Justin Hunter

About Justin Hunter

Justin Hunter: Justin is a writer, photographer, and social media manager for a magazine and media group in northwest Alabama. Justin is an armchair theologian, record collector, and coffee connoisseur in his free time. He was introduced to cigars during the height of the pandemic through a men's bible study in March 2021. Justin is still developing his palette by smoking both new-world and Cuban cigars to get a foothold in the wide world of the leaf.

Posts by Justin Hunter:

Les Fines Lames – Fashion Forward at PCA 2023

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Since 2015, French accessory manufacturer Les Fines Lames (LFL) has lived by two words “creation and innovation.” At the 2023 Premium Cigar Association Expo and Tradeshow, Les Fines Lames continue its journey of merging the worlds of wearable fashion accessories and the cigar world. The accessory manufacturer made a significant splash by being a tradeshow sponsor and gifting 500 LFL PCA VIP Exclusive Punch Bracelets to the “Pay To Play” members at the expo. They also showcased the prototype of the La Tag, a wearable guillotine necklace, and announced a distribution partnership with Oliva Cigar Company. 

“We are coming from the fashion and jewelry worlds, so we create cigar accessories with French ideals of practicality at the forefront of our minds. Functionality is important to us. The company’s motto is fashionable and functional. We are proud of every item being “Made in France,” said Fabien Boliver, Les Fines Lames Brand Content Manager. 

Les Fines Lames exhibited a few new items, such as their reimaged one-size-fits-all punch brace released earlier in 2023, a couple of new iterations of their famed La Petit Cigar Cutter, and the La Tag, a prototype of the guillotine necklace that will come to market in the fall. 

“Many people have been asking us to make a double guillotine cutter, so we listened to our people. We decided to design a guillotine as a necklace,” said Fabien. “Even though this is the prototype and there are some details, we are still working out. We ultimately brought the prototype to get retailers’ feedback on the necklace, and thus far, the feedback has been extremely positive.”

Les Fines Lames designed the La Tag to resemble a set of military dog tags and come in two variations, the T100 & T135. The T100 has two tags; the first is crafted with gold and stainless steel. The gold plate is 100% customizable, allowing consumers to add their brand logos, motto, or patterned design. The second tag is a stainless steel guillotine cutter that can cut cigars up to a 7×70 ring gauge. The MSRP of the T100 is $250. It’s wonderfully fashionable and functional.

Les Fines Lames’ approach to the T135 is minimalistic. It is significantly larger than its sibling, comprising only a guillotine cutter on a chain. The selling point of the T100 is its ability to cut cigars up to 100-ring gauge, like the recently released JFR Lunatic Madora (10×100) by Aganorsa Leaf. The T135 is more affordable than its counterpart, with an MSPR of $80.

“With the La Tag, you can cut your cigar in three movements,” said Fabien, “You can cut your cigar and go on with your life. There is no way you can lose your cutter.”

The other groundbreaking news Les Fines Lames announced during the expo was their distribution agreement with Oliva Cigar Co. The partnership allows Oliva Sales Representatives to offer Les Fines Lames products to retailers, thus expanding the manufactures footprint in the United States. Oliva’s parent company, Vandermarliere Cigar Family, has also invested in the accessory company. 

“Vandermarliere is from Belgium, and we are from France. It was simply a good fit for us. We have been friends for many years, and our entire team is happy about the partnership,” Fabien said. 

Our Visit with Freud Cigars at PCA 2023

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It’s mid-afternoon on the third day of the 2023 Premium Cigar Association Tradeshow and Expo, and the tradeshow floor is still abuzz with retailers hustling for last-minute deals in a sea of booths. The permeate haze of cigar smoke is still thick in the air. 

At the heart of the Freud Cigar Company booth, the distinct clattering of shuffling dominoes accompanied by a lively conversation breaks the drone of the tradeshow. Eladio Diaz, cigar master blender and the former Head of Production and Quality Control at Davidoff of Geneva, moves the dominoes around the one-of-a-kind Freud Cigar Co. table with the tenderness of a man who has rolled tens of thousands of cigars in his lifetime. At that moment, you’d first notice the genuine love the entire team has for each other and the unifying power of tobacco.

“Eladio Díaz is as fierce a competitor at Dominoes as he is a skilled, renowned, and singularly talented master blender. The trash talk and laughs are unforgettable,” said Luis Miguel Torres, co-founder of Freud Cigar Co. Luis gracious steps away from the lively game to share about the new Freud cigar, their core line, and the soft launch of a new line, Carlos & Maria. 

“Well, we’ve got the Sigmund: Chapter One — The Disruptor we launched about five weeks ago or the latest limited edition, double Corona, blended by the Eladio Díaz. It comes in a Beautiful Tiffany blue, commemorating the birthday, May 6, of Sigmund Freud. Our core collection is Super Ego, Alter Ego, and Agape. And for the first time, we’re talking about Carlos and Maria, a new brand that we very soft launched here at the show, blended by Wiber Ventura of Tabacalera William Ventura, and we’re really proud of that. The first line is called Amorío and will come in four sizes, Corona Gorda, Robusto, Churchill, and Toro. Amorío is blended by my dear friend Wiber, and we are having a good show,” said Torres. 

