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Under the Lid

• Origin: Dominican Republic
• Factory: Cigars Davidoff
• Wrapper: Ecuador (Connecticut)
• Binder: Dominican Republic
• Filler: Dominican Republic
• Size: 6 x 50
• MSRP: $34.90
• Production: Regular Production

The Davidoff Aniversario No. 3 is available in multiple packaging variations:

• Box of 10: $349
• Box of 20: $714
• Pack of 3 Tubos: $107.10

Pre-Light

The cold draw is smooth and creamy with notes of candied peanuts with a little bit of chili pepper on the back of the throat. The more I take some cold draws the more black pepper and cedar also comes forward onto the tip of my tongue and lips. There is a decent amount of pepper for what’s considered a milder to medium cigar, but that’s also not a problem. We will see if and how that changes once the cigar is lit. There is also a faint finish of fresh plum that lingers on the roof of my mouth.

First Third

After lighting the cigar, there is a small rush of black pepper right off of the foot of the cigar. Nicole, who happens to be sitting with me, tells me that from her vantage point the aroma on the nose smells like fresh graham cracker or a toasted graham cracker – like someone sitting fireside making s’mores and the graham crackers got a little bit too close to the flame and started to warm. As always, in typical Davidoff fashion, the cigar lights quick and so far is off to a nice even burn. It’s moments like this when you remember why you pay the extra dollar for Davidoff which is because of the excellent quality control. 

The pepper quickly dissipates, leaving behind dry earthy notes and some spice. I liken it to a piece of warm fresh bread with cinnamon powder, no sugar, not like a cinnamon roll, so there’s no sweetness to it. There is also a hint of nutmeg and some cashew. The burn line does lose some of its symmetry temporarily as I go a little further but overall doesn’t seem to have much effect on the burn and it’s very minimal. The ash isn’t super strong on this cigar and does not hold super well, but it’s also not problematic. I’ve had some cigars recently where it was almost impossible to keep the ash from dropping off after two puffs. But with these mild Ecuador Connecticut wrappers, sometimes that can be a thing as they are not super strong and hearty and burn relatively thin.

The cigar continues to be a solid, mild plus to medium overall cigar and it is not super strong, but it has a few enhanced layers of flavor. They give the cigar just a little bit more kick to keep it from being boring. It does begin to transition to more of a soft creamier texture with nuttiness and a hint of leather and cedar. I am really in the zone with this cigar. It continues to give off plenty of smoke production and I find the draw to be perfect. It’s not too loose where the cigar burns too fast and gets too hot, but it’s not too restrictive either, just at the right speed.

Second Third

The second third brings in some cocoa powder and some of what I can only describe as a fresh, homemade pretzel bread with the sea salt on top. Not overpowering in flavor but that right amount of bread sourness that pretzel and sourdough bread have that makes it warm, inviting and so enjoyable to taste. There is also a nice mushroom note sprinkled in too and if I were to be more specific, I would said a sautéed portobello mushroom that’s full of moisture and now I am getting hungry. The earthy and nutty tones are much more muted right now as these new flavors take shape. There does remain some spice and cedar on the back end finish but it doesn’t dominate the entire palate and leave you feeling tingly. What sticks out in my mind is the warm pretzel taste and now I just want some beer cheese to go with it. Is that strange?

Overall all, I would say by the point the cigar takes on the medium body in terms of flavor but still a mild plus on strength. It isn’t in your face or making you feel heavy. It is enjoyable and lighthearted but has plenty of flavor and many flavor changes giving it solid complexity. The minor uneven burn line that appeared in the middle of the first third has already long fixed itself and the cigar continues to burn cool, even and smooth.

Final Third

The last third continues to keep me on the edge of my seat. More of the spice begins to reemerge towards the front of the palette and this cigar holds its complexity giving me some lemongrass, sesame, more cedar and espresso on the finish. Even towards the end, the Aniversario No. 3 doesn’t get too hot, does not get too bitter and gives me a nice strong finish. That makes me want to smoke this thing down as far as I possibly can. I am not one to really “nub” cigars and it is only because for me, I don’t ever feel a need to hang on to a cigar that long. At some point no matter how good a cigar is, I just want to start a fresh one. But this cigar makes me want to hang on longer than normal and naturally I do.

