Stauffenberg Cigars: The Complete Guide, Reviews, Interview and the Story Behind the Brand

Stauffenberg Cigars is a Honduran-rooted premium brand founded by Maik Neubauer as a tribute to the resistance fighters of the Second World War. Every edition is rolled in Honduras, and the band across the range carries a single phrase: the heritage of courage. VDG Cigars has reviewed all three editions released so far and sat down with Maik Neubauer himself for an exclusive interview, making this the most complete Stauffenberg resource available in English.

1. The Brand: What Is Stauffenberg Cigars?

Stauffenberg Cigars was founded by Maik Neubauer to commemorate the resistance against the Third Reich during the Second World War. Maik explained the meaning behind the name directly:

“The brand is not intended to glorify the conspirators around Claus Graf von Stauffenberg who were involved in the Stauffenberg plot on Adolf Hitler on 20th July 1944, but rather to commemorate the general death-defying resistance against a cruel and totalitarian regime at that time. In addition to the well-known Stauffenberg assassination attempt, there were many other acts of resistance against the inhumane atrocities and power structures of the Third Reich. The Stauffenberg Cigars Brand should honour and remembrance the courage of all of these resistance fighters in the 2nd World War.”

What defines the brand:

Every cigar is produced locally in Honduras, a choice Maik ties directly to the pride local producers take in their own craftsmanship
The band across the range carries the phrase “the heritage of courage”
Three editions released so far: Edition 1 Pyramid, Edition 2 Robusto and Edition 3 Dark Toro, all built around Honduran tobacco
Currently sold through European retailers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland

The history behind the name reaches beyond the cigar world. Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg, the resistance officer whose surname the brand carries, was played by Tom Cruise in the 2008 film Valkyrie, a reminder of how widely known this history already is.

Read the full interview: Interview with Maik Neubauer from Stauffenberg Cigars

2. Who Is Maik Neubauer? The Founder’s Story

Maik Neubauer had been interested in cigars for more than 20 years before he created his own brand at age 56. The first Stauffenberg cigars reached Europe a year later, when he was 57.

Starting the Brand

Launching Stauffenberg Cigars was not the hardest part of Maik’s career. He had already established multiple companies before it. The real challenge was navigating the EU’s Track & Trace regulations and the varying import, tax warehouse and tobacco tax regimes across Europe, a process that took significant time and effort. Maik credits his existing network in the international cigar community for getting him through it.

What It Takes to Succeed

Maik’s view on succeeding in the cigar industry centers on trusted relationships: an experienced master blender, a factory partner you trust, and torcedores who care about the product. Beyond the tobacco itself, he points to packaging, labels and boxes as equally important to the finished product. That thinking is part of why he chose to produce everything locally in Honduras rather than split production across countries.

Family

Maik’s wife and three grown-up daughters have supported the project from the start, even though none of them smoke. He shared one detail that says a lot about the balance at home:

“My wife especially supports the project, on one condition: my cigar consumption must remain modest.”

His Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

“Don’t overthink the risks. Every business venture carries uncertainties. Trust your gut, build a strong network, learn the business quickly, and just go for it. There’s no perfect way, expect hurdles and tough decisions along the way.”

Read the full interview: Interview with Maik Neubauer from Stauffenberg Cigars

3. All 3 Reviews at a Glance

Cigar	Vitola	Body	Smoke Time	Price	Value
Edition 1 Pyramid	Pyramid 6×52	Full	~75 min	~€16.50	Where it should be
Edition 2 Robusto	Robusto 5×54	Full bordering on medium	~65 min	~€14.80	A little low in price
Edition 3 Dark Toro	Toro 6×54	Full	~70 min	~€18.90	Where it should be

4. Stauffenberg Edition 1 Pyramid Review

Stauffenberg Edition 1 Pyramid Review: A Honduran Puro With Full-Bodied Depth

The Edition 1 is a 6×52 Pyramid and a full Honduran puro: wrapper, binder and filler all grown in Honduras. At around 75 minutes it is the longest smoke of the three editions, and the review calls it a cigar that takes itself seriously.

Wrapper: Honduran | Binder: Honduran | Filler: Honduran Body: Full | Smoke time: ~75 minutes | Aftertaste: Walnuts

Construction: Firm and even, with a clean, well-formed pyramid taper and no soft spots before lighting.

Scent & Cold Draw: The wrapper carried a farmyard character, the foot gave hay and a light citrus. The cold draw brought a clean maltiness.

Tasting Notes

First half: Leather, cacao, a tanginess, hay, florality, general pepperiness and roasted nuts with a faint peanut nuance. Underneath, a light earthiness and a light, brightly roasted ground coffee bean. Retrohale: smooth, cedar and white pepper.

Second half: A dark woodiness, roasted nuts, hay, leather, earthiness, ground coffee beans and autumn leaves. Underneath, a light brown sugar sweetness, a light raisin and a light cacao. Retrohale: smooth, woodiness with a suggestion of cedar.

Draw: Excellent throughout, efficient and consistent across both halves.

Burn: Even and steady from start to finish, no touch-ups needed.

Price: Around €16.50 per cigar, €165 for a box of 10. Sold through European retailers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Verdict: A serious, full-bodied Honduran puro that opens with leather, cacao and a faint peanut nuttiness, then deepens into dark wood, coffee and a touch of brown sugar and raisin. Priced exactly where it should be for what it delivers.

Read the full Edition 1 Pyramid review

5. Stauffenberg Edition 2 Robusto Review

Stauffenberg cigars Edition 2 robusto cigar review

The Edition 2 is a 54 ring gauge, 5 inch Robusto and another Honduran puro, built around Honduran Criollo 98 with some blend detail undisclosed. The band carries the phrase “the heritage of courage,” a line that lands harder once you know the brand’s story.

