COACHES CIGAR LOUNGE

August 2026 Cigar Locker

Three Cigars. Three Experiences. One Purpose.

Welcome to the August edition of the Coaches Cigar Lounge Cigar Locker.

This month, we’re giving you three distinctly different smoking experiences. Think of the lineup like building a championship team: every cigar has a role. One establishes the tone. One brings refinement and complexity. One gives you a smooth, composed finish.

Your August lineup:

1. THE FOUNDATION — Asylum 13 Ogre | 770

2. THE EXPERIENCE — Montecristo Espada | Quillon

3. THE FINISH — H. Upmann Sunrise | Churchill

Before you light them, spend a few minutes learning what is in your locker. Understanding the cigar—its construction, tobacco, flavor profile, and how to smoke it—can completely change the experience.

🏰 THE FOUNDATION

ASYLUM 13 OGRE — 770

The first thing you'll notice about the Asylum 13 Ogre is that this cigar does not look like everything else in the humidor.

Its distinctive barber-pole appearance comes from contrasting wrapper leaves spiraling around the cigar. That visual presentation isn't merely decoration—the different tobaccos can influence the flavor as the cigar burns.

And at 7 inches long with a massive 70-ring gauge, the Ogre 770 is built to command your attention.

What to expect

The Ogre generally delivers an earthy, spicy smoking experience with changing notes as you work through the cigar. Look for flavors such as:

Earth • Pepper • Cedar • Coffee • Natural sweetness

Don't worry about identifying every flavor.

Instead, ask yourself a simpler question:

What changed from the first third to the final third?

That's one of the best ways to begin developing your palate.

Coach's Smoking Tip

With a 70-ring-gauge cigar, slow down.

There is a tremendous amount of tobacco burning at once. Puffing too frequently can overheat the cigar and turn otherwise enjoyable flavors harsh or bitter.

Give it time between draws.

THE LESSON:
Big cigar. Big personality. Control the tempo.

⭐ THE EXPERIENCE

MONTECRISTO ESPADA — QUILLON

Size: 7" × 56

The Montecristo Espada takes us in a different direction.

Montecristo is one of the most recognizable names in the cigar world, and Espada was created as a Nicaraguan-focused expression within the brand.

This is where I want our members to begin paying attention to something beyond simply whether a cigar is "strong" or "mild."

Pay attention to complexity.

A good cigar can change throughout the smoking experience. Something you taste during the first 15 minutes may disappear and then be replaced by another flavor later.

What to expect

As you smoke the Espada, look for combinations along the lines of:

Cedar • Earth • Pepper • Coffee • Nuts • Subtle sweetness

The Quillon's larger format gives the tobacco plenty of room to develop.

Try this experiment

After lighting the cigar, take your time through the first inch.

Then ask yourself:

Is the cigar stronger—or simply more flavorful—than when I started?

Those aren't always the same thing.

Learning that distinction is an important step in understanding premium cigars.

THE LESSON:
Don't just experience the cigar. Study how the experience changes.

👑 THE FINISH

H. UPMANN SUNRISE — CHURCHILL

Size: 7" × 50

5

We finish August with the H. Upmann Sunrise Churchill.

The Churchill format—7 inches × 50—is one of the classic cigar sizes. Compared with the massive Ogre, the narrower ring gauge creates a different relationship between wrapper and filler tobaccos.

That makes this an excellent cigar for comparing how size and construction affect flavor.

What to expect

Approach the Sunrise looking for a smoother, balanced profile with flavors that may include:

Cedar • Cream • Toasted nuts • Coffee • Gentle spice • Natural sweetness

This is a cigar to relax with rather than rush.

The Churchill format gives the blend time to develop gradually, making it an excellent choice when you have enough time to enjoy the entire experience.

Coach's Smoking Tip

Don't judge a cigar after five minutes.

Premium cigars are blended to evolve.

Think in thirds:

First Third — Introduction
What flavors show up immediately?

Second Third — Development
What changes?

Final Third — Finish
What flavors remain?

THE LESSON:
Patience allows complexity to reveal itself.

🥃 THE AUGUST CHALLENGE

This month, I want you to do something different.

Don't simply decide which cigar you like best. Decide WHY.

When you've smoked all three, compare them based on four things:

Category Ogre Espada Sunrise

Strength ___ / 5 ___ / 5 ___ / 5

Flavor ___ / 5 ___ / 5 ___ / 5

Construction ___ / 5 ___ / 5 ___ / 5

Overall Experience___ / 5 ___ / 5 ___ / 5

Then answer one final question:

Which cigar deserves to be in your humidor?

That's how you begin discovering your palate, rather than simply buying cigars because someone else told you they were good.

COACHES’ CORNER

There is a difference between smoking a cigar and experiencing a cigar.

Anybody can light one.

The experience comes from slowing down enough to understand the craftsmanship, the tobacco, the construction, the history and the changes happening during the smoke.

That's what we're building with Coaches Cigar Lounge.

Not just a cigar subscription.

A cigar education and an experience.

Enjoy the August locker.

And remember:

**DON'T JUST SMOKE THE CIGAR.

*LEARN THE CIGAR.

— Coach Malone
Coaches Cigar Lounge