Today I would like to review a cigar many of you may not have heard of. Known as the Head of the Table (HOTT), it is the result of a collaboration of Lee Marsh of Stolen Throne Cigars, Mike Collins, Miguel Pozo, Charlie Herrington, and Norman Joseph of The Dirty Ash Community. The team embarked on a journey to the Rojas Factory in Nicaragua in search of a cigar that would be released for the community known as DAC.
While in Nicaragua, the team learned about the process of making a cigar, from smoking one leaf at a time until they had a blend that meshed together to become what is now The HOTT. The cigar pays homage to the respect they have for the industry and especially Lee Marsh and Noel Rojas, who they feel makes some of the best cigars out there. They were able to spend a week with Lee and Noel, while learning the process, from farm to the rolling table and everything in between.
The cigar is expressed in a (6 x 54) Box press toro, draped in a luscious Mexican San Andreas wrapper, Jalapa binder, and undisclosed fillers from Nicaragua. The cigars are packaged in bundles of 20 in butcher paper, the way Stolen Throne packages their cigars. MSRP was set at $11.00/cigar ($220.00/bundle) and each bundle came packaged with a coin/cigar rest. The company notes that 100 bundles were made exclusively for a new and upcoming lounge in Oakdale, PA called The Cigar Vault Oakdale, www.thecigarvaultoakdale.com
For this review, I sampled two of these which I received from Mike Collins to review on Stogie Press.
Pre-Light Examination
The HOTT cigar is draped in a mildly toothy dark brown wrapper that exhibits a few veins and some marbling in the leaf. The cigar has a nice box pressing that felt firm to the touch with no soft spots through the bunch and roll. It did feel a tad lighter in weight probably due to the box pressing. It has a simple cap, and a semi closed foot.
The cigars I received were naked (no band). But the packaging is bold and expressive image of a table with ghostly figures sitting around the table including decapitated skeleton figure.
Running the cigar along the nose, I picked up barnyard notes off the barrel and not much different off the foot.
Once I sliced the cap straight across the shoulder of the cigar, I proceeded to give it some cold draw puffs that I found to be properly restricted and offered notes of fruity tang and peppery spice.
Using my dual flame torch, I warmed to foot to an even orange glow and drew in the first puffs of smoke that delivered notes of sourdough and pepper to start the journey. Follow along as I burn this one to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- The initial draw offered sourdough and pepper notes to start the journey
- A light grey ash forms on top of a thin and slightly wavy char line
- Sweet tobacco aroma wafts off the foot
- After an inch or so of burn, a pleasant gentle pear-like note joins the mix
- Moving through the first third dry leather notes add to the profile
- The solid ash fell in decent chunk revealing a centered burn cone
- The second third brings a touch of saltiness to the mix helping the palate stay salivated
- Earthiness joins the profile moving through the second third
- The strength is ratcheting up quickly by midway through the burn eventually reaching a full nicotine strength
- Approaching the final third, an added touch of bitter cocoa powder enters in final third with an ever-present fruity note
- Mild Wave
- Total Smoking time was 1 hour and 35 minutes
Final Analysis
The HOTT cigar journey starts with a bold introduction, presenting a sharp interplay of sourdough tang and cracked black pepper, setting the tone for a layered and evolving experience. Sweet aromatic tobacco aromas rise from the foot of the cigar adding the early sensory experience. As the burn progresses past the first inch, a subtle, almost ethereal note of ripe pear gently lifts the profile, adding a touch of elegance and nuance. This sweetness is soon grounded by the emergence of dry leather tones—earthy and refined—bringing depth to the first third.
In the second third, a hint of salinity teases the tongue, keeping the palate engaged and balanced, while richer, loamy earth notes enter the frame, deepening the overall character. The strength begins to surge noticeably, reaching a bold, full-bodied intensity by the halfway point.
As the cigar transitions into the final third, a dusting of bitter cocoa powder emerges, lending a dark, slightly astringent contrast to the still-lingering fruity sweetness. The flavor profile culminates in a sophisticated harmony—robust, complex, and thoroughly satisfying to the end. I rate this a 95.
Now some may ask or say, why are you reviewing a cigar that was so limited and sold out? Well, the team told me they will be coming out with this same blend as a regular production cigar as a store exclusive for The Cigar Vault – Oakdale. The name is yet to be decided and there will be an official band for the release. The availability is planned for the next month or so. Stay tuned for the press release and be one of the first to get your hands on a bundle of these.
Point Deductions: (-1) Mild Wave
Bonus Points: (+1) Bundle Buy; (+1) Pleasurable and Consistent Flavor Profile
