Tasting Note

The entire 601 series has gone through a few identities over the years. Different cigar manufacturers have made the cigar, different companies have distributed the brand and the labels have seen more than their share of design changes. The one constant has been brand owner Erik Espinosa, who is now with Espinosa Cigars. Today, Espinosa's 601 Red Label Habano has finally come into its own, made for Espinosa by A.J. Fernandez in Nicaragua. The 601 brand has always had a strong fan base due to Espinosa's ability to bring a heady, meticulously blended Nicaraguan cigar to the market at a very reasonable cost. (The cigar is one of four cigars on this list retailing for less than $8.) It's nutty, with a core of wood enlivened by tea, earth and honey.