El-Septimo Cigars - The Brand History You Need To Know

The name El Septimo is relatively new in the world of cigars, but make no mistake, this newcomer has solidified its standing in luxury status through hard work and dedication to perfection. The main ingredient in El Septimo’s “secret sauce”? Close attention to the finer details that set a luxury cigar apart from even the most prized stogies.

There is an interesting story behind the name El Septimo, Latin for “the seventh”. In the Bible, according to the book of Genesis, God created heaven and earth, flora and fauna, the sun, the moon, stars, every kind of animal, sea creature and humanity all in six days. On the seventh day the Divine Creator took pause and rested. And what a mighty rest it must’ve been. Well-earned, well enjoyed.

It’s with that well-deserved rest in mind that El Septimo’s own creator came up with a cigar and luxury line that celebrates divine relaxation. The perfection in cigar, humidor and accessories is intrinsically tied to this rather recent brand is underscored by the brand’s mission; to produce a profoundly enjoyable smoking experience.

History of The Brand

Lofty Goals

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Inarguably, tradition has its place. Family traditions keep us grounded, apprised of family history and strengthen the familial bond. Religious ceremonies, patriotic events and entire monarchies have thrived on tradition. But there are times when the traditional ways need shaken up a bit. Tradition, in some instances, limits growth and evolution. Experiences become stale and boring. That’s precisely why the creators of El-Septimo decided to break out of the traditional mold cigar makers have long regarded as the only true way to produce an enjoyable smoke.

Around the beginning of this century the team at El Septimo decided to completely revamp the way luxury tobacco products were manufactured. After noticing the present day product promoted as a superior cigar was lackluster and a bit sub-par in flavor by so-called luxury standards, the quest for the best began. The team at El Septimo attributed the uninspired product to low-level manufacturing, poor quality control and a marked downturn in the raw materials obtained from Cuba. The need for retooling the process was clear.

Something needed to be done and this team was the one to do it. First, they needed to find the perfect tobacco leaf. Because of an overproduction of crops which contributed to depletion of the soil in popular growing areas, the team knew securing the perfect tobacco leaf would be difficult. But, excellent tobacco leaves make for excellent cigars, so the search was on!

Field trips to tobacco plantations, combined with years of research in the farming of tobacco led the team to one conclusion; it was imperative that El Septimo develop their own plantation from which to source their tobacco. After all, they were on a quest to produce the most epic cigar, and no one else could meet their lofty standards. As the saying goes, if you want something done right, do it yourself!

So, in the verdant and lush mountains of San Jose, Costa Rica, the El Septimo team found their Shangri-La. El Septimo discovered an ideal growing environment and the place that would be their own tobacco plantation.

Producing the Perfect Cigar

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Founded in France in the early 2000’s, the El Septimo company has since relocated their headquarters to Geneva, Switzerland. The luxury company takes great pride in exacting their approach to produce the perfect cigar. Their hands-on style and out-of-the (cigar) box innovation means their products only get better.

In 2019, the brand was acquired by Zaya Younan, CEO of the international investment firm, Younan Collection. Younan Collection specializes in facilitating the luxury lifestyle through hotels, golf courses wineries and resorts. It made sense that Younan would want to be involved in the production and distribution of El Septimo cigars and accessories. The brand is synonymous with luxury living, after all.

A Luxury Brand for A New Age of Cigar Connoisseurs

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Younan’s passion for the good life comes through in all he oversees. His company’s golf courses, resorts, restaurants, champagne and vineyards all offer unique and well-thought out products and experiences that speak to a new generation of those who know how to live well. The addition of the El Septimo brand underscores Zaya Younan’s attention to fine details.

In his own words (from an interview withTobaccoBusiness.com):

“My business philosophy has always been to be involved in a business that we can add value to and evolve,” Younan explains. “I would never get into an industry that is perfect because where can I add the value? We do things for our passion and not profitability. When you do things for the passion, profitability always arrives later. It always starts with a different way of thinking and a better way of work-ing to achieve superior results. The challenge is always execution, and everyone in the organization needs to adopt the idea that there is always a better way of doing things.”

