Havana House Cigars of the Month 2023

Each month this year, we have selected an exceptional cigar to highlight as our ‘Cigar of the Month’. As 2023 comes to a close, we can now celebrate our 12 cigars of the year.

• January – VegaFina Original Short Robusto
• February – RoMa Craft Intemperance BA XXI Ambition Belicoso
• March – Rocky Patel Disciple Robusto
• April – E.P. Carrillo Pledge Prequel
• May – Camacho Criollo Tubed Robusto
• June – Chateau Diadem Conviction Double Robusto
• July – Kristoff Pistoff Robusto
• August – Foundation Charter Oak CT Broadleaf Toro
• September – PSyKo 7 Connecticut Toro
• October – Rocky Patel Sixty Robusto
• November – K by Karen Berger Maduro Robusto
• December – La Galera Connecticut Chaveta Robusto

January – VegaFina Original Short Robusto

We started the year off strong with the VegaFina Original Short Robusto. Overall the VegaFina Short Robusto is an excellent mild–medium blend. We think it makes a really good mid-day smoke; especially great after breakfast. It starts off mild-bodied and creamy, before developing some peppery notes, and the aroma is exceptional throughout.

The VegaFina brand was launched in 1998, and since then, it has gained a reputation for quality and consistency from its handmade cigars, bringing balanced aromas from the finest tobacco. Each cigar is handmade in the Dominican Republic.

Owner	VegaFina
Factory	Tabacalera de Garcia
Origin	Dominican Republic
Wrapper	​​Ecuador Connecticut
Binder	Indonesia
Filler	Colombia, Dominican Republic, Honduras
Strength	Medium
Size	Short Robusto – 4 1/8 by 50 ring gauge

 

February – RoMa Craft Intemperance BA XXI Ambition Belicoso

The RoMa Craft Intemperance BA XXI Ambition Belicoso is an outstanding cigar. This blend works very well in the Belicoso format, offering outstanding flavours and top-notch construction. Whether a novice or an experienced cigar enthusiast, if you’re looking to explore RoMa Craft for the first time, this is the perfect cigar to start with.

The Intemperance BA XXI is a rich, full-flavour smoke with medium-full-bodied strength. It is a rich cigar that’s loaded with flavour – notes of chocolate, pepper, nuts and coffee.

Owner	RoMa Craft
Factory	Fabrica de Tobacco NicaSueno
Origin	Nicaragua
Wrapper	Brazilian Arapiraca
Binder	Indonesia
Filler	Nicaraguan and Dominican
Strength	Medium-Full
Size	Belicoso – 5 1/2 by 54 ring gauge

 

March – Rocky Patel Disciple Robusto

Speaking of the Rocky Patel Disciple Robusto, Rocky Patel states, “We’ve never produced anything that more rigorously adheres to our high standards and dedication to quality,” and this cigar certainly lives up to that statement. The San Andres wrapper is oily and enrobes Nicaraguan fillers and a Nicaraguan binder. It’s medium-bodied and dark, with delicious aromas of oak, cedar and spice.

Owner	Rocky Patel
Factory	Tabacalera Villa Cuba S.A
Origin	Nicaragua
Wrapper	Mexico (San Andrés)
Binder	Nicaragua
Filler	Nicaragua
Strength	Medium
Size	Robusto – 5 by 50 ring gauge

 

April – E.P. Carrillo Pledge Prequel

The E.P. Carrillo Pledge Prequel is a box-pressed cigar comprised of a Connecticut Havana seed wrapper, Ecuadorian binder and Nicaraguan fillers. It starts with a bold burst of pepper and spice before dialling back to creamier cedar, coffee and caramel notes that show off just how good the blend is. 

Owner	E.P. Carrillo
Factory	Tabacalera La Alianza S.A.
Origin	Dominican Republic
Wrapper	U.S.A./Conn. Habano
Binder	Ecuador
Filler	Nicaragua
Strength	Medium-Full
Size	Robusto – 5 by 50 ring gauge

 

May – Camacho Criollo Tubed Robusto

The Camacho Criollo Tubed Robusto features a fourth Honduran-grown priming wrapper, which has a unique, peppery-flavoured punch. It delivers a powerful explosion of signature Camacho taste into every draw. Their Criollo leaf is left on the plant for longer, so it sees extra sunrays and packs an extra pop of spice to complement a mellow sweetness. It has a balanced and well-rounded temperament.

