Ferio Tego Timeless Ten Years

In 2020, Michael Herklots and Brendon Scott founded the Ferio Tego cigar company and purchased the Nat Sherman brands, brand designs and blends—but not the Nat Sherman name itself—from Altria. Both Herklots and Scott previously worked at Nat Sherman, so it was not surprising when the two men relaunched the Nat Sherman brands using the same blends and branding but under the Ferio Tego name.

One of those relaunched brands is Timeless, which technically debuted at the Nat Sherman Townhouse store in late 2011 before shipping to stores nationally in early 2012. In fact, that shipping date is the impetus for the name of today’s review: the Ferio Tego Timeless Ten Years, which references the 10th anniversary of the Timeless line and not the 10th anniversary of Ferio Tego.

Measuring 5 3/4 x 54, the Timeless Ten Years that was shown off during the 2022 PCA Convention & Trade Show incorporates a Dominican wrapper covering a Dominican binder as well as filler tobaccos grown in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. It carries an MSRP of $18.50 per cigar and is limited to 2,500 10-count boxes.

The Ferio Tego Timeless 10th Anniversary cigars were rolled at Quesada and began shipping to retailers in August.

• Cigar Reviewed: Ferio Tego Timeless Ten Years
• Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
• Factory: Tabacos de Exportación
• Wrapper: Dominican Republic
• Binder: Dominican Republic
• Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua
• Length: 5 3/4 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 54
• Vitola: Robusto Extra
• MSRP: $18.50 (Box of 10, $185)
• Release Date: August 2022
• Number of Cigars Released: 2,500 Boxes of 10 Cigars (25,000 Total Cigars)
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

Covered in a dull, milk chocolate brown wrapper, the Ferio Tego Timeless Ten Years is sandpaper rough to the touch, but features very little visible oil. In addition, there are a number of prominent veins and all three cigars are just short of rock hard when squeezed. Aromas from the wrapper are extremely restrained and are relegated to generic notes of wood, earth, hay, barnyard and a touch of indeterminate sweetness. However, scents emanating from the foot are quite a bit more distinct and include peanut shells, aromatic cedar, dank earth, leather tack, cocoa nibs and milk chocolate sweetness. After cutting the cap, the cold draw brings more peanut flavors—albeit slightly salted this time—creamy cedar, leather, espresso beans, nutmeg and slight vanilla bean sweetness.

After I toast the foot, gritty earth and spice start the cigar off, but those both quickly become background notes, replaced by a combination of leather tack and powdery cocoa nibs that easily remain the top flavors throughout the first third. Additional notes include not only the aforementioned earth, but also creamy cedar, bitter espresso beans, peanuts, plain white rice and a very light tea leaf note that comes and goes randomly. The retrohale features both white pepper and maple sweetness—although neither seem to be increasing in strength or distinctness at this point—while all three cigars have enough mineral saltiness on my lips for me to write it down in my notes. Flavor ends the first third just under medium while both the strength and body hit the mild plus mark. In terms of construction, all three cigars have burn lines that just short of razor sharp, excellent draws and plenty of thick smoke.

There are a number of changes during the second third of the cigar: not only is the profile noticeably creamier in nature, but the main flavors have shifted from the combination of leather tack and powdery cocoa nibs to a distinct peanut flavor. Both the spice from the first third and the mineral saltiness on my lips continue to be noticeable while secondary flavors of toasted bread, dark chocolate, gritty earth, cedar and cinnamon flit in and out at various points. Unfortunately, there is virtually no change in the retrohale, which features the same light amount of white pepper and maple sweetness. While both the body and strength have increased in tandem to land at a point just under medium, the flavor easily crosses the medium mark. All three cigars continue to deliver the ideal amount of smoke production and excellent draws, but the burn on two of the cigars become problematic enough to need attention from my lighter.

A creamy peanuts flavor continues to reign supreme in the profile of the Ferio Tego during the final third—although at times it reminds me more of peanut butter than straight peanuts— followed by notes of coca nibs, cedar, toasted bread, cinnamon and espresso beans. There is slightly more maple sweetness on the retrohale, but the amount of white pepper has fallen off a cliff and the mineral saltiness that had been present for the previous two thirds has dissipated completely. The strength has leveled out at a solid medium, while the flavor ends the cigar slightly above medium and the body barely passes the medium mark. Thankfully, the burn evens up nicely on the two cigars that had issues, and all three cigars continue to feature excellent draws and copious smoke production until I put the nubs down with about an inch remaining.

Final Notes

• For some reason, I find the name Timeless Ten Years incredibly awkward to say, either out loud or to myself.
• According to the company’s website, Ferio Tego loosely translates to Strike and Defend from Latin. In fact, Ferio Tego is the Herklots family motto and is found on the Herklots family coat of arms, the art of which was inspired by an image of Hercules striking a Hydra.
• Quesada’s Tabacos de Exportación is actually one of two factories that produces the regular Timeless brands. The other factory is Plasencia Cigars S.A. in Estelí, Nicaragua.
• The original Timeless blend was one of the first new cigars released by Nat Sherman after the company hired Herklots as its executive director for retail and brand development.
• As is the case with the Ferio Tego Timeless TAA 2022, there are actually three different bands on this cigar: the main Timeless band, the Limited 10 Years band and the smallest band that reads “Exclusively for Ferio Tego.”
• It may seem like a minor thing, but I am impressed at how easy the bands come off of this cigar. I have had too many wrappers damaged over the years from people either using too much glue or putting the glue in the wrong place, but whoever did these knows what they are doing.
• The cigars for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• Final smoking time for all three cigars averaged out to one hour and 31 minutes.