"I really enjoyed this cigar. While there was nothing earth-shattering about the flavor profile or the way it smoked, it was a great representative of a shade-grown cigar. Gone are the days when grabbing a Connie means smoking air and nothing much more. This is a very enjoyable, flavor-forward cigar. This would be an ideal first cigar of the day." -Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
"It’s a straight forward inoffensive cigar, with few transitions and not a lot of complexity by anyone’s definition. But with solid construction and those very prominent core flavors I found myself enjoying it. Retrohaling is a must with this one!" -Matt Cade (CADE)
J.C. Newman Cigar Co. has started shipping 1,250 boxes of its Yagua cigars to cigar retailers in the United States. That cigar has basically been an annual release up until this point with the first batch being released in July of 2020, and the second in August of 2021. The company says a second batch for 2022 is expected around Thanksgiving.
"Overall this wasnt a bad smoke. It was uninspiring for me though and really didnt do anything that would make me interested in smoking it again. If the draw were better it might be of some interest to others that like floral flavor profiles. " -Dave W. (mdwest)
"This smoke didn't feature a rollercoaster of transitions or over-the-top complexity and in my opinion, those qualities are certainly not prerequisites of an incredible cigar. Rather, I tend to put a premium on a stick that intrigues my palate with abundant flavors that are not only smooth but also balanced enough to keep my attention. This cigar accomplished all of that and more while maintaining similar flavor profiles from start to finish. What stood out for me the most was how smooth the smoke was from the first puff to the last which ultimately led to the incredible smoking experience. Simply put, this is just another banger that I can't wait to add to my collection!" -Noah S. (Noah)
As a part of the restoration process for their El Reloj Cigar Factory in Tampa, J.C. Newman had to clear out almost 70 years' worth of items from the building. During this process, they uncovered some hidden gems, one of which was a trap door from the 1930s with a secret staircase that went from the General Managers' office down into the basement. It was used to hide when the Tampa Mafia would come through looking for payroll cash. Another item was J.C.'s (Julius Caesar's) travel trunk that accompanied him on his voyage from Hungary to Cleveland in 1889. One of the most interesting discoveries was a box stash of 10-year-old Brick House cigars tucked away in the basement years ago to age and wait for a special occasion to arise. To celebrate their 125th year, they are going to release them to the public by way of TAA retailers and named Brick House Beginnings.
Today, we are giving away some very cool prizes from J.C. Newman Cigar Co., 5 boxes of the super-rare Brick House Culebras. These are only available at J.C. Newman events and are not for sale. A culebra is three different cigars twisted into one, meant to be separated and shared with friends. The Brick House Culebra contains one of each of the three blends in the line: Double Connecticut, Maduro and Natural. All of the Brick House cigars are rolled at the J.C. Newman PENSA factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. On top of the cigars, we will be including some shirts from J.C. Newman to the first 3 winners.
"The first third was good with flavors of woods and dark fruit with a nice sweet finish. The second third was mediocre at best and at one point I considered putting it down. I'm glad I didn't though because it picked back up in the final third where it shined. I wouldn't pay a premium for this one, but I would smoke it again. " -James H. (Keikan Jim)
J.C. Newman Cigar Co.'s latest cigar, José Gaspar Cigars, combines two of Tampa’s world-famous traditions, cigars and Gasparilla. Since 1885, Tampa has been known as “Cigar City.” Starting in 1904, pirates began invading Tampa and throwing a large festival called Gasparilla. Now, two, J.C. Newman Cigar Co. is combining both traditions by releasing José Gaspar cigars.
"An awesome cigar! Nice notes of sweet and salty mixed with notes of woodiness. Makes me want another. Great late afternoon stick." -Sean F. (fullermaine)