It’s amazing who you can end up meeting through social media.

A couple of years ago, I posted about the La Gloria Cubana Podium France, the “Olympic cigar” created for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Not long afterwards, I received a message from a fellow cigar smoker asking if I could help him track some down.

After a bit of searching, we eventually found a place in France that still had them.

At the time, I had absolutely no idea who I was talking to.

That cigar smoker turned out to be Matt Coward-Holley — a Team GB Olympic shooter and Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist, who was actually in France ready to compete for Great Britain again at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

What started as a simple conversation about finding a cigar eventually developed into a friendship, and we’ve kept in touch ever since.

What I didn’t realise at the time was that Matt was working on something of his own. With his lifelong friend James, a former world champion and multi-international medalist, he was developing a cigar brand built around friendship, conversation and taking a little time out from everyday life.

That brand is Sunday Cigars.

Sunday Cigars

The concept grew from quiet Sunday afternoons shared over cigars, with Matt and James wanting to create something that felt relaxed and approachable rather than overly formal or intimidating.

Their phrase, “From friendship to flame,” sums it up nicely.

It’s also quite fitting given that my own connection with Matt started with a simple conversation about a cigar.

I finally got to meet him in person at this year’s The Summertime Smoke, held at the EJ Churchill Shooting Ground — a fitting place to meet an Olympic shooting medallist.

I’ve since been working my way through some of the Sunday Cigars range.

So, how do the cigars actually perform?

Hoja Boricua Gran Reserva

The Hoja Boricua Gran Reserva uses Puerto Rican Hoja Comerio and Dominican Olor beneath a Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper. It’s positioned as the strongest Puerto Rican cigar in the range.

Length: 5″ / 6″ / 7″
Ring Gauge: 50 / 52
Strength: Full
Vitolas: Robusto / Toro / Torpedo / Churchill
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo
Filler: Puerto Rican Hoja Comerio & Dominican Olor

The dark wrapper has an almost maduro-like appearance, giving the cigar a fairly imposing look.

After cutting the cap and lighting the cigar, the draw was quite tight, making it difficult at times to keep the smoke flowing consistently.

Once it got going, however, there was an enjoyable initial sweetness. The aroma also had a cool, herbal quality with a strong mint-like note — something I haven’t experienced before.

This was followed by floral notes, with a touch of spice coming through on the finish.

The cigar became particularly interesting when I paired it with a sample of Delamain SIG CIGAR XO Edition No. 2, the Cognac created by Aaron “Sig” Sigmond in collaboration with the House of Delamain.

The Cognac really brought out the sweetness in the cigar, developing an almost toffee-like character that I enjoyed. Interestingly, the combination also gave me a slightly whisky-like impression — rich, sweet and warming.

For me, the pairing was the standout moment of the smoke and showed that there are some genuinely interesting flavours within this cigar.

The main disappointment was the draw, which stopped it from being a more enjoyable overall experience.

My rating: 5.5/10

---

La Flor de Cuba

Next up is La Flor de Cuba, a medium-to-full-bodied cigar using Criollo ’98 and Dominican Olor.

Length: 5″ (Robusto) / 6″ (Toro)
Ring Gauge: 50
Strength: Medium-to-Full
Vitolas: Robusto / Toro
Wrapper: Criollo ’98
Filler: Criollo ’98 with Dominican Olor

The cigar opens with pleasant floral notes, giving it an aromatic start.

As it develops, I picked up some ammonia, which was quite noticeable. There was also a sweetness to the cigar, with the profile moving back and forth between the sweeter and more pungent notes as the smoke progressed.

I found that contrast interesting, although it didn’t always feel completely balanced. The floral notes from the opening remained part of the experience, but the ammonia became a distraction at times.

There were certainly some enjoyable elements, particularly the floral opening and the underlying sweetness, but the ammonia and construction issues held it back for me.

My rating: 5/10

---

Puerto Rico 965

The Puerto Rico 965 is one of the milder cigars in the range.

Sunday Cigars describes it as smooth and creamy, with cedar character and dense smoke, and suggests sweet wine as a pairing.

Strength: Mild
Ring Gauge: 50 / 52
Vitolas: Robusto / Toro / Torpedo / Churchill
Filler: Puerto Rican tobacco

I haven’t smoked this one yet. It’s still on my list to try.

Overall thoughts

I like what Matt and James are trying to do with Sunday Cigars.

The story behind the brand feels good, and the emphasis on friendship, conversation and enjoying a cigar without taking things too seriously is something I like.

However, the cigars I’ve tried so far haven’t been too memorable for me. There are definitely some promising flavours, though. The Hoja Boricua in particular showed potential, and the SIG CIGAR XO pairing was a real highlight.

The main issue I’ve encountered has been construction consistency, while the La Flor de Cuba struggled with flavour balance.

I’d also love to see a little more consistency in the presentation. Giving the cigars their own distinctive but recognisably Sunday Cigars bands could help create a stronger identity across the range and make the brand more immediately recognisable as a family of cigars.

I do like the 1586 date used by the brand, which appears to reference the traditional story of tobacco being introduced to England during the Elizabethan era. It’s a nice conversation starter and fits well with the brand’s emphasis on bringing people together.

I’ve still got more of the range to try, including the Puerto Rico 965, so this isn’t a final judgement.

For now, I’d say Sunday Cigars is a brand worth keeping an eye on. The story and concept are there; the next step is seeing where they go next.

It’s also worth remembering that cigar reviews are completely subjective. Just because I experience certain flavours or characteristics doesn’t mean everyone else will. We all have different palates, so this could be a cigar you really enjoy.

For more information about Sunday Cigars and to see the full range:

Website: Sunday Cigars
Instagram: @sunday.cigars