Double binders are not something that you encounter in the cigar world all that often. Not only do they add to the overall cost of the cigar, but because they typically contain two different tobacco strains, they can cause massive headaches for the master blender. 

Warped Cigars founder, Kyle Gellis, knows this all too well. In order to craft his latest regular-production premium cigar blend, Isla del Cocodrilo, he had to go through hell and high water to make the proverbial magic happen.

But with a significant amount of patience and a good bit of coin, the ever-creative mastermind behind one of the world's hottest boutique cigar brands eventually found the perfect combo. And today we're going to give it a shakedown.

Named after the old-world nickname for the shape of Cuba, as well as for the extremely rare reptiles that still inhabit the island, Isla del Cocodrilo has hit the cigar swamp with a splash since its launch in summer 2024. With its relatively unheard of Habano Deflorada wrapper, Habano 2000 and Arapiraca twin binders, and secretive Nicaraguan long-filler, this medium-powered new smoke from Warped seems ripe sinking one's teeth into on a sunny afternoon. So, let's get to it, shall we?

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Unlit Impressions 

I have long admired the way Warped Cigars produces its smokes, and this blend is unquestionably one of its finest looking. Forget the twin-headed crocodile encircling the band, which is indeed badass and surprisingly understated. No, it's that perfectly seamed, tanned khaki-colored wrapper, with its tight veins and oily sheen that I'm talking about. Fetching from any angle and smooth and soft under the thumb, this Deflorada leaf feels and smells splendid, with light leather, sandalwood, and sweet pine tar twisting about between touches of cream soda.

Sweet and subdued, the foot fills in with light cedar smells and dried pineapple, before finishing with a refreshing tropical aromatic that is part palm tree and part spicy, sun-grown tobacco leaf. 

Darker and sweeter yet is the cold draw, which I strongly suggest you take more than one of prior to light. Earthy, baking spice-loaded, and clean, this experience blends the basics of hardwood tannins with cedar, pine, and sandalwood in a single swift motion. 

Initial Smoke

Cinnamon and salt, along with a pitchfork-full of dry grass grip the senses at light, followed by wholegrain toast, mellow cedar smokiness, and some rainforest floor. Dry to the palate, but sweet upon retrohale, this starting section slips slowly by with a great draw and very little in regard to spice or heat. Retrohales contain only the slightest amount of heat, and the finish is clean and crisp.

1st Half   

As a near-perfect ash builds, things get chewier and sweeter, as well as intensely aromatic. This isn't an all-out cedar bomb, but it is close. Thanks in part to some star anise and clove, hints of smoky mesquite, and an increase in leathery, sun-grown tobacco tastes, the first third soars before settling into a slow glide.

Wholegrain toast returns near the center section of the six-inch barrel, and with it comes a dry finish and some cinnamon-grade spice, flavor, and heat. It's like a gourmet cinnamon-coated graham cracker, complete with a little bit of sea salt. A hefty spike in smoke production pulls the medium-bodied blend up by its bootstraps before sending it off into the next section.

2nd Half 

Who doesn't love the taste of barbecue hardwood smoke? While I detect more mesquite than hickory in this cigar, and little-to-none of the umami meat that is cooked with said fuel source, it's hard to tell at times due to how flavorful this blend gets in the second half. It's not just taste bud titillating either, but sweet too, almost to the point of being brown sugar syrupy at times.

To help balance this sweetness, the blend rolls out even more sod straight from Brazil and then gives it a volcanic ash-like finish that makes me think of the smell of wet clay. White and black pepper pack a punch or two here and there, but are deflected somewhat by the sappy cedar taste that refuses to call it quits. There is also a hint of a salty and sweet cinnamon graham cracker note somewhere in there that scores top points.

Everything about this blend thus far has been medium since light, with the finish becoming a touch longer the further down you puff. Retrohales remain clean and creamy, with little bits of vanilla baking spice hitting before the spicy side closes things out.

Parting Puffs

Anise and clove come to say goodbye once that band is removed, and man am I happy to see them. Cereal grain cigar flavor profiles seem to work extremely well with these two, along with the little bit of nutmeg I detect. Combined, all three make parting puffs on this stick pleasurable, especially with that sweet and salty cinnamon graham cracker taste. 

Spice and temperature did become an issue after a while, and with a belt of nicotine hitting, I knew that it was time to call it quits on this tasty reptile.

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

An amazing burn, along with a perfect cone and near ideal smoke production and texture at start could not shield this blend from its biggest flaw: Second half performance issues.

While the draw and smoke remained ideal for my personal smoking preferences, the heat felt from combustion, along with the need for two large touch-ups subtracted significant points from my overall assessment. The ash on my review cigar also started to flake a good bit and developed some dirty discoloration further down the barrel, with tunneling rearing its ugly head in parting puffs.

Final Thoughts  

Considering that the "tester cigar" that I smoked a couple of weeks prior to my review only required one touch-up, but also got hot, and the sample smoke I torched at PCA 2024 had similar performance issues, I can only assume that the dual binders are to blame for the performance problems I have encountered with this blend. This is a massive chip in the double-sided sword that is the dual binder, and why so many cigar manufacturers abstain from using them on the majority of their regular production smokes.

However, Isla del Cocodrilo still manages to claw its way out of the messy mire and left me feeling overly impressed with its overall presentation each time.  All the flavors I found seemed right at home in this blend, with the salty and sweet, wholegrain cinnamon graham cracker kick that came and went being its most magnificent moment. This was followed by all of the baking spices and rich soil notes, much of which was likely formed by those two very different binders inside. 

The cigar also looks and feels extremely good, and I found the aromatics emitted maximized the overall enjoyment I felt each time I smoked this stick. Perhaps I should snap another one up and see how it goes...

Flavor, Aroma & Transitions

Depth & Complexity

Construction, Burn & Physical Appeal

Backstory & Branding

Overall Balance & Repeatability

Stogie Specs

Cigar	Warped Cigars "Isla del Cocodrilo"
Wrapper	Habano Deflorada (Ecuador)
Binder	Habano 2000 (Ecuador) & Arapiraca (Brazil)
Filler	Nicaragua
Factory	Dominican Republic
Size	52 x 6" (Toro)
Strength	Medium
Pairing Drink	Homemade Pink Pineapple Citrus Soda
Rating	4.4/5