Last year, I had the pleasure of visiting City of London Cigars in Spitalfields, just a stone’s throw from Liverpool Street Station. Upon stepping into their walk-in humidor, I was immediately captivated by an open box of cigars. The packaging was eye-catching—an orange box that held cigars adorned with bands in white, orange, green, and gold. They belonged to a brand I had never come across before: Casa 1910, a cigar brand from Mexico.
Curiosity got the better of me, so I decided to grab one on the spot and head down to their cozy sampling lounge for a taste. To be honest, I initially wasn’t entirely convinced about that particular cigar.
That experience got me thinking: instead of writing off an entire brand based on just one cigar, why not explore a wider range of their offerings?
Brands often feature a variety of blends, each cigar revealing its own distinct character. So, I made the decision to delve deeper into the Casa 1910 line and sample several of their cigars.
Background
Casa 1910 is a distinguished premium cigar brand established in 2021, deeply rooted in Mexican heritage and inspired by the pivotal events of the Mexican Revolution of 1910.
I don’t know much about Mexico or its history, so I found this 2-minute video exploring the details of the revolution very useful.👇
Founded by Manolo Santiago, Jamie Baer, and Serge Bolling, the brand aims to showcase Mexico’s rich tobacco tradition on an international scale.
Source: Casa 1910
One of the key inspirations for Santiago, the master blender for Casa 1910 and a former marketing manager for the Mexican distributor of Habanos S.A., was the notable presence of Mexican tobacco in international blends. Interestingly, there hasn’t been a globally recognised premium Mexican cigar brand to match this. Casa 1910 aims to change this narrative by highlighting the exceptional quality of Mexican tobacco—especially the San Andrés Negro, a highly regarded maduro leaf grown in Mexico’s San Andrés Valley.
Casa 1910 made its debut at the 2021 PCA Trade Show in Las Vegas with its first release, the Cuchillo Parado, a 100% Mexican puro in their Revolutionary Edition. It then launched the Cavalry Edition, blending Nicaraguan and Mexican tobaccos, followed by the Soldadera Edition, its first line made in the Dominican Republic. The brand focuses on small-batch cigars and is open to future blends that may include tobaccos from other countries, like a potential Cuban-Mexican hybrid should regulations permit.
The brand’s visual identity pays tribute to Mexico, using orange, white, and green—colours inspired by the national flag, with orange replacing red due to regulatory restrictions. Its logo subtly incorporates the Mexican coat of arms, with an eagle’s claw gripping a snake, resembling a hand holding a cigar.
Currently, Casa 1910 is available in the United States, Mexico, and several European markets, including the UK, where it is exclusively distributed by Rare Cigars UK (a partnership between Mitchell Orchant of CGars Ltd and Lewis Seymour). The brand continues to expand, furthering its mission to bring premium Mexican cigars to the world.
For more insight, watch Usman’s interview with Manolo Santiago on the Cigar Inspector YouTube channel:
The cigars
The Cuchillo Parado (2021), was the very first cigar released from the Casa 1910 collection. This 5×50 Robusto, named after the inaugural battle of the Mexican Revolution, is a full-bodied Mexican puro. It showcases a Mexican Sumatra wrapper, enriched by a San Andrés Negro binder and a blend of fillers crafted from tobaccos aged between three to six years. The Cuchillo Parado garnered significant recognition, earning the fifth spot on Cigar Lovers Magazine‘s prestigious top 10 list.
Building on the success of their initial release, Casa 1910 broadened its range with skillfully crafted blends, each one embodying a distinct chapter of Mexico’s revolutionary history.
The Tierra Blanca (2022), part of the Revolutionary Edition, is a 6×54 Toro that pays tribute to a crucial battle led by Pancho Villa, crafted entirely from five-year-aged San Andrés Negro tobaccos.
The Cavalry Edition (2022) honours the horses and riders of the Mexican Revolution, including:
– As de Oro: A 6×54 Toro featuring an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, with a Mexican San Andrés binder and Nicaraguan fillers.
– Lucero: A 6×54 Torpedo sharing the same blend as As de Oro.
– Jilguero: A 6×60 cigar showcasing a Mexican San Andrés wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and fillers.
The Soldadera Edition (2023) pays homage to the brave women who played pivotal roles in the revolution, featuring:
– Sampetrina: A 5×50 Robusto.
– Teniente Angela: A 6×52 Toro.
– La Coronela: A 5.5×58 Majestuoso.
