R&R The Soldier King is a brand I never heard of until I found it on the list of new products over at Small Batch Cigar. Available in a few different wrappers I grabbed the Broadleaf due to my love for that wrapper. The cigar comes from Raul Reyner and Mi Havana factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. Having never heard of Mr. Reyner or Mi Havana this was a cigar totally new to me which hasn’t happened in quite some time.
The cigar is named after Dom Pedro I who was known in Brazil and in Portugal as “the Liberator” or “the Soldier King”. He served as King of Portugal in 1826 under the name Pedro IV and he was the founder and first rule of Brazil from 1822-1831.
Don Pedro I historically is looked back on with mixed results. While he was credited with Brazil’s Independence he is heavily debated in Brazil with some calling him a revolutionary and others criticizing his rule.
Cigar Review: R&R The Soldier King
Size: 6.5 x 54 (Toro)
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaragua
Fillers: Nicaragua
Factory: Mi Havana
Release Date: April 2025
Production: Regular
Box Size: 12
The Cigar: Featuring and oily but ugly looking Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper that is lighter than most CT Broadleaf on the market today. Often that dark coloring is enhanced by various methods to “cook” the wrapper so this one is more of a natural looking Broadleaf. The cigar features a picture of Don Pedro in the center of the elaborate band with purple and gold accents. The cigar has a secondary band with the R&R Logo and the words “a blend of the rarest tobaccos” and finally its completed with a purple ribbon foot band. In the hand the cigar is light with no voids of tobacco.
The Taste: The cold draw of R&R The Soldier King Broadleaf sees an intense leather component with a subtle citrus and earth while the aroma from the foot sees the same albeit a bit muted along with some sesame. Once the cigar is toasted and lit a subtle plum begins to emerge as we settle into our first third.
Smoking the first third sees notes of plum give way to a subtle citrus that starts out as lime before becoming a lemon zest type of note. Before we hit the first inch the citrus notes disappear and we are left with earth, dark chocolate and roasted coffee beans. In an era when a lot of cigar feature a light color ash that is almost white due to nutrient rich soils R&R The Soldier King features a dark ash which can mean a mineral deficiency in the soil.
Moving into the second third a sweetness returns along with some citrus components that makes me want a caipirinha which is the national drink of Brazil. The drink is made by muddling 1/2 lime and 1 tsp sugar into a glass before adding 2.5 ounces Cachaça (Brazilian rum) and crushed ice. It’s basically a Brazilian Mojito and it embodies what I am tasting to start the second third. Around the halfway point some espresso notes begin to emerge with pine nuts and earth. The retrohale has some saltiness to it and cedar.
Moving into the last third of R&R The Soldier King Broadleaf notes of earth, wheat and coffee dominate the palate. The citrus is gone for good as the cigar becomes a bit more like a modern Broadleaf smoke. There is a lot going on with subtle notes of brown sugar, nuts and wood to round things out. At the very end a bit of a bavarian pretzel note emerges that I wish popped up a bit sooner. The retrohale sees a bit of pepper, continued saltiness and some damp cedar to round things out.
Conclusion: There are a few things bad with this cigar that for me don’t affect the overall enjoyment, but it might for you. The cigar has a thick combustion line which on all 4 cigar I smoked burned jagged at times but self corrected over time. I can picture those of you who are a slave to your lighter touching this up a bit to much. At $13.00 I want my tobacco to be better aged. Now for the good. The taste. This is a throwback to when I first began smoking cigars and was first introduced to Broadleaf tobacco. During the boom a lot of companies didn’t have time to age a cigar and they sped up the process. The result was cigars that tasted dramatically different then they do today which is why a lot of people consider this the Golden Age of Cigars. I for one absolutely love the flavor profile of the R&R Soldier King Broadleaf and the retro feel of the cigar. For me, it works and it works well but it may not be for everyone.
Score: 95
Price: $13.00 (Before any local or state taxes)
