Anthony's Cigar Emporium

Caldwell Crafted & Curated Savages Malpensante — Cigar Review

The Caldwell Savages Malpensante is one of those cigars that feels different before you even light it. The name, the artwork, the limited production, and the whole Caldwell attitude all give it that boutique, slightly strange personality that Caldwell fans look for. This is a 6 x 54 Toro made with a Habano 2000 wrapper, Sumatra binder, and Dominican filler, and with only 400 boxes of 10 released, it has that small-batch feel without feeling like a gimmick.

On the first light, I get cedar, leather, cream, and a little pepper right up front. It starts smooth but not boring. The spice is there, but it does not take over the cigar. As it opens up, the profile gets richer with notes of coffee, cocoa, earth, roasted nuts, and a touch of sweetness. The Habano wrapper gives it some bite, while the Dominican filler keeps everything balanced and clean.

The middle of the cigar is where it really settles in. The smoke gets deeper and a little darker, with more espresso, wood, leather, and baking spice coming through. I would put it around medium to medium-full, with enough strength to keep your attention but not so much that it wears you out. It burns like a cigar you want to take your time with, not rush through.

Overall, Savages Malpensante is a very solid boutique smoke. It is flavorful, limited, and has that offbeat Caldwell personality without becoming too weird or too heavy. This is a great cigar for someone who wants something with character, something you do not see every day, and something that feels a little more special than a regular shelf smoke.

Rating: 91/100
Strength: Medium to Medium-Full
Best Time To Smoke: Evening, after dinner, or when you want something a little different
Main Notes: Cedar, leather, cream, coffee, cocoa, earth, pepper, roasted nuts, subtle sweetness

Cigar Review

Presentation: 9/10
Before I lit the Warped El Oso Papa Bear, the cigar already had that classic Warped feel. The presentation is simple, clean, and boutique without trying too hard. The 6 x 48 belicoso size looks sharp, and the darker wrapper gives it a rich look right away. It feels like the kind of cigar made for someone who enjoys a smaller-production smoke with some character behind it.

First Third: 9/10
Once I got into it, the flavor was rich but not over-the-top. I picked up cedar, cocoa, leather, coffee, roasted nuts, cream, and a little warm spice. There was also a slight sweetness that helped keep everything balanced. It did not come across as harsh or heavy. Instead, it smoked smooth, polished, and very controlled.

Second Third: 9/10
As the cigar opened up, the profile stayed steady. This is not a cigar that changes every five minutes, and honestly, that is not really the point. It is more about balance. The flavors stay in that darker, woodsy, creamy lane, with enough spice to keep it interesting.

Final Third: 8.5/10
The final third kept the same general profile, with cedar, cocoa, leather, coffee, and warm spice still leading the way. It did not become harsh, which I appreciated, but it also did not make a huge jump in complexity. It finished smooth and enjoyable, just not dramatically different from where it started.

Strength: Medium to Medium-Full
I would call this medium to medium-full, but not something that is going to knock you over. It has enough body to feel satisfying, while still staying refined and easy to enjoy.

Construction: 9/10
The construction was very solid. The draw felt focused from the belicoso shape, the burn stayed steady, and the cigar smoked clean. It had the kind of performance you expect from a boutique, Miami-made release.

Flavor Profile: 9/10
The main notes I got were cedar, cocoa, leather, cream, coffee, roasted nuts, and warm spice. The sweetness was there, but it stayed subtle. This is not a sugary cigar. It is more dark, creamy, woodsy, and refined.

Overall Experience: 91/100
My honest take is that the El Oso Papa Bear is a very good cigar, especially if you already like Warped. It is refined, flavorful, and has that small-batch Miami-made feel. I would not call it the loudest or most dramatic cigar on the shelf, but I would call it a cigar with class. It is one of those smokes that rewards you more for slowing down than chasing big power.

Best For
Warped fans, boutique cigar smokers, and anyone who likes a darker, refined profile without it becoming too heavy.

Not For
Someone looking for heavy pepper, big strength, or constant flavor changes.

Final Word
At the price point, I think it makes the most sense for someone who appreciates boutique cigars, limited releases, and a more polished flavor profile. If you like cedar, cocoa, leather, cream, coffee, roasted nuts, and warm spice, this is absolutely worth smoking.

Before I even lit it, My Father La Promesa made a strong impression. The box and band feel serious, classic, and meaningful. Nothing about it feels flashy just to be flashy. The presentation has that old-world My Father look, but with a darker, more emotional tone. It feels like a cigar built around a story. It feels like The Garcia Family wanted the name Promise to mean something before the cigar ever touched flame.

In the hand, the cigar looks beautiful. The Ecuadorian Habano wrapper is Dark, oily, and rich-looking, with just enough rustic character to remind you this is real tobacco with real soul. The band stands out, but the cigar itself does most of the talking. It looks refined. It looks bold. It looks like A Darker Side of My Father. Right away, I was expecting Old-World Passion. New-World Power.

