The Statement Drop - September 2026
The Concept
Every month we curate carefully. But some months the selection comes together in a way that surprises even us. September was one of those months. We did not try to build a "statement drop." It just ended up that way.
A boutique Honduran Puro wrapped in a tobacco leaf. A jazz legend's cigar, aged six years before rolling. A VegaFina limited edition with a ponytail cap and only 4,300 boxes worldwide. And the Liga Privada No. 9, a blend that started as something private and became one of the most talked-about cigars on the market.
Four very different cigars. One very clear message: this pack punches well above its weight and we are proud of it.
Inside the Pack
The Leaf by Oscar Valladares - Connecticut Toro
In 2012, Oscar Valladares, his brother Hector, and friend Bayron Duarte opened a small factory in Danlí, Honduras. Oscar had spent nine years with Rocky Patel, while Bayron brought over 20 combined years from General Cigar and Oliva. These are not people who stumbled into the industry. The Leaf is one of Oscar's most recognisable creations: a true Honduran Puro, shipped wrapped in a whole tobacco leaf instead of cellophane. You peel it off to reveal the actual cigar underneath. Not a gimmick. The leaf keeps it fresh and lets it breathe. Mellow to medium-bodied, with sweet notes of cream and tobacco, cedar and a quiet spice running underneath. A great opener for the evening.
AVO XO Maestoso - Churchill
Avo Uvezian was an Armenian-American jazz pianist born in Beirut in 1926. He wanted a cigar as harmonious as his music. In 1987 he created his first blend "Bolero" together with master blender Hendrik Kelner, and in 1988 the AVO brand was born. His vision was to create cigars built like a jazz composition: balanced, precise, harmonious. In 1995, Davidoff purchased the distribution rights for the brand. Uvezian passed away in 2017, but the brand he built carries on. The XO Maestoso is the largest format in the XO line, named after a musical tempo. The tobacco leaves were aged for at least six years before being rolled. The result is a notably soft yet full and complex medium-strength composition, with notes of wood, spice and dry and sweet fruit aromas. Ninety minutes of smoke. Take your time.
Vega Fina Higueyanos - Year of the Horse 2026 (Limited Edition)
This one is rare. Genuinely rare. Only 4,300 numbered boxes exist worldwide. VegaFina created this limited edition to celebrate the Chinese New Year, paying tribute to the Caballo de Paso Higüeyano, the most emblematic horse breed of the Dominican Republic, known for its resilience, elegance and nobility. The cigar was crafted at the Tabacalera de García in La Romana. Ecuadorian wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, filler from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. Medium-strength, with creamy-woody notes, coffee, cocoa and a fine sweetness of molasses. The format is called Higüeyanos and the head is finished with a distinctive ponytail curl. A collector's cigar that is actually meant to be smoked. We found boxes. You got one.
Drew Estate Liga Privada No. 9 - Robusto
This blend was never supposed to leave the factory. In 2005, Drew Estate chief Steve Saka had a personal favourite blend. He started giving it to visitors and friends, the reaction was so strong it eventually made it into production. Liga Privada means "personal blend," and the No. 9 comes from the test batch number 9-A2X, shortened because the full name was too complicated. Seven different, exclusive and rare tobacco varieties go into this cigar. Only four pairs of rollers in the factory are permitted to make it, producing a maximum of 250 cigars per pair per day. Rich, complex, full-bodied. The kind of cigar aficionados reference when they are trying to explain what a truly great smoke actually means.
Who this drop is for
For the smoker who already knows quality when they taste it and wants more of it. For the one who has been telling their friends about this subscription and wants to show them why.
Honestly? This pack sells itself. We are just happy to be the ones delivering it.
A Fair Price. No Compromise.
We built The Gentlemen's on one idea: great cigars at a price that respects you. Not cheap, not inflated. Fair, and worth every franc.
This pack is the clearest proof of that yet. Four cigars like these, bought separately at retail, would cost you significantly more. Inside the pack they arrive at your door every month, the same way every drop does.
We are not changing what we do. We are just getting better at it.
Luca & Xhino, The Gentlemen's
