The use of mythology is an excellent fit for the cigar world. Some myths and legends can fit virtually any facet of the story a cigar manufacturer wishes to tell with their release. We see a great example of that in the latest release from Jake Wyatt Cigar Co., which was released at this year’s TPE trade show in Las Vegas. Icarus has a feature that ties in nicely with the mythological being it gets its name from. The company describes Icarus as “A daring figure in Greek mythology, soared on wings crafted by his father, Daedalus. Ignoring warnings, he ascended towards the sun, intoxicated by the heavens. The sun’s fiery embrace melted his waxen wings, sending Icarus plummeting into the depths of the Aegean Sea.” How does this all tie in, you might ask? The cigar features Tennessee Fire Cured tobacco, giving some of the leaves used in the blend a “fiery embrace.” How will this translate to the smoking experience? Let’s take a closer look and find out.
Under The Lid
- Wrapper: San Andreas Maduro
- Binder: Dominican Olor
- Filler: Tennessee Fire Cured, Criollo 98, Piloto Cubano, Pennsylvania Broadleaf
- Vitola Reviewed: Toro Gordo 6 X 54
- Factory: Casamorabo Tabacalera S.R.L.
- Release Date: February 2024
- Number of cigars released: Regular Production
- MSRP: $12.00 (Pack of 5 $59.99)
This release comes conveniently packaged in a five-pack box in black and gold with white accents. The boxes feature a graphic band at the top and bottom, a graphic of Icarus near the sun, the cigar’s name and size, and the Jake Wyatt company logo, all in gold. The words Tennessee Fire Cured stand out in white to catch your eye. The cigars have a nice, dark brown oily wrapper, well-done seams, and quite a bit of tooth. There are raised veins throughout the wrapper and a few pronounced bumps. Overall, the cigar is pretty firm, with the slightest amount of give when gently squeezed and no detectible soft spots. The band is black and gold with white accents, featuring the same graphics on the packaging.
The aromas from the foot of the cigar have hints of anise, cedar, and coffee, with a campfire note lingering in the background.
The prelight draw, good on one sample and tight on another, gives notes of black cherry, white pepper, damp cedar, and dry earth, with a campfire again in the background. Let’s set fire to it and see what this cigar offers!
Performance Notes:
First Third: As soon as the cigar is lit, the fire-cured tobacco comes to the front. Mesquite wood on the smoker is the best way I can describe the flavor note, along with burnt sugar, damp cedar, anise, and leather, giving the cigar an overall bitterness. The retrohale has similar bitter notes, with walnut shell, red pepper, some must, and a cask-strength whiskey burn on the finish. Getting a little farther in, a mustiness develops on the retrohale and muddles everything up a little. Strength is medium early, while the body and complexity are solidly in the full range. Burn and draw are performing well, with the tightness noticed in one sample opening up as soon as it was lit.
Second Third: The mid-section of the cigar gains a slight saltiness, along with baker’s chocolate and espresso. The core notes from early on carry over and still drive the cigar’s profile. A little farther along, a vegetal note develops on the finish, and it joins the campfire, leather, and damp cedar notes of the retrohale. The draw remains good through the middle part of the cigar, but the burn needed a couple touchups to keep going. Strength has increased to medium-full, while body and complexity remain full.
Final Third: As I move into the final part of the cigar, the smoky wood note fades away. This completely changes the profile to earthy, spicy notes, with dark chocolate, cinnamon, and a hint of white pepper appearing for the first time. The retrohale has changed as well. The vegetal note is still present, but hints of black pepper, cinnamon, and cardamom are now present. Burn needed another touchup to get to the end, while the draw remained good all the way through. Strength finished at Med-Full, with Body and Complexity as full as they started.
Core flavors: Campfire, damp cedar, earth, espresso, and leather.
Strength: Medium-Full
Body: Full
Complexity: Full
Smokin’ Experience: I have been a Mexican San Andreas wrapper fan for as long as I can remember and am always up for trying something new. Having said that, this one was a swing and a miss for me. While the Tennessee Fire Cured tobacco added a unique element to the cigar, I personally did not find it appealing. It was harsh and very bitter to my palate. However, there is a solid market for this type of cigar. Other brands are offering fire-cured tobacco blends that have been very successful, and I am sure there are some pipe smokers out there who would really appreciate what this cigar has to offer. The cigar performed well and had the finish of a traditional cigar without the fire-cured leaf. If you are looking for something different, give it a try.
Purchase Recommendation: Try a single to see what fire-cured tobacco is all about.
Smokin Facts:
- Neil Garcia and Gerard Abajian launched Jake Wyatt Cigar Company in 2021
- The name Jake Wyatt comes from the co-owner’s two sons.
- Jake Wyatt cigars typically come in 22 count boxes to honor three generations of the family that played baseball wearing the number 22.
- Tony Gomez was hired as Director of Sales for Jake Wyatt early in 2024, bringing his years of industry experience.
Smokin Wrap
Cigars smoked for the review: Two.
Average smoking time: 95 minutes
Score: 83
Kevin Acuff
Senior Reviewer & Editor
Kevin Acuff was born and raised in Northeast Ohio. Growing up in a rural area, he was able to indulge in some very exciting life experiences at a young age. He acquired his private pilot license before he had a driver’s license, spent several years on the competitive bass fishing tournament trail, and even spent a couple of seasons racing motorcycles. In 2001, he relocated to Las Vegas, spending the better part of the past 20 years working in the sign industry.
It was one of those industry trips, back in 2014 that changed his life for good. His boss handed him a Siglo V and an instantaneous bond was formed. He has spent countless hours since then learning as much about cigars as time would allow. This has resulted in a private collection of cigars that would rival some smaller retailers. Being inquisitive and not afraid to ask questions resulted in being blessed with several opportunities to experience the industry from all angles. Kevin is a regular attendee at the trade shows, has some firsthand experience on the media side, and is a familiar face to many at consumer events throughout the country.
