By Fred Lunt
It’s back! Yessir, Top New Cigars is coming at you again just in time for the Olympics’ closing ceremonies. There ain’t no rest for the warehouse, which is why we’re able to bring you the hottest new cigars from some of the biggest names in the industry.
As we watch the last downhill runs and big air competitions, we’re bringing you some medal-winning quality limited runs and top shelf picks to wrap up these Games right. But as for who takes the gold, silver, bronze…we all win with these cigars. This weekend we’ve got goodies to keep you happy no matter what weekend event you’re competing in, be it honey-do lists, working on the car, or sticking the landing by picking up takeout.
If there was ever a gold medalist of cigars, it’d be Oliva. This hot limited-edition smoke uses the same hearty Nicaraguan blend we all love, but in a spectacular double toro vitola. Oliva packed plenty of ligero in here for the big cigar enthusiasts who love hefty 60 ring gauge cigars. Whether you’re hitting the honey-do list or not, the V is a go-to.
The Shaun White of cigars, seriously. Every year Davidoff comes out with a celebratory cigar for the Chinese New Year and every year fans and critics alike are blown away by the presentation and the performance. So much so that last year’s Year of the Rooster even made my Top Limited Edition Cigars list. This year’s batch is 4,500 boxes strong and comes in a luxurious blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos in a San Vicente binder and sealed with a perfect Ecuadorian Habano wrapper.
While basketball, racing and the Olympics are full bore right now, these cigars are for the couch coaches- you know, the guys who always have a criticism for all sports yet can’t seem to get off the couch without breaking a sweat. Elencos are a re-worked blend from Ernesto Perez-Carrillo with a sumptuous blend of dark and sugary-sweet Brazilian wrappers over a smooth Dominican binder and filler combo. Killer to smoke and light on the wallet, these Elencos are enough to silence the harshest of the armchair athletes.
For those seeking a culinary experience this weekend, indulge in your epicurean side with Crux. No, you don’t need to order the octopus in eggplant sauce but I do recommend checking out this mild-bodied boutique. This new cigar is decked out in a silky US Connecticut wrapper over a star-studded blend of Nicaraguan fillers. While rich, the Epicure is brimming with notes of cream, nougat, and toast.
For when you want to score a perfect 10 on your weekend, try this Air Bender Double Press. LFD has risen quickly through the times to become a staple in every smoker’s humidor. The Air Bender has proven itself as a full-bodied powerhouse of Dominican tobacco; what’s different is that this latest new cigar from LFD uses an extreme form of box-pressing called trunk press. While intense, expect a complex cigar loaded with delicate woodsy flavors.
That’s the highlights for this week…give them a try, and leave a comment if you liked them – and watch this space for the next edition of Top New Cigars!
Copywriter
Fred Lunt was discovered to be the youngest cigar smoker in his family shortly after setting his crib ablaze; today, he's added an avid whiskey and craft beer appetite to his lineup. Fred has worked in marketing, blogging and communications at boutique PR agencies across New York and has personally had the pleasure of witnessing over four breakdancing shows in a single commute on the NYC subway. Prior to his work in marketing Fred was a student of communications at Temple University and still holds illusions that Temple has a better football program than Penn State.
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