Wrapper: Undisclosed
Binder: Undisclosed
Filler: Undisclosed
Size: 5 x 50 Robusto Box Pressed
Strength: Medium
Price: $11.00

My cigars received 3 months of naked humidor time.

BACKGROUND:
From Cigar World:
“The Meerapfel family has been involved in the tobacco trade and tobacco cultivation for several generations. The family’s origins in Germany can be traced back to the small village of Untergrombach in Baden, where the Meerapfels had been running a cigar factory since 1876.

“In more recent times, the family is mainly known for growing their famous Cameroon wrappers in Central Africa, which have then been used, for example, on the renowned Arturo Fuente cigars. I’m writing here in the past, because the family’s cooperation with the Fuentes has unfortunately ended unpleasantly in 2025. Details have not been given; the two have probably not been able to agree on the international distribution strategy of the Fuente cigars sold by the Meerapfels outside the USA.”

THE WHOLE MEGILLAH:
A Meerapfel cigar for $11. So, what’s wrong with it?

I can’t find aromas. Oh no, not again. I shove the foot up my schnoz and there are notes of salted caramel, malt, milk chocolate, cedar, and roasted cashews.

Despite the rectangular box press being akin to a tongue depressor, my PerfecPunch shows no outward distress in poking a hole in the cap. The cold draw is acidic with sharp lemon sting, cedar, generic sweetness, and freshly baked bread.

First impressions mimic the cold draw with sugar cubes, creamy cedar, sourdough bread, cashews, white pepper, and gentle baking spices.

I’ve smoked several. I wasn’t impressed. I noticed that there was slight improvement each time, but the blend couldn’t deliver in the last third as it became a piece of dry toast. Being a SoCal kid, I couldn’t understand how Brits could spend so much time and energy loving their pieces of white toast with a little butter as a snack any time of the day. Along with a milky cup of tea. I missed a good cup of coffee but in the 60’s and 70’s, Yuban and Folgers were considered boutique blends. The advent of freeze-dried coffee was wildly popular despite it tasting like gym socks.

The cigar is very light. Being roasted alive doesn’t help. It doesn’t plump like other good cigars that begin this way. The first half inch disappears in about 6 minutes. Using my advanced knowledge of trigonometry, the cigar will tap out in less than an hour. Sometimes, you get what you pay for.

At ¾” burned, the flavors perk up. Almonds and cashews, caramel, café au lait, smoky cedar, milk chocolate, and white pepper.

There is very little info from Meerapfel about this cigar. Photos of all six sizes look a little different but as the leaf stats say undisclosed, the consumer has no idea if the blends are the same with only the vitola changing, or if each size has a slightly different set of leaves. This reeks of arrogance. You little people should be grateful that we are providing a taste so we can lure you into spending $45 on the good stuff.

An inch in, and it stalls. This could be any inexpensive Connie on the market. There is no sign of life. The burn line has sharpened. The smoke has slowed.

I bought a fiver. Thank goodness boxes only come in 25 which put me off as I don’t invest big in new cigars with zero info. I’d have been pissed off if I found myself stuck with a crate.

I’m trying to watch the Olympics. But curling? Oy. It’s a Monty Python sport; and I use that word with great sarcasm. Why not make bowling an Olympic sport? Or Bocci ball?

There is no forward progression. It lays there like the women I dated when I was young. “Just do it to me. Make it quick.”

I try to watch figure skating because of the sheer dynamics. But after 15 minutes, I feel myself becoming limp. The NBC commentator is an ex-skater who is so wildly out there in his appearance that it doubles down that only women and sensitive guys watch the sport.

The halfway point took less than 30 minutes. Flavors I reported have become gorillas in the mist. There is nothing happening. Not a hint of complexity, richness, or depth. As I keep finding the damn cigar in my humidors, I think that I may have bought more than a fiver or that the cigars are named Damien. This blend is a complete dud.

I bet that good reviewers are waiting like the schmuck I am for the cigar to get good before putting quill to parchment as I don’t remember finding a review. I don’t count the reviewers who work for online retailers. They of course loved it.

There is no point smoking the second half. Meerapfel screwed the pooch. Where was their quality control? Where was the truth to power guy reporting that the cigar sucks? Where were the retailers and distributors gagging on their responsibilities?

Do not fall for the name brand approach. Do not buy this cigar. I wasted my morning cigar experience on a piece of crap.

RATING: 70

I recently discovered a great morning cigar: West Tampa Circle of Life. I rated it 96 two weeks ago. It goes for the same price as this Meerapfel. Use promo code KAT0226 for 10% off at Cigar Page.

Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS

Tags: cigar reviews, cigar reviews by the katman, cigars, katman, Meerapfel Behind The Scenes Box-Pressed #1 | Cigar Reviews by the Katman, meerapfel cigars, phil kohn