Smokin Wrap

This cigar was near perfect for me and is another example of the Davidoff difference. Few brands make cigars that perform this well and have the consistency to do so year-after-year. Extremely minor uneven burn on two out of three samples and it corrected itself quickly. I almost feel I am just being super nitpicky compared to the rest of the performance. If you want a cigar that isn’t too strong but has plenty of flavor to not feel like you are smoking nothing – smoke this. If you want a ultra-premium cigar to celebrate an occasion and maybe some of your friends and family who are joining you aren’t regulars, this is a safe bet for a non to novice cigar smoker. The complexity and the flavor profiles are complex yet balanced and the cigar never falters from its identity.

Smokin Facts

• Cigars were purchased by Smokin Tabacco
• Davidoff does not advertise with Smokin Tabacco
• Cigars Smoked for Review: Three
• Smoking time: 2 hours & 15 Minutes

Purchase Recommendation: Box Purchase

Score: 92

The post Cigar Review: Davidoff Aniversario No. 3 appeared first on Smokin Tabacco.

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Powstanie is the brand owned by Mike and Greg Szczepankewicz, who also own the retail store, Cigar Hustler, in Deltona, Florida. This cigar was released at the end of 2024 as a 500 bundle limited-edition. “We’re proud to introduce the Catastrophic Failure, a cigar that exemplifies everything Powstanie Cigars stands for,” said Mike Szczepankiewicz in a press release. “This cigar blends traditional expertise with modern innovation, making it a standout addition to our lineup.”

Under the Lid

• Origin: Nicaragua
• Factory: Fábrica de Tabacos Nica Sueño S.A.
• Wrapper: Ecuador Sumatra
• Binder: Mexican & Pennsylvania
• Filler: Dominican & Nicaraguan
• Size: 5 1/2 x 52
• MSRP: $12
• Production: Limited (500 Bundles)

Pre-Light

The Powstanie Catastrophic Failure is a box-pressed robusto extra and features a veiny and toothy wrapper that appears to be delicate and thin. The bands look a little cheap for my taste and aren’t secured all the way down, leaving an awkward flap of the edge of the band. The draw is loose, maybe a little too loose but we will see where that goes. The cold flavor I get is a warm bitterness to it that almost feels under fermented with a lough of fresh tanned leather.

First Third

As I light the cigar, I noticed that it gives off a hefty amount of smoke production with a blast of white pepper right off the foot giving it a strong rush in flavor After the first few puffs, I noticed a small tunnel already appearing in the middle of the cigar, and I noticed that the draw is off with a loss of clean suction which will certainly affect the way the cigar continues to burn. 

The pepper quickly cools off and dissipates during the first third and the smoke stays relatively cool but the cigar continues to burn quickly, giving off plenty of smoke in the process. The tunneling in the middle that started in the beginning has, for the moment, slightly slowed down, but I’m not entirely sure yet if it has completely stopped. So far it’s a very dry and earthy flavor profile that leans more on the heavier and full bodied side. I’m getting burnt popcorn after it has cooled off and sat for a few hours, not stale popcorn, just really cool burnt popcorn, along with nutmeg and watered down Colombian coffee. Overall, it has a bitter flavor that some might enjoy, but so far it’s really not on my pallet. 

Second Third

As I get deeper into the cigar, I do notice that I have a harder time keeping it lit, even though I am being pretty attentive to it and over the course of the cigar I have needed a couple of re-lights. There are now some more smaller pinhole tunnels in the middle of the bunch that continue to form, but overall the middle of the cigar bunch seems to be burning faster than the outer rim of binder and filler. The same bitter taste dominates the flavor with some background spice that almost gets missed if you’re also steadily drinking something with it. It is a milder jalapeño like spicy note but very muted. There is some dry walnut too that makes its way in and out but mostly this tastes like stale coffee that was watered down to begin with. Then, if you were to leave said cup of coffee on the kitchen counter, go to work and come home and sip it hours later…that would be the best way to describe what I am tasting.

