El Septimo Culinary Art

The cigars from El Septimo first became known for their rarity and rather ambitious prices. In line with our commitment to offering our customers the widest possible range, we started importing the first cigars from this premium brand from Costa Rica ourselves back in 2018. Since 2019, the US-Armenian real estate entrepreneur Zaya Younan has been responsible for this originally French cigar brand, which is produced in Costa Rica. It was founded back in 2005 by French cigar dealer Gilles Botquin and was, therefore, almost exclusively available in Europe.

El Septimo Cigars: Luxury from Costa Rica for Connoisseurs

Zaya Younan is determined to change this and "break into" the US cigar market as well. In 2021, for example, he brought on board Chip Goldeen, the former head of sales for Ashton Cigars, whose vast experience and wide-ranging connections are expected to elevate these cigars from Costa Rica to new heights. Zaya sees the cigars from El Septimo as a sleeping giant that will enrich the world of premium cigars.

To this end, he has also launched the very affordable cigars of the Culinary Art series, by comparison. All four formats are named after wine-growing regions, another area of the family’s business, as they own several vineyards in France. Wine enthusiasts will recognize the inspiration with ease: Rioja is named after the region in southern Spain, while Nigori is named after a sweet Japanese sake. Toscana is named after the region in Italy, and Bordeaux is certainly self-explanatory.

Flavors in the Test: Culinary Art Cigars by El Septimo

All the tobaccos used are identical, with only the ratio of the individual components varying, resulting in subtle differences in flavor. The wrapper is an Ecuadorian Connecticut, covering an Ecuadorian H-2000 binder and fillers from Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Nicaragua. The company states that all tobaccos are aged for at least five years.

Personally, I found the El Septimo Culinary Art Bordeaux to be a bit too large; these 6x60 formats just aren’t my thing. For my second test cigar, I’m currently enjoying the Toscana as I write this article; I’m getting along quite well with this mild and harmonious cigar. In the cold draw, there are clear cocoa notes, and in the smoke, it's slightly woody, perhaps even a bit herbal—all without a trace of pepper or spice. These cigars are certainly not a flavor bomb for the more experienced aficionado at the end of the evening, but as a mild cigar during the day or in the evening for lovers of milder cigars, they are perfectly suited.