Today the cigar movement is once again in major fashion. The 90’s saw the decade really pick up with a new generation of real cigar aficionados and why not. The millennial roared with a new era for food and wine. Yet, tobacco amongst the most important crops in the history of the world; Honestly there is nothing like a great cigar. Just like wine and spirits, cigars are among the world’s greatest and necessary indulgences. Oh boy, do they go together well…
There will always be the controversy about cigars. It is an easy sin tax. But there is no denying the pleasure of a fine cigar. Whether after dinner, while fishing, golfing, at the BBQ, Beach, or just relaxing at the house or favorite watering hole.
I will be writing in a series of articles some of the basics that come to mind regarding the types of tobacco. In no certain order I will cover 4 types of cigars in four articles this is the first.
In this article we will talk some about Nicaraguan Tobacco, which is truly becoming ‘the’ place.
Nicaragua is one of the best Cigar tobacco producing countries in the world.
Nicaragua is located just south of Honduras and north of Costa Rica in Central America. Years ago the Nicaraguan cigar industry had seen many setbacks with uncooperative politics and catastrophic storms; the powers have their act together and Nicaragua is on a serious roll and hands down producing some of the world’s best cigars, period. The country has rich and fertile soils for growing tobacco and even has a volcanic island. It’s been known since the Cuban’s came over in the 1060’s.
Nicaraguan Cigar tobacco is very noticeable through its texture. The texture is pliable in nature. In that it is very unique in nature and quality. The Nicaraguan cigar tobacco has a weighty spice and it inot as sweet as cigar tobacco from Cameroon, Sumatra or Maduro of other countries.
In the Nicaraguan, there are 4 main regions which are growing the Cigar tobacco – Esteli, Jalapa, Condega and Ometempe.
Esteli : Estelí is the capital city of Nicaragua’s. Esteli has a black and fertile soil. Esteli produces a heavy spice, full aroma, body and full-flavored Cigar tobacco leaf. Esteli grows strongest of all Nicaraguan Cigar tobacco.
Jalapa : Jalapa has heavy with red clay soil. Jalapa produces a very smooth, elegant, and rich Cigar tobacco. On the Honduran border and really hard to get to; Jalapa produces beautiful wrappers also. The Jalapa Cigar tobacco is very flavorful, slightly sweeter and unique because of the rich and complex aromas. It is remindful of the rich tobacco from Cuba’s Vuelta Abajo.
Condega : Condega has rocky soil. Condega produces very oily and elastic Cigar tobacco leaves with rich colors that are excellent for wrappers. The area sees a lot of cloud cover and the tobacco is mostlt sun grown. The tobacco is not as strong as from Esteli; it produces the second strongest Cigar tobaccos in Nicaragua.
Ometempe : An Island off the coast of Nicaragua. Ometempe have natural minerals in soil, which make it unique because of the volcanoes and provide ideal conditions and atmosphere for Cigar tobacco plant growth. The Ometempe island cigar tobacco is described as producing a sweet and a distinctively earthy and spicy characteristic.
There is a diversity of cigar brands that come from Nicaragua and Nicaraguan cigars come in abundant shapes and sizes with a range of aromas flavors. They do well with Tawny Ports, Jerez Sherry, Madeira and Vin de Naturals not to mention a good Brandy or Scotch. Here are several to look Nicaraguan Cigars to look into…
•Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic
• Drew Estate
• Cupido
• Olivia
• Padron
• Plasencia
• Vegas de Tabacalera Esteli
• My Father
• Perdomo
