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Blind Review: Nat Sherman Epoca Limited Edition 2019

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This past fall, the cigar industry mourned the loss of a historic staple.  Not only did the famed Nat Sherman Townhouse in NYC close, but the entire Nat Sherman wholesale business was shut down.  Luckily, the vigilant ones were able to score some serious deals on the remaining stock of practically the entire portfolio, including this delicious cigar I’m reviewing here – the Nat Sherman Epoca Limited Edition 2019 which is made for Nat Sherman by Plasencia.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Nat Sherman Epoca Limited Edition 2019
  • Wrapper: Nicaragua
  • Binder: Nicaragua
  • Filler: Nicaragua
  • Size: Toro (6 x 52)

Appearance & Construction

This cigar presents a slightly mottled dark chocolate brown wrapper with a very nice oily sheen to it. The overall construction is virtually flawless: a large double cap, very minimal veins, no visible seams whatsoever and delicious floral aromas that made my mouth water.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

The toro vitola might be one of my favorite formats – especially if entubado rolled, which typically reduces any draw issues.  For this cigar, I pulled out my favorite Xikar xi3 wood collection cutter that quickly scored the cap right off.  On the prelight draw, I got some chocolate with a hint of citrus. It reminded me of one of those chocolate oranges.

After carefully toasting the foot, I must say the foot smoke was quite pleasant with a very slight floral hint.  As I settled into this cigar, the initial flavors were a very noticeable woody/cedar.  This was met about 10 minutes in with some slight chocolate and coffee notes, although muted, I could tell it was there.

Flawless construction as we enter the second third, which had a great transition of flavors – the cedar died down a bit and introduced a nuttiness.  This is another cigar that produces thick, oily smoke with an extremely long finish.

As we enter the final third on this cigar, it comes to its full glory – all the flavors are firing on all cylinders. Lots of cedar, nuts, now some pepper and very nice fleeting moments of spices (cinnamon perhaps?).  This is a delicious full-body cigar that was a tough one to put down.

Conclusion

As with any Nat Sherman cigar that I’ve had, the second half of the cigar is stellar – it’s almost as if the first half has the show that’s slowly building then you hit that crescendo and all hell breaks loose from there. 

I’m so glad that Michael Herklots and Brendon Scott were able to strike a deal with Altria (Nat Sherman’s former owner) to acquire the Timeless, Epoca  Metropolitan, Host and Ancora brands under their new company, Ferio Tego. This is a classic brand of cigars that everyone should have in their humidor.

Final Rating: 94

Blind Review: Emilio La Musa Robusto LE 2020

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I was generally unfamiliar with Emilio Cigars until I heard that Black Label Trading Co was taking over Emilio’s branding and marketing. Under Black Label Trading Co, I think the packaging is more artistic, vibrant and attractive on the shelf. Admittedly I hadn’t smoked anything from the brand even with the change up as it was one of the cigars that hadn’t been in the forefront for me… until now. Without knowing, this was my first Emilio Cigar in the La Musa Limited Edition 2020 Robusto.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Emilio La Musa Robusto (2020)
  • Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
  • Binder: Nicaraguan Habano
  • Filler: Nicaraguan
  • Size: 5”x 50 (Robusto)

Appearance & Construction

This is a boxed pressed cigar with a mocha colored wrapper and a slightly rounded head. The outer texture is smooth and oily with few veins and appears rather slick. Squeezing the cigar there is a sponginess to it with sufficient tobaccos in the filler. The foot smells of cocoa, spices and cedar.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

My Lamborghini guillotine cutter clips a sharp straight slice which leaves the cigar nice and open. Taking a dry draw, there’s a tingling of spice and some mustiness. Using my Xikar lighter, I light up and the first few puffs are charry, spicy and gritty. Notes of graphite come through along with black pepper that is rather strong. There is some hay and barnyard as well and the same flavors are mirrored on the retrohale. To start, this cigar definitely has some rough patches that are not pleasing or harmonious.

