Old School Cigars is a New York based company that was acquired by La Sirena Cigars in April of this year. The full details of the acquisition can be found in a post on my Tampa Cigar Examiner site.
As part of the press release, I received two samples each of the three Old School Cigars lines. So today, here is a set of three reviews for the price of one!
First up is the Old School Cigars JAXX LT line.
The cigar has an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, a Nicaraguan binder and a combination of Honduran and Nicaraguan filler. It is currently manufactured in Honduras at the Plascencia Factory.
The JAXX LT is available in three vitolas: Robusto (5.5×50), Toro (6×52), Gran Toro (6×60).
The two samples of the JAXX LT line were consistent in appearance and construction. They were all a bit soft to the touch and had misshapen caps. The wrapper was light brown in color with many fine veins. There was a dry hay aroma from both the wrapper and the foot.
The pre-light draw was easy and had some sweetness and berry flavors.
The first third of this cigar presented a very mild tobacco flavor and a gray / white, slightly flaky ash. The burn line was even and had a thin carbon ring.
Getting into the second third, the ash firmed up and became a bit darker. The mild tobacco flavor increased in richness and the strength remained the same.
There was not much of a change in the final third. The cigar produced a good amount of smoke and burned very well. The JAXX LT is a consistent, good smoke that is on the mild side in both strength and body.
On a personal note, the aroma coming off the smoke from the JAXX LT reminded me of my Great-Grandfathers home in West New York, NJ. That memory came back from the early 1960’s when I was very young so, I don’t remember what type of cigars he smoked. The memory made me very nostalgic.
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The second line reviewed from Old School Cigars is the JAXX.
The blend is comprised of a Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro wrapper, a Nicaraguan Banda Criolla binder and three filler leaves; Nicaraguan Seco & Ligero (Jalapa) and a Brazilian Viso (Mata Fina).
The cigars are currently manufactured in Nicaragua at Tavicusa S.A. in three vitolas: Robusto (5×50), Toro (6×52) and Toro Grande (6×60).
The JAXX’s wrapper is medium brown in color, had a few veins and was very firm to the touch. There was a faint cedar aroma on the wrapper and a sweet tobacco scent from the foot. The cigars felt on the lighter side when held in my hand. The cigars sported a well formed triple cap.
Checking the cigar out during the pre-light, I picked up on a savory flavor from the wrapper and some sweetness from the filler leaves. The pre-light draw was firm but there did not seem to be any obstructions.
The first third of the JAXX had a medium spice on the exhale and a woody tobacco flavor of my palate. The burn was even and the gray ash was flaky. The cigar produced a large amount of smoke.
The second third of the JAXX had a richer tobacco base flavor and some sweetness in the medium, lingering finish.
The last third of this cigar presented a strong tobacco base flavor with some coffee notes. The finish was long and lingering.
Last up is the Old School Cigars STIXX line.
The STIXX blend has a Brazilian Broadleaf Maduro wrapper around a Dominican Republic binder that surrounds Dominican Criollo & Habana Vuelta Bajo filler leaves.
This cigar is manufactured in the Dominican Republic at the Quesada Factory and is found in four sizes: Robusto (5×52), Belicoso (6×52), Super Toro (5.5×60) and Super Gran Toro (6×65).
The STIXX wrapper is dark brown and the leaf has many veins. The cigar is very firm to the touch. There is a faint tobacco scent from the wrapper and a rich tobacco aroma from the foot.
The pre-light draw is good with a small amount of resistance.
Once lit, the Old School Cigars STIXX had an even burn and developed a bright white ash. The ash dropped for the first time around the 1 ½ inch mark.
The first third of the STIXX starts off very mild and the cigar does not produce much smoke.
In the second third, the smoke volume picks up and there is some spice sensations in my sinuses during the exhale. The main flavor in this portion of the cigar is a mild tobacco with a slightly bitter finish.
The final third is consistent with the second and does not show much change at all.
La Sirena Cigars stated in the press release that they acquired Old School Cigars to round out their portfolio by offering a milder cigar and these three cigars certainly do that very well.
Of the three lines I think my favorite was the Old School JAXX, although the JAXX LT came in as a close second for me because of the nostalgic memories it evoked.