New to the humidor here at Creekside Cigar Co. are the first three offerings from our friends over at Tradecraft Cigars. The latest endeavor from the Blumenthal family (Tinder Box), Rob and Gary partnered with Tabacalera William Ventura (D.R.) to blend and produce these cigars to highlight the expert craftsmanship and artistry of the tradesmen of the tobacco industry. The “Azorian”, “Gladius”, and “Vitruvian” offer a full range of profiles featuring Habano, Mexican San Andres, and an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper option all using high quality aged tobacco.
“The ethos of Tradecraft is simple yet uncompromising: collaborate with today’s most talented boutique cigar makers to create blends of extraordinary complexity, full flavor, and impeccable construction, using the finest aged tobaccos. Each cigar is designed to be instantly recognizable and unmistakably unique.”
Azorian:
Vitola: Robusto 5x54, Toro 6x52, Corona Gorda 5.5x46
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Sumatra
Filler: PA Ligero, Ecuadorian Habano 2000 Ligero, Corojo Ligero, Criollo 98' seco
Notes: caramel, earth, baking spice, rum
“The name Azorian also pays homage to one of the most daring covert mission, Operation Azorian- where the CIA successfully recovered a russian nuclear submarine from the bottom of the Pacific.”
Gladius:
Vitola: Robusto 5x50, Toro 6x54, Belicoso LE 5.5x52
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Maduro
Binder: Sumatra
Filler: PA Broadleaf Viso, PA Ligero, Criollo 98' Ligero, Ecuadorian Habano 2000 Viso
Notes: bakers chocolate, meaty savoriness, baking spice, earth
“The cigar pays homage to the history of the mighty Roman Empire, and the sword yielded by it's Legionaires in battle.”
Vitruvian:
Vitola: Toro 6x50
Wrapper: ASP Grown Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder: Sumatra
Filler: Tripa de Capa Habano 2000 & CT, Nicaraguan Jalapa, Criollo 98' Seco (volado priming), Corojo Seco
Notes: sweet citrus, earth, mineral, and cream
“The blend showcases an elegant Grade A Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper grown by ASP over an Ecuadorian Sumatran binder. Wiber (Ventura)’s challenge was balancing sweetness and earth, and the result is nothing short of artistry.”
All three cigars offer something a bit different, unique, and thus far had fantastic construction and complex flavor profiles. I've had the pleasure of sampling each a few times as Rob travels around the country sharing his creation with brick & mortars and have enjoyed them immensely. Each cigar presents an interesting medium-body flavor profile, highlighting the nuances of quality leaf and the skills of the blenders at Ventura under the instruction of the Blumenthals. The standout for me has been the Azorian, especially in the CG vitola. There is a magic in creating a habano wrapper cigar that makes you stare at it after the opening. The Vitruvian pairs incredibly well with a cup of black coffee and the Gladius I could see being a great after dinner smoke on a cool autumn evening.
We look forward to hosting Rob at 'The Creek' for our launch event on August 14th and are happy to field any questions in person or online through our discord server. You can visit Tradecraft Cigars online at https://tradecraftcigars.com/ or by visiting their instagram @tradecraftcigars