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| REAL JOYAS, THESE NICARAGUAS |
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Page 1 of 2  Tasting and grading four blends from the Joya de Nicaragua linesLos Angeles, March 28 – “Joya” means “jewel” in Spanish and Joya de Nicaragua – the “Jewel of Nicaragua” – has become one of the hottest brands in the U.S. With the news that the Joya de Nicaragua brand would be distributed by the innovative Drew Estate company beginning in late April, it seemed appropriate to check out the more popular blends of this line and see – once again – what all the fuss is about. Although now firmly entrenched as one of the three key cigar-making nations for the U.S. market, Nicaraguan cigars are a relatively recent development. The pioneers began producing Joya de Nicaragua only forty years ago, in 1968 and the brand – and cigar making in that country – has endured seemingly endless upheavals dealing with political instability. Today, however, Nicaraguan cigars have never been more popular, with a record 69.2 million exported to the U.S. in 2007. The current Joya de Nicaragua brand includes four major lines: Joya de Nicaragua, Joya de Nicaragua Antano 1970, Joya de Nicaragua Celebracion and Joya de Nicaragua Serie C. We decided to review the top-seller, the Antano 1970 and the special Gran Reserva line from that blend, the Celebracion and the Serie C. We liked what we found: Joya de Nicaragua Antano 1970: [Nicaragua: available in 9 sizes] After the Joya de Nicaragua line was re-introduced to the U.S. market around 1996 following the political troubles in Nicaragua, the move to full-bodied cigars was already underway. The introduction of the Joya de Nicaragua Antano 1970 line in 2002 established the brand was one of the leaders in full-bodied and full-flavored cigars on the American market. Made up of all Nicaraguan-grown tobaccos, the Antano 1970 has a spicy aroma and a nice, full-bodied presence that fills the mouth. There’s plenty of power here, but also a sweetness and a light, caramelized taste that supported by an undertone of spicy and a sweet and spicy finish. Six of the nine shapes are of 50 ring and above and the line features two monsters that are 60 ring: the 4 3/4-inch Gran Consul torpedo and the 6-inch by 60-ring Magnum 660. Both of these cigars are remarkably well balanced for being so thick, a considerable achievement. The flavor continues in a creamy style into the second half with a spiced finish and a peppery note towards the end. It’s well balanced and retains your interest throughout. At quite reasonable retail prices of $3.95 to $7.50 per cigar before local tobacco and sales taxes, you’ll likely be interested enough to buy these cigars in fill boxes of 20. Overall grade: A-: Excellent. Joya de Nicaragua Antano 1970 – Gran Reserva series: [Nicaragua: available in 3 sizes] Only the top five percent of all Nicaraguan-grown, Habana Criollo wrappers are supposed to be used for the Gran Reserva line, which creates a distinct personality for this segment of the Antano 1970 brand. |
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Did you know?
“A record for U.S. cigar consumption was set in 1965 after the Surgeon General's warning about cigarettes in 1964.
