Wrapper: Ecuadorian
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican, USA, Zimbabwe (Hybrid Habano seed)
Size: 4.9 x 50 Robusto
Strength: Medium/Full
Price: $17.00
My cigars have had 2-1/2 months naked humidor time.
BACKGROUND:
Samples were provided by Casdagli Cigars.
Debuted at PCA 2023.
From Jeremy Casdagli:
“The name: Definitions of forrader. adverb. in a forward direction. synonyms: ahead, forward, forwards, onward, onwards.
“The Brothers of the Sabre is the first new line of Casdagli Cigars produced by Hendrik Kelner Jr since the launch of the Cabinet Selection in 2016.
“I have long been fascinated by Napoleon’s attempt to conquer Europe, right from my very early years at prep school at the age of 8. When I discovered that Napoleon’s Grand Armée was largely responsible for spreading cigar smoking across the continent, I set forth to honour those generals on all sides that were famous for their love of glory and tobacco. All of these Napoleonic Generals wore their sabres into battle, so I believe this an appropriately dynamic name for these warriors we seek to honour.
“Each year over the next 4 years 2 new General’s lines will be launched. Each General will have a small line of 2-3 vitolas. Moreover, for the two lines released each year one would be for France, the other for the coalition of Great Britain, Prussia, Austria and Russia. Eventually there will be eight Generals honoured. The blends are chosen in some way that would characterize the general these were crafted for.”
THE WHOLE MEGILLAH:
The heft is exactly as one desires in their cigar. The draw is mightier than the sword. My PerfecDraw jumps to attention, and I dismiss it. I get a left-handed salute. Cheeky bastard.
A blast of rich and complex tobacco. Notes of gingerbread, creaminess, malt, both black and red pepper, dark chocolate, and espresso.
The ash is stark white. Don’t see that much. I gotta get out more.
The cigar brandishes a lance. I fall back. No idea what that means.
During the Cuban Missile Crisis, we practiced duck and cover. Even at age 13, we knew this was fruitless. It did allow us to sneak glances up the poodle skirts. Total annihilation wasn’t without certain perks.
There is a sharp edge to the blend. The spiciness elevates a medium strength smoke to something in which muscle does not matter but body does.
Casdagli is a blender that can be relied upon without fail. I always know going in that disappointment is not an option. The stockade is full of blenders who don’t understand consistency or stability. B.B. wrote The Thrill Is Gone for those lost souls.
I made a killing when Cassius Clay beat Sonny Liston. It was the last time.
Baking spices consisting of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and anise seed move on up.
The creaminess is very light and effective. It seeks to not overwhelm the flavor profile which is very eloquent. The savory notes of charred oak, sesame seeds, and brisket hammer home how delicate the cigar’s silhouette becomes. Strength becomes irrelevant. Three quarters of an inch in, the cigar alerts the sentry that this first round is just the initial assault. More good things to come.
The subtlety of the blend gets an aha moment. It allows me to nod my head as I understand that the last 15 minutes was a brilliant overture. The squishy goodness lies ahead.
Saw 1963’s “Bye Bye Birdie” with my parents. The opening credits with Ann-Margret gave me a terrific boner. Is there any other kind.
Medium/full is in attendance but not intrusive or even a big thing. You have to smoke this blend to understand. This is such a nuanced and understated trip. Like peeling an exotic onion. Mata Hari had it down pat.
I smoked my first Brothers of the Sabre a month in. I got serious blender’s intent, but it elected not to reveal all. Waiting is always good. I may have jumped the gun a bit, but if the cigar chose to be everything we expect from Casdagli Cigars, I wanted to give you dear readers a chance to pounce. Nothing more regretful than to miss out on a limited Jeremy blend.
Every half inch. Intensity takes it to higher ground.
Listening to Sputnik’s beeps became annoying.
Watching The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan show was transcendent. The Beach Boys lost their shine. But we still empathized when Leslie Gore sang, “It’s My Party.”
Construction is on point. The char line is razor sharp.
Camelot was a dream.
We had no idea that JFK was banging Marilyn Monroe.
Time slows. The strength evolves into medium/full.
Distinct flavor points begin to disappear into the fog of war. The whole exceeds disparate extracts built into the blending and its tobaccos.
Know what causes involuntary ticks in a reviewer? Knowing when to jump. Cigars are so fickle. But you knew that, or you wouldn’t be reading reviews. Videos require such little brain participation. Podcasts are snooze fests. Reading is hard. Writing is harder. Blending is impossible.
