Originally a Cuban brand from the mid 19th century, the Lord Byron cigars were created by two cousins who owned a humble cigar factory near Havana. The original Lord Byron cigars were a hit, and the brand enjoyed success for generations, eventually the grandson of one of the cousins, Ricardo Alfonzo, experienced severe financial hardships with the brand and was forced to sell. Roughly ninety years later, Ricardo Alfonzo’s great-grandson, Nelson Alfonso, resurrected the brand through his Selected Tobacco Company. The Byron 20th Century cigars are released in limited quantity after sitting in aging rooms for a full year. The Byron 20th Century features a dark Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, a disclosed binder and a filler blend of Peruvian, Dominican and an unknown component.
– Corona Cigars
Bought from –
Orange Cigar Lounge
Information:
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Undisclosed
Filler: Dominican Republic, Peru, Undisclosed
Origin: Costa Rica
Factory: Selected Tobacco S.A.
Aging (if any): 4 years post roll
Single (MSRP): $42
Box (MSRP): $1,050
Availability: N/A
Size:
6.5 x 56 Torpedo
Band/Packaging:
Double band with a yellow main band highlighted by the portrait of Lord Byron. Second band in blue indicating 4 years of age. Beautiful bands.
Wrapper:
Reddish Brown hue, minimal veins
Construction:
Well packed, beautiful looking cigar
THE REVIEW
Cold draw:
A bit snug, cedar, slight pepper, tobacco sweetness
First third:
Cedar, meatiness, caramel, slight pepper
Retro:
Cedar, tobacco sweetness, slight coffee
Second third:
Slight pepper, cedar, creamy milk chocolate, honey, hazelnut
Burn:
A little wavy but no issues
Smoke:
Great smoke output, wispy smoke
Final third:
Coffee, cedar, creamy chocolate, dark fruit
Retro:
Coffee, cedar, chocolate
Duration:
1 hour 47 minutes
Conclusion:
Byron has been one of my favorite lines of cigars for some time now, and despite the price tags they come with, to me they are typically justified. This one as well. The first third had a nice cedar and caramel note with some meatiness early on, and a sweet tobacco note on the retro. The second third had a nice creamy milk chocolate, honey, and hazelnut that all blended really nicely, with a cedar base. Some pepper wavered in and out. The final third transitioned very nicely with coffee and a creamy chocolate, and some dark fruit notes, still accompanied by a consistent cedar note. Cedar seems to be a constant with Selected Tobacco and I am certainly not complaining. While boxes of these come at a premium, I would be open to splurging on a box of these, especially if a discount can be found. Definitely give this one a try and grab some extras as this seems like one that would continue to get better with age.
