Here we are friends and family a cigar that I have wanted to review for quite some time, the Byron. A cigar that I find to be monumental when it comes to quality and taste with so much history and a small portion of this history I will share with all of you in case you are not familiar with this cigar. I can assure you, for all you cigar enthusiasts out there, that if you have not had one already then you might just splurge on purchasing one because they are not cheap but so worth every puff. 

Many cigar factories produced numerous brands with Anglo-American names to attract UK and US markets which had tremendous demand for premium cigars at the time. Having said that, around 1848 the cousins created a cigar brand named Lord Byron in honor of the world renowned English poet himself. He was arguably the greatest author of romantic poetries of the day and more importantly pertaining to the brand, and avid cigar smoker and enthusiast. 

The brand Byron has roots to the 19th century when two cousins with roots in the Canary Islands owned a small cigar factory in the province of Havana on the island nation of Cuba. The cigars were made from two tobacco farms that they owned about 25 kilometers apart. Eventually the brand fell on hard times and was sold off to pay a debt. In 1998 the brand Byron was brought back by Nelson Alfonso who is well known for his input in the Cohiba Behike line and other Cuban cigars such as Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, H. Upmann and many more. 

Nelson Alfonso behind the rebranding of Behike wanted to deliver a cigar to the American market that was reminiscent of the Cuban brands from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. The result is a group of cigars that have been highly rated making them instant classics in the industry. It’s like smoking a piece of history! 

Each size of the Byron is a different blend to reflect a specific era of Cuban cigars. They are certainly considered luxury cigars and while intrigued about the Byron there is no website that will reveal to you the wrapper, binder, or filler; completely undisclosed! Of course I could sum up what I may think where tobacco comes from to make this beautiful cigar yet each palate is different and don’t want to speculate on anything; you can “draw” you own conclustions. I can say that this particular cigar has a deep oily chocolate maduro looking wrapper and smells absolutely amazing. The brand is now being produced in very limited quantities in a small Costa Rican factory. The price is anywhere from $20 to $25 or more depending on where you purchase. 

Just want to make a note to all of you that all of the information above is information that I gathered from various websites and combined information to give you the best historic viewpoint of such a worthy cigar. Giving credit where credit is due because this cigar demands respect just as I am going to provide you with an outstanding review on the Byron! 

The Cold Draw: Instantly picking up chocolate and espresso and that rich soil taste that gets my glands going to have that saline taste hit my mouth before I even light it up. 

The First Third: Dark chocolate with dash of black pepper hit the palate with a taste of sweetness and a dash of baker’s spice. Very smooth and almost creamy like. I mentioned black pepper because it does make your lips tingle a little and it explodes with flavor on your tongue; certainly reminds me of a well aged cigar. This in fact coincides with the number “3” on the label; because the number signifies how long it was aged for before being sent out to retailers. Continuing onward with this first third of the Byron I’m starting to pick up some vanilla essence as the black pepper begins to fade away; not as intense as the first light up. Molasses is starting to join the party while the sweetness remains the same like having raw sugar stirred in with a rich flavorful mocha. 

The Second Third: While dark chocolate, molasses, vanilla, and espresso are very strong within this journey starting to pick up some toasted nuts and even some cedar come into play. Still very, very smooth as I begin to taste a hint of dried figs which I pick up on my palate. The Byron is certainly getting better and richer in taste as it continues to burn. The construction is flawless with a very consistent burn thus far. Enjoying this cigar and smoking very slowly due to the fact that the flavor profiles are VERY prominent and exquisite that makes it represent a “Luxury” cigar. 

The Final Third: With the flavor profiles mentioned above they remain very strong; In fact, now because of the richness I’m picking up some leather notes and that essence of pepper is coming back. Here is where that full bodied cigar comes to define itself. Definitely started out medium body but now I have to slow it down even more because the strength of the cigar comes through even though the profiles are so remarkable that I want to keep puffing for that amazing taste I’m getting; super vibrant and distinguishable for sure with each profile. Still no burn issues, construction stayed intact, with a swirl of sweetness to blend it all together. 

Going to give this cigar a 5 out of 5 pints not just about the taste but the fact that it’s made in limited production, the price is a factor because it’s not a cigar I would have often and did I mention the taste? The Byron is a very exquisite cigar indeed which can be purchased on various sites and perhaps even at your local brick-n-mortar shops. There is no doubt I feel you should at least try one of these if you haven’t already. You may or may not pick up on the same profiles that I did yet with the way this cigar had been blended together I do feel you will enjoy the journey as much as I did!!

Wrapper – Unknown

Binder – Unknown

Filler – Unknown

Website: Good Luck Finding It

Rating: 5 out of 5 pints

• William O’Connor, AKA Billy Kartwheels, is the Co-Captian of the Distinguished Ruffians NY Chapter. Billy has had an interesting life, going through college, being in the Navy and living on a submarine, he has visited 48 states (hitchhiking through 35) of them and even lived in a Hare Krishna monastery for some time. After having numerous brushes with death durring his travels he has decided it was best to take it easy and appreciate life to its fullest all while smoking a cigar at the same time.