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
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
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
This four country blend edition produces a complex medium to full bodied flavor that some say is acquired taste. I’m sure if you’ve had them and enjoy them, another start or two is warranted. This stick is another effort by Kristoff to broaden the brand’s appeal to more smokers.
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican-Nicaraguan
Binder – Coming Soon!
Wrapper Type – Ecuador Sumatra
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
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
I have to admit that the rarely made Short Torpedo size is one of my go to cigars.
A year after the Synchro line arrived, Davidoff wrapped the unique blend of fillers and binder with a Habano 2000 wrapper ramping up its predecessors medium bodied taste to the medium-full bodied scale. If you enjoy the the first Synchro, the Fogata gives you more!
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican-Nicaraguan
Binder – Mexican
Wrapper Type – Habana 2000
Don Diego cigars have been around forever. This amazingly consistent cigar often gets lost in a sea of new entries. It is probably one of the mildest , smoothest and mellowist smokes in existence. The prefect Connecticut Shade wrapper is your first sign of how special this cigar is. The bit of Nicaraguan filler combined with selected Dominican leaves from the top of the plant yields a perfectly balanced smoke. Want mild with character…….Don Diego is it!
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican-Nicaraguan
Binder – Dominican
Wrapper Type – Connecticut Shade
