – Dominican Republic
Dominican
BinderDominicanDominican
Wrapper Type – Ecuador Connecticut
