Principle Cigars Aviator Series Vainqueur

The Aviator Series is the cigar that put Principle Cigars on the map, and the Vainqueur sits near the top of the lineup. It’s a 6.5 x 56 Toro Gordo rolled at the Kelner Boutique Factory in the Dominican Republic, and it carries an air of quiet confidence the moment you pick it up. The art-deco winged band sets the tone — this is a cigar with a story to tell.

Origin & Maker

Principle Cigars is the project of founder Darren Cioffi, but the blend’s roots run a little deeper. The original Aviator — the Envoi — was developed by Hendrik Kelner Jr. for his own personal enjoyment before Cioffi brought him into the line. Rolling happens at the Kelner Boutique Factory, a small Dominican operation run by Klaas Pieter Kelner. That family connection runs through every stick in the series.

Each vitola in the line carries a French name tied to flight — Espoir, Envoi, Cochon Volant, Vainqueur — and the metallic winged aviator on every band is one of the more distinctive looks you’ll find in a humidor full of generic labels.

The Blend

The Vainqueur uses an Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper over a Dominican binder, with a filler that pulls from three countries — Dominican, Nicaraguan, and a measure of USA tobacco. The Corojo brings the deep, oily color you see in the photo and a flavor profile that leans sweet and warm-spiced without tipping into heavy territory. Construction is even, draw is effortless, and the smoke is dense and creamy from the first light to the final third.

Tasting Notes

What separates the Aviator line from a lot of Corojo-wrapped cigars is the philosophy behind it. Cioffi has talked about wanting smokes that favor elegance over force — cigars that are polished, balanced, and carefully layered rather than blunt. The Vainqueur delivers on that. The cold draw opens with sweet floral and cedar. The first light brings dense, creamy smoke with mild white pepper on the nose. Around the halfway mark, pinewood and cashew show up, with a tart green-apple quality on the finish that keeps the profile lively.

Body sits at medium with full flavor — complex enough for a long evening, restrained enough to pair with coffee or bourbon rather than fight one. The 90-minute runtime gives every note room to develop, and the cigar stays interesting from cap to nub.

What Makes It Stand Out

The Hendrik Kelner Jr. origin story alone makes the line worth knowing about, but the real trick is the wrapper-to-body balance. A lot of Corojo cigars swing full and lose nuance. The Vainqueur threads the needle — rich enough to satisfy a fan of dark wrappers, lifted enough to keep the palate engaged. It’s a cigar a shop regular comes back for, and the kind that earns its place behind the counter at Ole’ Grapevine Cigar & Tobacco in all three DFW locations.