Today I would like to introduce you to a new cigar company that recently reached out to me – ATL Cigar Company. The company is as diverse as their offerings and states that they are ‘committed to bringing people together around a shared premium cigar experience.’
Founded in 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and divisive American politics, ATL Cigar Company is the brainchild of three lovers of the leaf after having worked together running a a free hot dog stand in an Atlanta neighborhood 15 years ago. The team is made up of
- Leroy Lamar III – President
- Peter Gross – Head of Product
- Janelle Lamar – Director of Marketing
All three have a great love for their city and wanted to bring more people together over a fine premium cigar with a vision of a connected Atlanta: connected with its history, toward its future, and to each other. To create the cigars in their portfolio, the team partnered with leading tobacco farms and factories and they firmly believe the country’s greatest cigar city deserves its own line of great cigars.
The company’s website notes:
“In these days of division, we want to be a force for uniting our city. ATL Cigar Company is for all of Atlanta: Old Atlanta with its rich tobacco tradition, New Atlanta and its music and media empire. West Atlanta vibe meets East Atlanta highbrow. White Atlanta, Black Atlanta and Latinx Atlanta. ITP and OTP. Bankhead and Buckhead. Atlantans who’ve smoked everything and those who are lighting up for the first time. No matter who you are, a great cigar is a reason to celebrate the ATL, and to get to know a part of the city you may not have encountered before.”
The company currently has three blends that they offer:
- Good Trouble
- Black
- Libertad
Today I offer a review of the ATL Cigar Company Libertad. I sampled two of these that I received from the company for this review.
The ATL Cigar Company Libertad
The Libertad is described as a Nicaraguan puro born of an exclusive partnership with Aganorsa Leaf and produced at the world-renowned TABSA factory, It is a celebration of the Cuban-seed leaf and production process Eduardo Fernandez began curating in the Jalapa Valley more than twenty years ago.
The Libertad blend is describe as:
- Wrapper – Aganorsa Nicaraguan Corojo
- Binder – Nicaraguan Criollo & Corojo
- Filler – Nicaraguan Estelí & Jalapa
They are expressed in two different vitolas and come packaged in 20-count boxes:
- Robusto (5 x 50) – MSRP $9.25
- Toro (6.5 x 54) – MSRP $11.00
For this review, I sampled 2 of the ATL Cigar Company Libertad Toros, which I received from the company for the purpose of reviewing on Stogie Press.
Pre-Light Examination
The Libertad is a beautifully constructed cigar that has a mildly oily, reddish brown wrapper with a slight bit of marbling throughout. The cigar is firm to the touch with no soft spots detected. An expertly applied pig tail cap finishes the head and the foot is presented in a closed format. Their are minimally noticeable veins. Running my finger along the barrel I noted the silky smooth feel.
Two bands adorn the Libertad. Both bands use a red, black, and gold motif. The primary band proudly displays the company’s logo in the center, but the real story is printed on the right side with the Latin phrase “folium fratribus et sororibus” which translates into Leaf Brothers and Sisters. The secondary band is placed just below the primary and declares it as the Libertad.
As I ran the Libertad along the nose, I detected a sweet and brightly pungent set of notes along the barrel while the foot did not offer much more as it was closed.
I used my newly acquired cigar knife to slice the cap straight across the shoulder and proceeded to give the Libertad some cold draw puffs. The palate was pleasantly graced with notes of butter and cinnamon spice. The restriction could not be ascertained due to the closed foot but I still rolled it about and enjoyed the pre-light notes that were intriguing me.
Like all fine cigars, the time comes when you have to set the flame to the foot and start the long flavor and aroma journey. I used my double flame torch to warm the foot and draw in the first puffs that produced a bright orange glow. The initial puffs delivered a mix of butter, spice, and sweetness to start the journey. Follow along as I burn the ATL Cigar Company Libertad to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- Butter, spice, and natural sweetness start the journey
- Light grey ash forms on top of a wavy burn
- Increased spice with a continued background of natural sweetness and evolving cream fill in the early profile
- Ash falls in a decent chunk revealing flat centered burn cone
- Slight off burn that eventually requires a touch up
- Coffee notes join the mix midway with an added almond nuance
- Sweetness lays in the background
- Off Burn midway requires a touch up
- Butter and spice continue to form the core
- Spice increases down into the final
- Medium to Plus in Strength
- Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 45 minutes
Final Analysis
The ATL Cigar Company – Libertad Toro offered a pleasant flavor profile with a core of butter and spice and nuances of coffee, cream, and almond, with a pleasant natural sweetness laying in the background. The construction resulted in a both a wavy burn and an eventual off burn that required a touchup. I have to wonder if the double binder may have been a contributor to the burn issue, but other than than that, the flavor profile was enjoyable down to the nub. This is worth adding some to your collection especially considering the 1 hour and 45 minute burn time. I rate this a 90.
Point Deductions: (-1) Wavy Burn; (-1) Flat Burn Cone; (-1) Off Burn; (-1) Touch Up required
