CA Report: Top New Cigars (Nov 25 2019)

The flights are booked, reservations are made, and you’re ready to be stuck in countless hours of airport lines and delays – all for one epic meal with family and friends. Is it worth all the trouble? The fact that we do it every year would suggest so, but to ensure you’re left smiling at the tail end of your Turkey Day feast, here’s your last chance to score some epic new cigars to bring along from Famous Smoke Shop.

Along with our normal array of blends, Top New Cigars now has two accompanying videos: the first is a brief video summary of each cigar which you’ll find at the end of the article. Additionally, each TNC series will also feature a staff pick video as chosen by one of us here at Famous Smoke Shop.

In this edition, check out fresh blends from Plasencia, AJ Fernandez, H. Upmann, and four smokes from Oscar Valladares. Join me as I detail what you can expect from each, because you never know…one of these just might be your perfect dessert after an amazing Thanksgiving feast.

From all of us to you and yours, have a safe and happy holiday. Let us know what you’ll be smoking in the comments below!

Cigar Spotlight: Our Must-Smoke Cigar of the Week

Plasencia Alma del Fuego 

Wrapper: Nicaragua Jalapa
Binder: Double Nicaragua Ometepe
Filler: Nicaragua and Nicaragua Ometepe

The name Alma del Fuego means soul of fire, fitting…as the highlighted tobaccos of this blend were harvested from the dark volcanic soils of Ometepe Island in Nicaragua. The cigar is medium plus in body and comes alive with ethereal layers of coffee, nuts, warm spices, and the country’s signature spicy sweetness. If you possess a seasoned palate, my bet is that you’ll walk away astounded. Plasencia never cuts corners, so if you’re searching for a worthy nightcap to end your holiday, this is one to contemplate.

Altar Q by Oscar Valladares

Wrapper: Ecuador Sumatra
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Honduras Copan

Paying homage to early Mesoamericans, Altar Q by Oscar Valladares is named for an ornately sculpted stone block. It dates back to 776 AD in the Copan region of Honduras. Fittingly, Oscar used tobaccos grown close to the stone’s location for the filler. The blend is stuffed full of flavor, most notably coffee, spice, nuts, and a natural sweetness. Pay a delicious tribute to a civilization that is largely responsible for the cigars you’re enjoying today.

Super Fly by Oscar Valladares

Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
Binder: Honduras Copan
Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic

Cue up “Low Rider” on your playlist and crank it – you’re going to want to pair that up with the funkiest new smoke from Oscar Valladares…Super Fly. Everything about the cigar, its flavors and profile, down to the royal purple and gold that’s emblazoned on the band…all of it oozes smoothness. You’ll be immersed in creamy blankets of wood, toast, and earth. Do I think you’re going to love Super Fly? You’re Damn Right.

Wild Hunter by Oscar/Wild Hunter Dark Oscuro

Wrapper: Honduras Copan/Honduras Copan Oscuro
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Honduras

Why have one when you can have two? To appease your inner feral instincts, there’s Wild Hunter and Wild Hunter Dark Oscuro, both by Oscar Valladares. Coming in a handy camouflaged box that will help keep your stash out of sight when you’re hunkering down in your tree stand, there are two flavors from which you can choose:

• Wild Hunter: medium bodied with notes of cedar, earth, and coffee
• Wild Hunter Dark Oscuro: bolder with accents of cocoa and an additional layer of spice

And hey, while you’re out there, maybe you can bag a turkey to serve as this year’s Thanksgiving meal.

H. Upmann 175^th Anniversary

Wrapper: Nicaragua Medio Tiempo
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua

When you’re celebrating 175 years, you turn to AJ Fernandez. A proverbial whiz kid in the industry, he’s been trusted by some of the best names in the business for his attention to detail and wizardry in blending. Only his most skilled torcedors are permitted to roll the H. Upmann 175^th Anniversary. The blend features an uber-rare Nicaragua Medio Tiempo leaf that’s been fermented three years over a framework of Nicaraguan tobaccos. It might go without saying, but if you’re looking for the ultimate super premium to smoke after supper, this Upmann has your number.

Dias de Gloria by AJ Fernandez

Wrapper: Nicaragua Habano
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua

Dias de Gloria by AJ Fernandez is a callback to what AJ refers to as days of glory in the pre-Castro era of Cuban tobacco history. To attain this profile, he sourced tobaccos from four of his oldest farms in Esteli, Nicaragua. The leaves were set aside, some for up to seven long years of aging, before crafting this masterpiece. Waves of cocoa, cedar, earth, pepper, and sweet spices sit at the pinnacle of AJ’s blending abilities. At its fair price, Dias de Gloria is a cigar I’m truly thankful for this year.

Check out a quick video recap of our Top New cigar picks now: