Cigar review - Swag Fierce

A lot of cigars give off a strong impression before they are ever lit up, either because of reviews, packaging, advertising, or just by the name of the cigar. For instance, will an Upper Cut have knockout strength?

But what is one to make of a new cigar called Swag?

For many, the term swag refers to give-aways and freebies given to consumers by companies. Think about t-shirts, hats, beer coozies, branded Frisbees -- the list goes on and on. If you've ever been given a free lighter or a poster, you have been given swag.

This doesn't inspire the best pre-light notions of what this cigar might taste like -- while free cigars are almost always welcomed, something that is so cheap or generic that it is just given away doesn't quite translate into an enjoyable cigar.

The other connotation of swag that comes to mind is swagger -- having that walk, that attitude, that cockiness that translates into a presence that can quickly become annoying to those who don't like to see someone's ego coming a mile away.

By visiting SwagCigars.com, this seems to be what the company is after. Swag is about a cigar lifestyle - although there aren't many clues as to what this lifestyle might all entail, at least at this point. As of now, the website is barren of suggestions as to what the Swag cigar lifestyle means.

Manufactured by Habana Cuba Oliveros Cigar, the Swag is a Dominican puro made using only ligero robacco leaf, and is a culmination of the joining of forces by Rafael Nodal, president of HCOC, and Jose Blanco, a veteran tobacco master who co-owns a 120 acre tobacco farm with Litto Gomez. The Swag line is designed to have a bolder flavor than most Dominican puros are able to produce while retaining the aroma, flavor and balance of Dominican tobacco.

The pre-light aroma gives off an aroma that wasn't quickly identifiable - it wasn't barnyard, but it brought to mind thoughts of wet hay. It will be one of those things that pops into the mind in the middle of the night - hopefully amending this review follows quickly after.

The Swag is firm to the touch but didn't show any issues with draw after a couple of cold puffs. There weren't a ton of flavors showing on the cold draw, and only the faintest tingle of white pepper came across on the tongue after glancing against the clipped head of the cigar, which had been clipeed once with a guillotine cutter. Any time this whole came into contact with teeth, it felt like the top inch of the cigar could be cleanly bitten off.

After firing the Swag up and getting the burn going, it was clear that some of the cap leaves were unravelling -- they were smoothed back down, but it's an unfortunate way to start off a cigar. It also became apparent that there was some air escaping around the tip of the cigar, and upon closer inspection, there looked like three small holes about an inch from the tip. You can see these in the slideshow attached to this review.

About an inch into the Swag Fierce, sweet notes came across on the lips, while a mild smoke filled the mouth. Getting adequate volumes of smoke was no problem, even with just a single clip of the cutter. The cigar was smoked while drinking a cappucino, and while the cigar produced some notes that stood out, they quickly faded into the background after another sip of coffee.

However, after a quick mellowing point, the flavor came right back, moving into a more medium-bodied smoke, bringing some of that white pepper back into the equation and waking the palate up gently but purposefully. Hopefully it's a precursor for a strong finish - this is something only more puffs will tell. After showing this second flavor, the cigar seems to back off a bit, possibly reloading for a strong finish in the final third.

In fact, this seems to be exactly what is happening. After a brief cooling off period, the Swag returns with a more aggressive pepper taste, shifting to a fuller black pepper taste that stimulates the back of the throat in all the right ways.

The only downside in the final third was the Swag never lets off the gas for a final respite. It takes the pepper and full-bodied smoke all the way to the end, leaving the smoker a smidge light headed and almost shifting it out of the realm of an anytime cigar into something that should only be smoked after having a decent meal.

The Swag is available in six sizes - the 5.5" x 42 ring gauge Quickie, the 7" x 38 Elite, the 6.5" x 52 ring gaguge Fierce belicoso, a 6" x 60 Ego, a 5" x 54 Lavish, and the 6" x 54 Infamous, names for Rafael's stepson, who is a Grammy winning producer for hip-hop artist Lil' Wayne.

Swag is also introducing a loyalty buying program available through retailers - tiered between three levels, the Swag Club offers prizes and swag merchandise to those who make multiple box purchases, as well as a monthly raffle for even more prizes.

Putting aside the issues with the wrapper, this is a cigar that would be worth returning to in the near future. The balance of strength with flavor and smoothness is incredibly impressive, and while the name of the cigar might not inspire greatness, the performance certainly does. Few cigars show the kind of progression that the Swag Fierce did, progressively shifting gears from a mild and sweet first third to a robust, peppery final third. Not only is this cigar incredibly enjoyable, it is one that would be best enjoyed with your attention firmly focused on how it progresses and how it focuses on different aspects of your palate.

Hungry for more? Read more cigar reviews from this column.

For more info: The Swag line of cigars will be shipping to retailers in the coming weeks - ask your local tobacconist when they expect it to hit their shelves. In the meantime, visit SwagCigars.com to learn more.

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