Jeremy Jack El Chapo Cigar Review – A Powerful One

Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán

For those that don’t know the story of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, he was one of the most notorious drug lords in the world. Hailing from Mexico, El Chapo (Shorty), was considered by the U.S. as “the most ruthless, dangerous, and feared man on the planet”.  Ruthless indeed, he was also ranked by Forbes magazine as the 41st most powerful person in the world in 2009. He made the same list in 2010 and 2011. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency named him the godfather of the drug world.

The depth of that power was clearly evident in his multiple captures and escapes from prison. In fact, he was captured three times!

The first was in 1993 when he was captured in Guatemala and extradited and sentenced to 20 years in prison in Mexico for murder and drug trafficking.  It took him a while, but eventually escaped the maximum-security prison in 2001 by bribing prison guards. With numerous rewards for his capture including  $5 Million from the U.S. and $3.8 Million from Mexico he was captured 13 years later in 2014. A little more than year later he escaped again in July 2015. Six months later he was captured again in a shootout by Mexican Marines in January 2016. A year later he was extradited to the U.S.

What does this have to do with cigars? Well, as the title of this article notes, we are reviewing the Jeremy Jack El Chapo today, and with a name like that I had to do a little research. This new release from the company was introduced at this years IPCPR and is available in only one vitola – a 4 x 60 Shorty (El Chapo). But here is the kicker, it comes packaged in 3-count cedar boxes. Get the irony there?

The box is simply decorated with the words “El Chapo” printed on the sides. The top and inside of the lid is printed with a black silhouette of Guzmán on it.

The Jeremy Jack El Chapo Cigar

The Jeremy Jack El Chapo is a boldly blended cigar that is described as:

• Wrapper – Corojo
• Binder – Nicaragua
• Filler – Nicaragua

As mentioned it is available in a single 4 x 60 vitola and comes packaged in 3-count boxes.  They have an MSRP of $8.83 USD or 168.05 Mexican Pesos.

Pre-Light Examination

The Jeremy Jack El Chapo is just that, short and stout, with a dark brown and marbled wrapper. There is a nice sheen to it and in the light you can pick up a red hue. The cigar is packed solid, in fact it is rock hard to the touch. There are a few veins and some bumps along the barrel. It is finished with a well applied triple cap.

As far as adornments go, the band on this is simple, no glorious band, just a white band with the stenciled words “El Chapo” printed in black on it. The company is not trying to honor this scum bag, but actually draw attention to the ruthless murderous ways of him.

Running it across the nose, I detect some delicate spice along the barrel and pepper, fruit, and hay notes off the foot.

I sliced the cap with my Palio Double Blade cutter and rolled it around a bit. Oh crap, my palate is already warming up to the cayenne pepper even before ignition. Good thing I had a decent meal before firing this one up.  The draw had a perfect restriction considering how tightly packed it was.

Well, there is no turning back now, I just have turn the El Chapo to ash which is exactly what should happen to Guzmán!

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Cigar Review Notes

• No joke cayenne pepper hits the palate and nasals on the first puffs
• Sweetness enters as the pepper recedes after a an 1/4 inch of burn
• Coffee and earth follow brightening the profile
• Fruity spice enters after an inch
• Salt and pepper ash develops and rests on a medium char line
• Strength builds
• Nicups entering – happens on the strong cigars
• Ash fell after the first third
• Flat centered burn cone
• Spice builds at the half
• There is wonderful oiling on the wrapper at this point
• Smoke is full volume
• Char line thickens but remains straight carrying a well-formed ash
• Floral notes enter 3/4 of the way in along with a floral aroma
• Finished with woody and spice notes
• Full strength
• Total Smoking Time was one hour and ten minutes

Overall, the Jeremy Jack El Chapo is a powerful cigar yet offers a delicious set of notes and transitions throughout the pristine burn.  This is one you should not enjoy on an empty belly. For a short but stout cigar it lasted a good hour plus. If you are seasoned cigar smoker and are looking for something new, in the mid $8.00 range, I highly recommend trying the El Chapo. Checkout the company’s website for where to find these.