Last month I took a trip down to Ybor City and visited J.C. Newman’s historic El Reloj factory and museum. There is so much to say about the thriving cigar culture of Tampa, Florida. I had a lovely time, and the people at J.C. Newman are outstanding. With that said, this is a cigar review.
J.C. Newman released The American in 2019 as an American rolled American puro. They sourced the tobacco, the paper bands, the molds, the boxes, and the cellophane from the United States. The cigars are hand rolled on the top floor and rested in the basement of the J.C. Newman El Reloj factory. The six or so torcedores that roll The American sit at tables that look like they came from the HMS Resolute in a quiet room, with a lectern at the front and a boxing and finishing table on the side. It is clear that this line of cigars is an exhibition to be the center of attention at the historic factory, and the effort is intimate as well as defiant. The philosophy and principal is the product. J.C. Newman could make any cigar they wanted on the top floor of their beautifully renovated National Historic Landmark headquarters. This cigar represents their commitment to cigar making in the United States, and the community in Ybor City.
The American comes in the following vitolas: Robusto, Double Robusto, Toro, Torpedo, and Churchill. I saw another limited vitola at the factory, but I do not know if it is appropriate to share that.
The Stats
- Origin Country: United States
- Wrapper: Florida Sun Grown Corojo by Jeff Borysiewicz
- Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf by Foster Farm
- Filler: Pennsylvania Amish and Connecticut Havana by Foster Farm
- Dimensions: 4.5 x 50
- Smoke duration: About 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Rarity: Regular production, but low volume
The Verdict
- Appearance & Construction: 12 / 15
- Flavor of First Third: 7 / 10
- Flavor of Second Third: 6 / 10
- Flavor of Final Third: 7 / 10
- Smoking Experience: 17 / 20
- Overall Experience: 28 / 35
OVERALL RATING: 77
The J.C. Newman American is an atypical cigar. The Florida sun grown wrapper is bruised, rustic and textured. The cold draw was wide open, but the flavors were faint with just a hint of cocoa and hay. The first third is arguably the most enjoyable part of the cigar. It features tastes of vegetation, cocoa, pronounced cedar, coffee, and a steady sweetness. The highlight is an occasional bitter cocoa. The ash is quick to fall away and occasionally unruly. The second third is difficult to review. There are hints of pepper, leather, and wood, but overall it was neither expressive or flavorful. The qualities of the first third were mostly absent. Two cigars were smoked for this review, and both suffered from this issue. The last third saw a return of the cedar flavor, some cocoa, and sweetness.
After writing this review I looked into what others have said about this cigar. It seems that there is a division in the experience, with no clear explanation. Some reviews note flavors that were definitively absent from my assessment, while others seem to follow a similar decline in quality and flavor. I can only assume there is an issue somewhere in the production that has caused this, whether it be variations in the tobacco leaf, or quality control. The cigars that we tested were purchased direct from the J.C. Newman factory, and were allowed to rest in our humidors before sampling.