Each of these releases captures Mexico’s cultural and historical essence, offering cigar aficionados a smoke that is deeply rooted in heritage and tradition.
Looking ahead, Casa 1910 is set to introduce a new range of cigars in 2025 called the Mexigar, though details remain scarce for now.
My experience
This winter, I’ve been sampling one of each cigar. I managed to get my hands on 7 of the 8 cigars out there. Here is a quick fire round and rating of what I got from each cigar. Remember reviews are subjective so just because I like or don’t like something doesn’t mean everyone else will.
Jilguero (My rating: 6.75 out of 10)
I kicked things off with the Jilguero, loved the 60-ring gauge. It opens with a bold, spicy kick, followed by a subtle sweetness and earthy undertones. The flavour remains pretty consistent throughout. An enjoyable smoke!
Lucero (My rating: 5 out of 10)
The Lucero gave me a little trouble. The draw was tight. I did get a touch of sweet woodiness though. Towards the final third of the cigar I did also notice it getting surprising spicy. I’ve had one of these at InterTabac last year and it did impress me though, so maybe I wasn’t lucky this time around with this particular cigar.
As de Oro (My rating: 6 out of 10)
The As de Oro opened with a nice combination of sweet spice and a touch of nutmeg, giving it an inviting and warm start. The flavours were smooth, which made it a pleasant smoke.
Tierra Blanca (My rating: 6.5 out of 10)
This cigar offers a well-balanced and robust smoking experience, highlighted by deep earthy and woody notes. As it develops, a touch of spice emerges, complemented by a rich leathery undertone that adds depth and complexity to the profile.
Cuchillo Parado (My rating 6.25 out of 10)
This cigar offers a light yet flavorful experience, with earthy and woody notes forming the base. A bold spiciness emerges as the smoke progresses, adding depth to its airy draw.
Teniente Angela (My rating 5.75 out of 10)
Spicy with a touch of sweetness, complemented by earthy undertones and a subtle nuttiness.
Sampetrina (My rating 6.5 out of 10)
A classic 5×50 Robusto with a spicy start, transitioning into woody and earthy notes. Medium to full-bodied with a decent draw. A bit spicier than I typically prefer.
La Coronela:
Unfortunately, I didn’t get around to trying this one, so it’s definitely on my radar for the future! I believe it’s a limited edition cigar, which makes it even more intriguing.
Final thoughts
Overall, my journey exploring these cigars has been fascinating. I took a deep dive into a single brand, fully immersing myself in its portfolio and learning about its history. This experience has certainly made these cold winter nights more enjoyable. A common theme I found among these cigars is a distinctive spiciness, which may be a signature of Mexican-style cigars—possibly due to the use of San Andrés tobacco. My clear favourite was the Jilguero; I particularly enjoyed the larger 60-ring gauge cigar. It’s a bit frustrating that I still have one more to track down—the La Coronela—because I want to try them all!
A recap of my ratings:
| Cigar | Size | Flavour profile | Rating (10) |
| Jilguero | 6×60 | Bold spice, subtle sweetness, earthy | 6.75 |
| Lucero | 6×54 | Tight draw, sweet woodiness, spicy finish | 5.0 |
| As de Oro | 6×54 | Sweet spice, nutmeg, smooth flavors | 6.0 |
| Tierra Blanca | 6×54 | Earthy, woody, spicy, leathery undertones | 6.5 |
| Cuchillo Parado | 5×50 | Light, earthy, woody, bold spice | 6.25 |
| Teniente Angela | 6×52 | Spicy, sweet, earthy, nutty | 5.75 |
| Sampetrina | 5×50 | Spicy start, woody, earthy, medium-full | 6.5 |
| La Coronela | 5.5×58 | Not yet tried | TBD |
In the future, I would love to embark on a similar journey with a Cuban cigar brand and perhaps experiment with different aged cigars as well. The key lesson I’ve learned here is not to dismiss a cigar brand just because one cigar doesn’t immediately stand out—it’s well worth exploring the rest of the portfolio and experiencing the nuances between each cigar.
Also can’t wait to try their new Mexicigars range out later this year 🙌🏻
Interested in learning more about Casa 1910?
If you’re curious to learn more about Casa 1910, you can check out their website at casa1910.com/home and follow them on social media at instagram.com/casa1910mx.
You can also find 1910 cigars at reputable cigar shops like CGars and City of London Cigars – Spitalfields.
If you’ve tried any Casa 1910 cigars, what was your experience with them? Which edition stood out to you the most, and why? Leave your comments below!
Leave a Reply