Caldwell Cigar Company debuted in 2014 with a solid core offering of three lines: Eastern Standard, The King is Dead, and Long Live the King. And while a variety of line additions have come and gone in the years since, the most successful of which have typically revolved around the aforementioned original three. Most recently, this includes the Long Live the Queen line, being an extension of Long Live the King.
With Long Live the Queen, the cigar is not the yin to the former’s yang; it doesn’t follow the common strategy of featuring the same core blend with a swapped wrapper; the cigar stands on its own with an all-new tobacco recipe. This includes a Cameroon wrapper over a Sumatran binder and fillers of Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Like most modern releases from Caldwell, the Queen is rolled out of the Ventura family’s boutique-style El Maestro factory in the DR. Many such releases were formerly rolled at the Venturas’ Tabacalera William Ventura factory until the facility was destroyed in a fire in 2022.
Offered in a range of five sizes, Long Live the Queen showcases one of the more unexpected smoking experiences on our 2023 list. While most Cameroon-wrapped cigars are known for their delicate construction and profile, the Queen is more robust in both categories. The cigar lights up with a surprising amount of fiery spices through the retrohale, eventually leading into a medium-full intensity and standout flavors of red pepper, toasted nutmeg, bold espresso, and suede leather—a unique concoction that seems to grow on you with repeat smoking sessions.
Long Live the Queen Breakdown
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Indonesian Sumatra
Filler: Dominican Republic | Nicaragua
Factory: El Maestro (Dominican Republic)
Production: Regular Production
Vitolas: 5
Price: $14.00–$18.00 (MSRP)
The post No. 16 Cigar of the Year 2023 – Long Live the Queen appeared first on Cigar Dojo.