Definition Cigars 919 Maduro Toro

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua, Honduras
Size 5 1/2 x 54
Strength: Medium-Medium+
Price: $13.39
Date Released: September 19, 2020 (private event, hence 9/19), Winter 2020/21 (public release)
Factory/Blender: Unspecified
Experience Rating: 96

When I see a young boutique with a large portfolio, it usually signals a brand still finding its way: experimenting, throwing blends into the world, and hoping a few resonate. The cigars often suffer from a lack of focus, and usually, only one or two stand out. Definition Cigars breaks that pattern entirely. Their portfolio is enormous for a boutique, yet every cigar I’ve smoked has been built with intention and authorship. Not one has felt like an experiment, and several rival the quality and performance of some of the best work coming out of the big houses.

As Definition’s founder, Jamond Hackley’s work is a masterclass in blending and collaboration philosophy because he hasn’t just created great cigars. He’s created cigars with a distinctive Definition identity. Across the portfolio, and especially in the Maduro expressions, chocolate is the anchor of the core structure. That consistency of authorship is what separates Definition from other young boutiques with large portfolios. Hackley isn’t experimenting. He’s composing. And the fact that he has been able to accomplish this while contracting with multiple factories¹ is a testament to his skill.

But he now faces a challenge. With such a large portfolio, certain blends are bound to be overlooked. This is exactly the case with the 919 line. It was released in 2021, yet no one talks about it. No one has reviewed it. It’s a cigar that should have been part of the brand’s core, but it slipped through the cracks simply because Definition has so many blends competing for attention.

In a smaller portfolio, the 919 would be a headliner. In Definition’s portfolio, it risks becoming invisible, not because of its quality, but because of the sheer volume of work surrounding it. And that’s the irony: a cigar this good ends up hidden in plain sight. With this review, I aim to change that and shed light on a remarkable cigar.

Like much of the Definition portfolio, the 919 Maduro is a study in cigar aesthetics. The smooth wrapper glistens with an oily sheen. The garter-belt-like turquoise band is gorgeous. I admire the cigar for a couple of minutes before I even think about bringing it to my nose. Some people have made negative comments about the cloth bands in forums, but I love them, and they’re an innovation that provides visual differentiation in an industry crowded with small boutiques.

Smelling the wrapper and the foot, I detect… not much. A little molasses-like sweetness and a hint of cedar and teak. But I know from experience that how a wrapper smells is not a reliable indicator of how it will smoke. So I punch the cap and light up the cigar.

The cigar shows intention and clarity immediately. This is another Definition signature move. Their blends don’t waste time telling you what they’re about. From the start, I get toasted bread, light coffee, and cocoa powder. There’s not even a hint of black pepper, which surprises me given the amount of Nicaraguan leaf in the blend. The profile leans into maduro sweetness rather than black pepper. Some cigars begin meekly. This one begins with clarity and intent. At this point, there’s no obvious identity, but there is immediate structure, and that usually signals that a cigar won’t be messing around going forward.

Once the cigar settles about a half‑inch in, it feels like it’s planting a flag and, in a matter‑of‑fact tone, saying, “I’m a Maduro.” Quietly confident as it assembles its core: molasses, rich black coffee, dark sweet chocolate, and a red pepper spice that hovers in the background.

From there, the cigar starts moving with a quiet dignity — not meandering, just a steady sense of forward motion. Vanilla cream, maduro sweetness, floral notes, and light mineral touches appear in the foreground, and the smoke becomes creamy, creating a velvety smooth finish. Honeycomb candy joins in next, and the red pepper spice ticks up a notch to provide some extra lift. It’s all incredibly refined.

At this point, I had to stop and reflect on the cigar’s leaf stats superimposed over what I was experiencing early on. Based on them, experience tells me this should be a cigar with its elbows out, and the dark Maduro wrapper suggests a dense flavor profile driven by gravity. Instead of being dragged down, its motion is forward and uplifting. I’m not kidding when I say that the song Your Love Is Lifting Me Higher came to mind. The cigar isn’t complex at all. There’s a familiarity to it — not in a “been there, done that” way, but like walking down the street with an old friend and catching up.

It may sound a little foolish, but the metaphor that comes to mind at this stage is a Boy Scout — always cheerful and friendly, well‑behaved and disciplined, never coloring outside the lines.

I hit the halfway point at just over forty‑five minutes, and this is where an interesting transition occurs. I get a pleasant hit of strong black coffee. Strength and intensity ratchet up just short of medium+. The spice becomes more assertive and moves forward. The Maduro sweetness lingers but demurs. A dry minerality finally appears and attaches itself to the core. I feel the profile coiling, gathering itself, preparing for a release of some sort. Others may penalize the cigar for not being complex enough at this point, but there’s an internal energy that keeps me engaged and anticipating what’s to come.

Then, in the home stretch, the cigar finally uncoils. But it’s a smooth, refined motion, not abrupt or violent. A gorgeous hit of sweet cedar pops up, followed by baking spices. Malt, toasted hazelnut, oaky astringency, more floral notes, citrus, and toasted grain appear. Though the flavors come fast, there’s nothing aggressive about them, just composed, smooth release. And through it all, there’s not a hint of black pepper.

The red pepper and minerality stay put, though the red pepper makes another move forward in the core. The coffee turns slightly darker, and the chocolate becomes richer. The dry minerality finally decides to attach itself to the core rather than remain an afterthought.

I now rarely talk about burn lines and construction, and only if they affect the experience in a negative way. But the cigar only required a single correction at the halfway point, and the burn has been straight. Any waviness was self-corrected. I mention it here because it reinforces the inherent discipline of the cigar.

By the last couple of inches, the red pepper spice becomes the dominant component in the profile, but it isn’t overwhelming. The core remains intact and articulate, though it intensifies slightly. The Maduro sweetness darkens into a rich, thick molasses without becoming cloying. And to put a fine point on it, that sweetness has been a structural component of the core the entire time. It’s simply present — but you could never call this a sweet cigar.

The minerality asserts itself, and strength moves to medium+, almost full. Suddenly, the chocolate transforms into a thick, creamy milk chocolate. This is a Definition identity signal. It’s like the cigar is saying “Don’t forget who made me.” I love it! And as soon as it pops up, it wastes no time integrating into the core. This adds a luxurious creaminess to the entire profile.

Despite that thickening motion, even near the end, the cigar continues to be uplifting. That song is going to be stuck in my head all day! And that’s the blender’s intent right there: This is a cigar that lifts me up! I almost forgot to mention nicotine. What nicotine? At best, it’s a light touch. This is a great way to start the day.

As I get to the nub, there is no increase in strength. None. The cigar ends as smooth, refined, and as disciplined as it started.

The Definition 919 Maduro is a reminder that a cigar needn’t be complex to be compelling. If it has energy and moves with clarity and intent, it keeps me engaged from light‑up to the nub. I loved how the profile stayed uplifting through the progression and how it tied itself back to the Definition identity. In a smaller portfolio, this cigar would be a flagship. Here, it’s a hidden gem that deserves to be seen.

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¹ This is an educated guess, as Definition has, for the most part, kept the factories it works with a secret. But in my experience, when a boutique hides its factory relationships, it usually means they’re working with multiple small‑batch factories — a setup that makes consistency across a large portfolio extremely difficult to achieve. If this is the case with Definition and Jamond has still been able to maintain consistency across his brand, then that’s truly remarkable.