Cavalier Small Batch Salomon: Pre-Release Review

Cavalier Small Batch Salomon: A Pre-Release Review

I'm Gerard from Mardo Cigars, and I got to smoke the Cavalier Small Batch Salomon before it reaches shelves. My score: 93 points. That's my own rating from my own experience with the cigar, not a number from any outside publication. Here's what earned it, starting with something you notice before you ever light it.

Start With the Roll: a Salomon Is Hard to Make

Before I talk about flavor, I want to talk about craft. A Salomon is one of the toughest shapes a roller can make. It tapers at the head, swells through the body, and closes at the foot. Getting that shape right takes real skill at the bench, and plenty of Salomons come out soft in the middle or too tight at the tip. This one didn't. That's the first reason the Cavalier Small Batch Salomon impressed me.

Construction and First Impressions

The cigar feels dense and firm in the hand. I rolled it between my fingers looking for soft spots and found none. The wrapper is blemish free, which is not easy on a shape with this much curve to it. So the first impression is strong before you even clip it.

Then you light it. The draw was excellent from the very first puff. No tightness, no fighting it. It gave up ample smoke right away, which is exactly what you want on a figurado where the opening is narrow. Dense construction plus an open draw is a hard pairing to get right, and this one nailed it.

Cavalier Small Batch Salomon at a glance

How It Smokes: What I Tasted

Now the good part. The first thing I picked up was light hay, that clean and slightly dry note that tells you the tobacco has been handled well. Under it came buttery cashew, which is the flavor that stuck with me most. Then the creaminess rolled in, and it is rich rather than thin. As the cigar settled, I kept coming back to one word: crème brûlée. There is a toasted sweetness on top of all that cream that reminded me of the cracked sugar on the dessert.

If I had to sum the whole profile up in one word, I'd call it Cuban-esque. I want to be clear about what I mean. That's my personal impression of the flavor, nothing more. It is not a statement about where this cigar comes from or what is inside it. The blend and the origin are listed above. This is just how the profile read to my palate.

"Light hay, buttery cashew, rich creaminess, and that crème brûlée character. To me it read Cuban-esque, and I mean that purely as a flavor impression."— Gerard, Mardo Cigars

Full Body, Start to Finish

This is a full-bodied cigar. It has weight and depth to it, and it does not thin out. What I appreciated just as much is how steady it stayed. The flavors I found in the first third were still there in the last third. The burn held, the smoke output held, and the draw never closed up. Consistency like that across a seven-inch figurado is a genuine achievement, and it is a big part of why the Cavalier Small Batch Salomon scored where it did. If you enjoy full-bodied cigars, this one sits comfortably in that camp.

Where I Think It Could Still Go

Here's my one open question, and I mean it as a compliment. This cigar is already very good right now. I also believe it could become even more refined with additional time in the humidor. That's a hunch based on how the blend carries itself, not something I have tested and not a promise. If you pick some up, my suggestion is simple: smoke one fresh, then put a few away and revisit them later. For more on that, see our guide on how to age your cigars.

More Cavalier at Mardo

The Cavalier Small Batch Salomon is still pre-release, so there's no pricing or availability to share yet. In the meantime, here's what we carry from Cavalier Genève right now if you want to get to know the house.

Shop Cavalier Genève at Mardo

Cavalier GeneveCavalier Genève Small Batch Salomon 2026ViewCavalier GeneveCavalier Geneve Regional USA Exclusive RobustoViewCavalier GeneveCavalier Geneve Prospektor Limited Edition RobustoViewCavalier GeneveCavalier Geneve Regional USA Exclusive RobustoViewCavalier GeneveCavalier Geneve Tres Delincuentes Maduro RobustoView

The Verdict: 93 Points

So why 93? Because the Cavalier Small Batch Salomon does the hard things well. A demanding shape rolled cleanly. Dense construction that still draws beautifully. A full-bodied profile with real character, from light hay and buttery cashew through to that crème brûlée finish. And it holds all of that from light to nub. That's my score and my read on it, based on smoking it myself ahead of release. It's already an impressive cigar, and I think a little more age could sharpen it further. If Cavalier is new to you, our Cavalier Genève collection is a good place to start while we wait for this one.

Mardo Cigars sells premium tobacco products intended for adults 21 and older. Please enjoy responsibly.