Final Third

The construction on this cigar continued to burn worse the further I went. It kept burning more and more uneven, lopsided, rough, and the tunneling inside while small, continued. The cigar naturally began to burn increasingly hotter and hotter after the end of the first third but really took a turn when I got to the last third where it was almost complexly burned out. The flavor didn’t change much and made this cigar feel very one-dimensional. Between the burn issues and the flavor, there almost seemed like there was no saving this cigar from what it is ironically called, Catastrophic Failure.

Smokin Wrap

I smoked this cigar for review because I kept getting asked about it and other cigars from Powstanie lately and I wanted to go through most of them and put them to the test. So far, I was unimpressed with what I found. The only thing they got right about this cigar is the name. There are a few of their newer releases in the queue lined up, hopefully they perform better.

Smokin Facts

• Cigars were sent by Powstanie
• Powstanie does not advertise with Smokin Tabacco
• Cigars were from a limited edition release last year and have been resting for a while
• Smoking time: 1 hour 40 minutes
• Cigars Smoked for Review: Three

Purchase Recommendation: Not Recommended

Score: 79

The post Cigar Review: Powstanie Catastrophic Failure appeared first on Smokin Tabacco.

Encore Noir II features a Nicaraguan wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and Nicaraguan filler. Presented in the Celestial No. 2 vitola, measuring 6 1/8 x 50, Casa Carrillo says this second edition offers remarkable complexity, layered richness, and refined strength. It also features a dark Nicaraguan wrapper that has undergone more than five years of natural bale aging. The extended maturation of these exceptional leaves makes production exceptionally limited with only 1,500 individually numbered ten-count boxes being produced worldwide. The scarcity of the wrapper tobacco ensures Encore Noir II remains one of Casa Carrillo’s most exclusive releases.

As an international exclusive release, the only U.S. debut will take place during a special weekend at Two Guys Cigars in New Hampshire, continuing the tradition established by the original Encore Noir launch. Events are scheduled for Friday, July 24, and Saturday, July 25, with Ernesto Perez-Carrillo and his son Ernesto Perez-Carrillo III joining cigar enthusiasts on Saturday for a special appearance alongside a live broadcast of The Cigar Authority.

“Encore Noir II represents our continued pursuit of refinement through patience,” said Ernesto Perez-Carrillo. “By allowing these tobaccos the time they needed to mature naturally, we’ve created a cigar with remarkable depth, richness, and elegance that remains unmistakably Encore.”

The post Casa Carrillo Announces Encore Noir II appeared first on Smokin Tabacco.

• Factory: Aganorsa Leaf (Nicaragua)
• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
• Binder: Nicaragua (Double Binder)
• Filler: Nicaragua
• Production: Limited Edition (2,400 Cigars)
• Vitola: 6¼” x 52 (Toro)
• MSRP: $70 per bundle

In beer circles, “crispy boy” is an affectionate term for a cold, clean, and refreshing lager. Crispy Boy is made at the Aganorsa Leaf factory in Nicaragua, pairing an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper with a double Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan fillers. The cigar is a 6¼” x 52 toro format, offering enough size for the blend to develop while remaining approachable for casual occasions.

“Not every cigar needs to come with a dress code or a lengthy explanation,” said Eric Guttormson, owner and founder of Cigar Dojo. “Crispy Boy is for the regular Joes, the dads, the dudes, and anyone who just wants to crack open a cold lager, light up a great cigar, and enjoy the moment. It’s flavorful without beating you over the head, and it goes down easy every time.”

The beer-inspired presentation takes the concept one step further. Rather than traditional boxes, the cigars are packaged in six-count, foil-wrapped bundles that are placed inside custom Crispy Boy coozies. The coozies will be offered in red and blue variations, giving each package the appearance of a cold can of beer waiting to be opened.

“Crispy Boy is a fun concept, but the cigar itself was taken very seriously,” said Terence Reilly, vice president of sales and marketing at Aganorsa Leaf. “We wanted to create something clean, balanced, and satisfying that people could reach for without overthinking it. The packaging may get your attention first, but the blend is what will keep people coming back.”

