Building a Five-Cigar Lineup: Creekside’s Cigar Draft

From Creekside Podcast Ep. 008: Building the Ultimate Cigar Line-up!, aired Feb 28, 2025. Recorded at Creekside Cigar Co. in Maineville, Ohio.

On this episode of the Creekside Podcast, Dave, Noah and Conner hold the first Creekside Cigar Co. draft. They each build a five-cigar starting lineup, with one Connecticut, one Habano, one Maduro and two flexible picks. Along the way, we hear why certain cigars earn a regular place in the humidor, how size can change an experience and what the crew is considering for upcoming Creekside custom blends. The conversation also includes a blind cigar review, with the identity revealed only after the tasting notes and guesses.

How did the Creekside cigar draft work?

The rules gave each participant three required wrapper categories and two open picks, with no duplicate cigars allowed. The draft moved back and forth between Noah and Conner. Rather than choosing by category alone, they explained the personal reasons behind their picks: a dependable daily smoke, a memorable flavor profile or a cigar that makes a particular size work especially well.

For Connecticut, Noah chose the Rodriguez Reserva PVA in a Corona, praising its flavor and approachability. He described its double binder as bringing cinnamon and cocoa notes. Conner picked Fratello Oro in the Foco size, a short format he enjoys for a morning smoke with coffee. He called out its cinnamon, cream, raisin, nutty and baking-spice character, and said the concentrated size makes it a good choice for a shorter smoking session.

Which Habano and Maduro cigars made the lineup?

Noah selected Mil Días from Crowned Heads as his Habano pick. The crew described it as versatile enough to work at different times of day, making it feel like a reliable daily cigar. Conner chose the Crux Epicure Habano in Corona Gorda. He was impressed by its full body and concentrated flavor in that size, and said he wanted to try it in a larger ring gauge as well.

For Maduro, Noah went with Foundation’s Tabernacle, a longtime favorite he described as one of his strongest picks for the lineup. Conner chose a San Andrés Maduro that he said had been with him through thick and thin. He praised its combination of sweetness, spice, creaminess, nuttiness and earth. The draft showed how differently two smokers can approach the same wrapper category while looking for a cigar with depth and character.

What were the crew’s flexible picks?

The open picks let the hosts move beyond the wrapper requirements. Noah added Crux Du Connoisseur No. 2, a 6-by-38 size. He said that format brings the cigar to life for him. Conner chose the OneOff Black and Tan, describing a progression from chocolate, peanut and cedar notes toward spice and red-fruit character. He called it one of the best cigars he had smoked.

Noah’s final pick was Atabey Deinos. He enjoyed its light feel and the way flavors kept developing, including peanut, sweetness, vanilla, sugar cookie and floral notes. Conner rounded out his lineup with Wayfarer 109, which he described as an all-day cigar that works from morning through night. Together, the picks made clear that the flexible slots were not an afterthought: they let each smoker highlight a cigar that mattered to him personally.

What did the blind cigar taste like?

While Dave sat out the smoke with a head cold, Noah and Conner assessed the blind cigar without knowing its identity. They initially found it woody, dry and charred, with a thick, creamy texture to the smoke. As it developed, they noted dark chocolate, roasted sweetness, baking spice, black pepper, leather, licorice and coffee. Their impressions changed as the cigar progressed, and both thought the later stages were more interesting than the opening.

After their guesses, Dave revealed that the cigar was an Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Robusto, made in the Dominican Republic with a Cameroon wrapper. The hosts were surprised by the wrapper and origin, but praised the construction. The blind tasting offered a useful reminder from the episode: flavor impressions can evolve, and an early guess about a cigar’s blend or origin is not always the final word.

How are the Creekside custom blends taking shape?

The conversation turned to two Creekside custom blends being developed for 2025. Noah described an idea built around contrast: an attractive, softer-looking exterior with a more assertive experience inside. He pointed to past enjoyment of Connecticut cigars with a stronger binder as part of the inspiration, while recognizing that balancing the blend will be the challenge.

Conner’s concept starts from the opposite visual impression. He wants a dark-looking cigar that delivers richness and complexity without feeling too strong, with chocolate, cedar and roasted sweetness among the flavors he hopes to capture. The two approaches share an interest in contrast, but aim for different experiences. The crew plans to document the blending process as it develops.

Key takeaways

• The draft required one Connecticut, one Habano, one Maduro and two flexible picks.
• The hosts chose cigars for their own routines, preferred sizes and memorable flavor experiences.
• The blind Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Robusto developed from woody and charred notes toward richer flavors.
• The two planned custom blends take contrasting approaches to appearance, body and flavor.

Cigars from this episode

• Rodriguez Reserva PVA: Noah’s Connecticut pick in Corona; he praised its approachability and cinnamon and cocoa notes.
• Fratello Oro: Conner’s Connecticut pick in Foco; he highlighted its sweet, creamy, nutty and baking-spice notes.
• Crowned Heads Mil Días: Noah’s versatile Habano pick, described as a dependable cigar for different times of day.
• Crux Epicure Habano: Conner’s Corona Gorda pick; he praised its concentrated flavor and full body.
• Foundation Tabernacle: Noah’s Maduro pick and a longtime favorite.
• San Andrés Maduro, name unclear: Conner’s Maduro pick; he praised its sweet, spicy, creamy, nutty and earthy character.
• Crux Du Connoisseur No. 2: Noah’s flexible pick; he said the 6-by-38 size brings the cigar to life.
• OneOff Black and Tan: Conner’s flexible pick; he described chocolate, peanut, cedar, spice and red-fruit notes.
• Atabey Deinos: Noah praised its light feel and evolving peanut, sweet, vanilla, cookie and floral notes.
• Wayfarer 109: Conner described it as an all-day cigar that suits morning, noon or night.
• Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Robusto: The blind cigar; the hosts noted woody, charred, chocolate, spice, leather and coffee flavors.

Shop, smoke and listen with Creekside

• Shop the cigars from this episode
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