The Manuel Quesada 70th was announced at the 2017 ProCigar Festival. The cigar is made in honor of Manuel “Manolo” Quesada Jr., who turns 70 in April. Quesada Jr. It’s offered in his two favorite sizes: Toro (6 x 50) and Belicoso (6 x 52)—both of which are priced at $12.95 per cigar. The Manuel Quesada 70th is limited to 1,000 boxes of 10 cigars in each size.
When a cigar brand has within its toolbox a Master Blender, backed with stats of Cuban emigration, a household heritage of more than a century in the tobacco industry, and over forty years experience in costs stogie workmanship, it is crucial that said brand name showcase that Master Mixer’s special talents at every provided possibility. When it comes to Quesada Cigars, the opportunity has occurred with Master Blender Manuel “Manolo” Quesada, Jr.’s 70th birthday on April 10, 2017 (born in 1947).
Those fanatics with an eager perception might’ve predicted such a celebratory launch, but for the remainder of us, rumblings of the Manuel Quesada 70th cigar started making their rounds in February of this year. The stogies made soft-launch appearances at cigar events such as The Great Smoke 2017 and the yearly Procigar Festival in the Dominican Republic. At events such as these, brand name runner (as well as cousin to Manuel Quesada) Terence Reilly has provided presentations to assist cigar fanatics to recognize the size of Manolo’s outstanding 70 years: For followers of Quesada Cigars, the Manuel Quesada 70th will have a familiar ring to it, as the brand presented the Quesada 40th Anniversary cigars just 3 years prior. This is due to the fact that the 40th stogies were crafted to honor Manuel’s 40 years in the sector, whereas the 70th honors his birthday. Unlike the Quesada 40th, Manuel Quesada 70th has actually been blended by Manuel himself, in an effort to please his excellent palate (Quesada 40th Anniversary stogie were mixed for Manuel by his daughters except the the corona gorda vitola). For this special cigar , Manuel opens the tricks to the Quesada family’s substantial collection of tobaccos; showcasing a primarily Dominican blend, balanced by a touch of Nicaraguan the filler. The wrapper is Cuban-seed Dominican as well as the binder Sumatra-seed Dominican. The cigars are shipped in only 2 vitolas (6 ″ × 52 Belicoso & 6 ″ × 50 Toro)– both using very simiar dimensions to display the ideal experience for this unique, wedding anniversary blend.
Vital Stats:
Vitola: Toro
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 50
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Dominican (Cuban Seed)
Binder: Dominican (Sumatra Seed)
Filler: Nicaraguan, Dominican
Factory: Quesada Cigars
Blender: Manuel Quesada
Number of reviewers: 4 – Mickey T. (irratebass) Isaac M. (The Nothing) Adam B. (Bushboy) Eric (smalls29)
Price: $12.95
Age: 5 Months
Release Date: March 2017
Contributed by: Blind Man’s Puff
Initial Impressions
Appearance: 94
“Very oily sheen with traditional tobacco leaf in color. Tight invisible seams with minimal veins.” –Mickey T. (irratebass)
Aroma: 90
“There is a sweet aroma of soil and oleander.” –Eric (smalls29)
First Third
Flavor: 89
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
“Cold draw I get walnuts and coffee. Once lit there is chocolate mixed with coffee and walnuts. There is a nice blueish-white smoke coming off the foot, and more gray in color after I exhale. There is a long finish that coats the tongue. Getting chocolate mostly on the retro.” –Mickey T. (irratebass)
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Second Third
Flavor: 89
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
“Ash fell off right at the beginning of the second. It was a beautiful white/gray that was almost 2 inches long. There is a nice sweetness now that resembles a coca-cola flavor, which I find very interesting. I’m also detecting a rye component…the liquor, not the bread.” –Mickey T. (irratebass)
“The cedar and sweet leather notes continued into the second third. The flavors coated the palate, and I had a hard time putting the cigar down. Whenever I did, the lingering flavors had me running back to the cigar for more. Don’t expect to be able to do anything but sit back and enjoy this cigar.” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)
Final Third
Flavor: 91
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
“While the final third continued on with the cedar and sweet leather flavors, it still managed to not become monotonous. I found myself clamoring for more cigar. Partway through the last third, right about where the band would be, there was a subtle light roasted coffee flavor.” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)
“The final third became bitter and disappointing. The chocolate disappeared and I was left with the bitter taste of the bottom of a cup of coffee.” –Eric (smalls29)
Overall Impressions
Draw: 94
“Draw was a touch tight to begin, although this did not affect the overall experience. Loosened up to almost a perfect draw about 2 inches in.” –Adam B. (Bushboy)
Burn: 88
“Slight issue in the second third caused me to give a less than stellar grade for the burn rating, however it didn’t take much fire to correct, and was not a recurring problem.” –Adam B. (Bushboy)
Construction: 94
“No issues whatsoever. This cigar was a pleasure to smoke.” –Adam B. (Bushboy)
Overall Strength: Medium
Overall Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
Experience Overall: 92
“This was a very good cigar. I really enjoyed the rye & sweetness components, I felt they gave the cigar that extra oomph it needed to stand up to just the coffee, and nut flavors. This would be a nice after dinner smoke.” –Mickey T. (irratebass)
“This. I want more of this. While this cigar never put out a lot of varied flavors, or an excite build-up from start to finish, it was an outstanding cigar. The smoke output was average, but the mouthfeel felt much more than that. I could never put this cigar down for more than a few seconds before my palate began going through withdrawals and forced me back fore more. It was silly of me to think I could do anything other than sit back and enjoy.” –Isaac M. (The Nothing)
“Very nice cigar from start to finish. Towards the end the strength picked up quite a bit to the point that this cigar smoked me. I enjoy the strength and will definitely be buying more of these soon. Very pleasant aroma and flavor profile. Good job to whoever the blend master is behind this one.” –Adam B. (Bushboy)
“If you take away the final third, this was one of my favorite types of cigars, chocolate and coffee. The peppers in the second third were a nice addition that would be nice if they were present throughout. Unfortunately the final third was a bummer.” –Eric (smalls29)
Smoking Time (in minutes): 72
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