The release will begin on Friday, July 31st during Cigar Dojo’s annual Dochella event. For the first time, Dochella will move outside Cigar Dojo Studios and take place at the Smoker Friendly cigar shop in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The event is being presented in collaboration with Cigar Dojo, Aganorsa Leaf, and Smoker Friendly at 3761 E Lincolnway, Cheyenne, WY 82001.

A limited allotment will be available during Dochella, with the remainder of the 200 in-person bundles being offered the following day at the Rocky Mountain Cigar Festival. The 2026 festival marks the event’s first year at its new home at Little America Resort in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The remaining 200 bundles will be released nationally through SmokeInn.com on Monday, August 3rd.

The post Cigar Dojo and Aganorsa Leaf Announce “Crispy Boy” Collaboration appeared first on Smokin Tabacco.

Scheduled to begin shipping to retailers on August 27th, Independence will debut in a 4 7/8” x 50 Robusto and a 5 7/8” x 50 Toro. Both formats will feature the blend that made the Independence Firecracker the hottest and fastest-selling limited release of 2026. While these additional vitolas will not feature the Firecracker’s iconic fuse cap, they will deliver the identical smoking experience that captivated retailers and consumers alike. United Cigars did clarify that the blend will remain unchanged, featuring Dominican and Nicaraguan ligero fillers, a Dominican binder, and a Mexican Habano wrapper.

“Why mess with success?” said Oliver Nivaud of United Cigars, the exclusive U.S. distributor of Arnold André premium cigars, including Montosa and Terra Nova. “The Independence Firecracker exceeded every expectation. Rather than retire a blend people fell in love with, we’re making Independence a permanent part of the Arnold André portfolio.”

Independence Firecracker was created to commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the United States, continuing the premium cigar industry’s longest-running Firecracker collaboration series between United Cigars and leading cigar manufacturers. This is not the first time a limited-edition Firecracker has made it into a core line for manufacturers, Mi Querida Triqui Traca and Fratello Fuoco Oro went to market after the success of the Firecracker collaboration.

The Independence line will be available in the signature twelve-count collectible tin, boldly marked with “Land of the Free” and “Home of the Brave.” Once empty, the tin is designed to be repurposed as a personal cigar ashtray and provides retailers additional merchandising flexibility while making it approachable for consumers. Independence Robusto will retail for $10.50 per single, $126 per tin and the Toro is set at $11.00 per single, $132 per tin.

The post United Cigars Makes Independence Firecracker a Regular Production Line appeared first on Smokin Tabacco.

“Both Cofradia and Cofradia Oscuro have long been among the best buys in humidors,” said Joe Krzyston, Brand Manager of Bolivar Cigars. “Now those same cigars are available in a bold new size. These 770s are for lovers of big ring gauges and uncompromising Bolivar blends.”

Both Bolivar Cofradia and Cofradia Oscuro 770 are crafted in Honduras at HATSA and come in a twenty-count box at a 7 x 70 size. The MSRP for each blend is $10.09 per cigar. Bolivar Cofradia and Cofradia Oscuro 770 already began shipping to retailers in July 2026.

The post Bolivar Adds 7 x 70 to Cofradia and Cofradia Oscuro appeared first on Smokin Tabacco.

Early in the year, Drew Estate previewed this cigar, along with Deadwood Tobacco Co. Dominicana Buenas Noches, in their Early Access pack where they came unbanded and identified only by their code names, “Water” with was Buenas Noches, and Fire which was the name given for El Tigre. They both formally launched in April of 2026.

Under the Lid

• Origin: Nicaragua
• Factory: La Gran Fábrica Drew Estate
• Wrapper: Ecuador (Sumatra Seed)
• Binder: U.S.A (Connecticut Corojo H99 Hybrid)
• Filler: Dominican (HVA & Criollo 98)
• Size: 6 x 50
• Vitola: Toro
• MSRP: $13 (Boxes of 20, $260)
• Release Date: April 2026
• Production: Regular

Pre Light

The wrapper is very silky, soft and beautiful but at the same time very veiny. I will stress these are not rough veins or very bumpy, but prominent enough that you know they are there. The Undercrown El Tigre has a nice soft box-press to it, which I think is very nice and I usually enjoy a good soft box-press. There is a foot band on the cigar that reads “El Tigre Domincano” that matches the primary band with black and silver details which I think is a nice touch but I am more partial to black and gold myself.

