Wrapper: Habano / Undisclosed
Binder: Undisclosed
Filler: Undisclosed
Size: Toro (6 x 52)
Strength: Medium → Medium-Plus (final inch; approaches Full at nub)
Body: Medium → Full (home stretch)
Price: $8.00 USD; $6.00 each with 3+1; $5.71 each with 10+4
Factory: Undisclosed, Estelí, Nicaragua
Blender: Undisclosed
Release: June 2026 (Regular Production)
Smoking Time: 1:20
Experience Rating: 96
As I mentioned previously, this is a line I’ve been excitedly anticipating since its announcement. Though technically a Pospiech brand, not Powstanie, you’ll see it listed as Powstanie on retailer sites and social media. But Pospiech is Powstanie’s parent company. Smoke This Trust Me was Pospiech’s answer to people going into a shop, seeing the prices, then buying in bulk online. Whether you buy these at a shop or online, the pricing is the same.
As for the Habano, I’ve smoked this and the Maduro. I love both, but there’s something about the Habano that hits just right with me. It’s subtly complex, with a palate that ranges from citrus and fruit to dark-roasted coffee, while roasted nuts, honey, and baking spices are interspersed throughout the profile.
It’s simply lovely.
Synopsis
Strength holds at medium through Settling In, rises modestly during Progression, remains level through Halfway and the Home Stretch, then climbs steadily from the Last Couple of Inches to close to full at the Nub. Body begins at medium, rises through Progression and Halfway, reaches full in the Home Stretch, and remains there. Activity builds from Ignition through Progression, holds steady at Halfway, peaks across the Home Stretch and Last Couple of Inches, then falls sharply through the Last Inch and Nub.
The wrapper is rustic, with plenty of veins and some natural blemishes. That doesn’t bother me because I know this is a budget stick. They’re not going to use blemish-free tobacco. But the skin is a light Colorado shade with a thin sheen of oils.
There’s not much aroma coming off the wrapper. It’s a little earthy, with some dry grass and a hint of tobacco. On the other hand, the foot is rich with stone fruit, citrus, and a little sourdough toast. It’s very inviting.
The cold draw presents bread and a little mineral bite. The draw is perfect.
The first puff is so incredibly satisfying, with a nice hit of cedar followed by the lightest touch of spice and a hint of sweetness. Light black coffee comes in a few puffs later, along with roasted almonds and peanuts. Black pepper arrives a couple of puffs after that and joins the core.
Strength and body are medium. It’s pretty light, but it’s expressive. Though the profile isn’t particularly complex right now, there’s a confidence about it. It stands up and makes a declaration like, “I’ve arrived!”
The cigar settles about ⅝-inch in. A background brown sugar sweetness forms on the finish, while cream comes in and forms the structural base along with the cedar, coffee, and black pepper.
Strength and body remain a solid medium. If this one smokes like the previous ones I’ve had, they’ll stay in that range for most of the smoke, though they’ll slowly creep up.
The retrohale is full of sweet bread, baking spices, and herbal notes. I feel like I stuck my nose in my spice drawer: nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, desert sage, and thyme.
Spice is light and seems to twinkle in the distance like a far-off star.
Getting further into the first half, the burn line is still dead straight, and any waviness corrects itself as the cigar rests.
A light citrus note appears, like the aftertaste of lemon juice, but it’s not puckering. A little lemon flower shows in the retrohale.
Damn, this is delicious!
Light wood notes of oak and hickory arrive, bringing a slight astringency to the finish that provides a nice contrast. I’ve learned that what makes a cigar appealing to me is contrast in the profile. It doesn’t have to be rife with different flavors, but there should be contrasting elements within the components.
Buttered, toasted bread arrives and seems to ground the profile a bit. It doesn’t add weight, but it plays against the citrus notes and the astringency of the wood.
I’m 15 minutes through the first inch and a half. These have consistently been one-hour to 1:20 smokes. It’s a great lounge cigar. You go in, grab one of these, and it won’t keep you planted on your ass for a couple of hours. Not that that’s a bad thing, but if your time is limited, this stick won’t tie you down.
As an aside, I did smoke one of my sticks in under an hour. It got a little harsh by the last couple of inches. Overall, it was still tasty, but the backend bitterness made me let it burn out before the last inch.
Cream thickens, pushing the body higher, while strength ticks up. The retrohale is lovely now, with honey, bread notes, cedar, and buttered popcorn.
The cool thing about this smoke is that it doesn’t present itself as complex, but when I look back on the progression, even at this early stage, the profile is complex and full of content. There’s just not much movement at this point, but that’s not a negative because there’s a nice accumulation of flavors.
I really love that confidence in the presentation. It blasts out of the gate with structure, then builds the profile from there. There’s real intention here.
Amazingly, spice still twinkles in the distance, though it slightly intensifies on the finish and pulls the profile upward as it sits on the roof of my mouth. The finish is long as the spice persists.
A light plum taste enters and finishes with plum peel.