With such a forward-thinking man at the helm, it’s no wonder that El Septimo is the brand for both a new crop of cigar aficionados and those who have come to recognize perfection.

Her Own Cigar

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As has already been demonstrated, the El Septimo team mastered thinking “outside the box” from the beginning. While El Septimo has a deep and abiding respect for the ages-old art of cigar-making, they have retooled the craft to meet the needs of the luxury client. In the same vein, El Septimo recognized the desire of women for a truly smokable cigar that appealed to their preferences.

In 2019 the Alexander Collection came to be. According to the people at El Septimo, “a line designed and blended exclusively for women, pairing perfectly with the unique sensations that women alone experience when tasting for the perfect cigar.”

El Septimo’s Alexandria Collection offers two distinctly flavorful products. The CoCo is a medium gauge cigar with a mild and mellow strength. It has a cedar-creamy flavor, floral burn and imparts notes of graham crackers, cocoa and brown sugar. The best-selling Marilyn has a slightly larger ring gauge for a slow burn and even draw. This buttery-textured stogie imparts flavors of coffee, nutmeg and molasses.

Re-Setting the Luxury Standard Through Cigars and Accessories

Several cigar brands, including the high end products, use parts and pieces of the tobacco leaf. The El Septimo approach is to use the entire leaf throughout the cigar, adding a fuller, richer flavor and a unique experience for the smoker. The fermentation process is nuanced by the addition of white rum and vegetable oil.

Depending on the length of time for the fermentation, your smoke will be extremely full bodied from the rum and the oil helps the smoker pull that flavor from the cigar. Your El Septimo cigar also has an appealing look to it, thanks to the addition of vegetable oil in the fermenting process. The entire line of El Septimo cigars offer a truly unique and thoroughly enjoyable smoke.

While the perfect cigar is the cornerstone of the El Septimo line, they’ve recently expanded to include some stunning accessory items. As one would expect from such a uniquely created cigar, the accessories-lighters, cutters, punchers-need to accommodate this premium product.

This includes lighters, punchers, cutters and cases, along with items that promote the El Septimo lifestyle: hats, backpacks, shirts and duffle bags. El Septimo’s accessories line offers practical pieces as well as collector’s items and heirloom-quality literal works of art.

What People Are Saying About El Septimo Cigars

Under the El Septimo flag there are roughly 40 different brands of cigars. Each one is made with the same dedication to perfection, but with specific and unique characteristics. Claims of perfection and luxury are all well and good, but the proof is in the smoking and the opinion of those who enjoy a good cigar. Here is a sampling of some of El Septimo’s reviews.

The Cigar Inspector on El Septimo Exception Black:

“The El Septimo Exception Black is my first Costa Rican cigar. I have enjoyed lots of Nicaraguan, developing rich flavors but I think Costa Rica can be the next cigar destination. The tobacco is clearly of a very high quality, properly aged and developing very smooth and elegant cigar. The exception black would be a great outdoor companion, well balanced, easy to enjoy for an hour and half.”

From the website Big Chief Cigar Review (bigchiefcigarreview.com)

“I really dug into this company. I searched the web, spoke to current fans, and even spoke with the minds behind this luxury brand. I find myself to be very good at obtaining a complete picture and reading people. My initial impression of El Septimo matches the result of my searching. Quality is of the upmost importance. They do things differently with production and manufacturing. They genuinely listen to their customers and will adjust for the better. You just get the feel that this is something special. I know I have used the word luxury and premium throughout this article, but it is very hard not to. The first impression or that gut feeling you get is generally the right one. I literally felt like when I was done my conversation I would get into my Ferrari and drive to my house in the Hamptons. While that part is definitely fantasy El Septimo is that small slice of luxury that anyone can obtain. Would I recommend you check them out and make a purchase? 100%!!”

