Captivating stogie backstories is one of the most applaudable (and often underappreciated) aspects of the premium cigar industry. The same can be said for branding, branding, packaging, and presentation. This is precisely why we have an entire rating system dedicated to backstories, branding, and all things marketing. It may not affect flavor or performance, but it definitely does add to the overall impression of a cigar and its desirability. And from the perspective of a potential customer, that matters a whole lot more than one might think.

So when I first heard the backstory behind the cigar known as "Devil's Hand" by Esteban Carreras, I knew that this was destined to be one of those cigars that comes with a mandatory bit of background info. And what a story it is, for the full name of this cigar, is "Taken From the Devil's Hand" which recently has changed to a more self-explanatory "Taken From the Dictator's Hand." 

For the sake of time, I've provided an abbreviated, "Cliff Notes" version below that was provided to us by Esteban Carreras founder, Craig Cunningham, during an interview at the TPE Trade Show in early 2024. 

• Come the early 1990s, the once mighty Cuban corojo tobacco strain had become prone to blight and Cuba's cigar future was in serious peril.
• Fidel Castro instructed his nation's top tobacco specialists to selectively source and test an immense array of corojo strains, reserving the hardiest and tastiest for future usage. 
• Several strains emerged that were indeed superior in every regard, but instead of handing these over to the government, many of these seeds were secretly smuggled out of the country, leaving Castro's regime with the crappiest corojo varietals in their stead.  
• Within a few years, Cuba's entire corojo revitalization operations collapsed, forcing the government to focus on entirely different tobacco strains.
• Meanwhile, over in Ecuador and Nicaragua, the choice corojo seeds that were taken from Cuba found new life.
• One of these strains evolved into the wrapper surrounding the cigar seen here and is befittingly named after the subterfuge that led to its newfound legacy. 

[Buy 5-Pack]

Unlit Impressions 

Now that we have your undivided attention, let's take a moment to admire that sinister-looking and rather lengthy cigar band that covers 90% of this stick. From the red ribbon footband and  Dante's Inferno-inspired charcoal flamed paper sleeve to the red, black, and gold secondary band, this blend looks the part even prelight.

Slide that sheath off (yes, everything save for the top/final band is designed to come off with a single pull), and you will be greeted by the sight of a darker, slightly mottled corojo wrapper. Discoloration concerns are voiced, take a sniffaroo and then stack on the cedar before hitting the barnyard, because by golly does this stick deliver!

Corojo kicks to the hood ornament tend to set one's nose hairs a-tingling, but that's just not the case with this blend. Maybe it's Esteban Carreras' obsession with perfecting the near impossible art of heavily fermenting corojo leaf, or just the strain itself, but I don't detect much in the way of pepper spice on the barrel of this blend.

What does show up, is all of the fig-like notes and sticky sugars from within the long-filler in the foot, which comes finished with some very opaque leaf deep inside its core. Cinnamon and vanilla, stronger sun-grown tobacco smells, and a whole lot of leather leak out with little effort, and are even easier to assess when cold-pulled. These cold draws are so profound, that I found myself struggling to light both sticks that were sent to me, as every tug tasted better than the last. 

Initial Smoke 

But eventually, combustion did have to occur, and dammit does this corojo clobber you with the softest pillow of smoke your senses could imagine. No bitter or sharp spiciness to overcome upon light, just rich, smooth, surprisingly mild sweet leather and rum raisin notes. Fig Newton bars too make it onto the tasting table here, but soon fade for something far richer.

1st Half   

This cigar is far darker than its appearances portray, and the flavor of a malted German beer bread that's been sweetened with molasses soon emerges.

Corojo flavors form on retrohale ahead of all others and are a familiar, refined trifecta of black/white/red pepper. Along with these notes comes oiled leather and a dark bed of freshly tilled garden soil. Constructed inside the constraints of raised garden bed walls built from a variety of different timbers, tastes of hardwood tannins and toasted cedar overcome the senses. This is especially notable in the first half-hour of the cigar. 

Changes near the centerline of the cigar are gradual, and the blend remains medium in every way, even when it suddenly shifts toward a tropical secondary note.

Coconut and malted milk mix together to make a most magical medley amid staggered stages of sweetness, as those classic corojo flavors add some spice and sun-grown funk to the mix. It's demonically delicious and does not scald the palate in any way.

2nd Half    

Cinnamon bun stickiness, complete with roasted pecans wrapped up inside and sprinkled atop tack on even more intrigue toward the last fifteen minutes of the second third. This taste drains into the final third, but becomes more of a caramel ice cream cone concoction at that point, and isn't the primary tasting point of the cigar flavor profile.

Corojo pepperiness produces more of a prickly sensation on the tongue here but somehow manages to push those leather and sun-grown flavors at you first.

Parting Puffs    

Cedar and stronger earth flavors form in parting puffs, but the cigar seems to steer clear of going full at any point. Corojo spice and peppercorn tasting notes can be found, but are still smooth enough to be appreciated for a handful of puffs before a chunk of char forces you to put the cigar down. 

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

Outstanding ash and a perfect burn line, accompanied by a beautiful little cone could not keep me from voicing my frustration over how tight the pull was on the review cigar I smoked. While the first one I sampled had a fairly fluid draw, it still required a bit of work to get the smoke rolling, and even then it was a touch tight for my tastes. 

On the bright side, neither cigar was something I would label as "plugged," and even the review stick continued to produce enough smoke to be enjoyed. Perhaps these issues were caused by the double binders inside, too tight of a bunch, or some combination of the two, but this annoyance definitely influenced my overall score.

Final Thoughts  

It never ceases to amaze me how something as silly as a tight draw or a band that does not come off cleanly can hamper, or even ruin, an entire cigar-smoking experience. Not only does it suck (no pun intended) to force your body to work harder than it should to gather smoke, but it also limits what you taste and smell via retrohale. 

This isn't me saying that this corojo does not deliver. In fact, it provides an impressive amount of flavors and aromas, both unlit and when ablaze. There's also a tantalizing touch of darkness and some very refined depth to this blend, especially in the second third and beyond, which can be best described as "delectable." Those tastes of cinnamon buns covered in pecan crumbles and caramel also kick a whole ton of ass, and I enjoyed the evenly distributed handfuls of earthiness and maltiness found within the entirety of the barrel as it burned. And oh my what an ash it formed too....

This is one of those unorthodox blends that some spicier corojo fans may not care for, as this cigar's sweeter, rounder medium cigar flavor profile is quite different than what has become known as "the norm." Meanwhile, all you hedonists out there may find it to be a fun little change-up from what you've come to expect in a corojo-wrapped cigar.

I feel that no matter your preference, the Devil's Hand by Esteban Carreras is going to be a recommendation that will get people talking. Especially when they hear about the backstory behind the name itself, and how it correlates to that clean and crisp corojo wrapper, and the dictator who got duped by his own employees.

Flavor, Aroma & Transitions

Depth & Complexity

Construction, Burn & Physical Appeal

Backstory & Branding

Overall Balance & Repeatability

Stogie Specs

Cigar	Esteban Carreras "Taken From the Devil's Hand"
Wrapper	Cuban Seed Corojo (Nicaragua)
Binder	Nicaragua (likely dual binders from Estelí & Jalapa)
Filler	Nicaragua
Factory	Nicaragua
Size	6" x 50 "Toro"
Strength	Medium
Pairing Drink	Homemade Pineapple Soda
Rating	4.3/5