Eiroa Jamastran 11/18

Eiora. Triangular boxes. Jamastran. 11/18.

If you’ve heard of a cigar like that before, it’s because the combination is hardly a new idea. However, there is a new version of it that debuted this year: the Eiroa Jamastran.

It’s a two size line made entirely of Honduran tobacco and is named after the Jamastran Valley, the most famous growing region in Honduras. One of the cigars is a 5 x 50 robusto, which is being sold at stores nationwide. The other cigar is the 11/18 shape—made popular by Camacho—that measures 6 1/4 x 52/60, and it’s only being sold at retailer members of the Tobacconists’ Association of America (TAA).

The TAA is a fairly small group of some of the country’s top tobacconists, about 80 retailers as well as 40 or so manufacturers. The association gathers annually to discuss issues facing the industry as a whole as well as those more specific to retailers, as well as to have its annual trade show, a unique event that works on a group buying format in order to secure exclusive deals for these generally high-volume merchants.

This year, 12 companies released new exclusives for TAA stores: A.J. Fernández, CLE, Crowned Heads, E.P. Carrillo, General Cigar Co., J.C. Newman, Joya de Nicaragua, La Flor Dominicana, La Palina, My Father, Nat Sherman and Tatuaje.

The cigar has a lot of similarities with cigars that the Eiroa family released when they owned Camacho. The triangular boxes, the 11/18 size and a Honduran puro are all things that could describe the old Camacho Diploma.

• Cigar Reviewed: Eiroa Jamastran 11/18
• Country of Origin: Honduras
• Factory: El Aladino
• Wrapper: Honduras
• Binder: Honduras
• Filler: Honduras
• Length: 6 1/4 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 52/60
• Vitola: Perfecto (11/18)
• MSRP: $16.50 (Box of 18, $297)
• Release Date: May 28, 2019
• Number of Cigars Released: n/a
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

From a distance, it’s not entirely apparent that this is actually an 11/18 size, as the paper wrap on the most tapered parts of the cigar provide enough distraction from the somewhat subtle change in shape. Once closer, and certainly once removed, the size is rather familiar. I am not able to pick up much from the wrapper aroma even when I try to smell specifically under the paper. There’s some leather, apple and hickory, but it’s so mild that I barely can pick it up. At the other end of the spectrum—and on the other end of cigar—is the foot, which is full flavored. It smells like a jar of peanut butter along with some floral flavors and a bizarre almond flavor that reminds me of one of the Method brand floor cleaners. The cold draw has floral with some sweet raspberry and dry ramen noodles.

The Eiroa Jamastran begins with pecans, some dried cherries and a semi-sweet earthiness. The first third develops to have nuttiness, orange peels and some underlying sweetness, though the retrohales are really where the cigar shines. Ritz crackers, key limes, melon and blanched peanuts are all part of the experience when I blow smoke out through my nose. It’s not something that I regularly do, but if I don’t retrohale and open my mouth a bit to let the smoke mix with the outside air I get a rather distinct mineral flavor. The finish has both Ritz crackers and some granola. Flavor is medium-full, body is medium-full and strength is medium-plus.

Sweetness increases quite a bit in the second third thanks to a praline flavor, which gets joined by roasted flavors and some hollandaise-like creaminess. Retrohales continue to be extremely interesting with creaminess, pink salt, some fruitiness and mustard. The finish is nutty with some meatiness, lemon peel and raspberry. Flavor is full, body is medium-full and strength is medium-full. Construction continues to be fantastic on each cigar.

There’s some rye bread and earthiness that take over as the main flavors of the Eiroa Jamastran in the final third. For an inch or so, it’s surprisingly harsh, but even more surprisingly, it gets better the closer the cigar comes to burning my fingers. Eventually, the rye bread ends up as really the only flavor in the mouth. Retrohales have earthiness, some lavender and a weird sweet and savory mixture that reminds me of a mole sauce. Even after the harshness disappears, the flavors remain a bit sharp, certainly a bit less palatable than the first two thirds. Flavor is medium-full, body is nearly full and strength is medium-full. One cigar makes it until the end without a touch-up while the other two need just a bit of help to remain burning until the finish.

Final Notes

• This is the third TAA release for CLE, all of them have been from different lines, but somewhat oddly have all had tissue paper covering the bottom part of the cigar. In fairness, CLE puts paper on a lot of its cigars—probably a higher percentage than any other major manufacturer—but it’s still somewhat odd.
• I’m curious if we ever see JRE Tobacco Co., the company owned by Christian’s founder Julio, ever use the 11/18 size. That would mean there would be three different factories making the size the Eiroas made famous when they owned Camacho.
• The price difference between the two vitolas in the line seems a bit odd. A 5 x 50 robusto is $15.50, the 6 1/4 x 52/60 tapered cigar is $16.50, a less than 6.5 percent premium. I know it doesn’t cost $1 more to make the size, but a 6.5 percent difference even for a robusto versus a toro would still seem like a small margin of difference.
• One cigar had a bizarre aroma that reminds me of grilled salmon. It was enjoyable, though not something I generally find from cigars.
• Final production numbers were not confirmed by the company, but Christian Eiroa told halfwheel he produced somewhere between 25,000 and 30,000 of both sizes.
• Cigars for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• Final smoking time was two hours and 40 minutes on average.
• None of our site sponsors carry the 11/18 size of the Eiroa Jamastran, but Famous Smoke Shop and STOGIES World Class Cigars carry the Robusto.

Charlie Minato

I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. In addition, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.