Big Chief Review, thoughts on X-Trem Shot

“Finding the number one position is the 20 minute smoke that packs a punch. The flavor, burn time, and construction are amazing. I have always been a fan of the NUB sized cigars. This pushed that size to new heights while maintaining everything a full size cigar should have, minus the smoke time.”

From Charlie Minato of Halfwheel, review of the El Septimo Gilgamesh Collection Aqua Anu:

“Overall Score: 65- While this score is inevitably low, it probably would be lower if I wasn’t using a scoresheet that broke things down into thirds. The saving grace for the Aqua Anu was the first third. While it wasn’t great, the flavor was decent and the construction wasn’t atrocious. That cannot be said for the remaining parts of the cigar, which suffered from a combination of a number of issues, leading to an end result that is quite bad.”

Review of El Septimo Excepcion Light, Jay Lawrence, 99 Cigars:

“My roughly hour and a half spent with the Excepcion Light is something I’ll remember. What stays with me is the enticing aromas and the unique, overall essence of the flavor palette. This is a decadent and delicious cigar without exception (pun intended) that distances itself well, in every regard, from the current crop of rush-to-market Cuban offerings and even some of the best alternatives to come out of Central America.”

Reviews of The Alexandria Collection, from the El Septimo website:

Anthony Post – July 17, 2020

"I appreciate El Septimo thinking outside the traditional norms, and now so does my wife. She doesn’t usually enjoy smoking cigars with me and will have to refer to the cigarettes. For the first time I was able to share a cigar with my wife from beginning to end and it was something that I will appreciate for the rest of my life. My wife told me a week later she placed an order for a box of 10 and I have never been so surprised in my life! Thank you El Septimo!!!"

michaelgreenberg m– July 17, 2020

"Amazing cigar and so worth the price. I buy a box of 10 every 2 weeks and my wife and I both enjoy smoking the Marilyn together! It really has delicious flavors of nutmeg and coffee. I’ve been trying to get my wife to smoke cigars with me and nothing fits her preference, but finally she is hooked and will only smoke the El Septimo Marilyn. It has the perfect flavors and aromas, the right amount of strength, not too mild, and comes in 2 days in such beautiful packaging. Highly recommend."

Review of El Septimo’s Accessory Line, Big Chief Cigar Review:

“The accessory line is almost as broad as their cigars. Lighters, Limited Edition Lighters, Cigar Cutters, Humidors, Punches, and merchandise are all there. They also have cigar cases and ash trays in the works and coming soon. They have an item for every taste. My personal favorite is the Black and Gold Double-Jet Torch Flame Lighter and Puncher. They also have produced lighters made of solid gold and precious gemstones such as sapphire, ruby, and emerald. This is the high end. As for luxury and unique humidors they also have that covered. Again, they went with pure luxury making them with mother of pearl, tiger's eye, red jasper, amethyst, and other precious materials. There really isn't an accessory here that will not perform to the fullest potential and your highest expectations.”

Stunning Humidors Underscore El Septimo’s Commitment to Luxury

A collection of the perfect cigar deserves absolute perfection in a humidor and El Septimo delivers stunningly handsome humidors that preserve the integrity of your cigar collection. The El Septimo line boasts ornate, sleek and one-of-a-kind pieces that are of extreme quality.

By far the most exclusive humidor in their repertoire is the Presidential Collection. Recently released (September 2020) this is a collection of six humidors, each one crafted from precious stones with a combination of 18K gold or silver detailing. The Spanish cedar interior will hold up to 100 cigars, of course this depends on their size.

The superbly crafted humidors are made at the same undisclosed location in Italy where all of El Septimo’s accessories are hand-crafted. These exquisite pieces boast a built-in hygrometer of superior function, a travel case and a protective velvet covering.

