Micallef Cigars has released another cigar in their color series, the Green. Their color series began in July of 2023 with the release of the Micallef Black. The Red, Blue, and Purple followed over the next two years. The Green is rather special for fans of the Micallef brand, as it sees the return of the Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper. Micallef discontinued their Mata Fina cigar when they cut their Bold line from their portfolio back at the end of 2022. Since that decision, Micallef Cigars has seen a surge in sales that is mostly due to the success of their color series.
There is, however, one big difference now: the color series was $7 for a robusto and $8 for a toro when the company launched the line. Beginning in September of 2025 the price increased by a dollar for each vitola: $8 for the robusto and $9 for the toro. Why the increase? According to a halfwheel article it was a mixture of tariffs and an increase in labor and manufacturing. I mention this for two reasons: 1) There was a bit of a kerfuffle between Micallef Cigars and a member of the cigar media (press) that we discussed on several of our podcasts. 2) It’s still a sub $10 cigar. While price or “price for value” are not criteria that we take into account for a cigar review, it is definitely worth noting that Micallef Cigars is continuing to innovate in the cigar industry while keeping prices low.
OVERVIEW
VITOLA: Toro
SIZE: 6″ x 52
ORIGIN: Nicaragua
FACTORY: Micallef Cigars SA
WRAPPER: Brazilian Mata Fina
BINDER: Mexican San Andrés
FILLER: Nicaragua
STRENGTH: Medium Plus
SOURCE:
halfwheel
ENVIRONMENT
WHERE:
Studio/Lounge
WHEN:
October 15 @3pm
DRINKS:
Bottled Water
WEATHER:
Indoors
HOW MANY CIGARS SMOKED:
3
PRODUCTION
RELEASE TYPE Regular Production
ORIGINALLY RELEASE DATE September 2025
TOTAL PRODUCTION
Typical Box Size: Boxes of 25
Production Totals: Unknown
VITOLA BREAKDOWN
o Toro (6″ x 52)
o Robusto (5″ x 52)
BAND DESIGN
The band matches its namesake, with a medium shade of green. Once again, the gold accents set it off. As I did with the Purple earlier this year, I’ll borrow from what I wrote about the Micallef Black bands: “Elegant, understated, simple, and just plain gorgeous! The black with gold accent is striking and more “grown up” than previous iterations of their bands and logo.” All of that still applies, almost two years later. Simple, effective, and noticeable in a humidor. What more do you want from a band?
PRE-LIGHT OBSERVATIONS
CONSTRUCTION
The Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper is a dark shade of milk chocolate brown. It is rough to the touch, but not gritty; more like a very fine sandpaper. There is a bit of mottling, but no dark spots or discoloration. In fact, it’s a gorgeous looking wrapper. There are a few veins, but the overall look is elegant. Certainly more elegant than what you find in most other sub $10 cigars. There are no obvious hard or soft spots, and the cap appears to be expertly applied.
AROMA
The Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper has notes of hay, earth, barnyard, and a subtle scent. The foot reveals notes of bread, a must earthiness, sweet tobacco, and fruit. There are spicy and vegetal notes, too.
COLD DRAW
The cold draw has notes of wood, a chalk candy sweetness, a bit of spice, nuts, and a funky earth. It all melds together beautifully. A hint of chocolate starts to appear with a few more cold draws. The draw is almost perfect, if not just a little tight.
SMOKING EXPERIENCE
LIGHT & DRAW
Cut: Le Petit by Les Fines Lames
Fire: Vector Icon II
The initial light blasts big notes of pepper and spice. What is left on my palate is nuts, sweet cream, chocolate, spices, and earthiness that sets it all off. There’s a sweetness hiding underneath the big notes. Wood is also there. It’s a complex and attention grabbing start for the Green.
SMOKE
The smoke is creamy and smooth. Each draw coats my palate with a satisfying amount of the velvety smoke.
FIRST THIRD
>> Wood, Earth, Vegetal, Black Pepper
The initial third begins with notes of wood, chocolate, red pepper, earth, and leather. Black pepper and baking spices on the retrohale. The chocolate notes reminds me of instant pudding. Spicy cedar really shines though, but all of the flavors seem well-balanced. The burn is razor sharp and the ash is a picture perfect stack of nickels. There isn’t a stray ash in sight. The draw is near perfect. The construction is, so far, impressive. The Green begins more savory than sweet. Mushroom, bread, wood, and vegetal dominate; yet, there is a sweetness that balances out all of the earthy goodness. Baking spices, bread, and a hint of fruit (raisin, maybe?) Begin to come through. The smoke continues to be creamy and plentiful. The Green’s first third is firmly medium bodied.
SECOND THIRD
>> Butter, Baking Spices, Caramel, White Pepper
FINAL THIRD
>> Coffee, Chocolate, Herbaceousness, Black Pepper
The final third starts with rich notes of bread, baking spices, coffee, leather, wood, and chocolate. Caramel and butter are still hanging around. Black pepper returns to the retrohale. Again, everything is in balance. Each flavor is distinct and easily discernable. A herbaceousness comes through in the final third. The Green moves to a medium plus body profile, just flirting with full. Caramel and butter linger on my palate. Red pepper scratches at the back of my throat. The smoke is still plentiful and satisfying. The burn is razor sharp and the ash is still compact. Coffee, chocolate, wood, baking spices, leather, and a herbaceousness permeate the final third. Pepper and an herbal quality linger on my palate.
RATING & FINAL THOUGHTS
FLAVOR PROGRESSION
The Micallef Green goes from blasts of pepper, spice and and earth to a good mix of earth, sweetness, and pepper. Every flavor well proportioned. It bobs and weaves giving notes of caramel, coffee, wood, and floral, before ramping up to something that teeters on the edge of full. Coffee, charred wood, earth, herbaceousness. Each third is distinct and nuanced.
BURN EXPERIENCE
Perfect. Razor sharp. Compact ash. Near perfect draw. The construction is as close to perfect as I have seen in a while.
RATING BREAKDOWN
0.80 / 0.80 … Craft & Aesthetic
0.47 / 0.50 … Pre-Light Characteristics
0.50 / 0.50 … Lighting Process
7.10 / 7.70 … Smoking Experience
0.46 / 0.50 … Personal Enjoyment
COMPLIMENTS & CRITIQUES
- Well balanced flavor profile with complex and nuanced notes throughout.
- Near perfect construction and burn!
- The tasting notes are all similar with varying degrees of intensity.
THE GRASS IS GREENER!
From the initial light to the last puff, the Micallef Green delivers a full flavored smoking experience with a profile that builds from medium to just on the cusp of medium plus body. The heralded return of the Mata Fina wrapper to Micallef is, in my humble opinion, an absolute success. The Green’s construction is near flawless: not underfilled, razor sharp burn, and almost perfect draw. While two cigars smoked for this review had a draw that was a bit on the tight side, they were far from “unsmokeable.” Each third is well defined, with complex flavors and nuance. The Green was well-balanced and offered notes of earth, butter, spice, and sweetness. All of this for under $10?! Yes, please!! Their commitment to B&Ms is paying dividends, not just for the B&Ms but, for the consumer.
