Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Rosado
Binder: U.S.A. Florida Sun Grown
Filler: Nicaraguan, U.S.A.
Size: 6 x 52 Toro
Strength: Medium/Full
Price: $20.00
Released: November 2023
Quantity Released: 500 Boxes of 20

This single review cigar received one year of humidor time.
This was a gift from a friend who asked to remain incognito.

BACKGROUND:
From J.C. Newman:
“This is the third year that America’s oldest family-owned premium cigar maker and the LeRoy Neiman and the Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation have collaborated to create a luxury, handcrafted cigar honoring the late, iconic, cigar-smoking American artist, LeRoy Neiman. Continuing the tradition from previous years, all profits will be donated to support arts education in public schools.

THE WHOLE MEGILLAH:
HW gave this cigar a 91. That’s like 1.6 ghz from me.

The above statement from J.C. Newman is in regard to their new 2025 release. The blend is similar each year with the filler tweaked each time. The wrapper and binder appear to be the same.

Once the dynamic sleeve is removed, it reveals an oily wrapper full of large veins. The heft is all there and feels good in the hand.

The typical barnyard is not in play when I sniff the wrapper. Instead, the aromas rivet my attention with notes of fudge brownies, baking spices, roasted almonds, rich black coffee, light floral, rye toast, and spicy black pepper.

My PerfecPunch makes a unanimous blow hole in the cap. But the airway is completely blocked. It takes only one generous swoosh from my PerfecDraw and the issue is defeated. In the middle of my PD doing its happy dance, I use a Swiffer to end its celebration because this is National Marmot in Chains Day and I feel it is acting disrespectfully. The arrogance that this little tool possesses not knowing how I entrust my feelings on this sacred and religious day…

The cold draw is fruit punch, dark cocoa, rye toast, freshly cut melon, black pepper, cumin and cinnamon, espresso, and hot nuts.

So tasty too. This cigar starts like a Vitameatavegamin girl. Licks of earthiness, chocolate, heavily malted milk, nuts galore, creaminess, black pepper, and Froot Loops.
Some cigars are born to party. Others age out. While I am a fan of Viaje, the blends will lose their luster after a year or so. They have a golden hour between 6-12 months. But you gotta pounce to take advantage. AJ blends are similar. Newman blends are unpredictable with a long nap.

The first inch is smooth as my arse after Charlotte doses me with some Pledge. There is instant karma with its refined notes that deliver rich earthiness and a nice 50/50 balance of sweet v. savory.

Construction is top notch. The char line is de rigueur. Strength is a perfect medium that matches my mood with admonitions of morning coffee. I am slippery and sassy as I bet you are as well. I really should edit before I hit the publish button.

The first inch is easily the warmup period of any blend. So far, this cigar will have none of that. It is performing beautifully. Does this cigar need a year for explorative surgery? No idea. This is a one off.

And just like that, my toupee comes loose as does my merkin. Speaking of merkins…back in the early 70’s I dated a nice Jewish girl from a well-off family. Beautiful girl with long brown hair down to her ass. We dated just long enough to meet her requirements before ripping each other’s clothes off. Imagine my horror to discover she had colossal amounts of pubic hair that started at her belly button and stopped just above her knees. I needed a miner’s cap and klieg lights. I suggested that she bypass the salon and go straight to a dog groomer to fix that. She had no sense of humor.

I am McLovin this cigar. So dainty but yet brings honorific pleasure to my reptilian brain.

There were only two reviews of this cigar. One loved it and the other not so much. I believe there is a stigmata to purchase celebrity cigars because, most of the time, they are not worth your attention. They are vanity projects for the bestower of someone’s need to be the hit of the party while on a long weekend at the Cape. It’s a shame because so far, this is an excellent cigar.

There is a delightful roastiness to this blend. It screams depth and easy-going complexity. The chocolate malt is darn cool. Not even close to being a flavor bomb. But its overall body is decimating my palate into quarters.

The first half ends and I am willfully sated. There is an educated progression that I wonder if the blenders anticipated…or they just lucked out. I dissed the shit out of Inigo Montoyas gift of the $130 OpusX I reviewed on July 3. This mere $20 cigar is making marsupial mincemeat out of that Fuente blend.

I remove the secondary band. Underneath are words of wisdom from LeRoy Neiman in which he says: “I’m a believer in the theory that the artist is as important as his work.” That’s kind of needy. Of all the man’s quotes, this is what they chose…a neurotic need for love.

The creaminess pulls ahead. A perfect enhancement for the roasted coffee beans. The fudgy brownies are neck and neck. Sweet v. Savory is money. This blend is turning into a possible all-time fave. Delicious to the core. While the new 2025 blend is a tad different, I’m going to run out a get me some. I do some research and discover to my dismay that the new sticks are $22.50. And can only be bought in boxes of 20. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have $450.00 on hand for 20 cigars. This is a big disappointment. I guess the cigars are a package deal because of the artwork on the underside of the hood. It’s LeRoy Neiman, not Da Vinci. Heavy sigh. And discount codes are not applicable. Double heavy sigh.

Where was I?

I had a discussion with friends over the weekend about flavors. While these guys were sophisticated smokers, they said their fallback position is they judge a cigar on whether it tastes good, or it doesn’t. Look, I am exactly the same kind of smoker. I only dissect the flavor profile when I’m putting quill to parchment. During my off hours, I merely enjoy a cigar…or I don’t. If there are big boastful flavors inherent in a blend, that’s wonderful. But I look for a richly refined and complex beast that was put on earth for me to enjoy. After that, who cares whether I taste subtle notes of marmot wax or Mustelidae droppings.

This was a great cigar. If you can find a deal on a price point cheaper than an entire box, please let your fellow smokers know about it.

You can purchase the 2025 version from sponsor Small Batch Cigar.

RATING: 95

Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS

Tags: cigar reivews, cigar reviews by the katman, cigars, j.c. newman cigars, katman, LeRoy Neiman 2023 Collector’s Edition | Cigar Reviews by the Katman, phil kohn