Borhani's Hoja XXO's -- I thought these were close-outs months ago, never to be found again. EVERYONE wanted them but couldn't find them. I know I was sick with jealousy over Coach's stash. Now they've popped back onto the scene. The bid description says they've been re-released. I thought everyone would be jumping on them, but LB of East Longmeadow seems to be bidding and winning just about every lot there is of these things. (And you know that means they're going for cheap!) I had a few of these about a year ago and they were excellent. Is there something I'm missing here? Are they the same cigar as before? Help me out, brothers!

I really liked the old XXO's. I didn't realize they were back. Probably just cashing in on the old XXO reputation. I'll have to try one of the new version.

I don't get it either. It may be like the La Luna LHB that were so damn good, then discontinued ... and now they're back exclusively at CI/CB.

What I want to know, is this Don Douglas guy in the Tabacalera Tambor factory the same guy who made them before?

I thought they were made by Tony Borhani ... or is Don a partner of Tony ...

Tony Baloney is just a name on the cigar, much like Rocky Patel. They get the cigar(s) made for them, then they go out and hawk it around. They don't actually make them themselves. Also, from screwing up relationships with factories, they have to find new places to make their product. Most of the time they use the line that they've moved to improve the cigar consistency, blah blah blah, but most times, it's because they left a ghost behind in a closet or they found someone to make it cheaper, thus increasing their profit margins with no regard to the quality of the cigar. I am not saying this is the case with the "re-released" XXO since I have not tried it yet. The Hoja XXO (original) was a cigar released by Hoja Cigars that had Tony Baloney's name on it, but was it made in the same Costa Rican factory as the old Bahia (and for that matter the old CAO L'Anniversaire lines)?

NOTE: "they" refers to brand owners in general. I am not attacking Tony Baloney or Rocky Patel here. --yes, there are exceptions to this scenario, so I am NOT saying "all".

I had sent an e-mail to Borhani a while back asking about these when they were closing out, and he phoned me personally to tell me they had stopped making them. I sent an e-mail a couple of weeks ago to get an update after seeing them reappear here but no response yet. I'll try e-mailing again.

The Hoja XXO is owned by a guy named Edward Nikka, who also owns Hoja Yellowband. Don Douglas is the cigar man down in the Tabacalera Tambor factory where the XXOs, among others, are made. Tony Borhani also happens to have his cigars made in that same factory. Other than that, there is now no connection between Bahia cigars and the Hoja XXO.

Is it the same cigar (blend, quality production, etc.)?
Amazing how they can come out with the same name and packaging as before if it is a different cigar. I think it was even called "Hoja XXO by Tony Borhani".

Whoa, I take back what I just said! I found an old catalogue with TB's XXO's -- the band IS different. "By Tony Borhani" used to be printed below the "XXO". On the new one this is omitted and I think "Maduro" is printed below in the black area. It appears to be the same blend. Same quality?

While the new XXO are not bad they do not compare to the "old" ones. And I also believed that Tony Borhani made the XXO's.