Category: Cigar Reviews

Casa Carrillo is adding two new cigars to its Encore lineup with the release of Encore Noir II and Encore Edición Única II. Both cigars are limited editions produced exclusively for the company’s international distribution partners and are now shipping. Although both releases carry the Encore name, they take different approaches. Encore Noir II follows the original Noir release but uses a new blend rather than recreating its predecessor. The

Today we review the Fuente Fuente OpusX Forbidden X El Trece Magistral 13. This was a release by Arturo Fuente that was first seen at the 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show. As with many OpusX cigars, there is some mystery surrounding the El Trece Magistral 13. We do know this is an extension of the OpusX Forbidden X line in a Belicoso size using aged tobaccos (the secondary

Manny Iriarte has announced that the second OpusX Society Cigar, Gold & Bullet, is now heading to retailers. Gold & Bullet has been a long-awaited follow-up to the La Edición De La Sociedad, the first cigar released from the OpusX Society. The cigar was produced in the Dominican Republic at Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia. The cigar comes in one size – a 6 3/4 x 50 parejo. A total

Cavalier Genève has announced the launch of its Project 10th Anniversary release, celebrating ten years in business. Founded by Sébastien Decoppet in Switzerland, Cavalier Genève Cigars initially partnered with third-party factories for production. Over the past decade, the company has expanded its operations by opening its own factory, Fabrica Centroamericana de Tabaco S.A. (FCT), establishing two warehouses, and now distributing its products in 60 countries. The 10th Anniversary cigar measures

Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust 10th Jubilee Today we review the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust 10th Jubilee. This is a cigar that was created to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust, the venture founded by Steve Saka. Leave it to Saka to decide to call his cigar “Jubilee” instead of Anniversary. However, regarding this cigar, Saka has made it very clear that his approach to this project goes

On Prime Time Special Edition 193, we talk about the Fantasy Titans of Tobacco. Back in June, Coop attended the Tobacconist of Greenwich The Titans of Tobacco event. This brought together six leading factions/families in the cigar industry to raise money for Cigar Rights of America. These families were: Padrón, Fuente, Gomez, Melillo, Kelner, and Diaz.  However there are many other families out there. Tonight, Bear and Coop assemble their

Editor’s Note:  This is the YouTube edit of our live Roundtable broadcast on The Smoking Syndicate Facebook page on July 27th. On the Smoking Syndicate Roundtable 25, the Cigar Coop Coalition tackles the Padrón 3000 Maduro. The Padron 3000 is a classic cigar that has been around for decades and has been one of the best-selling cigars on the market. Part of the iconic Padrón Series—often referred to as the

Black Label Trading Co. is adding a new sampler option for fans of its 6×50 Toro cigars, packaging four of its core blends into a resealable Fresh Pack. Scheduled to begin shipping to select retailers next week, the BLTC Toro Fresh Pack includes one each of Royalty, Porcelain, Lawless, and Last Rites. The cigars are packaged in a four-count zipper pouch with a Boveda humidity pack intended to help maintain

For years, the Rocky Mountain Cigar Festival was held in Colorado, but an increasingly hostile political climate toward premium tobacco events ultimately forced organizers to find a new home. In 2026, the festival made the move north to Cheyenne, Wyoming, where the reception has been notably different. One of the clearest examples of that difference came from Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon, who sent a personal welcome letter to attendees of

La Aurora is adding a new value-priced line to its U.S. portfolio with the introduction of the Santiago Collection, which will begin arriving at retailers in August. The new series launches with the Santiago Maduro, offered in two sizes: Robusto (5 x 50) and Toro (6 x 54). The blend uses Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers, an Indonesian binder, and an Indonesian Maduro wrapper. Suggested retail pricing is set at $2.50