CHUPACABRA 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY CIGAR REVIEW 2024

In case you were not aware of it, the cigar industry is currently experiencing a strong trend for anniversary cigars. In this Chupacabra cigar review, we are talking about a 2012 release. The Chupacabra 10 Year Anniversary by Esteban Carreras premiered at the 2021 PCA show in Las Vegas last summer.

Both Chupacabra and Esteban Carreras seem to have slipped under the radar for some smokers out there. Craig Cunningham, the master blender of this blend has put a lot of effort and time into developing the original Chupacabra and when he realized that its ten years had come upon him, he wanted to make something very special for all fans of Esteban Carreras.

But I have never smoked either that original or the recently released 10 Year Anniversary. And to make matters worse, I have never tried any blends from Esteban Carreras whatsoever. You know how popular they are with people here, so it’s just disappointing that I haven’t smoked one yet.

However, I was quite excited about doing this Esteban Carreras Chupacabra review because it would be my first experience with another cigar brand. My bias or expectation won’t change how I actually feel about this stick which will be an excellent indicator as to whether or not I will try more options from the Esteban Carreras catalog.

Factory: Tabacalera Carrera S.A.

Once I punched cut into the Chupacabra 10 Year Anniversary after being stored straight from shipment during COVID-19 pandemic times; my palate could pick up on these tobaccos as having such vintage characters. It is cool when you can see exactly what type of tobacco leafs have been aged and worked over longer period of time unlike other types which are still growing up.

When cold drawing through it flavors like hay and nuts overwhelmed me. It was a combination that tasted like nothing I had ever experienced before but was pleased as the result. These two different notes made me curious about what else is in store for me.

COLD DRAW

Fifteen minutes into the first third the notes from the cold draw remained, with the addition of pepper and chocolate. The kind of pepper I tasted was reminiscent of cayenne pepper. Definitely, a cayenne pepper flake’s richness and spiciness would go well with that grassy earth tone that defined its cold draw.

As I entered the second third, notes of nuts and grass took a backseat to some new, inviting notes. The flavors that stood out most were Chocolate and Earth. Smell from this smoke is more earthy compared to other aspects making it an ideal place to enjoy your cigar with peace of mind.

FIRST THIRD

I was interested to find out which flavors would still be there as I approached the final third of my Chupacabra 10 Year Anniversary cigar.

For some reason, I thought there would be a big change in taste going into the last third but unfortunately no such thing happened.

SECOND THIRD

The notes of chocolate and pepper lasted until the end. But all those of soil, grass, and nuts were no longer detectable on my palate.

I was hoping for floral notes such as earth and grass would linger but once my palate stopped detecting these flavors, the cigar became richer in flavor and stronger in profile.

PAIRING OPTIONS

For this pairing I decided to go a little bit off the road. Normally, I drink a cup of coffee or whiskey neat or beer while smoking cigars. However Chupacabra is a very special cigar that ought to be paired with another special drink for its review.

This time I went with a more festive non-alcoholic beverage that ended up working out perfectly if I do say so myself. Over time, I have come to like Apple Cider. Since this is about trying something new with a different cigar why not try it with something new?

The Apple Cider complemented the chocolate, earth, and peppers that are featured in this cigar very well. The sweetness mixed with the full-bodied tones of the Chupacabra went together like pizza and soda. In future reviews yet to be made one can expect an Apple cider among other cigars.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I hope this specific cigar doesn’t spoil me for any other Esteban Carreras cigar I have after this one. On top of which, medium to full bodied gem was really nice too complicated for me to fully understand? To me it could’ve been fuller looking at this particular stick. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how well-crafted this stick was.

They’re available in 4 different sizes; 20 comes in a box your MSRP will range anywhere from $7.50-$9.85 per stick.

To get an anniversary cigar under $10.00 per stick is something like a myth or folklore but Chupacabra 10 Year Anniversary is anything but that… Head on to cigars.com now and get a box of the Chupacabra 10 Year Anniversary from Esteban Carreras today to savor a milestone rarely achieved in the cigar industry.

I hope you enjoyed this special Esteban Carreras Chupacabra review. If you’d like us to review one of your favorites, get in touch on one of our social channels and we’ll see what we can do!