For the majority of us who enjoy their Cuban cigars in the great outdoors, either through preference or as a result of local regulations, smokes over the winter months will likely have been as short as the days. The enjoyment of a cigar can be lessened by a struggle with biting winds and bitter cold, and when something of a large – which these days can often mean rare – vitola has been sitting in the humidor for a while it is heart-breaking to see it wasted in this manner. Thankfully, the 1st of March marked the beginning of meteorological spring, so the sun will hang around longer and the temperatures start to climb up to more a more hospitable range. To celebrate, EGM Cigars have curated a selection of spring smokes, re-stocked and ready to go, which offer a longer enjoyment period and flavour profiles to match the fresh reawakening of nature. Here are some of the best.
Trinidad began slender cigars and did not begin adding thicker ring gauges to their portfolio until the early 2000s. The Robustos Extra and Robustos T came and went, discontinued after just a few years, before the Trinidad Vigia showed that the Trinidad blend can be enjoyed in a larger format. The release proved so popular that not only is it still sought after today, but its reception by the cigar community has led to more large-format cigars being released by the brand. Wood, honey and bright herbal notes will be discovered across a pleasant 45 minute smoke in the sunshine.
The Diplomaticos brand was launched in 1966 and intended as a more accessibly-priced alternative to Montecristo. The initial release comprised cigars identical in size to, and named to match, the Montecristos 1 to 5. Ten years later 2 more sticks, corresponding to the Monte Especial and Especial No. 2, arrived. I have yet to meet an aficionado who did not enjoy a Diplomaticos, which makes it even more surprising that the 'Diplo 2' is the only regular production cigar to survive until now. Bright cedar notes mix with more floral flavours before giving way to more warm chocolate and nuts, all over the course of about an hour. Ideal for a mild spring evening in the garden.
This trio was only announced to the world in 2020 and didn’t arrive to our shelves until the end of 2021, but it has already become extremely popular with serious collectors and everyday smokers alike. The Romeo y Julieta Linea de Oro brings an extra touch of luxury to one of Havana’s most famous names, with its beautiful red lacquer boxes and gold bands protecting the foot of each cigar, and has been mentioned in some circles as the RyJ equivalent to Cohiba’s legendary Behike line. While these cigars don’t contain the medio tiempo leaves used for Behikes they certainly are premium smokes, and the medium-to-full body will round off an early spring dinner perfectly. Better grab them quick, though, as they don’t stay in stock for long.
The Lusitania may not be light in body, but it certainly is long. Part of a family of four regular production sticks to use the mighty prominentes vitola – Double Coronas from Hoyo de Monterrey and Punch, and the aptly-named Ramon Allones Gigantes being the others – this cigar will last long into an April evening and bring powerful, rich flavours of spice, pepper and deep dark chocolate to the palette. In all honesty the spring evenings may still be a little chilly to justify sitting outside long enough for one of these, but they are frankly that good that a little cold in the toes is worth it. Wrap up warm, toss another log in the fire pit to keep the temperature up, and enjoy one of the best smokes Habanos has to offer.
Whichever cigar you choose to fill the springtime evenings, and wherever you choose to enjoy them, now is the time of year when we can begin to see the life coming back to the nature around us and the colour returning to the world. That in itself is surely a cause for a celebratory smoke.