Joya de Nicaragua Classico claro robusto

[Don Fernando]

This 5x50 robusto with the Connecticut shade wrapper comes from the oldest cigar factory in Nicaragua, Joya de Nicaragua, which is famous for its Antano series, which used to be the strongest cigars in the world. About a year ago they started to cooperate with Drew Estate, but this Classico Claro blend is an old blend where Drew Estate had no involvement in. The cigar is new to the Dutch market and has a 3 euro price tag.



The wrapper has a pale yellow wrapper with color differences, lots of small veins and a small band which color-wise doesn’t match the cigar. The smell is of straw, but strong and musty. The construction is a bit soft. The predraw is fine with a spicy but musty flavour.



I taste an earthy flavour and lots of musty straw with a spicy aftertaste. On the background I also taste some sweetness. There is also a mild bitter flavour on the back of my throat. After half an inch I taste some pepper too, the flavors are still musty. After that I taste a sugar sweet and musty wood with some herbs and some straw.



Halfway I taste a light milk chocolate flavour on the background. The cigar gets less musty and a bit more spicy on the tongue. The chocolate seems to disappear pretty quickly again. After two thirds I taste wood, herbs and a hint of cinnamon, the flavors are mild spicy. Near the end I taste red pepper and the cigar gets really spicy



This cigar lasted me for an hour and twenty minutes. I got plenty of smoke, which started out thin but got thick quickly. The smoke is beautiful white. The light colored ash is coarse and not very firm. The burn is great. This cigar is medium to full flavoured and medium bodied.



Would I buy this cigar again? No I wouldn’t. This ain’t a bad cigar but I just don’t like Connecticut shade

Appearance: 6 / 10
Construction: 7 / 10
Draw: 7 / 10
Burn: 8 / 10
Smoke & ash: 7 / 10
Aroma first part: 6 / 10
Aroma second part: 6 / 10
Aroma third part: 7 / 10