“He was beyond the help of his parents and of the United States government, and yet he triumphed.” So says the trailer for the 1978 film, Midnight Express, which was based on the autobiographical book of the same name about the life of American hash dealer Billy Hayes.
As happens from time to time in the drug smuggling trade, Billy was caught and imprisoned in Turkey in 1970. He originally got 4 years, but when it appeared that a crackdown was going to lead to a life sentence, he realized that he’d have to take matters into his own hands and break the law a bit more. He ultimately escaped from Imrali prison in 1975, and rowed a boat to Bandirma (another city in Turkey). From there, he went across the border to Greece and headed back home. Both the book and film were, of course, not liked by the Turkish government.
And now, here we are with a smoke inspired apparently by this series of events.
The Caldwell Midnight Express cigar earned a solid 90 rating from Cigar Aficionado, thanks to its full body and muscular flavors of earth, salty walnuts, and coffee beans. Those familiar with Caldwell cigars should note that the Midnight Express is a Maduro-wrapped version of the also highly rated Eastern Standard blend. It’s the same Ecuadorian wrapper leaf, just aged and fermented longer to create a more mature flavor. Inside, a similar Dominican binder and Dominican and Nicaraguan filler blend was also used.
In Robert Caldwell’s own words, "We did not want to add another product to our portfolio unless it made our portfolio more dynamic and well-rounded. Additionally, we wanted to challenge ourselves artistically." So, this isn’t a random variation just for the sake of variation. Instead, this is a new blend that expands the Caldwell set of offerings in a new and interesting direction. Got you curious? Hop on board – there’s plenty more room on the Midnight Express!
Please browse our selection of Caldwell Midnight Express cigars at your leisure.
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