I'm guessing Pete Johnson. Close ties to NHC, La Casita Criolla (broadleaf cigar), box looks Tatuaje to me too.
It's not Pete, Dan has said that already.
Those "Donkey Droppings" tasted nothing like any Viaje I have ever smoked....They tasted more like a watered down Illusione to me.
These look, sound, and remind me of the Cro Magnon line, which I think are excellent smokes btw. I will definitely be checking these out when they drop.
I never smoked a "Donkey Dropping," but most seem to think they are Viaje (and I could see Viajes in general being called "watered-down Illusiones," lol.
But the Cro Magnon line is what I thought of as well while I was reading this review here and elsewhere. I love the CroMags and these Surrogates sound right up my alley as well.
Based
purely on what I've read, I'd guess these are made at Tobacalera Tropical or Raices.
I will say this, though:
The name is "Surrogate," so think about what that word means, and check out the vitola names, and then look at the bands for these cigars. It's tough to do that an not wonder if this is an unofficial regular release of a Viaje S&B blend, or something very similar. Dan sells Viaje, and I'd think Andre would be pissed at these band designs/vitola names if he had nothing to do with it. But who knows. Cromagnon has a skull as it's moniker, and nobody claims that's a S&B rip.
At any rate, I plan to get a few to try, because I'm always looking for tasty uber-bodied cigars, like the Cromagnons.