As I hit the second third, different notes begin taking turns stepping forward: bread, wood, baking spices, herbal notes, roasted nuts, fruit, and honey. This isn’t quick movement. It’s smooth and deliberate, and not at all chaotic, almost like a carousel.
Through it all, the core stays firm.
The carousel of flavors continues at the halfway point. These shouldn’t be mistaken for full transitions where the nature of the profile changes. Its structure remains intact and simply shows different aspects of itself.
Spice doesn’t intensify, but it shows itself earlier with each puff. It starts on the roof of my mouth, then migrates to my tongue on the finish.
The smoke texture is becoming very creamy, pushing body closer to full. Even the retrohale is creamy. Strength is still moderate. That’s something I’ve loved about every one of these I’ve smoked thus far.
In the home stretch, wow! Transition time!
The carousel movement ceases, and the profile takes a darker turn. Darker baking spices appear in the form of cardamom and clove. The coffee darkens slightly, becoming dark-roast coffee, while black pepper intensifies and a distinct green peppercorn arrives. Cream thickens again, pushing body to full. Spice is still relatively tame, and strength hasn’t moved.
Wait! Even with the darker turn, the carousel begins again. Very nice!
Honey sweetness shows up on the finish now. It’s faint but unmistakable.
I’m now down to the last couple of inches. With the exception of one of the four sticks I’ve smoked thus far, which was poorly bunched, the burn line hasn’t needed correction other than a quick post-light touch-up. Great construction.
Every time I’ve smoked one of these, I’ve looked for the spice to intensify. It does ever so slightly, but instead of intensifying, it migrates. It’s now on my lips and the tip of my tongue.
The sweetness becomes more pronounced on the finish, while the carousel continues to turn, albeit a little slower.
The draw tightens a little, but not enough to warrant a poke. The profile is starting to concentrate. I wouldn’t necessarily call it compression, but it is ticking up strength a little.
The interesting thing about the movement thus far is that even though it’s been relatively slow, it’s been constant throughout the experience.
Wow! I just got served a bowl of salted, mixed nuts! Light salt, peanuts, hazelnut, cashew, almond, and Brazil nut.
Yowza! This wasn’t just a carousel movement. It suddenly appeared.
Ah-ha! In the last inch, spice has finally found a home and settles on the front half of my tongue. It still hasn’t intensified, but it’s planted firmly there and persists through each puff.
A touch of nicotine appears, and I feel myself getting a little mellow. It doesn’t change my perception of strength, which is still a solid medium-plus.
The carousel has slowed further, and wood and bread notes step forward, led by pronounced fresh-cut cedar and oak, then followed by fresh-baked, yeasty bread.
Now the profile compresses, driving strength a little over medium-plus. But the profile remains coherent and isn’t losing its structure. The compression slows activity in a significant way. Everything seems to be a little closer together.
Even with the compression, it’s not enough for me to let it burn out. It’s still wonderfully delicious, so I’m going to nub this sucker.
At the nub, the texture of the smoke is rich and creamy, coating my entire mouth with its goodness. Strength jumps close to full, and I’m swooning from it.
I have to take a drink of water.
There’s no further compression, yet the profile is still coherent. The carousel ride is over, and the profile is focused entirely on the core flavors of coffee, black pepper, and now deeply roasted nuts.
I ride it out until my lips start burning.
I’m hooked on this smoke.
This review stick was the fourth of the four I purchased through the manufacturer’s buy-three-get-one-free program. The program also offers buy ten, get four free. At the $8 single-stick price, the 3+1 deal brings the effective price down to $6 per cigar, while the 10+4 deal brings it down to $5.71.
What makes this program so interesting is that it’s standardized. The offers are printed directly on the retail display, making the program part of the product itself. As far as I can tell, there isn’t anything else like it in the industry.
It levels the playing field between brick-and-mortar shops and online retailers. You don’t have to walk into your local lounge, see the price, then go online for a better bulk deal. You can support the shop, smoke the cigar there, and still receive the same value.
I initially thought the program was limited to 3+1, but I’m going with 10+4 from now on. And yes, this is going on my Current Go-Tos list.
This cigar offers wonderful complexity at a bargain price. Along with the Paul Stulac Post Script, it’s a cigar I’ll reach for regularly.
I’m going to be smoking the shit out of these!
I’ve been buying these at Cigar Vault Oakdale. But you have to be explicit in how you order.
For the 3+1 deal, add 4 cigars to your cart, and one will show a $0 price. For the 10+4 deal, add 14, and four will show a $0 price. I initially added only 10 cigars for the 10+4, and the system applied the 3+1 deal twice and only discounted two cigars to $0. I called the shop and they clarified the ordering process. Great folks!
If Cigar Vault Oakdale is low on stock, the other place to look is Cigar Hustler, the Pospiech owners’ storefront. Unfortunately, they’re still working through glitches with their new website, and the deal doesn’t automatically apply on their website. I gave them a call, and they texted me back saying they’d honor the deal by manually entering the order, then send me a payment link. You just have to create an account. They have the complete line with all the vitolas. Their number is: (954) 547-5333
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