262 Manifesto

Introduced as a call to action in protest of governmental regulation of tobacco and smoking bans, the 262 Manifesto was released on February 7, 2012, the 50-year anniversary of the start of the U.S. embargo on Cuba. Only 262 boxes of 10 cigars each were released with 10 stores getting only 26 boxes each to sell.

Here is what I said in my original review back in February of 2012: 

These cigars were produced for a great cause, and I was really hoping that the Honduran tobacco that is used in this blend would lead to an interesting profile. Alas, that was just not the case. While not a bad cigar by any means, after smoking two of them, I was really left wanting more out of the blend. It is a nice, straight forward smoke with nice, straight forward flavors, but honestly, I have enjoyed the 262 Ideology that I have smoked more, and they are not only easier to get a hold of, but also quite a bit cheaper.

• Cigar Reviewed: 262 Manifesto
• Country of Origin: Honduras
• Factory: Fábrica de Tabacos Raíces Cubanas S. de R.L.
• Wrapper: Honduran Criollo 98
• Binder: Honduran Criollo 98 & Indonesia
• Filler: Honduras Trojes & Nicaragua (Estelí & Jalapa)
• Size: 6 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 54
• Vitola: Churchill
• MSRP: $12.50 (Boxes of 10, $125.00)
• Date Released: February 7, 2012
• Cigars Released: 262 Boxes of 10 Cigars (2,620 Total Cigars)
• Number of Cigars Smoked for Redux Review: 1

The 262 Manifesto has a very nice dark mocha color wrapper that is fairly smooth to the touch, and has a bit of oil present. The triple cap seems perfectly applied, but it is just a bit hard when squeezed. Aroma off of the wrapper is strong cedar, leather, sweet chocolate and a touch of earth.

The 262 Manifesto starts off with strong flavors of oak, hay, earth and coffee, along with just a touch of leather. There is a bit of spice on the tongue, but not enough to really enjoy and it does not seem to be getting any stronger. Ebbing in and out is a black pepper note on the retrohale. A nice indeterminate sweetness comes and goes throughout the smoke, but is strongest in the first third before slowly dissipating by the end of the cigar. The coffee flavor roars back with a vengeance, becoming the dominant note in the second third, but without the sweetness to contrast it, and the other flavors of earth, hay and leather ebb and flow in various amounts until the end of the cigar.

Construction-wise, both the burn and the draw are noticeably better than the first time I smoked it, giving me not one problem for the entire smoke, while the strength remained pretty much the same at a very solid medium. Smoke production was significantly increased and the finish is a bit more dry than I remember. Like last time, the nub gets a little hot at the end, forcing me to put it down before I prefer to, with about one and a half inches left.