The Emperor’s Cut Cigars Red Tail Series Hellfighter is a cigar with a story rooted in American military history. According to Emperor’s Cut, the cigar was created as a tribute to the Harlem Hellfighters, the famed African American regiment whose soldiers fought with distinction during World War I.
The company describes the Hellfighter as embodying the resilience and pride of those soldiers. It is presented as a box-pressed torpedo and uses a blend that brings together tobaccos from Mexico, Pennsylvania, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic.
Darnell Streat, Managing Partner of Emperors Cut Cigars stated:
“This release is more than introducing another cigar into the market—it reflects the direction and intentionality of our brand,”
The Hellfighter is produced at the La Aurora factory and was blended by Manuel Inoa.
Cigar Specifications
- Vitola: Box-Pressed Torpedo
- Size: 6.25 × 52
- Wrapper: Mexican San Andrés
- Binder: Pennsylvania
- Filler: Nicaraguan and Dominican
- Factory: La Aurora
- Blender: Manuel Inoa
They come packaged in 5 count packs and carry an MSRP of $75 per five-pack ($15.00/cigar).
For this review I sampled two of these which I received from the company for the purpose of reviewing on Stogie Press.
Pre-Light Examination
The Emperor’s Cut Red Tail Hellfighter is cloaked in a dark tan wrapper that displays more of a matte appearance than an oily sheen. There is a noticeable toothiness to the leaf, along with some visible veins and a touch of marbling running across the surface. The cigar has a well-defined box press, and the torpedo cap is nicely applied. It feels firm from head to foot with no discernible soft spots.
The Emperor’s Cut Red Tail Hellfighter band has a bold presentation built around a red, black, gold, and silver color palette. At the center is a prominent black rectangular field outlined in metallic gold and silver. The stylized “EC” Emperor’s Cut logo dominates the center in white and silver, surrounded by concentric circular detailing. Beneath the logo, “RED TAIL” appears in compact white lettering.
Extending from either side of the center are gold fan-like wings, giving the design the appearance of a military insignia or aviation badge. The long side panels feature a vivid red field bordered by black, gold, and silver accents, tapering toward the ends. On the right side, the words “WE FIGHT” appear in white against the red background, reinforcing the cigar’s tribute to the Harlem Hellfighters.
Running the cigar along the nose, I picked up mildly pungent barnyard notes along the barrel. The foot offered much of the same, but with an interesting hint of caramel adding some sweetness to the aroma.
I sliced approximately a half-inch from the tip of the torpedo cap and gave it a few cold-draw puffs. The restriction was right where I like it. The cold draw delivered a refined black pepper note accompanied by a distinct tanginess and salt, setting the stage for the journey ahead.
The Smoking Journey
I used my dual-flame torch to warm the foot and get the Hellfighter journey underway. The opening puffs delivered a rich dose of peppery spice, especially through the retrohale. Hellfighter for sure. This cigar certainly came out swinging. An almost white ash began forming above a fairly thin char line, while each puff produced a full volume of smoke that easily filled the palate. The opening profile was distinctly sharp and edgy, driven primarily by the assertive pepper.
After about an inch of burn, the pepper began to pull back, allowing a fruit note to emerge. At the same time, a pleasant sweet, nutty aroma began wafting from the foot. Deeper into the first third, a caramel sweetness entered the profile, providing a nice counterpoint to the sharper characteristics of the opening.
A slight off-burn developed toward the end of the first third, although the cigar continued to behave without becoming problematic. The ash was somewhat flaky but continued to hold.
Second Third
Moving into the second third, the fruit began taking center stage, accompanied by a developing earthy note. The ash finally dropped in a fairly large chunk during this portion of the burn, revealing a decent burn cone underneath.
Around the midway point, an exotic spice joined the profile, adding another dimension to the experience. As the cigar progressed deeper into the second third, the caramel notes intensified, while the spice gradually developed into a recognizable cinnamon character. At the same time, the earthiness increased, providing a darker foundation beneath the fruit, caramel, and spice.
Final Third
Moving into the final third, the Hellfighter settled into a noticeably smoother presentation. The retrohale had become smooth and controlled, a significant contrast to the pepper-driven introduction. The earth and spice continued to anchor the profile, while a mild underlying sweetness carried the cigar through the remainder of the experience.
It was an interesting transformation from the sharp, edgy personality of the opening to the more composed profile of the final third.
Overall construction was solid. The draw maintained a comfortable restriction throughout the experience, and smoke production was full and consistent. The burn developed a slight unevenness during the first third, and the ash was somewhat flaky. Neither issue seriously interfered with the experience. Smoking Time was 1 hour and 40 minutes. and it maintained a solid medium strength.
Final Analysis
The Emperor’s Cut Red Tail Series Hellfighter delivered a journey that changed considerably from beginning to end. It started with an appropriately aggressive blast of pepper and a sharp edge before gradually opening into fruit, caramel, sweet nut aromas, earth, exotic spice, and cinnamon. I particularly enjoyed how the caramel developed through the second third and worked alongside the increasing earth and spice. The final third brought the experience together as the retrohale smoothed considerably and a mild sweetness carried the cigar toward the finish.
There were a couple of minor construction blemishes, particularly the slightly flaky ash and off-burn, but neither was enough to detract significantly from the overall experience.
The Emperor’s Cut Red Tail Hellfighter is certainly a cigar I would smoke again. The combination of fruit, caramel, cinnamon, earth and spice—along with the pleasant change from its aggressive opening to its smoother finish—made for an enjoyable 1-hour-and-40-minute journey.
