Ferio Tego has announced the release of their latest core offering, the Ferio Tego Summa cigar. Co-owned by Michael Herklots, Ferio Tego collaborated with Quesada Cigars in the Dominican Republic to produce the new blend. The Summa features an Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper, Ecuadorian Sumatra binder, and Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers.
According to Herklots, “The word summa means a ‘comprehensive work’, a ‘summary or a synthesis of the body of work’ thus far. Ferio Tego Summa is a blend that embodies the diversity and complexity of the Ferio Tego Portfolio. The Summa blend highlights the incredible trifecta of body, flavor, and intensity… and maximizes those levels with wonderful balance.”
Ferio Tego took to Instagram to describe their Summa cigar, stating, “The Ferio Tego Summa is an abundant cigar that is full flavored and full bodied with an intensity that is present, but graceful. The flavors are structured in such a way that creates a subtle but relentless crescendo of flavor and complexity without becoming overbearing. The velvety mouth feel preserves a lingering finish that skews towards a darker style of flavors but is complimented by an underlying buttery note that adds a touch of levity to the blend. Each Ferio Tego Summa vitola tells a unique version of the Summa story.”
The highly anticipated Ferio Tego Summa cigars will begin shipping on June 28, 2023. Cigar enthusiasts can also look forward to experiencing this exceptional blend at the 2023 PCA Convention and Trade show in Las Vegas in July.
In March 2022, Ferio Tego announced their limited edition release for the 2022 TAA exclusive. Inspired by the Timeless 2020 TAA limited blend, the Nicaraguan puro is rolled at the Plasencia Cigars SA in Esteli, Nicaragua. In a press release with Halfwheel, Herklots stated, “The 2020 TAA Limited was launched just as the nation went into lockdown…We worked closely with the Plasencias to create complexity and nuance but also vivaciousness. The result is a blend experience that is savory but also full of life… perfect for 2022 and looking towards a bright future”.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Ferio Tego: Timeless TAA 2022
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: Toro (6″x50)
Appearance & Construction
The dark espresso bean-colored cigar gives off a glare underneath the warm light. As if it was dipped into wax. The wrapper feels thick and soft. There are a few minor veins, but it has been flattened by the mold. There is a small dent below the cap, and the cigar has a springiness to it when I give it a squeeze.
Flavor and Smoke Characteristics
I smell sweet molasses when I bring the cigar close to my nose. Then I instantaneously salivate from the scent of tart peaches and pepper spice as I move down to the foot of it. After slicing the cap off with my guillotine cutter, I continue with a cold draw. This cigar reminds me of a bowl of greek yogurt with fruit: creamy and tart with some berry notes.
While lighting the cigar, I get a scent of honey hidden within the stream of white smoke. After some patience, I take my first puff and get freshly cut grass. Going past that, creamy hay, pistachios, roasted coffee, and wet log. There is a distinctive saltiness on the finish that I am unfamiliar with and have never encountered with a cigar before, but it kept me going back for more. I continue with a retrohale and get dark roasted coffee, roasted peanuts, oakwood, and mild black pepper spice.
I became worried about the construction because the cigar became squishy. The airflow is on the tighter side, around 8 out of 10. There is barely any smoke output at this point. Since a straight cut did not work so well for this cigar, I took out my Colibri SV cutter and sliced it down the middle with a deep V-cut. Unfortunately, that did not do much. Guessing the squishiness is the real culprit here. The burn line is as straight as it can be, and surprisingly the ash is piling up nicely. Overall, I am really enjoying this cigar due to its unique savoriness. As if I am smoking a beef jerky.
Right when I arrived at the second third, the ash fell. The draw has opened up, and I can taste roasted pine nuts, oakwood, and dark roasted coffee. The black pepper spice is much more pronounced with creamy almonds, leather, and coffee bean on the retrohale. The saltiness continues on the finish.
One thing I must mention is that as I am approaching the nub, I start to wonder if the cigar lounge I am in carries this cigar because I wanted another one right after this. The nub only becomes more complex with flavors of roasted peanut shell, dark roasted coffee beans, and creamy cedarwood. The retrohale stand on its own with berry notes, cedarwood, leather, and red pepper spice. As you can guess, I burned my fingers before letting go of this cigar.
Conclusion
Maybe because I missed out and did not get a chance to smoke the Ferio Tego Timeless TAA 2020, but the Timeless TAA 2022 is one of the most enjoyable cigars I have blind-reviewed this year. I won’t overkill on how much I liked the savory saltiness in this cigar, but the flavor itself was immaculate: roasted coffee, pine nuts, leather, and oakwood. The smoke is creamy. And the retrohale makes up for the absence of spice on the palate. The only negative I had was the squishiness from the first half of the cigar. I hope this won’t reoccur. I highly recommend you seek out this cigar for a unique encounter like no other.
Micheal Herklots–formally of the now defunct Nat Sherman Cigars–teamed up with his partner Brendon Scott to resurrect the former Nat Sherman lines under their own company, Ferio Tego. The Elegancia is a limited-edition cigar for 2021 and sports a light Ecuadorian wrapper. There is also the Generoso which wears a darker Honduran wrapper. Both come in one toro size and are limited releases for this year.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Ferio Tego Elegancia LE 21
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua
Length: 6” x 50 (Toro)
Blind Review: Ferio Tego Elegancia 2021
Appearance and Construction
This toro has a light wrapper with several veins across it. There is a silkiness to it as I run my fingers along the sides. Squeezing the cigar, it is packed solidly with tobacco and the construction is firm and well crafted. The foot smells of tea, earth, and toast.
Flavor and Smoke Characteristics
My guillotine cutter takes a quick slice off the head of the wrapper leaving a clean cut. I take a cold draw which delivers prunes, must and citrus. With a torch lighter the cigar is gently catching fire as I rotate the toro to evenly get the foot burning. The first puff is dry and green with a bitter finish. Earth and graphite come through on the next draw. There’s cocoa which becomes sharp baker’s chocolate as the flavor continues. With a retrohale the tobacco seems young with grassy and toasty notes. Another draw and some pleasant nuttiness comes through with vanilla on the back end. The cigar is just about on the medium bodied side at present.
The ash is solid white at midway while the draw and construction continue to be excellent. I’m getting honey and spice that turns to citrus notes and lemon peel with another puff. The finish doesn’t last long and another retrohale brings about more grassiness with sharp oak that gathers around the sides of my mouth and back of the throat. Underlying sweetness is showing on the wrapper taking a draw with roasted nuts and floral notes. These flavors linger creating a more balanced profile than previously. The cigar is right on the medium bodied profile with an abundance of smoke as I take another puff. The floral is more prevalent with a finish that ends bitter. Earth and cedar give this toro more character as the smoke has a silkier mouthfeel now which keeps me interested in the blend.
Reaching the last third orange zest tingles my lips while an influx of over roasted coffee bean resonates on the finish as I puff slowly on this smoke. The burn line is consistently excellent, and the draw has been effortless. I hesitate to take another retrohale as it has been unpleasantly grassy however as I’m drawing the smoke up into my nostrils I get less of the “green” and more burnt almonds. The smoke output seems lighter and the bitter notes seem to fight it out with vanilla and cocoa. As I take a final puff the oak and citrus coat my palate although the finish once again is cut short.
Conclusion
I was looking forward to trying Elegancia as I was guessing it would deliver a medium bodied experience which can yield lots of flavor without being overwhelming. This cigar was certainly medium bodied however the tobacco seemed young and hurt the flavors that were trying to come out.
Despite its excellent construction the bitter and grassy notes were rough amongst the rest of the blend, especially some of the nice floral, cocoa, vanilla and citrus flavors I was getting. When I found out this was a Fiero Tego Elegancia LE 21 I was surprised as I have smoked several of theses as well as the Generoso and I thoroughly enjoyed what the blends offer. I might chalk this of as a one-off cigar that was flawed as I’ve said I’ve smoked this blend before, and it has been so much more. I would suggest picking up a least one and hopefully your experience will be like what I’ve in the past rather than the cigar I sampled.
(Ramsey, NJ Monday March 22, 2022) Ferio Tego is pleased to announce details of their first limited release of 2022, the Ferio Tego Timeless TAA 2022. The announcement came during the 2022 meeting of the Tobacconists Association of America in Los Cabos San Lucas Mexico today.
“The Tobacconists Association of America is a wonderful organization, and their Exclusive Series Products is a critical part of the association’s success.”, said Michael Herklots, Co-Owner of Ferio Tego, LLC. “Personally, this year’s release is quite special because, while it is the fourth time I’ve developed blends for TAA Exclusive products, this is the first time I’m doing it under my own brand.”
