Warzone Short Churchill

ESPINOSA PREMIUM CIGARS / GENERAL CIGAR CO.

• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Factory: La Zona Cigar Factory
• Wrapper: Cameroon
• Binder: Honduras
• Filler: Colombia & Nicaragua
• Length: 6 1/2 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 48
• Vitola: Grand Corona
• MSRP: $8.99 (Box of 20, $179.80)
• Release Date: November 2020
• Number of Cigars Released: 2,000 Boxes of 20 Cigars (20,000 Total Cigars)
• Original Score: 91

Cameroon has long been my favorite wrapper. While it might be my favorite, it doesn’t seem like many cigar smokers agree with me. Between the softer demand and the high prices the wrapper commands, we just don’t see that many new cigars with Cameroon wrappers in a given this year. In fact, there are only a handful of manufacturers that work with Cameroon on a widespread basis. When you look at the list of manufacturers best known for using Cameroon—Altadis U.S.A, Arturo Fuente, General Cigar Co., La Aurora—it’s a bunch of “old school” names from the Dominican Republic.

An “old school” name from the Dominican Republic is not an accurate description of Espinosa Premium Cigars.

In 2019, Espinosa and Justin Andrews of General Cigar Co., best known for his work with the Diesel brand, teamed up for a project called Warzone that was made at the La Zona Cigar Factory in Nicaragua using Cameroon wrapper from General. The project is branded as an Espinosa product, though sold by General. It originally debuted in two sizes, but in 2020 a third size—the Warzone Short Churchill—was added. To me, this is the next chapter of Cameroon-wrapped cigars. It combines the unique nuance that I seem to only find in Cameroon tobacco with the more brash flavors from Nicaragua. This is the best size of the Warzone to date and a great cigar for those of you that appreciate Cameroon wrappers. — Charlie Minato.