Espinosa
601 La Bomba Warhead IX
By now, most cigar hobbyists are quite familiar with the 601 La Boba Warhead series from Espinosa Premium Cigars—you might even say it’s one of the most anticipated annual launches in the craft cigar space each year. This holds true a full decade after the line’s initial debut in 2013, where Espinosa first showcased one of the fullest-bodied / fullest-strength maduros you’re likely to come across!
Yes, the Espinosa 601 La Bomba Warhead IX is the ninth cigar in the collection, offering the same fan-favorite recipe in a new size and look for 2023. This time around, the blend has been expertly crafted in the most shapely format to date: a 6″ x 56 salomon/figurado (including the cigar’s signature fuse-tail cap, of course).
As with the past few releases, the cigars were crafted out of A.J. Fernández’s northernmost factory in Ocotal, Nicaragua. The blend begins with A.J.’s prized Nicaraguan tobacco throughout the binder/filler, showcasing especially high-priming selections that give the smoke its hearty nicotine output and intense flavor. These leaves are finalized in a gritty Connecticut Broadleaf maduro wrapper, making for a maduro lover’s dream smoking profile! With the new size, the cigar burns for an hour and 40 minutes, bringing added transitions as the vitola expands/contracts from start to finish. Expect a full flavor/strength/body, with standout notes of toasted oak, black pepper, chocolate mint, black licorice, and Cuban espresso.
Azucar
The Espinosa Azucar (azucar is Spanish for sugar) Canita Mini is a mild, small panatela that was made specifically for the aficionado with a sweet tooth. The Azucar is Espinosa Cigars’ first foray into creating a flavor-infused cigar. And they hit the sweet spot with this one. A Dominican puro from filler to wrapper, the Espinosa Azucar has a nice, mellow vanilla flavor that goes great with a cup of your favorite coffee.
Crema
Despite all the hype around the next full-bodied, powerhouse cigar, mellow, Connecticut wrapped gems are still the best-sellers in the cigar world by far. And with awesome, creamy cigars like Espinosa Crema coming out, it’s easy to tell why. Espinosa is a boutique cigar manufacturer you should all be watching, and if you haven’t tried them yet, Espinosa Crema is the perfect introduction.
Now if you’re gonna name a cigar Crema, you better deliver creaminess. And I’m happy to report that it’s here in spades. An silky-smooth Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper delivers a super-smooth experience with slight cedar, hay, and tons of baked bread. It’s a buttery, delicious cigar that rounds out the Espinosa portfolio and ensures this boutique company has something for everyone.
Knuckle Sandwich Chef’s SPecial 2022
Introducing the Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Chef’s Special, a third, more limited variant of the hugely successful Knuckle Sandwich collection. While the original cigars distinguish themselves with either red or black foot ribbons, the Knuckle Sandwich Chef’s Special stands out with a vibrant yellow identifier. The tobacco recipe has been tweaked as well, using a dark Ecuadorian Habano rosado wrapper over all-Nicaraguan binder/fillers. As the cherry on top, this select recipe is rolled in a fine-tuned figurado format that has been box-pressed. This makes for a cool smoking temperature and a concentrated smoke onto the palate, offering punchy and long-lasting flavors of toasted oak, black pepper, Mexican mole, and syrupy molasses.
Limited to only 2,500 boxes of 10 cigars, the Knuckle Sandwich Chef’s Special cigar is worthy of the chef’s kiss, bringing a medium-full intensity for the seasoned cigar hobbyist and/or collector.
Knuckle Sandwich Chef’s Special 2023
Introducing the Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Chef Special 2023 cigar, a limited release to capture the demanding palate of celebrity restaurateur Guy Fieri, as well as the flavor-craved cigar enthusiast.
Like the original, the Knuckle Sandwich Chef Special 2023 was rolled in a unique 6½” x 52 box-pressed figurado size. However, the dark Habano rosado wrapper of the 2022 cigar has been swapped for an Ecuadorian Sumatra leaf, surrounding an all-Nicaraguan binder/filler that were harvested from the famed tobacco fields of A.J. Fernández. Limited to 1,500 boxes, this is sure to be among the most sought-after releases of 2023, offering equal parts flavor and style like few others can!
Knuckle Sandwich Maduro
The cigar of choice by residents of flavor town!
For 18 months, Erik Espinosa and Guy Fieri have collaborated with the legendary A.J. Fernandez to create the recipes for both blends of the Knuckle Sandwich. You may be familiar with Guy Fieri’s TV and culinary fame but might not have known of his passion for enjoying a tasty handmade. Guy is a big fan of the cigar lifestyle and enjoys exploring cigar lounges across the country. This triple-threat collaboration between these masters of their craft will be punching your tastebuds into submission with some seriously tasty blends.
The Knuckle Sandwich Maduro has been crafted at AJ’s San Lotano factory in Nicaragua. On the inside of this sammich your meat and cheeses are Nicaraguan fillers and binder. The bread of choice to bring it all together is a Ecuadorian-Sumatra Maduro wrapper. Don’t miss the bus to Flavor Town!
Las 6 Provincias Camagüey (CMT)
In 2018, Espinosa Premium Cigars launched Las 6 Provincias, a series of limited editions that celebrated the original six provinces of Cuba by way of annual-released cigars, setting the stage for six years of releases.
The COVID-19 pandemic put a wrinkle into those plans as the company did not release a Las 6 Provincias cigar in 2020, meaning that 2022 would be the fourth release in the line. For that fourth cigar, the company released the Espinosa Las 6 Provincias CMW, which celebrates the province of Camagüey.
The cigar is a 6 x 50 box-pressed toro that uses an Ecuadorian habano wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder and filler. The cigars are made at AJ Fernandez’s San Lotano Factory in Ocotal, Nicaragua, with production limited to 1,000 boxes of 20 cigars.
Wasabi
Erik Espinosa has long been one of the most unique names in the cigar industry. From the 601 series, to Alpha Dawg, to Comfortably Numb, this guy covers the full range of style and presentation… Which brings us to Wasabi, a Candela wrapped blend coming from the La Zona Cigar Factory. At first glance, you may think this thing is a marketing gimmick but not so fast my friend! Just ask anyone who’s familiar with La Zona’s work, and you’ll know this thing is legit.
Up top, you’ve got the green and smooth Candela wrapper leaf (that’s certainly reminding some of you out there of the cigars of yesteryear) capped by a dark brown Habano leaf. The binder and filler are undisclosed, but believe me, they make their presence known immediately — this cigar packs a punch! Tons of earth and black pepper boom forth from this blend in a most unexpected way, proving this one ain’t your Daddy’s candela. Believe me, this is a cigar that’s straight up legit: even the uppity up cigar bloggers rated it highly.
