Seven Years of Aging in a 42 Ring Gauge
The Line Grew 70 Percent, and the Tobacco Is the Reason
Here is the part worth knowing today. The Rojas KSG is already listed on our site with pricing, ahead of its early November arrival. And the production number tells you something: the previous KSG was made in a run of 1,000 boxes. This one is reported at 1,700.
That is a seventy percent jump in a limited edition, which almost never happens unless demand forced it. Noel Rojas is not guessing about whether people want small ring gauge cigars anymore, and the Rojas KSG is where he makes the point.
AT A GLANCE
- KSG stands for King of the Small Gauge — Noel Rojas's industry nickname.
- A proprietary hybrid broadleaf aged seven years is blended into the recipe.
- 6 1/2 × 42 Lonsdale, made at the Rojas Cigar Factory in Estelí.
- Reported at 1,700 boxes, subject to confirmation. Arriving early November 2026.
- $14.00 a cigar, $168.00 a box at Mardo.
Seven Years Is the Real Headline
Forget the limited edition label on the Rojas KSG for a second. The genuinely unusual thing in this cigar is a proprietary hybrid broadleaf that Rojas developed himself and then aged for seven years before using it.
Break that into its two parts, because both are rare. Developing a hybrid tobacco means working on a leaf over multiple growing seasons until it does what you want — that is agricultural work, not blending work, and most brands never attempt it. Then aging the result for seven years means paying to store tobacco for the better part of a decade before a single cigar gets rolled.
Rojas says that leaf is there to contribute sweetness, creaminess and depth. We are passing that along as his description, not as our tasting notes, because we have not smoked the Rojas KSG yet. What we can say is that broadleaf is a naturally dark, sweet, heavy leaf, and that time tends to round off the rough edges on exactly that kind of tobacco. If the leaf family is new to you, our maduro cigar guide is the place to start.
Why a 42 Ring Gauge Is a Deliberate Choice
This is the part we most want you to understand, because it is the whole philosophy behind the brand. A cigar's ring gauge changes the ratio of wrapper to filler, and that ratio changes what you taste.
On a 60 ring gauge there is a large volume of filler wrapped in a single thin leaf, so the filler blend does most of the talking and the wrapper becomes a supporting player. Drop to a 42 and that flips. There is far less filler inside, so proportionally the wrapper has much more influence on every puff. The Ecuadorian Habano on the Rojas KSG is not decoration — at this size it is a lead instrument.
The Rojas KSG is a Lonsdale, and a Lonsdale also burns differently. It is long and narrow, which means it runs cooler and slower per volume of tobacco and asks you to take your time. Rush a 42 and you will scorch it. Our guide on whether ring gauge matters covers the mechanics in full, and this cigar is a good argument for the case it makes.
Rojas KSG Limited Edition 2026 — the details
| Size | 6 1/2 × 42 Lonsdale |
|---|---|
| Wrapper | Ecuadorian Habano |
| Binder | Nicaraguan |
| Filler | Nicaraguan, plus a proprietary hybrid broadleaf aged seven years |
| Factory | Rojas Cigar Factory, Estelí, Nicaragua |
| Production | Reported 1,700 boxes, subject to confirmation |
| Release | Early November 2026 |
| Price at Mardo | $14.00 single · $168.00 box |
The Man They Call the King of the Small Gauge
The nickname behind the Rojas KSG is not brand copy. Noel Rojas is known across the industry as the King of Small Gauge Cigars, and the KSG line exists because of it. This is not the first one either — the series goes back several years, and there has been a KSG Lancero as well, so it is a recurring project rather than a one-off.
That history is worth weighing. A brand that keeps returning to 42 ring gauges in a market obsessed with 60s is making a choice that costs it sales, and doing it anyway. We respect that, and it is a big part of why we carry twenty-nine of his cigars.
The Presentation
The box leans into the name without apology: a wooden presentation box with Noel Rojas himself wearing a crown and a royal cloak, finished in black and gold, with red secondary bands on the cigars.
The Rojas KSG box is a joke and a statement at the same time. If the industry is going to call you a king, you may as well put a crown on the box. We would rather see that than another anonymous black-and-silver limited edition.
Mardo's take
- We are big believers that bigger does not always mean better, especially with ring gauge. Noel Rojas built his reputation on smaller-ring-gauge cigars, and this release is another example of why we respect his approach. What really catches our attention is the proprietary hybrid broadleaf aged seven years — that is not something you see every day, and we are curious how that aged leaf contributes to the sweetness and creaminess he describes.
- Is it worth chasing? If you already appreciate what a smaller format does for the wrapper, yes, and the 1,700-box run with a seven-year tobacco inside is a reasonable thing to want at fourteen dollars. If you only smoke 60s, this is the cigar we would use to change your mind, but buy one before you buy a box.
- Our real take: do not overlook smaller-ring-gauge cigars. Some of the most memorable smoking experiences come in smaller packages. We have not smoked this one yet, so there are no tasting notes from us until we do.
Get the Rojas KSG at Mardo
The listing is live at $14.00 per cigar and $168.00 per box, with arrival expected in early November. Follow the page for confirmed availability — on a run this size, allocation decides who gets one.
Noel RojasNoel Rojas KSG Limited Edition 2026See the KSG
And if you want to meet the brand before the limited edition lands, the regular Rojas lineup starts around nine dollars and gives you a fair read on how he blends. You will find all of it in our Noel Rojas collection.
Bigger is not better.
The Rojas KSG Limited Edition 2026 arrives early November at $14 a cigar. Browse the full Noel Rojas lineup at Mardo.
Browse Noel RojasMardo Cigars sells premium tobacco products intended for adults 21 and older. Please enjoy responsibly.
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