Owner	Oettinger Davidoff Group
Factory	Camp Camacho
Origin	Honduras
Wrapper	Honduran Criollo 98
Binder	Corojo
Filler	Honduras and Dominican Republic
Strength	Medium
Size	Robusto – 5 by 50 ring gauge

 

June – Chateau Diadem Conviction Double Robusto

The Chateau Diadem Conviction Double Robusto will keep you guessing the whole way through. It starts off creamy with notes of cocoa and hazelnut, before developing hints of coffee and earthiness. Once rolled, each cigar is left to rest for six months to allow the tobacco to marry and evolve, to create a cigar that is subtle tasting, rich in aromas and wonderfully complex with a beautiful evolution.

Owner	Chateau Diadem
Factory	Chateau Diadem
Origin	Dominican Republic
Wrapper	Ecuadorian Habano 2000
Binder	Dominican Olor
Filler	Nicaraguan Criollo Estelí, Dominican Criollo 98 & Dominican Piloto Cubano Republic
Strength	Medium
Size	Robusto – 5 by 50 ring gauge

 

July – Kristoff Pistoff Robusto

The Kristoff Pistoff Robusto is potent and flavourful – it certainly gives credence to its edgy name by offering an explosive smoking experience. It’s a full-bodied smoke with notes of dark chocolate, spice and coffee. The peppery spice was a constant, but low level, burn on the palate and nose.

Owner	Glen Case
Factory	Kristoff/Exclusive Cigars
Origin	Dominican Republic
Wrapper	Mexican San Andrés
Binder	Indonesian
Filler	Nicaraguan
Strength	Full
Size	Robusto – 5 1/2 by 54 ring gauge

 

August – Foundation Charter Oak CT Broadleaf Toro

A Connecticut broadleaf providing rich darkness and all the right spices, the Foundation Charter Oak CT Broadleaf Toro Cigar is very impressive. The cigar has notes of rich earth, and natural sweetness with a medium to full smoking experience. 

Owner	Foundation
Factory	Tabacos Valle de Jalapa (TABSA)
Origin	Nicaragua
Wrapper	Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder	Nicaraguan Habano
Filler	Nicaragua (Esteli, Jalapa)
Strength	Medium
Size	Toro – 6 by 52 ring gauge

 

September – Psyko 7 Connecticut Toro

Seven different tobaccos from six different countries were incorporated into the final blend of the PSyKo Seven Connecticut Toro, including an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, a Dominican San Vicente binder and a “multi-county blend” of tobaccos used in the filler. 

Overall the Connecticut is a wonderfully mild cigar that provides an overall cool smoke with a pleasant draw and notes of delicate hazelnut, some cream and a little hint of earth.

Owner	Ventura Cigars
Factory	Occidental Cigar Factory
Origin	Dominican Republic
Wrapper	Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder	Dominican San Vicente
Filler	Multi-Country Blend
Strength	Mild
Size	Toro – 6 1/4 by 48 ring gauge

 

October – Rocky Patel Sixty Robusto

Created to celebrate the 60th birthday of cigar entrepreneur Rocky Patel, the Rocky Patel Sixty Robusto is crafted with tobaccos aged for at least six years prior to rolling. Once rolled, the cigars were again left for two years to allow the flavours to marry. 

The result is a deliciously rich smoke that you’ll want to savour, featuring notes of chocolate, cedar, cocoa, spice and earth. 

Owner	Rocky Patel
Factory	TAVICUSA
Origin	Nicaragua
Wrapper	Mexican San Andrés
Binder	Nicaragua
Filler	Nicaragua
Strength	Full
Size	Robusto – 5 1/2 by 50 ring gauge

 

November – K by Karen Berger Maduro Robusto

The K by Karen Berger Maduro Robusto is a box pressed cigar made top quality tobacco from the soils of Esteli, Nicaragua. Completed with a dark maduro wrapper, you’ll enjoy notes of vanilla, oak and coffee as you smoke. It burns smoothly with an easy draw and is flavourful right down to the nub.

Owner	Karen Berger
Factory	Esteli Cigar Factory S.A.
Origin	Nicaragua
Wrapper	Maduro
Binder	Nicaragua
Filler	Nicaragua
Strength	Medium-Full
Size	Robusto – 5 by 52 ring gauge

 

December – La Galera Connecticut Chaveta Robusto

A mild and creamy cigar with notes of almonds, cedar, and earth, La Galera Connecticut Chaveta Robusto has a profile that is distinct and feels like something new. It is a delightful smoke that is handmade at the Tabacalera Palma factory in the Dominican Republic. We think the La Galera is one of the best examples of Connecticut offerings out there. It gives an entirely new outlook on what milder cigars can bring to the table.

Owner	Jochy Blanco
Factory	Tabacalera Palma
Origin	Dominican Republic
Wrapper	Ecuadorean Connecticut
Binder	Piloto Cubano
Filler	Dominican T-112, Piloto Cubano and Criollo 98
Strength	Mild
Size	Robusto – 5 ⅛ by 50 ring gauge