A gorgeous slow roll. The cigar languishes on my lips like something precious. True cigar encounters are sparse. Most of the time we just slip and slide. And then you get a great cigar and you have no idea what to do with yourself.
Summer camp. I brought my Sony reel to reel. I was tasked with recording JFK’s June 10 ‘Peace’ speech at American University. It was played to the throngs that evening. Gen Z: Who’s JFK?
History. Who would have thought that some generations decided it was an unnecessary skill. At some point in the future, they will be falling on their sabres.
Vanilla, creaminess, assorted baking spices, oak, dark chocolate, espresso, malt, spicy peppers, and charred meat. Pop rocks all. I’m comfortably numb.
The halfway point arrives at 45 minutes. The size fools. OK with me.
No one could ever claim to honestly understand the lyrics to “Wooly Bully.”
Doing the Twist nearly wiped out a generation. Twistin’ the Night Away didn’t help.
I lurch ahead. Strength is content at medium/full.
Removal of the cigar band requires focus. A trait often missing in popular culture.
My palate is so pleased that I realize I’ve forgotten my sips of water that reinvigorate.
On one hand, the blend seems so simple. It is not. There are much more expensive cigars being introduced to strip you of your wallet’s contents. Seventeen bucks seems a trifle at this moment in time.
In middle school, I carried a pocket watch. One of the tough guys told me it would be pretty bitchin if I was a cool guy. I ignored him and continued to do his homework.
I’m anxious to review the Casdagli 25 Aniversario. A not inexpensive cigar. Yet, price points for Casdagli blends are not inconsequential. They reflect the passion of their creator. Everything is purposeful.
Strength sneaks up on me.
I’ve yet to review the other Brothers of the Sabre blend: The ‘Brave.’ Can’t wait.
Intensity cannot be measured. Reminder: “The Brothers of the Sabre is the first new line of Casdagli Cigars produced by Hendrik Kelner Jr since the launch of the Cabinet Selection in 2016.”
Just holy shit, this cigar is good.
Some cigars are there to pass the time. Others reflect time reverentially.
Nubbing is a requirement.
Should you snag some? Damn straight.
JFK was assassinated 60 years ago on November 22. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
Small Batch Cigar (10% off with promo code ‘katman’) carries both Brothers of the Sabre blends.
RATING: 97
Email from Jeremy Casdagli:
“When I was 8 years old, I went to a Victorian preschool hellhole called Westbury house and it was there that I met a fellow “inmate” Robert Ulrich Blucher – yes a relation of the great field marshal. He became my best friend and he still is to this day and yes he smokes cigars whenever I can get them to him as he teaches English is some of the most outflung countries in the world – Somalia, Libya , Mahe – capital of the Maldives – a hell hole of a capital city and big provider of Isis volunteers when it was a thing. Robert also got interested in Napoleonic history that eventually let me to this line of cigars.
“So, the plan is to launch 2 mini lines of cigars each year for the next 4 years. Each year 2 generals will be represented with 2 cigars each. each year 1 French general and 1 coalition general.
“For Prussia I wanted a cigar that had strength that was not in your face but creeped up on you – just like the Prussians at the battle of Waterloo.
“KBF has limited capacity to produce with only 3 pairs of rollers, but Hendrik said that the “Brothers of the Sabre” line belongs at that factory. So, my notes to him for the Forrader was F I wanted a cigar that had strength that was not in your face but creeped up on you – just like the Prussians at the battle of Waterloo. We would not use Nicaraguan strength, but Hendrik said he had a new tobacco from Africa – Zimbabwe (famed for its Virginia tobacco – but a new hybrid had been created with Habanos seed) that will provide the strength but we needed to smoot it out and for that we combined with some new tobacco he came across from USA. This along with 2 other tripas and binder from DR embraced in an Ecuadorean wrapper you get a wonderful smoking experience.
“So, Hendrik truly is a gifted master blender who has the ability to interpret exactly what I wanted. This was the first blend we tried for the Forrader and he nailed it first time doing the old General honour.
“I research each General to find an amusing or even sad anecdote of their love of tobacco be it in a pipe or a good ol’ cigar.
“I attach a few pictures of my old school and as you may not get or see a box of this fabulous line, I attach images of the anecdotes which adorn the inside of these boxes. Read them whilst you smoke the cigars 🙂
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