Then I lit it up, and the cigar backed up the presentation. Right away, the smoke was Rich and Dark. There was pepper up front, but it did not take over. Then it opened into wood, leather, cocoa, earth, and a little sweetness. The wrapper brought depth, while the tobacco from Nicaragua gave it backbone. In other words, this was Ecuadorian Habano. Nicaraguan Heart.

As it burned, it stayed steady and smooth. It was bold, but not rough. Strong, but still refined. This is A My Father Classic With Soul. It has Pepper, Wood, Leather & Promise. It feels personal. It feels honest. And by the final draw, the message was clear: The Promise Was Kept.

Rating Grid

Pretty much everyone in this business knows Oliva Serie V as one of the benchmark cigars in the modern Nicaraguan category. It’s bold, dependable, and built around the kind of rich tobacco flavor that made Oliva such a respected name. The Serie V line is known for using high-priming Nicaraguan ligero, giving it that fuller body, deeper strength, and darker flavor profile.

Before I even light it, the cigar already gives off a serious impression — elegant band, dark gourmand colors, and that classic red-brown box that matches the richness of the wrapper. The cold draw has a little resistance, but it feels controlled, with notes of tonka bean, pistachio, and cinnamon coming through before the flame ever hits it.

Once lit, the first third opens with a bold woody profile. I get mahogany, coffee bean, and black pepper, with the pepper staying present without becoming harsh. As it moves into the second third, the wood note softens into something more fragrant — closer to rosewood — and a creamy molasses note shows up. It is not overly sweet, though. The black pepper keeps it grounded and gives the cigar its backbone.

The final third gets darker and deeper. The wood shifts again into oak, while cocoa nibs and toasted coffee bean come forward. The smoke has a smooth, velvety mouthfeel, leaning a little dry but still balanced. What I like most is the way the cigar develops without losing its identity. The wood, pepper, coffee, and cocoa stay connected from start to finish.

Construction is one of the big strengths here. The draw stays consistent, the burn is mostly straight, the smoke stays cool, and the ash holds firm. It is a cigar you can settle into for a long smoke — around 90 minutes — without constantly fighting touch-ups or uneven performance. That dependable burn is part of what makes Serie V feel so polished.

Overall, the Oliva Serie V is bold, reliable, and surprisingly versatile. It has enough power for experienced smokers, but it is smooth enough for someone stepping up from milder cigars into fuller-bodied territory. I would smoke this in the late afternoon, after dinner, or with something rich like espresso, dark chocolate, grilled steak, Cognac, or an Islay Scotch. It is not the most wildly complex cigar in the world, but it is balanced, strong, flavorful, and dependable — and that is exactly why it remains a modern classic.

Rating: 92/100
Strength: Medium-full to full
Flavor: 92
Construction: 93
Draw: 91
Burn: 92
Best Notes: Coffee bean, black pepper, mahogany, molasses, oak, cocoa nibs
Best Pairings: Dark espresso, rib-eye steak, dark chocolate, Cognac, Islay Scotch

I’ve smoked plenty of cigars that take their time warming up, but Oliva NUB is built around a completely different idea. This cigar is made to get straight to the good part. The short, thick shape is not just a gimmick. It helps the cigar deliver bold, concentrated flavor from the first draw instead of making you wait for the blend to open up.

What surprised me most is how long NUB smokes for its size. Even though most of these cigars are around 4 inches long, the large ring gauge and dense construction give it a slow, cool burn that feels much closer to a full-sized cigar experience. Reviews often praise the line for clean construction, easy draw, big smoke output, and reliable burn quality. Cigar Advisor notes strong construction, near-invisible seams, a good draw, and heavy smoke/flavor notes in its NUB review guide.

The flavor depends heavily on the wrapper, which is one of the best parts of the lineup. The Connecticut is the smoothest and easiestgoing, with cream, cedar, nuts, and a little spice. LM Cigars described the NUB Connecticut 354 as creamy, nutty, and balanced with cedar and subtle spice. The Cameroon brings more classic cigar character with earth, nuts, sweetness, and a little leather. The Habano is bolder, peppery, savory, and more intense. The Maduro is the richest of the bunch, with coffee, dark chocolate, wood, and sweetness; recent reviews of the Maduro 460 highlight creamy chocolate, pepper, coffee, good construction, and strong ash performance.

To be fair, NUB is not the most complex cigar in the world. Some smokers may find the large ring gauge a little awkward, and the flavor can stay fairly steady instead of developing dramatically from third to third. But that is also the point. NUB is not trying to be a long, slow, evolving cigar. It is trying to deliver the sweet spot right away and hold it. On that promise, it does a very good job.

For me, Oliva NUB is a dependable, flavorful, and fun cigar. It gives you a lot of smoke, a satisfying burn time, and enough wrapper variety to match different moods. The Connecticut is smooth, the Cameroon is balanced, the Habano has attitude, and the Maduro brings the darker flavor. It is a cigar that knows exactly what it wants to be: short, bold, and straight to the point.

