Nestled neatly in a well-traveled corner of the show, we find a booth with a company that comes from a country that a vast majority of us would not associate with cigar manufacturing. German Engineered Cigars is set on a course to change that!
Arranged with purpose, the booth is reminiscent of the lines of a high-end German performance coupe, with the cigar cleanly displayed by the brand, along with some high-tech visual aids to really send the point home that these cigars are something different. While Klass and Oliver did not have any new blends to show us this year, it was still an interesting visit to the booth.
The lines currently offered by German Engineered Cigars are RVGN, Raumzeit, Weltschmerz, and NN01 Limited Edition, it is easy to see there is something different going on here. With flavor descriptors like “stardust” and “flying saucer,” technology has had a major influence on the development of this brand. Oliver explained to us the Raumzeit smoking experience as “You are in a spaceship travelling at the speed of light and your host android serves you cake” will for sure pique the interest of many people, some of which my never have considered a premium cigar previously. Eye-catching branding is another angle that has a European flair to it, from the very clean and elegant white and silver band on the NN to the glow-in-the-dark nightclub like band on the Weltschmerz.
Along those lines, they will be introducing secondary bands across the lines, that will feature blend details, flavor notes, as well as a scannable QR code that takes you to their website and plays music that they suggest you listen to while smoking the cigar. This is a very fun and creative way to further introduce technology into the cigar world for the consumer to appreciate. The bands look great and will be coming to the brand very soon.
The blends break down as follows.
RVGN is described by the company as “Coursing around Nürburgring in an open race car on a magnificent Sunday morning. This cigar is rolled in the Dominican Republic and features a hybrid seed wrapper from Ecuador, a Criollo 98 binder from the Dominican Republic, and fillers from the Dominican Republic (Piloto Cubano), Nicaragua, and PA Broadleaf from the United States. It is available in the following sizes, #18 Half Corona 3.5 x 44, #36 Short Torpedo 4 X 60, #42 Robusto 5 X 54, #62 Gran Toro 6 X 58 with MSRP ranging from $6 to $11.50.
Raumzeit is described by the company as “Traveling at the speed of light, far beyond the next galaxy, with a friendly android serving cake” This cigar is rolled in Nicaragua and features a Nicaraguan shade-grown Connecticut wrapper, an Indonesian Sumatra binder, and fillers from Nicaragua (Jalapa) and the Dominican Republic (Piloto Cubano) It is available in the following sizes, Half Corona 3.5 x 44, Robusto 5 X 54, and Gran Toro 6 X 58 with MSRP ranging from $6.50 to $12.00
NN01, introduced in 2021, was limited to 5000 cigars and is available in the United States only. If you extremely lucky, you might still be able to find them. The smoking experience is described by the company as “In a white room, in a comfortable lounge chair, feeling free and light-hearted”. The cigar is rolled in the Dominican Republic, the blend is undisclosed and the MSRP is $8.90
Weltschmerz has a smoking experience described by the company as being “Back in the rolling hills at home. The oven still warm, childhood memories in the air. All is well” This beauty is rolled in Nicaragua and has an Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro wrapper, a Nicaraguan (Jalapa) binder, and fillers from the Estelí and Jalapa regions of Nicaragua. Available in 2 sizes Robusto 5 X 50 and Perfecto 5.5 X 54, it has an MSRP ranging from $12 – $14.
Closing out it must be mentioned that the visual aids used in the booth are as high-tech as the motivation behind the blend. Using a process called Biomimetics, their cigar stands and “cigar hub” are very intricate, delicate appearing yet very sturdy pieces constructed with filament using a 3D printer. They are finished with a final coat of paint in Germany.
Keep your eyes on German Engineering Cigars, they are moving forward at the speed of light!
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.