Freud Cigar Co. has created a compelling narrative over the past couple of years, with Master Blenders Eladio Diaz and Wiber Venture crafting their cigars, impactful packaging, and the Sigmund Freud namesake that has captived consumers. The brand is currently working on AGAPE 2023, which will launch in December and will be limited to 3,000 boxes. Freud Cigar Co. also announced at PCA 2023 that Sigmund would be a yearly limited release with 3,5000 10-count boxes. 

“What I love most about our newest blend, Sigmund: Chapter One — The Disruptor, is it a journey. It’s a medium-bodied blend that is complex, harmonious, and easy to smoke. It has notes of cocoa, walnut, and leather. It’s simply a delightful blend, and we are so proud of it,” said Torres. 

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PCA 2023: Quality Importers

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Quality Importers Trading Company debuted a handful of new lighters at PCA 2023, including the Palió Pistola, Palió Pro Line, and Xikar Ion.

Quality Importers provides wholesale quality cigar humidors, smoking accessories, and custom cigar box packaging. They cater to everyone from brick-and-mortar retailers to international cigar manufacturers. Since being established in 2000, Quality Importers has made its name by creating innovative accessories for the cigar world and providing their clients with top-notch customer service.

The Palió Pistola is a budget-friendly angled double torch lighter priced at $14.99 and can light up to 150 cigars. It comes in four colors (red, white, smoke, and blue), and Quality Importers offer a customization option for brands to add logos to the lighter. Quality Importers graciously gave each person a Pistola when they attended the PCA Opening Night Party.

The Palió PRO series is a trifecta of lighters: Scorpius, Antares, and Polaris, designed with the daily cigar smoker in mind. With entire metal bodies, these lighters were built to last. They provide high-quality performance without breaking the bank. The Scorpius is a single jet-angled flame lighter, but it comes with a punch and a draw tool with an MSRP of $29.99. The Antares has a side-squeezed ignition, double torch, and inline lighter that comes in five colors with an MSRP of $44.99. Rounding out the Palió PRO series is the Polaris, a triple torch inline lighter with pull-down ignition. It has an MSRP of $44.99 and comes in five colors.

The Xikar Ion is a large push-button ignition dual-flame torch lighter. It comes in five beautiful matte colors, and its oversized fuel tank can light up to 80 cigars. Besides being beautiful, the Ion isn’t huge, so it’ll fit perfectly in a leather travel humidor. XIKAR®’s Limited Lifetime Warranty backs the XIKAR® Ion.

Blind Review: Hammer + Sickle Tradición Serie

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Eric Hanson, who released his first Hammer + Sickle brand in 2010, has adopted the symbol of Russia as the cigars logo. HanSon points out that the hammer and sickle does not represent the Soviet Union (which incorporated a star), but symbolizes Russia’s industrial north and agrarian south. For him, its a heritage symbol and not political. – Cigar Aficionado

Blend Specifics

● Cigar Reviewed: Hammer + Sickle Tradicion Serie
● Wrapper: Ecuador
● Binder: Dominican Republic
● Filler: Dominican Republic

Appearance & Construction

The Hammer + Sickle Tradicion Serie has a beautiful caramel brown distressed wrapper like the outside of soft brown leather. The wrapper is soft and velvety to the touch. The cigar isn’t rolled particularly dense and feels spongy when squeezed. If you run the cigar under your nose, it gives off an incredible aroma; it has an intoxicating scene of a fresh-baked sweet pastry. The foot smells of black pepper or a Mexican spice.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

The Hammer + Sickle has a beautiful caramel brown distressed wrapper like the outside of soft brown leather. The wrapper is soft and velvety to the touch. The JH1 isn’t rolled particularly dense, and the cigar feels spongy when squeezed. Running the cigar under your nose gives off an incredible aroma; it has an intoxicating scene of a fresh-baked sweet pastry. The foot smells of black pepper or a Mexican spice. I used generic guillotine cutters to remove the Hammer + Sickle Tradicion Serie. I taste a mixture of Middle Eastern fruit and subtle spice on the dry draw. I’m a soft flame kind of guy, so I remove two matches from my case and slowly toast the foot of the cigar, watching the smoke dance as the leaves begin to burn. I’m catching the tasting notes of leather light and slight sweetness on my first draw.

There is something special about the Hammer + Sickle Tradicion Serie’s smoke. It is soft on your jaw. There is nothing harsh or intense about the cigar. The draw has a nice little resistance, and the ghostly white ash is held firm into the first third. I get leather tasting notes on the retrohale. The leather notes combined with a strong spice flavor as we transition out of the first third. It delivers excellent heat without the punchiness of black pepper. I enjoy how the flavors tend to settle on the roof of the mouth. At the halfway mark, the ash finally gives way to the force of gravity. As it’s falling, I’m tasting outstanding notes of almonds and nuts. The spice has faded into the background, and with every draw rises the creaminess.

