The 2024 release of Atabey Black Ritos brings a unique blend of aged tobaccos to a select group of retailers and NFT Box holders, encapsulating the essence of luxury and innovation in the cigar industry.
Selected Tobacco has announced the Alfonso Gran Selección for PCA 2023 in Las Vegas. The Alfonso Gran Selección is the followup to the Alfonso Añejo that debuted at last year’s trade show. Alfonso Gran Selección blend uses an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, with Pervian binder, and Dominican and Nicarguan fillers. The Alfonso Gran Selección will be available in five sizes; Exclusivos (6 x 54 Torpedo), Preciosos (7 1/2 x 40), Estelares (5 1/2 x 54), Enormes (6 1/2 x 60), and Grandiosos (8 x 50).
Next week, Selected Tobacco is launching a new blend in the Byron portfolio at the Byron Cigar Lounge in Schaumburg, IL. The Byron 1850 line was created to celebrate almost 175 years of the Byron family line. Selected Tobacco was created by Nelson Alfonso to offer cigars that are aged with a purpose. All the Selected Tobacco lines are placed into cedar lined rooms after they are rolled, the cigars are “cleaned” as they age with cedar notes. Humidity is raised and lowered to allow the cigars to breathe for 2 to 5 years, depending on the line.
Selected Tobacco showed off the Alfonso Añejos cigar line at the 2022 PCA trade show, and now has started shipping them to select retailers across the country. The new line was created by Nelson Alfonso of Selected Tobacco. The Alfonso Añejos joins Selected Tobacco's luxury lines: Atabey, Byron and Bandolero. Selected Tobacco was started by Nelson Alfonso to offer the market a cigar that is aged with a purpose. All the Selected Tobacco lines are placed into cedar lined rooms after they are rolled, then humidity is raised and lowered to allow the cigars to clean themselves with the cedar notes from two to five years.
98%
Extraordinary
This was a great cigar! I don't get into the hype of $30, $50 or even $100 cigars, but this Atabey Spiritus was amazing! The draw was a bit snug, but I can't blame that on the the cigar I don't think. This was given to my by the BMP's staff to review. The construction was spot on, but by the end of the second half the head started to come off a bit, again that might have been my user and I just got it too wet. Overall this cigar greeted me with lots and lots of sweetness with hay, and honey. It tipped the scales of medium, but just barely and only briefly. This was an elegant cigar that could be enjoyed at any time of the day, but I think in the morning would be the best or late at night as your last cigar of the day. They are not inexpensive, but if you get the chance I cannot recommend Atabey enough.
92%
Great
"If the draw was better I would be signing it praises. With this sample I found the profile to be excellent but the draw and size are a problem. It is a weird feeling to be almost an hour and a half into a cigar and only reach the halfway point. The flavors were good and there were enough profile transitions to keep me engaged though. I would smoke this again but I would have to block out a substantial amount of time to do so." -Alan (Eulogy)
Vintage is a term that is at times misunderstood and overused. However when Nelson Alfonso of Selected Tobacco releases blends with 5 years of post-roll age decorated by a uniquely designed humidor, the term is fitting. Byron using a unique distinction for their lines. Each line is named after a century, because Nelson tried to capture the true essence of what a great cigar was, or is, in that century. This year’s edition of Byron Humidors are limited to one size in each blend, with only 7,500 cigars rolled for each “century”; the Byron cigar line has a “century” interpretation for any cigar enthusiast.
United Cigars has announced the 19th Century Byron Epique Poemas 30 Count Humidor. It is scheduled to begin shipping first week of November. It was first shown off at the 2022 PCA show in Las Vegas and contains 30 cigars inside and a carton of 50 cigars to refill. The cigars have been aged Four Years Post-Roll. The Epique Poemas cigars are part of the 19th Century blend by Nelson Alfonso of Selected Tobacco and feature a dark, oily Ecuadorian wrapper. We reviewed the cigar here and gave it a 90 in our blind testing.
95%
Excellent
This is such a handsome cigar, it was so well constructed. From the wrapper to the roll it was picture perfect. There were no soft spots, burn issues, and the draw was perfect. The ever changing profile kept me fully engaged. This is more of a medium flavor profile with a just slightly above mild strength. If I'm being very nitpicky I personally would have liked a slightly thicker smoke; but it was in no way thin or wispy. From a price stand point this is definitely more of a special occasion cigar but I would highly recommend one.
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.