#NowSmoking: Warped El Oso

#NowSmoking: Warped El Oso Cigar Review (Video)

Blend Details:

Factory: El Titan de Bronze, Miami, USA
Size: 4” x 44 Petite Corona (Cub)
Strength: Medium
Wrapper: Ecuador Habano Oscuro
Binder: Ecuador
Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua

Presented in boxes of 20

Warped El Oso Backstory

Kyle Gellis—whose passion for premium cigars was kindled at a young age by his father—brings an exacting vision and a taste for adventure to every Warped cigar he blends. Warped aren’t your average premiums, made at some oh-by-the-way factory, using cheap tobacco, and delivering run-of-the-mill bland flavors—they are boutique in every sense of the word. We’ll take a closer look at today’s NowSmoking subject—Warped El Oso, first  released in 2014—as a prime example of what I’m talking about.

El Oso—meaning ‘the bear’ in Spanish—is crafted at El Titan de Bronze in Miami, Florida. And El Oso aren’t trusted to just anyone in this small—but famous—factory (recently Cohiba M and La Gloria 8^th Street were made there). They are handled only by Cuban Level 9 rollers (the cigar roller equivalent to a Harvard degree) using age-old, time consuming, traditional Cuban cigar techniques like entubado bunching and a triple cap. As such, only 150 Warped El Oso cigars are rolled each day. So, while not limited edition (they’re regular production in small quantities), El Oso’s can feel that way at times.

Cigar Basics

The Warped El Oso is dressed in an alluring, oily, dark brown Ecuador Habano Oscuro wrapper hugging a binder and long filler leaves from Ecuador, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic.

The El Oso Cub is a stout cigar—firmly packed with top-grade premium tobaccos and only slightly gives with a light squeeze. The band is slim, elegant, and tasteful in its simplicity–with the head of a bear featured prominently.

Warped El Oso Cigar Review

Have you seen those chocolatey coffee drinks? Maybe you’ve even had one. Well, Warped El Oso opened with flavors that I’d imagine are similar to those mocha beverages. That is, notes of cinnamon, cocoa, and some creaminess to begin before coffee and black pepper emerge. As the first third progresses, the spiciness fades, and earthy and leathery notes enter stage right. Overall, the blend begins with complexity and balance and I’m looking forward to seeing what’s in store. So far, El Oso is medium-bodied and ‘just right,’ allowing the flavors to shine without overwhelming the palate. With a smooth draw and even burn, the Warped El Oso has not disappointed.

El Oso Cub becomes more playful in the midsection with some cedar jumping aboard for the ride and accenting the coffee, and cocoa. As the middle third progresses, the wood and cocoa flavors become more dominant, with the coffee notes fading into the background. Warped El Oso is flashing signs of richness and depth, with a near symmetrical balance between the different flavors. The strength remains medium with construction giving me no issues.

The Warped El Oso Cub finishes like it began—on a high note. A return of the spicy and earthy notes from the beginning, along with a touch of peach-like sweetness continue the El Oso’s trajectory into complexity. As the last puffs remain, the sweetness fades, and the spiciness and earthiness make their final stand. Down to the nub, Warped El Oso performed like a champ while never growing bitter, harsh, or venturing past an enjoyable medium-body.

Are Warped El Oso worth buying?

Let’s get the preaching to the Warped choir out of the way. El Oso is great, and you should get your hands on them if you haven’t already.

Ok, now for the rest of us. Warped El Oso are one of the rare examples of a cigar that I can universally recommend. For cigar newbies—it’s a step up from a mellow blend and is complex—but neither strength nor complexity is too much to handle. For non-boutique cigar enthusiasts—El Oso isn’t pretentious or showy, it’s just a really good cigar. Whether it’s a special occasion or a typical Saturday night by the fire pit—light one up and you’ll find that Warped El Oso is the perfect choice.