By midway, some tobacco on the head comes loose and starts falling out, and there’s a burnt and bitter character as the smoke continues along with a wavy burn line. A few minutes later, the cigar gives off vegetal notes that became short and sharp on the palate. As the cigar progresses, the ash becomes flaky and falls off unexpectedly (no points for construction there!). With another retrohale some sweetness appears along with chocolate and black pepper that quickly fades. Unfortunately, the loose filler tobaccos at the head continue to fall out a bit even the though the cut was initially clean.

In the final third, a sour note kicks in along with a bitterness that coats the sides of the mouth and obscures the other tastes in the profile. The body is a consistent medium and the pepper and spices return followed by a syrupy sweetness that’s cloying rather than subtle. As I attempt to savor the last few puffs I’m greeted once again by a rougher profile of grit and earth that leaves my palate saturated for the evening. A tough cigar to smoke.

Conclusion

I was unfamiliar with the Emilio Cigars brand and this cigar was certainly a poor introduction. The Emilio La Musa Robusto LE 2020 delivered a gritty, rough profile which was difficult to enjoy. The bitterness, char and vegetal notes were not appealing and the sweet and peppery flavors were overwhelming rather than complimentary. The loose filler tobaccos at the head did not demonstrate quality control in the bunching and says something of the craftsmanship. I would not write off trying another smoke in the Emilio Cigars portfolio, but I would suggest passing on the La Musa LE 2020.

Final Rating: 80

The Best NEW Cigars to Smoke in 2021

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2020 was a great year for new cigar releases, from boutiques like RoMa Craft Tobac all the way up to iconic brands like Montecristo and Trinidad. But it’s a new year, and that mean’s there’s a lot of people wondering what the best new cigars are to smoke in 2021. We’ll be adding more cigars to the list as we blind review cigars throughout the year, but we’ll start with some of the greatest blends we’ve encountered over the course of the last 24 months.

The Best Cigars to Smoke in 2021

Cohiba Royale

The most expensive cigar on our list of must-smoke cigars in 2021 is the Cohiba Royale. This blend earned a huge 93 rating in our blind review in 2020, and deservedly so. The combination of rich tobacco, earth, cherries, spice and a creamy finish gives this cigar a complexity and deliciousness that are hard to beat.

  • Release Year: 2020
  • Strength: Medium-Full
  • Box Price: from $260
  • Buy the Cohiba Royale from Famous Smoke Shop here.

Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua

The original Reserva Real from Romeo y Julieta has long been a classic. The team at Altadis worked tirelessly to create a Nicaraguan follow up that delivers a classic Romeo y Julieta experience while adding a bit more body than the Dominican original. An elegant smoke, ideally suited for new cigar smokers. Read our full review here.

  • Release Year: 2020
  • Strength: Medium
  • Box Price: from $197
  • Buy the Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua from Famous Smoke Shop here.

Joya de Nicaragua Antano Connecticut

Don’t let the Connecticut wrapper fool you: the Joya de Nicaragua Antano Connecticut is a flavor bomb, albeit slightly milder than many on the market. In our blind review, we were impressed with the creaminess, oak, leather and wood that gave this cigar so much flavor.

  • Release Year: 2019
  • Strength: Mild-Medium
  • Box Price: from $150
  • Buy the Joya de Nicaragua Antano Connecticut from Famous Smoke Shop here.

Herman’s Batch The Banker by H.Upmann

Released in 2020 and blended by AJ Fernandez, H. Upmann Herman’s Batch impressed us with its spicy, strong start that morphs into a delicious combo of toast, coffee, leather and honeyed notes.

  • Release Year: 2020
  • Strength: Medium-Full
  • Box Price: from $160
  • Buy the H. Upmann Herman’s Batch from Famous Smoke Shop here.

Fonseca by My Father

One of the true break-out blends of 2020, receiving a whopping 93 rating in our blind review. My Father Fonseca is expertly constructed and features notes of sweet spice, milk chocolate, tea and floral notes that develop nicely throughout the blend. A must smoke, especially for the veteran cigar smoker.

  • Release Year: 2020
  • Strength: Medium-Full
  • Box Price: from $155
  • Buy the My Father Fonseca from Famous Smoke Shop here.

Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Decadas

Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Decadas 2

The Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Décadas presents a flavor profile that no JdN fan could miss: dark oak and charcoal, creamy cocoa, leather, and light spiciness. What Cinco Décadas achieves is to take the JdN flavor profile that we know and love and elevate it into the realm of art. We know that is high praise, but it is true, particularly given the cigar’s sheer complexity and balance. Highly recommended.

  • Release Year: 2018
  • Strength: Full
  • Box Price: from $152
  • Buy the Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Decadas from Famous Smoke Shop here.

Aging Room Pura Cepa

Aging Room Pura Cepa Review 2

Once again, Rafael Nodal of Aging Room has hit the ball out of the park. The Aging Room Pura Cepa makes the list of best cigars to smoke in 2021 with notes of smoky wood that’s augmented by light chocolate, cream, floral, and leather notes. Impeccably constructed, this cigar achieved a score of 90 and we highly recommend it.

  • Release Year: 2018
  • Strength: Medium
  • Box Price: from $234
  • Buy the Aging Room Pura Cepa from Famous Smoke Shop here.

And there you have it, our initial recommendations for the top cigars to smoke in 2021. We’ll continue adding to this list as stellar blends from our 2021 blind reviews come in.

Affiliate note: we may receive a small commission for purchases made through links on this page–but that doesn’t affect our review scores or recommendations.

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Blind Review: JFR Lunatic Torch Dreamland

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The JFR Torch Dreamland is a large 6’ ½ x 60 gauge smoke with a shaggy foot that reveals the filler tobaccos by having the shortened wrapper leave a part of the cigar exposed. I usually enjoy this type of roll as it gives you a chance to taste the filler first and then see how the wrapper compares to the overall flavor. This is typically a quick if not too elaborate way of getting to taste a component of a cigar.

Regarding the size I am admittedly not a fan of large gauge smokes as I find them uncomfortable to smoke which hurts the experience for me. However with blind smoking it’s not so much about my personal preferences as it is about the quality and flavor the cigar provides. So let’s get to the blind review.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: JFR Lunatic Torch Dreamland
  • Wrapper: Nicaraguan
  • Binder: Nicaraguan
  • Filler: Nicaraguan
  • Size: 6 1/2 x 60

Appearance & Construction

This cigar has a medium brown Colorado wrapper with a shaggy foot. It’s a large, dense cigar with a few veins and a well-constructed cap. The smoke feels stuffed with tobacco showing no discernable soft spots anywhere. The shag foot is just that, a shaggy end of filler leaf sticking out the foot and brittle to the touch.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

Taking a wide straight cut I clip the cigar and take a dry draw that’s sweet, raisinated and with some woody notes. I light the shag foot and the filler tobaccos ignite delivering some gritty/earthy tones that leave saltiness on the lips. As the burn reaches the wrapper, pepper and char engulf the palate with a woody character on the finish. The retrohale gives off a bitter quality with a bit of toast that falls short. The cigar produces little smoke, which is surprising due to its size and amount of filler tobaccos involved.

By midway, there haven’t been a lot of changes in the profile. The flavors range from earthy, gritty with some vanilla bean sweetness that’s short on the finish. Construction wise, the cigar produces a solid gray ash with a decent burn line. The body continues to be in the medium range while the flavor comes in a bit rough with an oaky sharpness that is displeasing. As the cigar develops more, there are nuts and pepper going back and forth with a relentless roughness in the tobacco.

In the final third of the cigar, there is some drying on the palate along with hay and leather followed by earth and oak. A distinct return of the sharpness makes it a tough cigar to continue smoking, especially with its size.  Another retrohale gives off cedar and fruit which leaves a bitter note in the mouth. The strength is a solid medium, never straying much from the initial flavors of the cigar. As I draw the last few puffs, the wood and sharpness remain with a rough finish. A lackluster end to this smoke.