Wrapper: Honduran Criollo 98 | Binder: Honduran (partly undisclosed) | Filler: Honduran (partly undisclosed) Body: Full bordering on medium | Smoke time: ~65 minutes | Aftertaste: Walnut

Construction: Extremely firm and evenly rolled, with a faint oily feel and no major veins or soft spots.

Scent & Cold Draw: The wrapper had a lighter scent reminiscent of hay, the filler a scent of farmyard and chocolate. The cold draw offered malt, nuts and chocolate.

Tasting Notes

First third: Nuttiness toward cashews, hay, general pepperiness, freshly picked herbs, coffee and a honey-like sweetness. Underneath, lighter shades of licorice and leather. Retrohale: a slight tickle, white pepper and wood.

Second third: Hay, nuts toward cashews and chestnut, dried herbs and a sugar-like sweetness. Underneath, lighter nuances of coffee, earthiness, general pepperiness and florality. The cashew and chestnut combination is unusual and gives this third its own distinct character. Retrohale: smoother, a lighter shade of wood.

Final third: Wood, leather, general nuttiness, florality, ground coffee beans, hay and a classic tobacco flavor, with no secondary background notes left by this point. Retrohale: still smooth, wood and hay.

Draw: Relaxing, neither loose nor tight.

Burn: Even from start to finish.

Price: Around €14.80 per cigar.

Verdict: A semi-complex cigar with a clear flavor shift between thirds, led by a distinctive cashew and chestnut note in the second third. The full body suits a more experienced smoker. A little low in price for what it delivers.

Read the full Edition 2 Robusto review

6. Stauffenberg Edition 3 Dark Toro Review

Stauffenberg Edition 3 Dark Toro Review: A Full-Bodied Honduran With a Corojo Wrapper

The Edition 3 is the darkest and boldest release in the lineup so far: a 6×54 Toro wrapped in Corojo over a Honduran Criollo 98 and Connecticut binder and filler. An extra gold ring at the foot signals the brand’s intent to present it as a step up.

Wrapper: Corojo | Binder: Honduran (Criollo 98 and Connecticut) | Filler: Honduran (Criollo 98 and Connecticut) Body: Full | Smoke time: ~70 minutes | Aftertaste: Walnuts

Construction: Firm and even, with a silky, smooth oiliness and no soft spots. The dark Corojo wrapper gives it a handsome, substantial look in hand.

Scent & Cold Draw: The wrapper carried a farmyard character and light hay, the foot offered hay and nuttiness.

Tasting Notes

First third: Cacao, a nuttiness with a light suggestion of cashew, a sweet woodiness and a light honey-like sweetness. Underneath, a light nutmeg, a light fruitiness and a light raisin. Retrohale: smooth, cedar.

Second third: A dark woodiness, a little charcoal, nutmeg and saltiness. Underneath, light roasted nuts, a light honey-like sweetness, light dried herbs, a light anise and a very light fruitiness. This is where the Dark in the name earns itself. Retrohale: smooth, woodiness with a light white pepper.

Final third: A general woodiness, coffee beans and nuttiness. Underneath, a light raisin, a light florality and a very light syrup-like sweetness. Retrohale: smooth, woodiness.

Draw: Excellent throughout, open and consistent across all three thirds.

Burn: Even and steady, no touch-ups needed.

Price: Around €18.90 per cigar. Sold through European retailers in Germany and Austria.

Verdict: A dark, full-bodied smoke with real depth: cacao and honey up front, charcoal and nutmeg through the middle, a smooth coffee-forward close. Priced exactly where it should be. This cigar was purchased independently, with no compensation received for the review.

Read the full Edition 3 Dark Toro review

7. Which Stauffenberg Should You Start With?

New to the brand Start with the Edition 2 Robusto. It’s the shortest smoke of the three at around 65 minutes, sits full bordering on medium rather than full throughout, and is the best value of the range.

Want the classic Stauffenberg experience The Edition 1 Pyramid is a complete Honduran puro, wrapper to filler, and the most serious, deliberate smoke of the three.

Want the darkest, boldest option The Edition 3 Dark Toro leans into dark chocolate, charcoal and espresso, and is built for a smoker who already knows they like weight and depth.

Exploring the collection systematically Follow the reviews in release order: Edition 1 Pyramid, then Edition 2 Robusto, then Edition 3 Dark Toro.

FAQ About Stauffenberg Cigars

Who founded Stauffenberg Cigars?

Maik Neubauer, who had been interested in cigars for more than 20 years before creating the brand at age 56. The first cigars reached Europe when he was 57.

Where are Stauffenberg cigars made?

Honduras. Maik Neubauer chose to produce everything locally there, tying the decision to the pride local producers take in their craftsmanship.

How many Stauffenberg editions are there?

Three so far: Edition 1 Pyramid, Edition 2 Robusto and Edition 3 Dark Toro, all reviewed on VDG Cigars.

Which Stauffenberg cigar should I try first?

For a first taste, the Edition 2 Robusto is the shortest smoke and the best value. For the fullest expression of the brand, the Edition 1 Pyramid is a complete Honduran puro.

If this post answered one question, there are dozens more worth exploring. Over the years on VDG Cigars, every major topic in the premium cigar world has been covered: beginner guides, storage, palate training, troubleshooting, pairing, brand deep-dives and original interviews with founders. It is all collected in one place: The Complete Cigar Guide: Everything You Need to Know About Premium Cigars.