There’s something special about a family heirloom finding its way back to its rightful owner. In this case, the heirloom is the Lord Byron cigar brand finding its way back to the Alfonso family after 90 years through the creation of the Byron 20th Century cigar. More on that later. First, some backstory.
Two cousins created the original Lord Byron cigar blend in the mid-19th century. These dudes are ancestors of Cuban-born artist and cigar maker Nelson Alfonso. So the two cousins owned a humble cigar factory near Havana and saw an opportunity to create a cigar for a wider audience.
According to the United Cigar Group website, “Many cigar factories produced numerous brands with Anglo-American names to attract UK and US markets which had tremendous demand for premium cigars at the time. Having said that, around 1848 the cousins created a cigar brand named Lord Byron in honor of the world-renowned English poet himself.”
The band on these sticks featured Lord Byron and sold like crazy. So much so that the cousins were able to expand their company. For generations, the Lord Byron cigar brand brought this family success. Eventually, while Ricardo Alfonzo, a grandson of one of the cousins, was running the operation, the company fell on hard times, and he had to sell the brand. Fast forward 90 years and Alfonzo’s great-grandson Nelson Alfonso gave the brand new life with the Byron 20th Century cigars. The artwork is similar to the original, lending a nice touch of history and wonder to the overall smoking experience.
Byron 20th Century cigars are only released in limited quantity after sitting in aging rooms for a full year. They feature a dark Ecuadorian Habano wrapper that brings an incredible complexity to the cigar. Beneath this leaf is a binder of clandestine origin cradling a filler blend that is part Peruvian, part Dominican, part undisclosed. The secret portions of the Byron 20th Century cigar add a fun layer of guesswork to the smoke. Can your palate detect the source of the binder? How about that undisclosed slice of filler blend?
Once you ignite this cigar, you’re in for a complex experience of spice, nuts, cocoa, pepper, cream, bread, and more. This is a chewy smoke with a straight burn and easy draw. It is not one to be missed.
Please enjoy Byron 20th Century cigars at your leisure.
If you’re up for it, smoke this one while thinking about your ancestors. If you have something of theirs, like an old watch or ring, inspect it while smoking the stick. It’ll add to the sense of connection and your shared lineage.