A punch of leather spice notes the movement into the final third – the sweetness and creaminess are still prominent in the cigar. It has slight cinnamon notes that weave themselves between the leather. As the cigar ends, it picks up in the spice category. It’s still producing a nice amount of spoke on the exhale, which is always a bonus for me. On the final retrohale, I find the cigar returning to those initial sweet pastry notes (bread/almond/spice). The flavor and burn last all the way down to the nub. I’ve set the cigar down multiple times through the review, picked it back, taken a drawn, and it’s stayed light. Fantastic and intense peppery smoke at the end.

Conclusion

The Hammer + Sickle is a beautiful medium to full-bodied – mild in strength cigar. It’s my first time trying a Hammer + Sickle, and I wish I could purchase more cigars from this brand. However, Klin Group LLC has discontinued the cigar brand due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in late February of 2022. The flavors of gentle sweetness, spice, leather, and almond provide a complex tasting experience for the palate. It’s a cigar that burns well and has good construction. It honestly reminded me of a pastry from a bakery and would pair perfectly with a cup of black coffee. I recommend picking up a Hammer + Sickle Tradicion Serie if you can find any at your local brick-and-mortar store or online.

Rating: 86

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Blind Review: Sencillo Edicion Limitada Danli 2020 Pyramides

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Sencillo Platinum Cigars are produced by God of Fire. Sencillo (Spanish for “simple”). Handmade in Danli, Honduras, the Sencillo Platinum blend uses Habano de Jamastran tobacco for the wrapper, filler, and binder, with Piloto Cubano tobacco added to the filler to balance out the flavor.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Sencillo Edicion Limitada Danli 2020 Pyramides
  • Wrapper: Honduran Jamastran Habano
  • Binder: Honduran Habano
  • Filler: Honduran Habano
  • Size: 6 1/8 x 54
  • Vitola: Pyramides

Blind Review: Sencillo Edicion Limitada Danli 2020 Pyramides

Appearance & Construction

This cigar has a gorgeous, eye-catching matt colorado wrapper. The smell gives off a spicy and floral aroma as I run the cigar under my nose. The cigar gives off spicy, floral aromas as I run it under my nose. When I smelled the cigar’s foot, the earthy and barnyard smells carried my mind back to the farms in rural Alabama. There are no flaws in the cigar’s appearance. The dark wrapper is flawless, and if you had the time, you could count the veins in the tobacco leaf. The cigar feels excellent in the hand for a cigar of its size.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

I used generic guillotine cutters to remove the cigar’s pyramid cap. Whenever I smoke a torpedo, my goal is to cut just enough of the tip, so the cigar draws well. It took a couple of dry draws for me to pick up the muted spice, citrus, and leather tasting notes.

My palate is struck with a surge of earthy tasting notes on my first draw. I went the soft flame route. I toasted the foot of the cigar with three matches from Shore Thing Cigars. The airflow as you pull air through the cigar is effortless. The cigar has leather notes and a tickle of spice beneath the surface. As we are into the first third of the cigar – I’m enjoying these bursts of deep earth flavors around the muted leather notes. The ash is just stanking dimes like a champ. I noticed a tiny mouse hole in the first third but didn’t mess with the airflow.

The cigar begins with white pepper and an earthy dash that slowly drifts away in a smoother or creamier taste when we move toward the second third. This cigar doesn’t put off a ton of smoke as it burns. It’s a great medium to full smoke – The smoke production is lovely white billowing clouds. The cigar has incredible construction – burn and draw are exceptional. It has nuttiness and earthiness. The flavors tend to rest on the tongue’s back and the roof of the mouth.

The white pepper and musk notes mark the final third – the flavors have been consistent throughout the cigar – as the cigar comes to and it warms up with more spice. The cigar finishes with a lovely mixture of fine leather, white pepper, and nutty tasting notes.

The cigar has near-perfect construction. I had zero issues with the draw or burn from the moment I lit the cigar to the second it rested in my ashtray. I’ll say not having to worry about construction issues added to the smoking experience. I didn’t have to touch it up a single time, and the cigar burned even the entire time.

Conclusion

The Sencillo Edicion Limitada Danli 2020 Pyramides grew on me the longer I journeyed with it. I expected a very pepper-forward smoking experience, but I engaged in a wide range of restrained flavors. It’s a cigar with several noticeable transitions, and the array of flavors reveals themselves to your palate. Those flavors include leather, white pepper, earth tones, baking spice, citrus, and nuttiness.

The Limitada Danli 2020 has excellent construction and draw, reflecting other Davidoff and Prometheus God of Fire products. I would suggest you pick up a Sencillo Edicion Limitada Danli 2020 Pyramides.

Rating: 88