Byron XXI Century Elegances Cigar Review

Byron. A cigar that not many have heard of, but those who know it have succumbed to its greatness. I will not hide the fact that Byron is one of the best cigars I have ever smoked. A brand I never heard of until I came to The Cigar Authority and Two Guys Smoke Shop.

Owned by Selected Tobaccos and Nelson Alfonso the cigars are made in Costa Rica, but the blend is a closely guarded secret by the man who is responsible for the rebranding of Cohiba and the Behike design. One thing is for certain, the cigar does not utilize tobacco from its country of origin.

Cigar Review: Byron
Blend: XXI Century
Size: 6 1/8 x 54 (Elegances)
Wrapper: Not Disclosed
Binder: Not Disclosed
Filler: Not Disclosed
Strength: Medium

The Look: As part of the Century Selection; The Byron Serie Siglo XXI Elegances comes packaged in a patented humitube. At the bottom of the tube is humidification that goes up the chamber and evenly provides humidity to the cigar. At the top of the tube is a built-in bullet punch that has been sized for this particular cigar. Once you remove the cigar from the tube the lower third is wrapped in cedar and features a band featuring the blend (Serie Siglo XXI) and brand name. The wrapper is nearly blond in color and is closer in coloring to the Atabey line than the other sizes of Byron. Seamlessly rolled and loaded with oils the wrapper is as close to flawless as possible. The cigar is firm to the touch, with a well packed foot.

The Notes: I used the built-in bullet punch cutter for the Elegances from Byron. The initial notes of the cigar are sweet and syrupy with a combination of maple, molasses and honey. Off the foot there is a subtle spice and wood notes with a subtle sweetness lingering in the background.

Once the cigar is toasted and lit, the notes are earthy and nutty. In the background there is a distinct flavor that takes a minute to identify but it is a definite honey graham cracker that becomes dominant as the third progresses. As the first third comes to a close a sweetness begins to develop that is a bit reminiscent of the cold draw.

In the second third maple becomes the dominant note with a touch of raisins. The finish is smooth and woody. While I wouldn’t call the finish short, I wouldn’t call it long either. Through the nose there is some pepper notes and more of the honey graham cracker profile.

In the last third of the Byron some roasted nuts begin to develop with some wood in the background. On the finish there is a molasses like quality with a touch of pepper through the nose. The finish is moderate in length and is both woody and spicy.

The Burn: A slow burning cigar with a perfect burn the Byron delivers every time. On the Eleganes, the combustion line is a bit thicker then the other lines but it burns true from the first light. The draw with a bullet punch was perfect as it is with a straight cut as well. A nice amount of smoke production and the stick remained lit for the duration.

The Finish: As part of my New Year’s resolution I wanted to change how I rate cigars on The Cigar Authority. I want to be a little less generous with our scoring. When it came time to score this cigar I asked myself if I was being too generous and the answer is that on January 2nd; I would give it the same exact score as I give it now. Simply put this is the cigar that should be used to define what a cigar smoking experience should be, and it should serve as a bench mark. If I was told I could only smoke one brand for the rest my life, the answer would be Byron. The only knock is that this particular size is only available as part of a Byron 6 Pack Collection; but considering its a look at all three blends its worth the investment.

Score: 100