As 2022 came to a close, Cavalier Genève announced that it would be expanding its BII Viso Jalapa line with a new limited edition made of Nicaraguan-grown tobaccos.

It’s called the Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa Limited Release 2022 and uses a viso wrapper grown in Nicaragua’s Jalapa region. It is offered in a single vitola, a beefy 5 1/4 x 56 robusto gordo that is notable as being the first round offering in the Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa line; the regular production sizes are box-pressed.

This release is also notable for coming in 11-count boxes, with each box containing 10 of the Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa Limited Release 2022 and then a single cigar of a different, undisclosed blend. All of the cigars were produced by Fábrica Centroamericana de Tabaco S.A., though the 11th cigars are said to be rolled by the factory’s manager and general manager.

Production is limited to 1,948 hand-numbered boxes of 11 cigars, with pricing set at $137.50 per box and $12.50 per cigar, which applies to all 11 cigars in the box.

The regular production Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa debuted in June 2022, and was notable for being the first time that the company has used a Jalapa-grown viso wrapper. It is offered in five sizes, all of which get a box press and comes in 20-count boxes.

Note: The following shows the various Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa vitolas. Some of these cigars may have been released after this post was originally published. The list was last updated on March 26, 2023.

  • Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa Robusto (5 x 50) — June 2021 — Regular Production
  • Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa Robusto Gordo (5 x 54) — June 2021 — Regular Production
  • Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa Toro (6 x 54) — June 2021 — Regular Production
  • Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa Toro Gordo (6 x 60) — June 2021 — Regular Production
  • Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa Torpedo (6 x 52) — June 2021 — Regular Production
  • Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa Limited Release 2022 (5 1/4 x 56) — December 2022 — 1,948 Boxes of 10 Cigars (19,480 Total Cigars)
89 Overall Score

I really wish I had smoked the original Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa line to have a more informed comparison about the Limited Release 2022, but since that didn't happen, what I can say is that the Limited Edition is a rather impressive cigar, particularly in how the intensity of the flavors progress from start to finish and what that allows the cigar to show. While a pepper bomb out of the gate is fun every once in a while, having a cigar be more approachable tends to be more my speed, which is what the Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa Limited Release 2022 is. From there, it's a rise in intensity, a bit of a dip, and then another rise as the cigar comes to a close. While I didn't find the cigar to add and subtract flavors along the journey, the near-constant rebalancing of what it does offer is more than enough to keep my senses engaged. I also found the addition of retrohales to be beneficial to showing a bit more depth than what the taste buds alone might pick up. While I might want a bit less intensity in the final third, on the whole, I was quite satisfied by what this cigar had to offer. Once again Cavalier Gèneve has impressed me with a solid offering that I would gladly smoke again and recommend.

  • Cigar Reviewed: Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa Limited Release 2022
  • Country of Origin: Honduras
  • Factory: Fábrica Centroamericana de Tabaco S.A.
  • Wrapper: Nicaragua (Jalapa Viso)
  • Binder: Nicaragua
  • Filler: Nicaragua
  • Length: 5 1/4 Inches
  • Ring Gauge: 56
  • Vitola: Robusto Gordo
  • MSRP: $12.50 (Box of 11, $137.50)
  • Release Date: December 2022
  • Number of Cigars Released: 1,948 Boxes of 10 Cigars (19,480 Total Cigars)*
  • Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

*Each box comes with 11 cigars, but only 10 of these specific cigars.

In the cellophane, the Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa Limited Release 2022 doesn’t seem like quite as thick of a cigar once it is out of it. It’s a thick robusto gordo that feels manageable largely because of its relatively short length; if this had another inch or so on it I would be quick to call it a large cigar. The front of the cigar has a beautiful presentation, with bands that are a bit understated and contrasted by the company’s signature gold leaf diamond and a pair of bands that shine against the wrapper. The wrapper is a matte shade of brown that reminds me of darker almonds, while a bit of very fine texture is found by my fingers. There appears to be some water spots on the first wrapper, which is odd to see on any premium cigar’s wrapper, let alone a limited edition. Veins are average both in size and number, some are more prominent than others but none are obtrusive. The foot offers an aroma that is light and very approachable, reminding me of opening a fresh bag of white bread. There is some related sweetness as well but very little if any pepper or other supporting aromas other than a thick floral note that appears in one cigar. The cold draw is a bit firm, and as soon as I put the cigar in my mouth, I’m greeted by a fairly intense tingle from the tobacco as it touches my lips. The flavor is a bit thicker and heartier than what the cold draw offered, though it’s not because of pepper or a different offering of flavors. Rather, the bread sensation is denser and chewier, which for some reason seems to go hand-in-hand with the slower airflow.

The Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa Limited Release 2022 gets underway with a very approachable profile, starting with a creamy base and adding some dry, flavorful woods and a bit of pepper, capping it off with a toasty finish. My next note about the cigar is that the ash is pretty fragile, as the first clump—or first slice in one case—drops off not long after I’ve processed and written down the above notes. There’s an interesting one-two flavor punch from the cigar, as the start of each puff is light, sweet and creamy, but on the exhale the profile gets heavier and punchier, starting with some soil that is bridged by dry woods to a finish of black pepper. It’s a rather interesting sensation that elongates each puff, particularly if I’m really locked in on it. Retrohales are a bit more pepper-forward with a mix of sensations, starting heavier and punchy before getting light and bright, though not enough to make the cigar unapproachable. Whether simply exhaling the smoke or retrohaling it, each puff in the first inch or so offers a fairly dynamic experience that gets things off to a very good start. There’s a shift to more wood as the first third begins to come to a close, and it feels like the creaminess is beginning to fade a bit, though the longer it holds on, the better my impression is of the profile. Flavor is medium with some accents that can nudge it up a tick or two, body is medium-plus and strength is mild. Other than the incredibly fragile ash, the construction of the cigar is very good in terms of draw, smoke production and burn line.

The second thirds of the Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa Limited Release 2022 generally start with a pronounced mellowing of the profile’s intensity, as the overall impact of the cigar on my palate gets turned down several clicks. That said, the body of the smoke stays thick and full on the taste buds, so it’s not like puffs just disappear. It’s an interesting transition, as with the cigar mellowing and becoming increasingly familiar, it can lead my attention to wander a bit. I don’t want to say that the cigar is getting boring, but it’s not doing much to keep my attention at the moment. I get re-engaged with the cigar by way of retrohales that have also mellowed but still pack a decent bit of pepper. The flavor still has some creaminess, though it now tastes a bit like a coffee creamer flavored with hazelnut that leads back to the cigar’s woody undertones. The second third is notable for the mellowing of the flavor intensity, which dials things back to a medium, even medium-minus level. Body remains medium-plus and strength still has yet to leave mild territory.

After a rather mellow second third, the final third of the Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa Limited Release 2022 starts with the flavors waking back up and becoming more vibrant on my taste buds, sometimes simply bringing back their original intensity and other times feeling like they are flowering and going in some different directions. The woodiness of the profile is one of the first to stand out, as it is dry and very tingle-inducing on the taste buds. Black pepper is still in the mix, though I find most of its impact to come via retrohales. There’s a certain edge to the flavor now that I didn’t taste earlier, and while my first thought is to call it slightly metallic, the more puffs I take, the less I feel that it is the most appropriate word, though I’m not sure what it might be. It’s almost as if the pepper has picked up a dampness to it that it is altering its flavor, which then leads me to think of the flavor of smoking a freshly-rolled cigar that has a bit too much moisture in it as part of the rolling process. Yet there is nothing in how the cigar is performing to indicate that it is over-humidified, as combustion has been fantastic thus far. The cigar then pivots into a vibrant earthy profile that is middle-of-the-road in terms of its weight on the palate, with an accompanying pivot by the pepper and some additional woodiness that leans into flavors of a toasted, plain bagel. There’s a bit of creaminess that joins the profile just as the burn line starts to touch the gold diamond as well. The flavor intensity ticks up once again in the final inch or so, as heat seems to be sharpening up the profile and adding just a bit of char to the finish. The final puffs of this section can be really hit-or-miss depending on just how much effect the heat seems to have on the flavor; two of the cigars were fine with some minor irritation, while the third was a good bit harsher and had me putting the cigar down with just over an inch to go. Construction remains fantastic in all aspects, while the flavor finishes at medium-full, body is medium-plus and strength is medium.

Final Notes

  • On the first of the three cigars I smoked, the first clump of ash fell off with the thickness of a nickel, the earliest in some time that I’ve seen ash fall off unprovoked.
  • The durability of the ash was certainly a challenge across all the samples, as it breaks off fairly randomly and without much more provocation than me taking a puff or getting it from the ashtray.
  • In something you don’t see every day, the gray band that sits below the gold diamond is adhered to the front of the cigar, which puts the Cavalier Genève logo front and center.
  • I don’t believe I have smoked the regular production Cavalier Gèneve BII Viso Jalapa, so I can’t provide a head-to-head comparison.
  • I didn’t find the Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa Limited Release 2022 to offer any appreciable nicotine strength, outside of a few flirtations with it in the final third. None of the cigars had me feeling woozy once I finished them.
  • The cigars for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
  • Final smoking time was two hours and 10 minutes on average.
  • Site sponsors Atlantic Cigar Co., Cigars Direct, and Famous Smoke Shop, carry the Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa Limited Release 2022.
89 Overall Score

I really wish I had smoked the original Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa line to have a more informed comparison about the Limited Release 2022, but since that didn't happen, what I can say is that the Limited Edition is a rather impressive cigar, particularly in how the intensity of the flavors progress from start to finish and what that allows the cigar to show. While a pepper bomb out of the gate is fun every once in a while, having a cigar be more approachable tends to be more my speed, which is what the Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa Limited Release 2022 is. From there, it's a rise in intensity, a bit of a dip, and then another rise as the cigar comes to a close. While I didn't find the cigar to add and subtract flavors along the journey, the near-constant rebalancing of what it does offer is more than enough to keep my senses engaged. I also found the addition of retrohales to be beneficial to showing a bit more depth than what the taste buds alone might pick up. While I might want a bit less intensity in the final third, on the whole, I was quite satisfied by what this cigar had to offer. Once again Cavalier Gèneve has impressed me with a solid offering that I would gladly smoke again and recommend.

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.