Swinger Cigar Company first announced an intention to launch in March of 2014. The launch party was officially at the C.A.T.S. Fest 2 in San Antonio the weekend of May 30th, 2014. I was fortunate enough to be able to attend.

The cigar was a collaboration between managing partner Ryan Gallimore, and John Carone, the owner of Don Yeyo Cigar Factor.... The blend itself was under master blender Luis Cuevas of the Tabacalera Las Lavas factory in the Dominican Republic.They currently offer a Front 9 with a Connecticut wrapper, and a Back 9 with a Brazilain corojo wrapper.

The Back 9 is available in 3 vitolas; Par 3, Par 4 and Par 5. The Par 3 is a robuto 5 1/2” x 52 ring gauge. The Par 4 is a gordo 6” x 60 ring gauge. The Par 5 is a churchill 7” x 54 ring gauge.

Swinger Cigar Company Back 9 Par 3

Vitola: Robusto

Size: 5 1/2” x 52 gauge

Wrapper: Brazilian Corojo

Binder: Unknown

Filler: Dominican Republic, Brazil, Nicaragua, Honduras, Ecuador

Cigars Smoked for this Review: One per Reviewer

Price Point: Unavailable at time of review

Cigar Purchased: Manufacturer’s sample

Quick Note: For this review we used Logan’s rating system. You can view it in detail here.

Overall Cigar Federation Average Review: 80 AKA “If I had them”

John’s Review – 79 AKA "Moochin' Buddies"

I was able to pick up quite a bit on the nose. Hay, cedar, sweet aromatic tobacco and background of cinnamon. The cold draw was extremely tight with a single v-cut so I opted for an x-cut.

The first third was quite light with not a lot of complexity. I was able to get a little bit of pepper on the retro-hale.

The flavors develop with some wood with a slight amount of earth in the middle third and end up closing out the final third without much change.

If you're a fan of Dominican Republic origin cigars you're probably going to enjoy this blend. It's quite light and subtle which is also ideal for new smokers. I personally tend towards more full bodied cigars and I didn't find that the Back 9 evolved into a flavor wheel that I prefer.

Dustin’s Review – 87 AKA “5 Pack”

First third was bready, and had a heavy roasted nut flavor. The texture of the draw reminded me of cotton candy minus heavy sugar, chalky in nature. I picked up a dark roasted pablano pepper flavor in the middle third, along with the nuts. The final third became very mild, with the light spices and nuts lingering on the finish. I think a pair of the right liquor would open this cigar up.

This is a classic Dominican cigar in the medium range with good flavor and the construction was excellent. I do think Nicaraguan fans will not find much in the Back Nine. I am very interested to try the Connecticut now.

Tyler’s Review – 76 AKA “Moochin’ Buddies”

I smoked two of these for this review. The first one had major burn issues and trouble staying lit. I ended the experience at the half way point as the cigar was not salvageable. Below is the review from the second cigar I smoked a few days later.

Pre-light draw reveals a decent amount of resistance. There are no major flaws in the wrapper and the cigar seems well constructed.

The first third starts off with sweet tobacco tastes. A general woodiness joins the mix as do cedar undertones. The burn needs a slight touch up but nothing like the cigar before. This is a fairly mild cigar and it is hard to pick up on any more flavors at this point.

Into the second third the same mild woodiness continues. Hints of leather and earth pop up from time to time but are very faint.

Into the final third there are no changes in the flavor. I let it go out half way through as it starts to get bitter.

Overall, this was an average cigar. A step down from what I normally smoke but a step up from a dog rocket. I think it would be a good choice for times when you do not want to pay attention to complex flavors, what some would call a yardgar. It rates 76 out of 100, meaning I would save them for my mooching buddies. It would have received a 79-80 rating but the first cigar had too many issues so the consistency is not there.

Rob’s Review – 79 “Moochin' Buddies”

The tagline for Swinger Cigars is, “A Good Smoke for All Your Strokes” and their two initial releases are called Front 9 and Back 9. In other words, the golf theme is laid on pretty thick. For this review I smoked the Back 9, which features a Brazilian Corojo wrapper. The Brazilian Corojo is a not an exceptionally common wrapper, so I was intrigued.

Flavor: This cigar underwhelmed me. There was a “thin” quality to the flavor and smoke that left me wanting. I found mild notes of nuts and cedar up front and a nice black tea note on the finish. The profile was a bit weak, but very smooth.

Strength: The Back 9 was an exceptionally mild cigar.

Recommendation: I don’t see myself revisiting the Back 9. I’m a golfer and I really want to like these cigars, but the Back 9 came up short. I can see these being successful as a 2-pack sold at the Pro Shop at your local golf course. They are perfect for the guy who rarely smokes, but wants a cigar for his round.