Casdagli 25th Aniversario

Earlier this year, Casdagli announced it was adding a new cigar to its Traditional Line, a series that was, according to Triine Casdagli, “inspired by the lavish life led in Egypt by the Casdagli family in the early 1900s centered around the beautiful Villa Casdagli.” Named 25th Aniversario, the 7 1/2 x 52 double corona was released to commemorate company founder Jeremy Casdagli’s 25 years in the cigar business.

Blend-wise, the 25th Aniversario is composed of an Ecuadorian wrapper covering a Dominican binder and a combination of filler tobaccos grown in the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Peru and the U.S.A.

“My favorite cigar made for me by the Cuban Torcedor Carlos Valdez Mosquera was a Double Corona,” said Casdagli in a press release. “On leaving the Cuban production behind, I met up with Hendrik Kelner Jr to try to get close to his original Cuban blends. It seemed only natural that both the vitola and the Traditional Line blend was married together for this celebration.”

According to Casdagli, 25 Aniversario has an MSRP of $36 and the cigars are sold in 10-count boxes, with only 4,000 cigars to be released per year. The cigars are being made at the Kelner Boutique Factory in the Dominican Republic, and the first production run started shipping to retailers in September. 

• Cigar Reviewed: Casdagli 25th Aniversario
• Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
• Factory: Kelner Boutique Factory
• Wrapper: Ecuador
• Binder: Dominican Republic
• Filler: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Peru & U.S.A.
• Length: 7 1/2 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 52
• Vitola: Double Corona
• MSRP: $36 (Box of 10, $360)
• Release Date: September 2023
• Number of Cigars Released: 4,000 Boxes of 10 Cigars (40,000 Total Cigars)
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

Substantial in both weight and length, the Casdagli 25th Aniversario is covered in a milk chocolate brown wrapper that has some slight tooth to it as well as a small amount of oil. The wrappers on all three cigars feature various thin veins, and all three are nicely firm when squeezed. In addition, after a physical inspection, I notice that one of the cigars has a soft spot just under the secondary band. Aromas from the wrappers include strong barnyard, sweet hay, earth, leather, cocoa nibs and a light woodiness. The feet feature notes of dark chocolate, coffee beans, sweet cedar, more hay and a distinct vanilla bean sweetness. Finally, after a straight cut, the cold draws bring flavors of strong creamy cedar followed by leather, generic nuttiness, earth, nutmeg, white pepper and honey sweetness.

The Casdagli 25th Aniversario starts off on the creamy side, with some white pepper and some light spice on my lips. Roasted cashew is the only flavor I taste at first, so it is somewhat appropriate that flavor continues to be the main note during the entirety of the first third. Secondary flavors include leather, gritty earth, nutmeg, mocha coffee, dry hay and cedar flit in and out at various points, while a noticeable but not even close to overwhelming saltiness is noticeable on my tongue on and off. In addition, a light floral sweetness combines with a small amount of white pepper on the retrohale. Flavor starts out at a point just over medium, while both the body and strength are slightly behind at a point halfway between mild and medium. In terms of construction, all three cigars feature plenty of thick, gray smoke, excellent draws after straight cuts and absolutely no need for any sort of corrections with my lighter.

While the creamy cashew flavor continues to easily outpace the other flavors during the second third of the cigar, the white pepper on the retrohale is replaced by a stronger red pepper flake note that reminds me strongly of the kind of red pepper you may put on pizzas. Additional flavors include powdery cocoa nibs, light lemongrass, plain cereal, brewed espresso and earth, while the mineral saltiness on my lips from the first third has waned just a bit. The floral sweetness on the retrohale has not diminished at all, but the addition of the aforementioned red pepper note easily overwhelms it at times, especially after the halfway point. Flavor increases slightly to land at medium-plus, while both the strength and the body bump up to a point just under the medium mark. Construction-wise, two of the three cigars run into enough of a problem that I am forced to correct them twice each, but the smoke production and draws for all three cigars continue to be excellent.

A distinct cedar note joins the cashew flavor at the top of the Casdagli’s profile during the final third, followed by espresso beans, earth, leather, lemongrass, cocoa nibs and toasted bread. In addition, I can still taste some saltiness on my lips from time to time, although it is nowhere near as obvious as it was in the first two thirds. The red pepper flake note has become less aggressive on the retrohale, which in turn allows slightly more of the floral sweetness to emerge, although the latter note never reaches a level that could impact the overall profile in any major way. Flavor ends the cigar at medium-full, but the body only increases slightly to land at medium and the strength hits a point just over the medium mark before stalling out. Finally, the draws and smoke production for all three cigars continue to perform wonderfully, while two cigars need one burn correction each to avoid larger problems until I put the nubs down with about an inch remaining.

Final Notes

• When I first read the press release about Casdagli trying to recreate a Cuban blend, I was immediately reminded of Tatuaje’s Black Label line, which started out as a way for founder Pete Johnson to recreate a blend he tried while traveling in Cuba a long time ago.
• Casdagli’s Traditional Line Series is blended by Hendrik Kelner Jr. and the cigars are made at the Kelner Boutique Factory in the Dominican Republic.
• I love the color scheme and the design of the secondary band, but the art on the main band—which depicts the interior of the main reception room of Villa Casdagli in Cairo, Egypt—is muddy, flat and extremely difficult to make out without studying it extensively.
• In addition to the 25th Aniversario, Casdagli also shipped the first two members of its Brothers of the Sabre at the same time, a line created to honor military generals who were known for their love of tobacco.
• Earlier this year, Casdagli set up its own U.S. distribution company that is based in Naples, Fla. Shortly after that, Hendrik Kelner Jr.’s Smoking Jacket brand announced that it would be distributed in the U.S. by the new distribution company.
• My first and last cigars needed two burn corrections in the second third and one in the final third, but the second cigar I smoked for this review performed flawlessly in that regard.
• The cigars smoked for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• Final smoking times for all three cigars averaged out to two hours and 19 minutes.