EAR: the 2022 "Up and Comers"

[El Presidente]

EAR: Email Assistance Required. 

 

"with what you are doing in your sphere, who are the market players who you respect, the market market players who you feel are worthy keeping an eye on?. I know you respect Padron/AF but I am more interested in the next tier or even relatively new to market who are doing interesting things in an authentic and progressive manner."

 

Let me paraphrase the above question before putting it to members as your experience in this realm trumps (not a US political statement)  mine 

Who are the 2022 "up and comers" to keep an eye on in the cigar world? Who are making  waves by  producing some very good and interesting cigars?

 

[Chas.Alpha]

You never struck me as one that would toot his own horn, so allow us… 😀

[El Presidente]

8 minutes ago, Chas.Alpha said:

You never struck me as one that would toot his own horn, so allow us… 😀

...we are not included in this list 

[Bigkahuna]

Black label trading / black works studios 

[bishop532]

HVC

Illusione 

Aganorsa

Aladino /JRE

[Boxer31]

Crowned Heads

Crux

Serino

[Lamboinee]

Nelson Alfonso, he may have been "in the game" for too long to be an up n comer, but I think he should be considered. I don't know much about him.

Kyle Gellis - but I gotta say I haven't been consistently wowed recently. But some great sticks originally and certainly promising. How much of his earlier success was based on what tobacco he had available to him? Ms. Sandy at El Titan certainly knows how to manage the rollers.  I otherwise don't know how involved Mr. G was. But I dig his style and his seeming respect for tradition.

Whoever blended a lot of the recent La Galera stuff - If it was just just Mr. Jochy, then he's obviously a veteran, but if someone helped him then that person is an up 'n comer.

I'd agree with @bishop532 re: JRE - but that family is full of Tobacco vets so I will respectfully not include them as "up n comers". But I love those sticks.

Mr. Hamlet. El Pres has put some stock in him and it seem he has some good taste. So I will give my vote of confidence. But I was advised to wait 6 months before trying the nudies that I just got and I don't think I've smoked any other Hamlet sticks yet. The nudies will play a big role as they introduce me to what he has rolled. Mr. John S also seems to like the nudies and I will give another vote of confidence in Mr. Hamlet based on that as well.  

Who blends Curivari/Buenaventua? - I imagine that person has been around a while, but if they qualify as an up-n-comer then I vote for that person too.

Mr. Hirochi Robaina - His first release of the HRs was outstanding. I have almost a full box left and I really like those sticks.  The new HRs are different, and more affordable, and I'm not sure what is going on with HR right now. They've changed distributors and stuff a few times I think.  Plus, I imagine Cuba is upset with Mr. HR since he blended non-cubans.  I'd love to know the deets on that drama.  Nevertheless, Mr. HR certainly has some chops.

Interesting topic. It makes me realize how little I know about the real people that are "boots on the ground" behind the sticks we smoke.

1 vote also for the "unsung heros". The person that lives tobacco everyday because they are passionate about tobacco, hungry to prove themselves, and eager to experience the fruits of their labor.  Somewhere there's a person at a manufacturer just nerding out everyday on tobacco and I have no clue who they are yet. Hope they make it.

 

 

 

[bishop532]

On 12/20/2022 at 8:56 PM, Lamboinee said:

'd agree with @bishop532 re: JRE - but that family is full of Tobacco vets so I will respectfully not include them as "up n comers". But I love those sticks

I included them in answer to the second question, so I’d argue you could do the same:

 

Who are making  waves by producing some very good and interesting cigars?

I guess maybe it depends how you read the question tho, if the above was just modifying the first question vs a separate ask. 

Re: Hamlet, I’ve tried 3 of his cigars and each has been better than the last - Tabaquero Corona, 25th Robusto, and Rosado Nudies N3 Carlota ( did not wait 6, or even 1, month). I love the bread/cake notes he gets into his cigars. Wish he’d roll more in the panatela range, I absolutely love the carlota size.

 

[JoshD]

Foundation Cigar Co.

[Cigar-Therapy]

Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust - is on my radar - their brûlée restored my faith in connecticuts. 

dunno if it’s considered an up and comer  

 

[Graves]

Crowned Heads is really putting out good stuff. 

[JustDave]

5 hours ago, JoshD said:

Foundation Cigar Co.

never found one I've liked, couldn't really put my finger on why.

[Lamboinee]

8 hours ago, Cigar-Therapy said:

brûlée restored my faith in connecticuts.

brulee was tasty, as was the darker sobremsa imo.

After further thought, I would also like to add Eladio Diaz from davidoff/kelner.  But admittedly, the sample size of what I have smoked  from him is fairly small.  On a related note, there's brand called Principe or Principle from the same/similar manufacturing lineage that I see pop up on European blogs somewhat frequently.

[GVan]

John Huber @ Crowned Heads (try the Las Calaveras LE 2014, 2016 or 2021 - although he used My Fathers Cigars Jose "Pepin" Garcia as a blender) and Noel Rojas who blends his own (try his Rojas Street Tacos Barbacoas - awesome)