It’s not easy to follow an act that heralded itself as the “Tobacconist to The World” for 90 years. We’re talking about the Nat Sherman brand which reigned from 1930 to 2020. Altria, a mass marketer of cigarettes purchased the Nat Sherman company in 2017. Two years later, they decided to sell the Nat Sherman brand. With no takers and COVID spreading across the country, in August of 2020 Altria shut the doors and that’s all she wrote. . .or was it?
Enter Michael Herklots, who was Vice President of International Sales for Nat Sherman when the company closed in November, 2020.
“Once it was closed I couldn’t sleep thinking that there might be a chance to continue the legacy myself,” said Herklots in a text he had written to halfwheel magazine. “I was heartbroken thinking that the brands I worked so hard to build would be left ‘on file.’ And so I asked for consideration to acquire the brands after we closed.”
Teaming-up with Brendon Scott, former Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Nat Sherman, they decided to launch a new company, Ferio Tego, LLC. The Ferio Tego, comes from the Herklots family crest, which dates back to 1641, and whose coat of arms graces the company logo.
After purchasing the Timeless Collection, Metropolitan Selection, and Epoca brands of premium cigars and the Ancora accessories brand, it was off to the races. Herklots and Scott would “bring back” the Nat Sherman brands but they would now be called Timeless, Metropolitan, etc., “Made exclusively for Ferio Tego” as seen on the cigars’ secondary bands.
Officially launched in 2021, Ferio Tego’s cigars are handcrafted in the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and Honduras, and distributed by Davidoff of Geneva USA in the U.S.
In a depature from our normal #NowSmoking format, we all got together and sat down with Michael, smoking each of the Ferio Tego Timeless blends. Here are the reviews on each!
By Paul Lukens
Wrapper: Honduras
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan
Strength: Medium
Yes, Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Or bread (like a bakery), cinnamon (baking spice), and brown sugar if you’d rather have a bland description of a tasty cigar. Yes, there are spice elements in the form of a subtle black pepper—a whisper, not a shout. A note of generic nuts closes the beginning portion of the Ferio Tego Timeless Prestige while the strength maintained a leisurely medium-body from first light.
Intensity isn’t the hallmark of Timeless Prestige—rather it’s a restrained power. Think Ferrari not Hellcat. Complexity rules the day as the flavors continue a joyride lasting through the second portion. Sweet, fermented fruit, earth, leather, and cedar all played starring roles at various points throughout the duration of the Ferio Tego Timeless Prestige.
At the end of the day, Ferio Tego Timeless Prestige delivers on its promise. The smoke is elegant, refined, and exquisite without being stuffy or pretentious. Medium bodied, accessible and delicious down to the final puffs—try the Ferio Tego Timeless Prestige for a classic, and enduring premium cigar experience.
By Gary Korb
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Full
To start, the construction of my Ferio Tego Timeless Supreme 554 was outstanding; textbook box press and firm all around with the perfect amount of edge at each angle. The Nicaraguan wrapper was nearly flawless with a rich, oily caramel patina. Once cut, the draw was just right issuing a bready and herbal taste.
After lighting, the cigar offered that familiar Nicaraguan kick opening with peppery spice and earth. Additional early flavors were notes of nuts, oak, and a mix of spices while the body was in the medium realm. The smoke itself was velvety on the palate and continuously issued a swarm of blurry smoke. Occasionally I’d get a drive-by shot of sweetness.
Just shy of the midpoint the flavors caramelized into a well-balanced, medium-full smoke. Then, by the last couple of inches the cigar took a turn towards full-bodied while also gaining some additional strength. Earthier notes dominated as the sweetness faded, but overall, it held together beautifully as a robust and flavorful smoke that pairs perfectly with coffee in every variety.
About the Timeless Supreme 554, Michael said: “A 554 doesn’t give you a lot of room to tell a long story. . .it’s an article, not a novel. You have to get very creative and thoughtful in the blending.” If that’s the case, then they know what they’re doing. Due to its hearty character and full-body, I classify it as a “real cigar smoker’s cigar”—that’s my way of saying, a smoker with a fair amount of experience could appreciate this blend.
By John Pullo
Wrapper: Ecuador Sumatra
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua, Costa Rica
Strength: Medium-Full
The original Timeless Panamericana was a cigar you could only buy at the Nat Sherman Townhouse; it was subsequently made available as a TAA exclusive, then finally opened up to wide distribution.
This is the Ferio Tego Timeless Panamericana Epicure, a 5”x50 Robusto made at the Quesada factory in the Dominican Republic. Construction is excellent: the velvety Sumatra wrapper has a bit of a Rosado tint. Prelight is a snappy mix of toasty cedar and leather and gives a full blast of pepper upon lighting it up. First third is a pepper-earth-cedar profile with a dry sweetness that reminds me of those chocolate Italian spice cookies – so imagine some cinnamon, clove and baking spice in there, too.
Pepper hits the lips hard by the middle section, along with oak and leather, but the retrohale is so easygoing. By the end, there seems to be less pepper and more nuances – like citrus zest – if you draw it out between hits. Turns out my taste buds aren’t lying: “The key to complexity is maintaining the coolest temperature of combustion. The slower you smoke, the cooler it remains, and the more flavor and complexity that come out in each puff,” Herklots tells me.
It’s this last third where everything really gels together and the smoke gets really rich. The Panamericana offers a lot of body, and a really long finish. Michael says that rich n’ full character makes it the ideal candidate to pair with a big-bodied, old world red wine: “a Cab, a red blend, whatever you would have with a big Wagyu steak, replace the steak with the Panamericana and go for that.”
By Jared Gulick
Wrapper: Ecuador Connecticut
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Strength: Medium
First thing you’ll notice about Ferio Tego Sterling—its beautiful golden-brown wrapper. And that’s before you dive into the blend’s pre-light draw, sweet with undertones of raisin and light spices. Eventually, adding a flame evokes buttery notes of salt, white pepper, and cedar among a background of floral earth—all within the first third.
Pretty complex for a Connecticut.
The second third ramps up in strength. We’re certainly not talking about full-bodied, but it’s not your grandpappy’s ol’ faithful mellow fest, either. From here, savory roasted peanuts and pepper take center stage without compromising on the smoothness you’d expect from any quality Connecticut. I’d certainly put Sterling among the ‘Connecticut Resurgence’ Gary covered a few years back. Summed up in a single word, I’d call Sterling impressive.
If you’re looking for something to pair, I’ll paraphrase what Michael told me in our review:
Looking at that cigar, it has an unctuousness, a creaminess, and a butteriness, but the body is the key. You don’t need to downplay a pairing with Sterling. You can play into the body and play into its complexity. He recommends rum to highlight Sterling’s sweetness, rye to counter it with spice, or even a Riesling wine with a heavier body to match Sterling’s bolder approach. If you’re looking to keep it booze-free, Michael adds that you can’t go wrong with coffee.
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The Cigar Advisor Staff is comprised of three good-humored, yet dangerously unpredictable writers who share over 60 years of premium cigar smoking experience. Traversing the tobacco landscape like smoke-shrouded Avengers, they wander (mostly because the fat one ate the map) in search of new leaf adventures armed with nothing but torch lighters and runcible spoons as their weapons. Each is equally knowledgeable on the matters and pursuits of the cigar lifestyle, with his own unique and capricious insights on various luxury, sports, automobiles and entertainment affairs - all served with good counsel for your reading pleasure.
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