JFR LUNATIC JACKHAMMER by Aganorsa leaf

Eduardo Fernandez, Owner of Aganorsa Leaf and Casa Fernandez, has a philosophy that guides his business endeavors: “First you crawl, then you walk, and then you run. It’s a process you can’t skip or else it comes back to haunt you.” 35 years ago he created the Casa Fernandez brand. In 1998 he established Aganorsa tobacco in Nicaragua with a dream of growing some of the world’s finest tobaccos and becoming a vertically integrated manufacturer. He spent the next 15 years in pursuit of that goal and achieved it.

The JFR mark from Aganorsa Leaf was originally created as something unique that would be “Just For Retailers.” Over the years we’ve seen the brand evolve, expand, and become more widely available. In other words, JFR is no longer just for retailers. Introducing the JFR Lunatic. These excellent cigars use a blend of Aganorsa-grown Nicaraguan tobacco for the filler and binder leaves. The wrapper is a San Andres Maduro leaf from Mexico that is very dark in color. The JFR Lunatic Maduro is medium-to-full in strength, and it features complex flavors of earth, cedar, and leather with hints of pepper, coffee, and milk chocolate. These JFR Lunatic cigars offer exceptional flavor and tremendous value!

TATUAJE COJONÚ 2021

For close to 20 years, Tatuaje has delivered outstanding cigar after outstanding cigar. Their original brown label cigars nearly broke the industry when they debuted. For many it was the closest cigar one could get to a Cuban Montecristo (in the domestic market). The look, appearance, and flavor are all throwbacks to the world famous Montecristo No. 2. Every Tatujae cigar is made with the utmost care by Jose “Pepin” Garcia at his factories. Pete Johnson, the owner of Tatuaje Cigars, works hand-in-hand with Garcia to develop each new Tatuaje blend. Their relationship is tight, and Pete is often regarded as a member of the family. This strong bond is at the heart of every Tatuaje cigar. Each new cigar they blend and create together is unique and cubanesque. Each subsequent release brought more attention to the brand, and it has a devoted following that continues to drive the brand to new heights.

A new addition to Tatuaje’s Cojonú line has arrived! The Tatuaje’s Cojonú 2021 is one of the brand’s most cherished blends and new releases in the line only happen so often. The last Cojonú debuted in 2012, so this new arrival is welcome. The blend is based on the brand’s Selección de Cazador line, but it uses more ligero in the filler to give it a stronger profile. The blend is composed of Nicaraguan filler and binder tobaccos, and it’s topped with a gorgeous Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. Like most Tatuaje cigars, Cojonú 2021 is handmade in Nicaragua at My Father Cigars S.A. Tasting notes include flavors of leather, rich earth, cedar, and pepper with hints of mocha, toasted breads, and cinnamon. While this is the first Tatuaje’s Cojonú release in a long time, in our opinion, it was certainly worth the wait.

Drew Estate 20 Acre Farm Gordito

Drew Estate is one of the largest and most popular cigar manufacturers in Nicaragua. Over the years, they have developed a cult-like following of fans. If you take a step back and look at things, it’s easy to understand why. From the beginning, they have prioritized developing relationships with their consumer base, and it has not changed in over 20 years. It is evident in their social media, their in-store events, and most recently their online events. If you’ve been connected with them in one of these fashions, you understand the hype is real. They are genuinely focused on having an authentic experience with their fans. It doesn’t matter if you’re interacting with one of their local sales reps or a principal, the enthusiasm and love for the brand is evident. This unique relationship set the stage for tremendous growth and eventually acquisition. None of that really matters unless the product is something special. Throughout their history, Drew Estate has been making outstanding quality cigars that are as unique as the company itself. From Acid to Liga Privada, everything in the Drew Estate portfolio is special.

In an effort to revive the art of tobacco growing in Central Florida (which ceased in 1977), Jeff Borysiewicz purchased a pristine 20-acre plot of land near the Central Florida town of Clermont. He began cultivating tobacco on his small farm in 2013 with the hopes of reviving the Sunshine State’s legacy of tobacco growing. Together with his friends at Drew Estate, they wanted to create a brand that would pay homage to the past and build a bridge to the future using tobacco grown on this farm. Blended in the traditional style of Pure Havana cigars that were all the rage in the middle 20th century, 20 Acre Farm uses a blend of Nicaraguan filler tobaccos, a Sun Grown Habano binder lead from the farm, and an Ecuador Connecticut Shade wrapper. Tasting notes include flavors of cedar, cream, and roasted nuts with hints of citrus, baking spices, and earth. 20 Acre Farm is an exceptionally well made showcase of flavor.

ALEC BRADLEY TEMPUS NATURAL MAGNUS

Alec Bradley is a pretty widely recognized name in the world of premium cigars. Most people assume it’s the name of the company’s founder, but that’s Alan Rubin, who named the brand after his sons Alec & Bradley. Little did he know when starting the company that his sons would join him and become second generation cigar makers. From humble beginnings, Alan grew Alec Bradley into a powerhouse of a brand. While he started by selling mild to medium cigars in bundles and an unusual triangular pressed cigar called Trilogy, it was his Tempus line that changed everything. It was his first premium offering and changed the perception of the Alec Bradley name in the marketplace.

Tempus is the Latin word for time, and it’s appropriate that this brand is dubbed Alec Bradley Tempus Natural. When Alan sampled a special estate grown tobacco from Trojes, Honduras, he knew that he needed to step up his game. It took time to grow, blend, and age this special tobacco into a blend that would be well received by cigar smokers. It was also his 1st attempt to blend a cigar around a specific tobacco. He has since used this method to create additional popular blends. The Tempus blend features well-aged Nicaraguan and Honduran filler and binder tobaccos along with that special Honduran Trojes wrapper that sparked Rubin’s imagination. Featuring notes of oak, earth, and pepper with hints of caramel and roasted nuts, the Tempus Natural is a cigar worthy of your time.

NUB by oliva 460 MADURO

NUB by Oliva is a brand with an interesting history. It was released in 2008 as a new blend that was part of Oliva’s new age line dubbed Studio Tobac. The Studio also was home to the Cain line of cigars which saw their release in 2009. Each product from Studio Tobac was to be a departure from Oliva’s core lines and showcase a different style of cigar. At their launch, Sam Leccia was to be the face of the brands, but he left in 2010 and Oliva retained the brands. The good news for cigar smokers who developed a rabid following for the brands was they were remaining with Oliva and would continue to be produced. Complicated.

Like all innovative products, NUB started as a mere idea at the Oliva factory in Nicaragua. The concept was to create a cigar that hit its sweet spot at first light. No muss, no fuss – just straight to the good part. But the idea was only half baked. In order to not create a cigar that would burn out in about 5-10 minutes, they built NUB cigars with a generous ring gauge to create a cigar that would burn about the same time as a Toro. The result is the Nub cigar and they stormed onto the scene. With a flavor profile that is always in the sweet spot, it’s easy to understand why these cigars are so popular! Tasting notes include flavors of chocolate, cream, and nuts with hints of pepper and coffee. These NUB by Oliva cigars are enjoyable anytime of the day.