Cigar Buying Guides

CA Report: Top New Cigars (May 24 2021)

With Memorial Day around the corner, smoking season is really starting to build momentum. And we’re just getting started! In this guide, we’re featuring the freshest smokes inside the Famous Smoke Shop humidor from top boutique brands Roma Craft, Illusione, and Protocol – all just in time to stock up for the official start of summer! Fire up the grill, order the keg, and get ready to party – we’ve got the cigars you’ll want along for the ride.

Scroll down to check out our quick reviews of each cigar, and find out why we’re placing them on our ongoing list of…Top New Cigars!

If you’ve smoked something new, tell us about in the comments below!

RoMa Craft CroMagnon Aquitaine Mastodon (New Size!)

Wrapper: Ecuador Habano Ligero
Binder: Cameroon
Filler: Nicaragua

The ever-popular Roma Craft CroMagnon Aquitaine has a brand-new size for the big-ring lovers among you. Called Mastodon, it’s a 4 ½” x 60 like the Mandible, but now box-pressed (which feels a little better in the hand) and smoking noticeably cooler. Match that with the same high priming wrappers and poignantly flavored filler tobaccos, and you’re rewarded with robust flavors, sweet aromas, and dark tobacco profile that’s just as sweet as it is intense. This one’s made for long summer nights with friends and a cooler stuffed with icy brews by your side. Pair it with a darker beer for best results!

Illusione Garagiste

Wrapper: Ecuador Colorado Habano
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua

Illusione Garagiste has been around for a few years, but it’s new on the shelves over at Famous Smoke Shop. And with a triple-A wrapper and Nicaraguan Ligero in its heart, this is a prime cigar to smoke on a breezy beach at sunset. We found notes of earth, spice, nuts, and a mouthwatering natural sweetness that kept us puffing until our fingers burned. Plus, it comes in a travel friendly Short Robusto (4 ¼” x 50) size that’s great for vacations, day trips, and scorchers when the sun is too intense to be outside for extended periods.

Protocol Eliot Ness

Wrapper: Nicaragua Habano
Binder: Nicaragua Habano
Filler: Nicaragua Criollo

The second cigar in their ‘Lawman’ series, Protocol Eliot Ness is named for the historic Prohibition-era agent who was part of the law enforcement team known as “The Untouchables.” It comes in your choice of a nutty, sweet, and spicy Nicaraguan Habano wrapper (shown above) or a rich, velvety Nicaraguan Broadleaf Maduro wrapper that rewards your senses with cocoa, coffee, and earth. We found the Natural best as a late morning or early afternoon smoke, with the Maduro better suited to later in the evening, especially after dinner. Whichever wrapper you choose, we’re confident that these cigars will be anything but untouchable in your humidor.