During the PCA 2024 Trade Show earlier this year, I was able to stop by the Smoking Jacket booth and spend some time talking with the those behind the Mini Henkie: Hendrik Kelner Jr. (blender and owner of Kelner Boutique Factory in the Dominican Republic), Henrik Kelner (son of Hendrik Kelner Jr.), and Hendrik Alexander (brother of Hendrik Kelner Jr.). This was obviously a family affair. If you’ve smoked the Smoking Jacket Henke, you know that Hendrik Kelner Jr. blended that cigar for his father, Hendrik “Henke” Kelner. Now, if you don’t know who Henke Kelner is I’m assuming you’re new to cigars. Henke was the Master Blender for Davidoff for many years, but he was much more than that. There is not enough space on this review to properly give credit for all that Henke has done for the cigar industry. He is a legend.
That’s what makes this cigar very unique and special. Not that Henke was involved, but that his son, Hendrik Alexander, and his grandson, Henrik, blended this cigar for Henke. While Hendrik Kelner Jr. was involved, he let his younger brother and his son take the lead on the blending and marketing behind the cigar. They blended the cigar for Henke’s palate and what he likes in a cigar. When someone blends a cigar for a legend in the industry, it had better be good.
OVERVIEW
VITOLA: Mini Henkie
SIZE: 4″ x 46
ORIGIN: Dominican Republic
FACTORY: [Kelner Boutique Factory
WRAPPER: Dominican Republic – Kelner Farm Yamasa
BINDER: Dominican Republic – Monta Plata
FILLER: Dominican Republic – Kelner Family Reserve Habano, HVA & San Vicente – & Nicaragua – Condega Ligero
STRENGTH: Medium
SOURCE:
Small Batch Cigars
ENVIRONMENT
WHERE:
Studio/Lounge
WHEN:
April 30 @1pm
DRINKS:
Bottled Water
WEATHER:
70° & 65% RH
HOW MANY CIGARS SMOKED:
3
PRODUCTION
RELEASE TYPE Regular Production
ORIGINALLY RELEASE DATE April 2024
TOTAL PRODUCTION
Typical Box Size: Boxes of 20
Production Totals: Unknown
VITOLA BREAKDOWN
o Short Robusto (4″ x 46)
BAND DESIGN
The band is an eye catching gold and black, a color choice that I wholeheartedly approve of. The band is glossy and slick looking, with a raised edge around the gold. The band is differs slightly from the original Smoking Jacket “Henkie” band, in that it is an oval shaped instead of square shaped. That and this one has “Mini Henkie” on the back of the band.
PRE-LIGHT OBSERVATIONS
CONSTRUCTION
The Mini Henkie sports a closed foot, another departure from the “Henkie.” The cigar is triple capped and appears to be expertly applied. The Dominican Yamasa wrapper is a nice shade of milk chocolate, and is smooth to the touch. Veins crisscross the length of the cigar. The Yamasa wrapper does have some tooth to it, and the overall appearance is beautiful.
AROMA
The aroma coming from the Mini Henkie is intoxicating. A blend of barnyard and cedar jump off the wrapper. A rich, fruity sweetness can be found on the closed foot, along with a note of tobacco.
COLD DRAW
A mix of barnyard, dry grass, and fruit are easily detectable on the cold draw. The draw itself has the perfect amount of resistance.
SMOKING EXPERIENCE
LIGHT & DRAW
Cut: Les Fines Lames Le Petit Carbon Fiber cigar knife
Fire: Peter James “The Bar” Single Flame Torch Lighter
The light was effortless. Notes of wood, pepper, and spice leap out from the initial light. While the flavors overwhelm my senses, there is a smoothness to the Mini Henkie. There’s a herbaceous note lingering there as well.
SMOKE
The smoke is thick and creamy. It coats my palate and is more than satisfying with each draw.
FIRST THIRD
>> Dry Grass, Baking Spices, Nuts
Notes of earth, wood, nuts, and baking spices dominate after the initial light. There is almost an herbal note that seems to linger on my palate. Grassy and spicy are the descriptors that come to mind. The ash is grey with streaks of black. It is slightly flakey where the wrapper surrounded the foot. Black pepper and baking spices on the retrohale. The herbal note fades as the baking spices and pepper take center stage. The burn line is a bit wavy, but nothing to concern myself with. The Mini Henkie has my full attention. The flavors deepen and become richer and more earthy.
SECOND THIRD
>> Earth, Black Pepper, Baking Spices
The earthiness ramps up in the middle third. The pepper and spice are still there but play in the background. This middle third has a peanut note that I didn’t get from the first third. The burn on one sample is a bit inconsistent from the other two samples I smoked. The ash is just a bit flakey. Salt and pepper perfectly describe the middle of the middle third. Salted nuts, wood, and spice. The earthiness adds an almost black tea tasing note, with just a hint of herbaceous. The burn has evened itself out. The ash flakes as I deposit it into the tray.
FINAL THIRD
>> Coffee, Wood, Salted Nuts
The final third begins with a hint of sweetness that gives the Mini Henkie an almost coffee like flavor. Notes of spice and wood are still present, though they are no longer the dominate tasting notes. Earth, salted nuts, and a woody spice are all detectable. Black pepper rules the retrohale. The herbaceousness is almost all but gone. The retrohale really pulls all of these flavors together, especially in the final third. There is a richness and complexity in the final third, really in the last half of this cigar that elevates it. The dark fruit note returns and melds well with the richness of the coffee and salted nuts.
RATING & FINAL THOUGHTS
FLAVOR PROGRESSION
The flavors start off on the floral/herbal side of the spectrum and slowly ramp up to the earthy/coffee side of the spectrum. It’s a delicious transition. Honestly, the Mini Henkie would be better reviewed in halves rather than thirds. Regardless, there is complexity of flavors found throughout the cigar. While the size of the Mini Henkie does limit the transitions, it still allows for nuance if you’re willing to pay attention to the cigar.
BURN EXPERIENCE
Two of the three cigars smoked for this review burned near flawlessly, the one I decided to take pictures with burned less flawlessly. Despite this, the ash was more on the flakey side and I can’t help but wonder if that’s due to its size. The majority of the flakes were in the ashtray, as the proof is in my clean shirts after smoking the Mini Henkie, but the ash could have been more compact.
RATING BREAKDOWN
0.76 / 0.80 … Craft & Aesthetic
0.50 / 0.50 … Pre-Light Characteristics
0.50 / 0.50 … Lighting Process
7.00 / 7.70 … Smoking Experience
0.49 / 0.50 … Personal Enjoyment
COMPLIMENTS & CRITIQUES
- Great flavors throughout the cigar.
- What a story behind the blending of the cigar!
- I wish this blend was in a larger vitola.
- The burn was inconsistent on one of the samples smoked for this review.
HONORS A LEGEND
Strip away the story behind the Mini Henkie and what are you left with? A great cigar. Period. Yes, I wish it was in a larger vitola…but we can’t always get what we want. The Mini Henkie delivers a cigar experience that stands out among others I’ve had so far this year. The blend has wonderful notes of wood, spice, salted nuts, and an herbal quality that keeps you engaged during the first half of the cigar. It then morphs into an earthy, sweet and salty profile that keeps the spice and pepper while still delivering nuance notes of nuts and coffee. Full flavored and firmly in the medium profile range. The Mini Henkie is a cigar that demands your attention. If you’re smoking it while dividing your attention elsewhere, you will easily miss the complexities and nuances of a cigar that was made to honor greatness in the industry. The Mini Henkie is a love letter from son and grandson that they are sharing with everyone. Do not miss it.