The Timeless TAA 2022 is a Nicaraguan Puro, handmade with the Plasencia family in Esteli, Nicaragua. The cigar is available only in a 6” x 50 toro, in limited mazos of ten cigars. The 2022 release features a black and dark grey motif for the Timeless branding that debuted on the Timeless TAA 2020 but introduces a touch of red for the year. Only 700 mazos of ten cigars will be available. Suggested retail price is $15.00 per cigar. The cigars are expected to ship to retailers later this spring.
“The 2020 TAA Limited was launched just as the nation went into lock down. So much has happened over these last two years. This year’s Timeless TAA 2022 is largely inspired by the 2020 blend, utilizing very special tobaccos from Nicaragua, filler tobaccos and a binder from the Jalapa region and a wrapper from Esteli. We worked closely with the Plasencias to create complexity and nuance, but also vivaciousness. The result is a blend experience that is savory but also full of life… perfect for 2022 and looking towards a bright future.”
Ferio Tego is distributed in the United States by Davidoff of Geneva, USA.
About Ferio Tego
Ferio Tego, LLC is a premium cigar and accessories company launched in 2021 by Michael Herklots, former Vice President of Nat Sherman International, LLC and Brendon Scott, former Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Nat Sherman, LLC. In addition to their flagship Ferio Tego brand, the company also owns the Metropolitan, Timeless, and Epoca brands of premium cigars as well as the Ancora accessories brand all formerly owned and distributed by Nat Sherman International, LLC.
FERIO TEGO is the Herklots family motto, found on the family’s coat of arms. While there are many interpretations and translations for this phrase, “Ferio Tego” loosely translates to “Strike and Defend.”
(Ramsey, NJ August 25, 2021) Ferio Tego is pleased to announce the official launch of the Ferio Tego brand of premium cigars with a pair of 2021 limited releases. Both blends are offered in a 6” x 50 toro format, packed in custom travel humidors of ten cigars each. The humidors, hand made by Humidif Group’s Cigar Box Factory in Esteli, come preloaded with the company’s Gelly Humidity Control packs to ensure the cigars are properly maintained after they are acquired.
The 2021 Ferio Tego Elegancia is manufactured in Licey, Dominican Republic with the Quesada family. The blend features an Ecuadorian wrapper, over a Dominican binder, and fillers from Nicaragua and Dominican Republic.
The 2021 Ferio Tego Generoso is manufactured in Esteli, Nicaragua with the Plasencia family. The blend features a Honduran shade-grown wrapper, over a Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan fillers.
“Our 2021 Ferio Tego offerings are quite different from one another in style and pedigree, yet both share a commonality of balance and body”, shared Michael Herklots, co-owner of Ferio Tego LLC. “A mild cigar need not be thin on the palate nor flavor deficient, and a bolder cigar does not need to be ferocious and aggressive. We worked very hard together with the factories to achieve a full-bodied mouth feel and presence across both blends in order to establish a ‘house style’ so to speak, while still preserving the elegant expression of creamier brighter notes of Elegancia, and the generous presentation of dense savory notes of Generoso. Both blends stand on their own much the way a winery offers a Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon together.”
The initial offer for 2021 Ferio Tego is currently being sent to retailers. The cigars are expected to arrive in stores the first week of October. Due to the extremely limited production of the 2021 inaugural release, inventory will be allocated. The 2022 release is in pre-production and will have much greater availability, though still limited in production. Exact quantities will not be announced. Ferio Tego 2021 will be offered at an MSRP of $210 per humidor of ten cigars.
“We have worked very methodically these last several months, carefully considering every decision, ensuring that we are on solid ground before taking another step”, said Brendon Scott, co-owner of Ferio Tego LLC. “We are excited to finally launch Ferio Tego in the U.S. and bring these wonderful new offerings to market. And we are equally excited for the relaunch of Timeless and Metropolitan in the coming months.”
Ferio Tego is distributed exclusively by Davidoff of Geneva USA in the United States and its territories.
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About Ferio Tego
Ferio Tego, LLC is a premium cigar and accessories company launched in 2021 by Michael Herklots, former Vice President of Nat Sherman International, LLC and Brendon Scott, former Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Nat Sherman, LLC. In addition to their flagship Ferio Tego brand, the company also owns the Metropolitan, Timeless, and Epoca brands of premium cigars as well as the Ancora accessories brand all formerly owned and distributed by Nat Sherman International, LLC.
FERIO TEGO is the Herklots family motto, found on the family’s coat of arms. While there are many interpretations and translations for this phrase, “Ferio Tego” loosely translates to “Strike and Defend.”
