Nomad GB-19

It’s not St. Patrick’s Day—and yet, there’s a new candela-wrapped cigar on the market.

The latest green cigar comes from Nomad Cigar Co. It’s certainly a seasonally-themed release, but unlike just about every other candela cigar which tends to be released around the March holiday, this release is an honor of football season, or more specifically a certain football team.

Fred Rewey, Nomad’s owner, is a Green Bay Packers fan and the Nomad GB-19 is a not so subtle nod to the four-time Super Bowl winners. As for the tobacco, it’s a Honduran candela wrapper over an Ecuadorian binder and Nicaraguan fillers.

The GB-19 is made in a single 6 x 50 size priced at $10. Both the box and bands feature a heavy dose of green and yellow, the Packers’ colors. The first run was for 5,000 cigars, though Rewey has left the door open for additional cigars. Production is being handled by Fabrica Oveja Negra in Estelí, Nicaragua, the same factory Rewey used for Martial Law.

• Cigar Reviewed: Nomad GB-19
• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Factory: Fabrica Oveja Negra
• Wrapper: Honduran Candela
• Binder: Ecuador
• Filler: Nicaragua
• Length: 6 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 50
• Vitola: Toro
• MSRP: $10 (Boxes of 10, $100)
• Release Date: Sept. 8, 2016
• Number of Cigars Released: 500 Boxes of 10 Cigars (5,000 Total Cigars)
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

There are numerous shades of candela, this is towards the lighter and duller end of the spectrum, like a murky water color green. Aroma off the wrapper smells like Naked Juice’s Green Machine, leather and some acidity. The foot is notably stronger and sweeter with saltiness, coconut and grass. Interestingly, the foot has a bit of the wrapper covering the outside, similar to a lot of 1502 cigars. Also, the foot ends up being a bit box-pressed, likely due to the ribbon band. The cold draw is very sweet, a mixture of a Sprite-like artificial citrus and some cornbread.

All three cigars start with nuttiness and creaminess, though there are varying levels of kiwi, oak and pepper depending on the cigar. The Nomad GB-19 is sweet but very sharp, to a point where I wouldn’t mind it toning down a bit. There’s floral flavors, a generic citrus, licorice and a creamy Mochi ice cream flavor. The finish has quite a bit of dry crackers and tea, which compliment the flavors nicely—though, it’s still taxing. There are construction woes on all three cigars with touch-ups needed and one cigar having a painfully tight draw that warrants a second cut, albeit to little avail.

Strength picks up quite a bit in the second third, now a full strength cigar, though that very well could be amplified by the amount of puffs I’m taking because to the draw, which is varying levels of tight. The sweetness backs off quite a bit, but the flavors still remain sharp. There’s more earthiness, lavender and touches of toastiness in the mouth while anise and white pepper are all over the nose. The finish remains a contrasting force, now more of a rye bread flavor. On one cigar I pick up some raw sugar on the tip of the tongue. Touch-ups are needed, as is another cut on the problematically tight cigar.

On two cigars the anise and white pepper leave completely, but it sticks around on one sample. Regardless, the sweeter flavors return, but for the first time in manageable form. There’s some artificial citrus and green licorice along with the subtle rye bread. Gone from all three is the earthiness. While the flavor is certainly the best in the final third, the construction woes continue. Strength is solidly full.

Final Notes

• The draw on the final sample I smoked was awful. A second and subsequent third cut help a bit, but the cigar had too much tobacco in it.

• Despite the awful draw, the smoke production on each puff ends up being pretty impressive.
• This is certainly the strongest candela-wrapped cigar I’ve smoked in strength, and probably in terms of the flavor intensity.
• I would be curious to see what the band would look like in reverse scheme. At times the band looks black, not green.
• While there certainly is a Wisconsin focus for the release, other shops around the country are carrying the cigar.
• This is the first cigar I can think of made in honor of the Green Bay Packers. That being said, Rocky Patel is a noted Packers fan.
• Final smoking time was two hours and 15 minutes.
• Site sponsor STOGIES World Class Cigars (713.783.5100) has the Nomad GB-19 in stock.