When you have a chance, click the “Ask Richie” icon on the upper left hand side of the screen and check out the “Bundles of Joy” article. It was just a matter of time before Ernesto Carrillo joined the club of offering hand made premium cigars for around $3 that we could readily enjoy every day without guilt. This edition is just that. The difference between this value brand and many others is the Master Blender behind it. This five country blend produces a complexly balanced medium bodied stick yielding a great aroma, easy draw and wonderful taste. Thank you Ernesto for thinking about us mere mortals! Pick you favorite size and you’ll see what I mean. PS, let them age and they get even better!!
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican – Ecuadorian – Mexican – Nicaraguan – United States
Binder – Ecuadorian
Wrapper Type – Ecuador Habano
Aptly named for a preference for darkness or the night, this edition pushed the flavor meter just about as far as you could go. With a Nicaraguan blend of fillers and binder within a near black San Andreas Mexican wrapper, this stick combines sweetness and spice in a flat out full bodied, strong cigar. Buckle up!
Origin – Honduras
Filler – Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – San Andres Maduro
This edition is a very slow burning stick that’s jammed packed with tobacco. Even though it has a combination of sweet and spicy tastes, this is a very strong cigar that gains intensity on all fronts as you move along. Buckle Up!
Origin – Honduras
Filler – Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Nicaraguan
We know Master Blender Christian Eiroa understand what Corojo is all about about what it’s supposed to taste like. After all, his signature Camacho Corojo serves as the category’s benchmark. This very full bodied Honduran puro is balanced and strong from the start and gains intensity as you move along. Buckle up!
Origin – Honduras
Filler – Honduran
Binder – Honduran
Wrapper Type – Corojo-Honduran
This was the second Insidious entry utilizing the same blend of fillers and binder as the mild tasting Original. The addition of a San Andreas Mexican Maduro wrapper moved it’s character into the medium bodied range while retaining its smoothness.
Origin – Honduras
Filler – Honduran
Binder – Honduran
Wrapper Type – San Andres
Padron Damaso is one of this iconic company’s most popular and newer entries.
With attention to detail, this round, mild tasting, flavorful, hand crafted and limited production cigar is encased in a specially created Ecuadorian grown Connecticut wrapper. What’s more important is this cigar was blended by Jorge Padron himself. To that end, Damaso is a cigar with a unique flavor profile that is medium to full-bodied and super smooth.
So if you’re looking for all the signature characteristics of Padron cigars with tamer strength, Damaso is a perfect choice!
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian grown Connecticut Seed
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Factory: Damaso (near Piloto Cigars Inc.)
Blender: Jorge Padron
Check out all the Padron Cigars available on The Cigar Thief HERE
Foundation owner Nick Melillo traveled to the island of Jamaica in 2015 to have some fun along with searching for the country’s rarely used tobacco. He soon located one of the oldest farms growing and processing leaves utilizing traditional methods that have been employed for over a thousand years. He then put his mad scientist hat on and combined his Master Blender skills by applying what he calls “Caribbean atmospheric herbal fusion.” The short version of this is that the combination of this process with coveted Jamaican and vintage Nicaraguan leaves produced a series of cigars ranging from mild and smooth to medium-full bodied and beyond. Yes, they’re totally different and have become pleasant diversions for experienced smokers as well as newcomers.
Origin – Nicaragua
Filler – Jamaican – Nicaraguan
Binder – Coming Soon!
Wrapper Type – Varied
Since its launch in 2003, Pete Johnson’s Tatuaje cigar portfolio has grown to include more than 20 brands—both in regular and limited production and has grown from unknown status to one of the cigar industry’s highly rated and sought-after boutique cigar brands. Johnson himself has also evolved from an unknown newcomer to visionary and respected industry entrepreneur.
An important thing to know is that the Avion was blended in its entirety by Johnson himself. It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost 10 years since this gem came to market. Many feel this is Pete’s signature smoke. While we know the selected vintage blend of fillers and binder are the exact ones contained in his Fausto brand, the creative use of a rare, nearly black USA grown Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper produces a very unique stick. This box pressed, old school perfecto is a solidly medium bodied smoke that gains a smooth intensity as it moves along. But make no mistake, this is a bold, rich and dense cigar.
Origin – Nicaragua
Filler – Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Connecticut Broadleaf – Ecuador Habano
It’s hard to believe it’s been a dozen years since this special cigar was launched. This solidly medium bodied cigars reputation speaks for itself with all facets of its being. The complex blend yields just enough of just about every taste characteristic in the spectrum with smoothness, strength, balance and spice to name a few. It was from this very stick’s concept that Tatuaje continued producing more editions for all our smoking enjoyment. Enjoy…BIG TIME!
Origin – Nicaragua
Filler – Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Nicaraguan Corojo
If you’re a fan of the Original Havana VI, this edition will give you more of what you enjoyed across the board. This dark stick raises the needle on the flavor strength meter into the medium to full bodied range.
Origin – Nicaragua
Filler – Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Habano
Since its launch in 2003, Pete Johnson’s Tatuaje cigar portfolio has grown to include more than 20 brands—both in regular and limited production and has grown from unknown status to one of the cigar industry’s highly rated and sought-after boutique cigar brands. Johnson himself has also evolved from an unknown newcomer to visionary and respected industry entrepreneur.
This edition came on the scene back in 2011 and received deservedly high ratings culminating in being awarded one of the top cigars of 2018 with 93 points. As you can see, Fausto has been a truly consistently great stick for about a decade. In short; this is a dark, strong, hearty and spicy cigar from the get go and increases in intensity and you move along with it. Buckle up!
Origin – Nicaragua
Filler – Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Habano Maduro
No one disputes that Rocky Patel is one of the few Titans of the Premium Cigar Industry. Over 20 years ago as he began his quest to get a foothold in the marketplace he actually got in his car and traveled the country visiting high volume Tobacconists unannounced! When he wound up in my store to sell his first entry , I hesitantly took a chance on him. Actually, he was such a nice and appreciative person I couldn’t resist! The rest is cigar history!
If you’ve read my posts you know I’m bullish on aging your cigars to enhance their taste. This 92 rated style was listed as one of the top 25 cigars in 2017. Not only does it have a beautiful rare Cameroon wrapper, it’s been aged 8 years!
The result is a sold medium to full bodied, well rounded smoke that is uncommonly smooth.
Origin – Honduras
Filler – Dominican-Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Cameroon
