Every December brings its familiar rituals, but Festivus has always appealed to those who enjoy something a little off-center. Cigar Clowns embrace that spirit with their annual release, turning the holiday into an excuse for big flavor and bigger personality. For the fifth anniversary of the Festivus project, they deliver a cigar that leans fully into the brand’s playful, loud, and flavor-chasing identity.

True to form, the blend remains a mystery. The cigar arrives in a single 6" × 54 toro format, clad in a textured Colorado red wrapper with its origins kept under lock and key. Beneath it lies an undisclosed core that showcases what Cigar Clowns fans have come to expect: heavy smoke output, sharp construction, and a profile designed to grab attention from the first draw. Festivus has become an annual calling card for the brand, each release taking its own path but never straying far from the Clowns’ signature swagger.

Once lit, the 2025 Festivus cigar jumps straight into action. White pepper kicks things off, followed by baking spices, caramel kettle corn, and graham cracker. The profile deepens with dusty wood, roasted nuts, white chocolate, and a smooth sweetness reminiscent of butterscotch. Dense smoke, effortless draw, and full-flavored intensity round it out, making this edition one of those rare holiday traditions actually worth attending.

Wrapper: Colorado Red (Origin: Classified)

Binder: Undisclosed

Filler: Undisclosed

Size: 6"x 54 Toro

The Cold Draw :

The flavors are of plum, dark cherry, marionberry, pomolo, candied habenero chili, milk chocolate, cinnamon, and burlap

Flavors

1st :

Initial puffs from this cigar have notes of caramel, hot cocoa mix, marionberry, bosc pear, marshmallow, peat, white sage, black cardamon, myrrh, and toasted hazelnut.

2nd:

The second third brings more earthy notes, such as Jerusalem sage, rose hips, cedar, rye, wormwood, and eucalyptus. Notes of pomello and cranberry, along with marionberry, also develop with a letex-like finish.

3rd:

The last third has a spicier finish with notes of black cardamom and sage, along with sweet notes of burnt caramel, white pepper, cinnamon, graham cracker, and baked cranberry, vanillin, cedar, wheat, peat, and finishes with a milk cocoa like note.

The Draw :

I did a straight cut. The draw is constant and smooth, with no resistance, but I do purge a few times.

The Burn :

The burn is consistent and even with no need to be relit.

There is high smoke output from this cigar

The Appearance :

It was wrapped with a single label that changes every year, and this year’s shows a clown Santa in front of a glowing wreath.

The Cigar is a light brown redish color with no cracking or oily shine to it, and consistent in color.

Final Thoughts:

This is a mellow cigar with a lovely mouthfeel and well-developed complexity.

There is a significant, well-defined flavor that is really constant throughout, without distracting spice or harsh notes

Cigar Clowns - Festivus 2025