Oscar Valladares is renowned within the cigar industry for masterfully crafting blends providing rich flavour, outstanding quality, and affordability. Oscar started in 2012 with his first release named after that same year.

The original 2012 release features Mayan-inspired artwork on the box and band, as 2012 is the year the Mayan calendar predicted the end of the world; this theme has continued with each release in the 2012 line.

The 2012 by Oscar Barber Pole is bold and box-pressed. It uses Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers, Honduran binder, and wrapper leaf composed of dark Mexican San Andres and Candela intertwined. The result is a flavour complexity with spice, earth, toast, nuts, and sweetness notes.