Smoke Inn Blog
All the heavy-hitters in the audience know by now that the theme of next year’s The Great Smoke event is Year of the Dragon. That got us thinking about zodiac cigars, which are a thing, in case you didn’t know. The Chinese zodiac and astrological themes are interesting in general and there are a couple of zodiac cigars that are really worth talking about. So that’s exactly what we’re gonna do.
What Does the Chinese Zodiac Have to do with Cigars?
Great question! We don’t know of any formal, official ties between Chinese astrology and premium cigars. No one is quite sure when the first zodiac-themed cigar was made. The first zodiac cigar of the modern era that we’re aware of was Davidoff’s Year of the Dragon which emerged from the veil in 2011. We doubt if even Davidoff knew what a hit it would be, much less that it would begin a trend that more than a decade later has yielded some pretty spectacular treats for lovers of the leaf.
The Chinese zodiac and premium cigars seem like a natural match to us though. It makes sense when you think about it. Both are arcane crafts shrouded in mystery and followed by cultish devotees, right? Both primo cigars and the Chinese zodiac may come into play when you enter that post-Chinese meal stupor too. All kidding aside though, Premium cigar exclusives are usually only once a year and forever associated with the year of their birth. So, the zodiac theme fits perfectly and contributes to the cigars image and mystique.
With no further ado, here are the zodiac cigars we’re most excited about right now.
Zodiac Cigar #1: Aura E.P. Carrillo Shengxiao
Technically, this is a box of 12 cigars with 12 different blends, but seeing as they aren’t sold individually, we’re putting them all together in the #1 slot. As premium cigar makers have begun to explore the Chinese astrology theme with their own zodiac cigars, it was only a matter of time perhaps before the Notorious EPC entered the frame. When E.P. Carillo made his mark in this space, it truly made a memorable impression. EPC Cigar Co.’s first foray into the zodiac cigar realm comes on with ‘strong like bull’ offering not one, but TWELVE distinctly unique smoking experiences.
The Aura E.P. Carrillo Shengxiao Limited Edition also marks Ernesto Perez-Carrillo’s first super-premium cigar experience. Carrillo considered the trifecta of life energies, mind, body and spirit, from which the “Driven by Energy” sprang from. It’s not hard to imagine it took a great deal of energy to devise TWELVE different artisanal smoking experiences for this release. Each zodiac cigar with its own personality to harmonize with the Shengxiao (astrology signs in Mandarin)
A Truly Exclusive Luxury Smoke
It should be no surprise that a release like this is strictly limited to only 2,500 boxes of 12. The packaging is suitably gorgeous, naturally. The luxuriant mahogany box itself features a built-in humidifier and the box itself is appropriately cloaked in a cloth envelope of that stunning vermillion red color that is associated with auspiciousness in Chinese culture. Also included is a set of beautiful cards with details on each of the EPC zodiac cigar blends within and their corresponding zodiac animals.
Each of the EPC Shengxiao Limited Edition zodiac cigars themselves are crafted in the same shapely 6⅛” x 52 torpedo format from tobaccos hand-selected by E.P. Carillo personally and aged a minimum of 5 years. Naturally, they are all also handmade at Carrillo’s famed Tabacalera La Alianza factory in the Dominican Republic. The price isn’t for the feint of heart (or wallet) but lovers of the leaf all understand the kind of rarified cigar experience this represents. The Aura E.P. Carrillo Shengxiao Limited Edition is truly a masterpiece among premium cigar offerings. And if you’re a fan of zodiac cigars or EPC in particular, this is the cat’s meow right here.
You can purchase The Aura E.P. Carrillo Shengxiao Limited Edition HERE.
Zodiac Cigar #2: Davidoff Year of the Rabbit
As mentioned earlier, Davidoff was responsible for the modern-day zodiac cigar trend. The Davidoff Zodiac Series began with the Year of the Dragon cigar which debuted in 2011. Davidoff has kept the annual tradition going ever since. We wait eagerly each fall for a new zodiac cigar from Davidoff (including a new size, packaging, and blend) ahead of the Chinese New Year.
With a total of 12 zodiac signs on the calendar, The 2023 Davidoff Zodiac cigar series release completes the cycle. Technically, they’ve made a Chinese zodiac cigar for all 12 of the signs at this point. We know we aren’t the only ones hoping they’ll go another round though. Whether or not it happens remains to be seen.
The End of an Era? Perhaps..
The final offering (for now) is the Davidoff Limited Edition 2023 Year of the Rabbit cigar and it is truly marvelous. Davidoff put plenty of love into this edition of its exclusive Zodiac Series smokes and it shows. Appearing in a shapely 5 15/16″ x 54 double perfecto format, complete with a tightly wound pigtail cap to signify the rabbit’s ears, it’s a looker. The recipe begins with a unique Ecuadorian hybrid 238 wrapper, embracing a Mexican San Andrés negro binder and FIVE fillers (Four from the DR and one from Estelí, Nicaragua).
The collector’s appeal is magnified by this zodiac cigar’s opulent packaging, handmade from thick wood and individually routed cigar slots designed to resemble connecting rabbit burrows that rabbits dig underground. The Davidoff 2023 Year of the Rabbit is surely a decadent smoking experience, offering a medium intensity and delicately layered complexities of rich oak, lightly seasoned almonds, aromatic botanicals, raw honey, and spicy-sweet ginger snap.
You can purchase Davidoff Year of the Rabbit HERE.
Smoke Inn is Your Cigar Shop
We hope you liked our look into zodiac cigars inspired by Chinese astrology. You should absolutely be sure to check out our new Smoke Inn Customer Reviews section as well as our new Cigar of the Month Club section. As always, if you’re local or happen to be visiting South Florida, be sure to reward yourself with a visit to one of the country’s best cigar shops in person. We’d love to see you.
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- Smoke Inn Palm Beach Gardens
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