The smoky reality of MJ-12 . . . cigars, that is.

MJ-12, or Majestic 12, is an alleged secret committee formed by president Harry Truman in 1947 to recover, investigate, and ultimately cover up crashed UFOs. The group’s existence is a hotly debated issue among UFO researchers. Some firmly believe in that MJ-12 is real, citing supposed government documents discussing MJ-12. This group is even a plot element in The X-Files. And, although I love The X-Files, I’ve never really bought into the MJ-12 story. But, years ago, I did discover something that proved to me that MJ-12 does exist . . . at least in cigar form.

I spent five years as one of the organizers of the world’s largest annual UFO conference–The International UFO Congress. And, for whatever reason, it was a tradition for some of the people involved with this conference to smoke cigars together at the event. So, back in 2015, as I was preparing for the conference, I started shopping online for cigars. I happened to notice a cigar named “MJ12.” I immediately thought, “How the hell have I never heard about these cigars?!?”

To my surprise, cigar company Illusione has been manufacturing MJ12 cigars since 2009. These Honduran cigars with all Nicaraguan ingredients are fat Toros, measuring six inches in length with a decently sized ring gauge of 54, and are highly rated by Cigar Aficionado.

I couldn’t help but buy a box of MJ12 cigars. I mean, the name alone makes them perfect for smoking at a UFO conference. And the packaging just multiplied their appeal. They come in a cool-looking wooden box adorned with mysterious, Illuminatiesque symbols. And each cigar is wrapped in a foil wrapper–a clever nod to the foil-like material recovered from the 1947 Roswell UFO crash. The company’s website also creatively embraces the MJ-12/government cover-up theme. The site is full of government documents that have been heavily redacted.

When I arrived at the International UFO Congress with my box of MJ12 cigars, I had to show them to my friend, legendary UFO researcher, Roswell expert, and MJ-12 proponent, the late Stanton Friedman. Stan got a kick out of these things. But he regrettably had to pass on the invitation to try one out, because he had recently suffered a heart attack, and he said his doctor would kill him if he smoked a cigar.

When cigar-smoking time arrived, I gathered friends and presented the box of MJ12s. But, unfortunately, this wooden conversation piece wound up being the most-enjoyed product of the evening. Now, with this group of friends being UFO researchers, enthusiasts, etc., I think the expectations may have been unreasonably high, given the theme and incredibly cool presentation. But the consensus was that the cigars were just ok.

In defense of the MJ12s, I thought they were perfectly fine cigars. There weren’t any wrapper cracks or foot damage. They burned evenly, and the draw was smooth. The flavor might have been a little lacking. But, overall, the MJ12s were a decent smoke. Their name and creative packaging alone add to the enjoyment factor for UFO enthusiasts and conspiracy theorists alike.

I was happy to discover the reality of MJ12 cigars. But I’m still not convinced about the existence of the Majestic 12 . . .