In the past few days leading up to IPCPR 2015 in New Orleans, stories, rumors and mixed information began spreading around various cigar sites about the departure of Hirochi Robaina from Cubanacan and the fate of his successful new brand HR 1845 as well as Cubanacan's factory. We have refrained on posting stories about this in order to get the facts and official statements straight first. The HR 1845 took the number 8 spot on our Top 25 list in 2014. It does appear that Robaina has left Cubanacan and joined with La Palina Cigars, and may not have gone about it the best way. Here is Cubanacan's official response.
"Never judge a cigar by the wrapper. Based on my initial observations, I would have skipped over grabbing this cigar. The flavors, however, were very well balanced and offered a nice smoke. While not a lot of dimension, I could see keeping some on hand to enjoy while grilling or golfing." -Gregg (McGreggor57)
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·"This was a very enjoyable cigar. It offered a unique flavor profile and quite a bit of transitions that kept things fresh. The fermented flavor was something I'm not sure I ever have tasted in a cigar before and definitely want to smoke more to see if I get the same thing. I'm excited to see what this is." -Emmett (BMP_Emmett)
SELECTED TOBACCO RELEASES TWO NEW SIZES IN BYRON
April 28th, 2015 – Founded in 1850, the brand Bryron is without a doubt one of the oldest brands in the world. Selected Tobacco is pleased to announce 2 new sizes and updated packaging.
FOR THE FIRST TIME, AVO CIGARS IS LAUNCHING A BOX PRESSED CIGAR SERIES CALLED AVO SYNCRO NICARAGUA, A CIGAR WITH NICARAGUAN FIRE, DOMINICAN FLAIR AND A WORLD OF STORIES
Cigar News: AVO Announces Syncro Nicaragua
Cigar News: AVO Announces Syncro Nicaragua
Basel, June 2015. Inspired by the cosmopolitan lifestyle of cigar legend Avo Uvezian, AVO Cigars has ventured beyond its Dominican roots, capturing exotic notes from vibrant cultures around the world to create an exciting collection of blends called Syncro. As a first in this new series, AVO Syncro Nicaragua will be launched globally at IPCPR in July 2015.
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·"A deceivingly strong stogie considering how smooth it is; about medium-bodied and with a relatively understated flavor profile, and a relatively high smoke output that is not offensive. Easily a 90+ points cigar in my book, reminding me of some of my favorite Dominican puros." -Stefan (Stefan)
"This was an interesting mild smoke. The body never got past medium, and the blend never really reached any crescendo. Instead, the core flavors tapered off in the final third.I also felt that this smoke burned fast for its size, and the blend lacked an oily or juicy element. All of the negatives for this stick were minor, and in my opinion, this would definitely make a good morning coffee smoke. Fans of mild yet flavorful smokes will dig this." -Ryan (Youngryan216)
"A really enjoyable smoke the entire way through. It reminded me of a fresh Anejo, or La Palina Maduro. I would definitely recommend enjoying this as a morning smoke with a nice cup of coffee." -Jeff (ExpendableYouth)
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·"This a wonderful cigar with just the right amount of strength. I was enticed by traditional Maduro and an overall earthiness. This is box worthy to say the least and it will not be the last time I smoke this slow burning beauty." -Jack (Jack_H)
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·"I wanted to rate this cigar higher. The beginning and middle had some really nice flavors coming through. The smoke output on each draw was plentiful. The oily wrapper and chisel tip made it easy to smoke. All that, and then the final third hit a brick wall. Relights galore and harsh flavors just made the overall rating from me fall off a cliff. I would hope this stick was an anomaly in an otherwise solid blend. If I had stopped after the second third I would be happy." -Matthew T. (A Huge Nerd)