First Third

Upon lighting the Undercrown El Tigre, the first few puffs blast me with black pepper, mustard powder and sea salt off of the foot. As the first few puffs begin to cool off and really settle into the first third, much of the pepper and spice goes away and it’s replaced by rich and dry earthy notes of leather, cocoa powder, and walnut. There is plenty of smoke production from this cigar and what I might add is much of it being blue smoke which I find quite beautiful to look at to be honest with you. I could watch this cigar smolder all day. In terms of construction so far, the draw has been perfect, the ash is nice and compact and the El Tigre is burning mostly even, not a perfect burn line so far, but even enough nonetheless. As the first third progresses toward the second third, it does remain earthy, but gets slightly creamier and gets a little bit more nutty.

Second Third

The walnut I spoke of earlier remains, but there’s also almost a hint of cashew as well. There is also an uptick in the spice again as the second third really settles in. The back of my tongue also picks up a ripe taste of anise and at this point a slight tangy sourness begins to creep in with it. I would consider this a medium plus to slightly full bodied cigar at this point. While I will write that as always, the standard that we smoke for an official cigar review is three cigars, I will tell you that I have already smoked more than that over the course of the last few months. This is probably my sixth or seventh EL Tigre overall by the time that I write this so I’ve had a very good sampling of these. Again, I really only track the dedicated performance of the three used of review but they’ve all been pretty consistent across six or seven cigars in terms of one flaw. Somewhere near the peak of the second third, the sourness continues to grow and then begins to get slightly bitter and this cigar begins to drop off for me. I’m still not quite halfway and I’m already almost an hour into the cigar so I have been smoking it pretty gingerly as well.

Another thing I wanted to point out here is the ash in the first third actually stacked on pretty well. I was able to get almost a good inch and three-quarters of it before it finally broke for the first time, ironically right as I was about to get a picture of it. However, getting into the second third, it still draws and burns very well, but it’s burning more uneven and I find that the ash begins to stack on a little lopsided and it’s not as neat as it was in the beginning. The third cigar I smoked while taking my photos was the best of the three and wasn’t as extreme, but the first two were a little more jagged. Not so bad that the cigars were junk after, but not ideal in a perfect world. I continue to rotate it and burn it as even as I can, but there’s only so much I can control. This seems to be the spot every time where the El Tigre takes a turn. I am also losing much of the flavors that I had begun to enjoy to this point.

Final Third

As I get to the final third, the burn continues to be uneven on the El Tigre but it does slowly start to correct itself or at the very least, get better, by the time I get down to the nub. In terms of body and strength, it continues to be medium plus as a whole, but a lot of the flavors are getting drowned out by this bitter finish on the backend that has taken over, which began to grow in the second third. It continues to be earthy and dry in flavor with more leather and some hickory notes before some pepper returns for a final bow, but I lost the nuttiness that I was starting to enjoy between the first and second thirds. The only issue I have in terms of construction is the uneven burn, but the draw smoke production and everything else seems to be going well. I do wonder how much of that uneven burn is also influencing what I am experiencing in terms of the flavor and complexity issues I have begun to see.

Smokin Wrap

While this is a good cigar and not a bad cigar, I do feel after smoking several of these that there is potential for them to be really great with some age, provided they burn better in the future. Time will have to tell us on that one. I have plenty on hand that I can let age and revisit in the future, possibly a redux review? I would be really curious to see where this particular batch is at in a year from now. But either way, the burn issues in the middle of the cigar are what sticks out to me. Outside of those, there wasn’t too much to complain about but inconsistency is where cigars lose points fast in a review.

Smokin Facts

• Cigars were sent by Drew Estate
• Drew Estate advertises with Smokin Tabacco
• Cigars Smoked for the Review: Three
• Average smoking time: Two Hours and Thirty Minutes

Purchase recommendation: Try a Sample

SCORE: 87

The post Cigar Review: Undercrown El Tigre Dominicano Toro appeared first on Smokin Tabacco.