Ratings

Wrapper Ratings

Final Verdict

Oliva NUB earns an 89 out of 100.

It is not perfect, and it is not trying to be overly fancy. But it is consistent, flavorful, well-built, and memorable. The whole concept works: big flavor, short format, no wasted time.

I’ve been wondering about the new My Father La Lealtad, and it did not take long to see why this cigar deserves attention. This feels like a fresh chapter from the García family, but it still carries that unmistakable My Father character: rich tobacco, steady construction, and a flavor profile with real backbone. From the first light, I picked up warm cedar, earth, pepper, and a touch of espresso, all wrapped into a smooth, confident smoke that feels refined without losing its edge.

As the cigar opened up, the balance really started to shine. The spice stayed present, but it did not overpower the blend. There was a creamy texture underneath the pepper, with notes of toasted nuts, wood, coffee, and a little natural sweetness that kept each draw interesting. It smokes like a medium-to-full bodied cigar, but the experience is more polished than aggressive. The draw was easy, the burn stayed consistent, and the smoke had that dense, satisfying feel you want from a premium release.

Overall, La Lealtad feels like a strong new addition to the My Father lineup. It has enough strength and flavor for seasoned smokers, but it is smooth enough to enjoy without feeling heavy. This is a cigar built on loyalty, tradition, and serious craftsmanship — and it lives up to that name. New blend, deep roots, and plenty of character. This one is absolutely worth making room for in the humidor.

I had been looking forward to trying the NEW Deadwood Tobacco portfoilio addition, Buenas Noches. because it sounded like a different direction for the line. A Connecticut wrapper, Dominican-focused filler, and that classic Deadwood sweetness felt like an interesting mix. After smoking it, I can honestly say it lived up to the hype and then some. It still has the signature sweetened cap, but underneath it is a cigar with far more tobacco character and complexity than I expected.

Right from the first light, the cigar delivered creamy notes of butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and soft vanilla. The smoke was thick and smooth with an easy draw. Underneath the sweetness, I started picking up leather, nuts, earth, and toasted oak. The Ecuador Connecticut wrapper kept everything mellow and silky while the Dominican tobacco slowly started taking over the profile. Around the middle, the cigar changed character completely. The sweetness backed off and richer notes of roasted peanuts, cocoa, coffee, cedar, and earthy tobacco moved forward. It almost felt like smoking two cigars in one, but the transition worked surprisingly well.

Construction on my cigar was excellent the entire way through. The burn stayed even, the ash held firm, and the draw had just enough resistance. What impressed me most was how approachable the cigar felt without becoming boring. It walks a line between traditional tobacco flavor and the sweeter Deadwood identity better than I expected. The sweet cap definitely will not be for everyone, especially purists, but once it settles down there is a genuinely enjoyable blend underneath. For me, this ended up being one of the more interesting Deadwood releases because it actually balances sweetness with real cigar depth instead of relying on sweetness alone.

Ratings

• Flavor: 88/100
• Construction: 91/100
• Draw: 90/100
• Burn: 89/100
• Complexity: 87/100
• Sweetness Balance: 85/100
• Overall Experience: 88/100

Flavor Notes

• Brown Sugar
• Buttered Toast
• Cinnamon
• Cocoa
• Roasted Peanuts
• Cedar
• Coffee
• Earth
• Creamy Vanilla

Strength

• Body: Mild-Medium
• Strength: Mild-Medium

Finish

Creamy, sweet early on, then more earthy and nutty toward the final third with lingering cocoa and oak.

I finally had the chance to sit down with the Don Pepín García Clásicos 20 Años 2026, and this cigar immediately reminded me why Pepín blends have such a legendary reputation. The presentation alone feels special. The dark wrapper is oily and smooth (my favorite), and the aroma before lighting gives off rich cedar, earth, and pepper. From the very first draw, the cigar delivers that classic Pepín spice blast, but it quickly settles into a balanced and refined smoke.

As the cigar developed, I picked up layers of roasted cocoa, leather, toasted nuts, espresso, and a deep earthy sweetness that stayed consistent all the way through. The smoke production was thick and creamy, and the construction was nearly flawless with an even burn and strong ash. What stood out most to me was how full-bodied the cigar felt without becoming harsh. It stayed rich, smooth, and complex from beginning to end.

This feels like a true anniversary cigar — bold, luxurious, and built for experienced smokers who enjoy classic Nicaraguan strength and flavor. The blend carries a lot of depth and character while still feeling polished and celebratory. If you enjoy traditional Don Pepín spice with a more refined and aged profile, this is absolutely worth experiencing. Stunning experience.

Construction: 97/100
Burn: 96/100
Draw: 98/100
Flavor: 95/100
Complexity: 96/100
Smoke Output: 98/100
Overall Experience: 96/100

Strength: Full
Body: Full
Finish: Long and layered