Patina is one of those “if you know, you know” brands. It just doesn’t get a lot of love from some in the industry, which is a shame. I fell in love with the Patina Connecticuts and never looked back. I have been excited about the Patina Sumatra ever since owner Mo Maali announced it…
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There have been a few cigars put out by Altadis by AJ Fernandez. These blends go all the way back to 2017 when the H.Upmann by AJ Fernandez was released with a sumatra wrapper. Then in 2019, the H. Upmann 175th Anniversary was released and was a highly rated cigar also by AJ Fernandez. With…
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We, at least all the cool kids, were excited when Rick Rodriguez stepped out on his own with West Tampa Tobacco. Rick worked at General/CAO/STG for over 20 years, helping to blend some well-known and very popular cigars, such as the Flathead and the Amazon Bason, which made quite a splash with its re-release. West…
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Released in 2022 Caldwell’s Crafted and Curated series acts as a creative outlet for Robert Caldwell, offering unique blending and sizing experimentation to discerning connoisseurs. Some crafted and Curated cigars tweak existing Caldwell blends with different components or process, while others are entirely distinctive blends. However, all are extremely limited in production and represent Robert’s…
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Stolen Throne has always been one of my favorite manufacturers. Lee, JR, and crew are all “cigar guys.” They’re steeped in the culture. They are active in online communities and have always been gracious with their time. The last time I had Lee Marsh, one of the founders and blender of Stolen Throne Cigars, on…
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I was lucky enough to spend some time with Luciano Meirelles, co-founder and CEO of Luciano Cigars, while at the My Old Kentucky Herf. As luck would have it, it was just a couple of months removed from when ACE Prime (now Luciano Cigars) released three new sizes of Luciano The Dreamer. I got to…
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Master blender Noel Rojas has worked behind the scenes for much of his career in the cigar industry, from working on Cuban tobacco farms and studying blending and production techniques to collaborating with various boutique companies to produce highly rated cigars. Rojas Cigars, however, is Noel’s solo venture, having released their first cigars in late…
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The Plasencia Cosecha 149 is a tribute to the family’s 149th crop of tobacco. I enjoy many of Plasencia’s lines, the Alma Fuerte is a cigar that a recommend to everyone. It is one of the first brands that was recommended to me when I began my journey into cigars and since then I have…
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In 2021 Warped produced the Chinchalla. The Chinchalla was their first cigar produced out of TABACALERA LA iSLA, located in the Dominican Republic. I really did enjoy the Chinchalla, so when I learned that there was an ultra-limited release coming from Warped and out of the same factory, I knew I had to get my…
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What do you get when a famous rock star, a big name in cigars, and a master distiller get together and collaborate on a new cigar? We will see! I’m a big fan of James Hetfield and Metallica, a big fan of Jonathan Drew and Drew Estate, and a big fan of Rob Dietrich (not…
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