Each precious sone humidor is uniquely stunning and designed to be heirloom pieces while conveying a particular story. The six options available are:

• Tiger’s Eye: Representing good luck

• Malachite: For protection from evil spirits

• Lapis Lazuli: Conveying harmony and friendship

• Mother of Pearl: Projecting a calm, serene energy

• Amethyst: Exemplifying wealth and power

• Red Jasper: Promoting physical and spiritual security and comfort

As Younan Collection CEO stated in a press release, “This project has been years in the making of meticulous planning. Each component of these humidors has been hand-crafted, paying great attention to detail on every individual piece and component that makes up these humidors. If something was not perfect, we started from scratch. We wanted to be sure that each of these humidors not only functioned perfectly, but that they also lasted for generations and told a deeper story – after-all, what better investment than a treasure for you and your next generation to remember you by?”

The El Septimo Luxury Accessories

For cigars with a 60 ring gauge, or higher, it is recommended that the El Septimo be punched rather than cut. The brand’s puncher is made specifically for the long filler tobacco leaves unique to the El Septimo brand. Of course the choice for cutter or puncher is a personal one and a hot topic of late among cigar aficionados. However, for a clean pull on such a luxury product, the puncher is the preferred choice.

When smoking the smaller gauge El Septimo a cutter preferred. Our line of hand-made, self sharpening double blade cutters offer elegance and precision. The ideal combination for discerning smokers. This stunning line of cutters makes a statement that you have arrived. Functional, practical and stylish the cutters are available in gold/silver, rose gold, rose gold/black or the classic El Septimo design in matte black.

Once you’ve cut, or punched, appropriately its time to warm your tobacco and prime your cigar. Any true cigar connoisseur understands you can’t rush the process, and the right lighter is key to keeping the flavor pure. The El Septimo line of lighters is available in a few different styles, to suit your lifestyle.

• Quadruple Lighter: sporty lighter with an adjustable flame and stand.
• Ergonomic-Grip Lighter: This easygoing lighter facilitates one handed use.
• Classic Double Jet: Sleek and stylish with a double jet torch cigar lighter and puncher. This lighter has an ultra-high temperature blue flame and retro-ignition lighter flint for say flint replacement.

Limited Edition Collector’s Lighter

El Septimo also offers limited edition luxury lighters, These gorgeous 18k lighters are exquisitely crafted and ornately decorated with precious stones, Emeralds, Rubies or Sapphires. Each lighter comes in a crocodile travel case, adorned with gold hardware and embellishments. The certificate of authentication attests to the rarity of production (1 out of 100). These lighters are truly luxury collectors’ pieces.

Ashtrays

While a luxury ashtray is not necessary to enjoy your perfect cigar, El Septimo’s line of ashtrays are statement pieces that reflect your ultimate fine taste. These elegant pieces are designed for maximum eye-appeal. The abstract design is elegant, colorful and anti-slip for use outdoors as well as inside your home or office.

Humidors

As you read above, El Septimo humidors are spectacular. These stunning pieces are available in acrylic, marble and most recently, pure stone. The museum-quality luxury humidors can accommodate 50-60 of your favorite El Septimo stogies, depending on their size. The humidors have removable trays for easy organization of your cigar collection.

Each El Septimo humidor is hand crafted with Spanish cedar interior. El Septimo humidors have a unique hygrometer and humidification system that will preserve the quality of your luxury cigars, keeping them at optimal humidity and temperature at all times.

Northwoods Humidors: Your El Septimo Source

Northwoods Humidors offers a wide selection of El Septimo luxury items. We are proud to carry the affordable acrylic humidor, the stunning trilogy collection and the jewel in El Septimo’s luxury line of humidors, the Presidential Collection.

We also offer the full line of El Septimo accessories, which consists of punchers, cutters, handy and thoroughly functional travel humidors, lighters, including the dramatically ornate Presidential lighters and ashtrays. Northwoods Humidors also carries El Septimo’s lifestyle accessories: hats, backpacks, shirts and even an artfully designed whiskey cigar glass.

As with all of our product lines, Northwoods Humidors provides you with our “personal touch” customer service. We will strive to help you find the ideal gift or product for your personal use. Our product knowledge is unmatched, and our discerning customer service is renown.

Whatever your needs, Northwoods Humidors is your source for all things related to your appreciation of cigars and the pause to enjoy them.