Conclusion

I’m not sure where the “Lunacy” lies in the JFR Lunatic Torch Dreamland. I didn’t find it all that dynamic or out there in terms of the flavor profile. What started off with some sweetness quickly turned gritty and earthy with a short finish. At times there was a sharpness that made it tough to enjoy as it overshadowed the other flavors that weren’t all that intense to begin with. The medium body added to the less than vibrant profile and the bitterness hurt the experience for me.

If you are looking to try a JFR Lunatic Torch I would suggest starting with a smaller vitola as perhaps the blend may be better suited for it. This size was more work than the flavor it delivered.

Final Rating: 86

Blind Review: Byron Reserva 5 Anos Habaneros

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Nelson Alfonso is widely known for his marketing genius by establishing some of the most iconic brand identities for companies such as Montecristo, Romeo & Julieta, and one of the most sought out Cuban cigars, the Cohiba Behike. However, not everyone has heard of his cigars. Under the Selected Tobacco S.A umbrella, Byron is one of the three cigar brands under his belt (the others are Atabey and Tabacos Bandolero). 

The history of this cigar is quite fascinating:

“Byron was the original cigar line produced by Alfonso’s family in the mid-19th Century. It was named after a world-renowned English poet George Gordon Byron, also known as Lord Byron. By the end of the 19th century, the Alfonso family encountered some major financial distress and reluctantly sold the brand to a neighboring cigar manufacturer. After almost a century, Alfonso’s family was able to reclaim the Byron brand.”

You can visit the Selected Tobacco S.A website to get the full version and learn about his other two cigar brands, Atabey and Bandolero. 

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Byron Reserva 5 Anos
  • Wrapper: Undisclosed 
  • Binder: Undisclosed
  • Filler: Undisclosed 
  • Size: Habaneros (6” x 56)

Appearance & Construction

The oily Colorado color wrapper shines pristinely under the warm light. It has no blemishes and just one small minor vein is visible. I run my fingers down the cigar and do not feel any soft spots. I can tell this cigar was rolled masterfully, as it takes me a while to find the seam of the wrapper. 

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

The wrapper gives off a scent of sweet vanilla, caramel, and cedarwood. I smell the foot and get tart dried cranberry, plum, and sawdust. After shaving off the cap, I taste oatmeal and cedar from the cold draw. 

I take my first puff after lighting the cigar and am a bit disappointed as my tastebuds are bum-rushed with extreme bitterness in the smoke. Once my tastebuds acclimate a bit, I’m able to taste salty burnt peanut, dark leather, and red pepper spice that fades as soon as it hits the flat of my palate. There is an aftertaste of peanut skin, and just like peanut skin, it dries out my tongue. I retrohale the next puffs, and surprisingly it becomes quite floral with flavors of leather, tree branch, and baking spice that linger in my nasal passage. 

Thankfully, the dark bitter flavors don’t last too long: by an inch in, the bitterness clears and I taste tree bark, light leather, apple, and a hint of spice at the back of my tongue. The retrohale remains the same so far.

I have to compliment the construction of this cigar. As I enter the second third: the burn line is even the whole time, and the white ash is undisturbed by random gusts of wind as it tunnels through the streets of New York City. 

At this point, the Byron becomes very inviting with flavors of freshly baked bread, salted and buttered popcorn, sweet hay, peanut, and blond roast coffee beans. The combination of the flavors reminds me of cracker jacks without the caramel. The retrohale remains floral with almond, cedar, nutmeg, and red pepper spice. 

The final third of the Byron is as enjoyable as the second third. I get a strong taste of butter popcorn alongside caramel, granola, cedar, and red pepper spice. As I take the last puff of retrohale, it transports me to a carnival with flavors of apple, marshmallow, cedar, light leather, and cinnamon spice. 

Conclusion

The Byron is truly a sophisticated smoke. The overall flavors were flawlessly balanced, and the construction was superb. It was atypical for Byron to open up with such harshness. However, the flavors became delectable after surpassing the first inch of the cigar. What stood out to me the most was the subtle shift in the tasting notes every half an inch or so. Especially when the flavors evolved from buttered popcorn in the second third into cracker jacks during the final third. That being said, this can also be a challenge to review this cigar with the traditional standard of every third. 

Final Rating: 91

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