Jeremy Casdagli, founder of Casdagli Cigars, released Cypher 3311 in honor of his grandfather, Major A. T. Casdagli. Without rewriting the entire backstory that Charlie Minato posted in his review of the Cypher 3311 Lorenz, the theme of this release revolves around A. T. Casdagli’s time as a prisoner of war during World War II, when he took up needlework. The artwork on the box and bands is representative of some of the work Casdagli completed during that time.
Inside his needlework, he also included hidden messages, such as a defiant message to his captors in morse code around the border reading, “God Save the King” and “Fuck Hitler.” Both messages can be seen in the two lines of morse code around the exterior edge of the box, while “God Save the King” is written along the edge of the coffins inside.
Even without the fascinating backstory, the design and theme of the entire package are quite attractive. The coat of arms displayed on the front of the box is carried through the entire presentation, also being used as the seal for the coffins and the bands on the cigars. The natural box finish and black color of the box artwork are punctuated by bright red flowers and, upon opening the box, you are greeted by a pop of color with the blue coffins.
The combination of a visually interesting design with a backstory woven into every aspect of it creates an overall impressive release, making it easy to see why it placed on our 2022 list. — Brian Burt.
