Joya De Nicaragua

The Joya de Nicaragua Número Uno L’Ambassadeur is made in Nicaragua by Joya de Nicaragua. Joya de Nicaragua, S.A., established in 1968, is the oldest brand of cigars made in Nicaragua. The Número Uno L’Ambassadeur was previously unavailable for public consumption, rumored to only be blended and presented as a diplomatic gift to visiting dignitaries and heads of state.

Blend Specifics

• Cigar Reviewed: Joya de Nicaragua Número Uno L’Ambassadeur
• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua
• Size: 6 5/8 x 44

Blind Review: Joya de Nicaragua Número Uno L’Ambassadeur

Appearance & Construction

The cigar is a traditional panatella size with a good weight. The body feels decently packed. The wrapper is silky smooth and caramel in color. The body and foot of the cigar have a pleasant sweet cedar aroma. The cigar is double capped with a pig tail on top.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

The cold draw has some resistance but none the less is beautiful on the breath- sweet cedar, fresh leather, honey and some dankness. There is even a hint of something that reminds of the ocean or the beach.

First puff is tangy and spicy but on the lighter end of things. The aroma coming from the smoke is fruity. The retrohale shares some of the same initial flavor notes, with the addition of popcorn. As the first third progresses the flavor profile is dominated by pencil shavings, white pepper, and again, popcorn. For a smaller ring gauged cigar, I’m very impressed with the heat maintenance. The burn line stays cool allowing me the liberty to puff away. Anyway, the tighter draw has required I double puff on my draws. The ash build up however looks brittle.

Upon entering the second third, the cigar proves to be a slow burner. The flavors are also mellowing out. The body of the smoke has transitioned to a cream. Still lots of pencil shavings and spice on the retrohale. Good heat maintenance despite still having to employ a double puff on every draw. The ash still looks concerningly brittle. It does come crashing down at some point. Though the cigar up to this point has been pretty predictable with few transitions, there does seem to be a faint molasses nuance creeping in and out at times.

The final third becomes a little spicier, but also a little sweeter. Ash build-up could still be a little firmer, but the construction has been spot-on to say the least. No touch ups or heat maintenance issues. Pencil shavings are still the dominant flavor note, accompanied by fruit and floral notes on the backend as well as the retrohale. There’s also a confectionary note that shines through at times as well.

Conclusion

The Joya de Nicaragua Número Uno L’Ambassadeur was a great slow burner of a cigar. Steady and true are two great words to describe this smoking experience. The cigar would have scored higher if the draw had less resistance. The Joya de Nicaragua Número Uno L’Ambassadeur is a cigar I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoyed the Southern Draw “Rose of Sharon” or any of the Connecticut Shade offerings from Perdomo. They are very similar in flavor profile.

Final Score: 85

I’ve always enjoyed Joya de Nicaragua cigars and their many varied lines. Their bold Nicaraguan puros like Antano are always a pleasure to smoke because of their robust flavors. The newest addition to the Antano line—the Joya de Nicaragua Antano Connecticut—is a departure in that it wears an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper rather than a Nicaraguan wrapper.  A Connecticut wrapper can aid in adding nuance to a blend while not overwhelming the filler tobaccos. When done poorly it can create a lackluster experience in terms of flavors. The key is in being able to utilize the flavor of the wrapper to accent what’s inside.

Smoking the Joya de Nicaragua Antano Connecticut blind was a great way to test the wrapper to filler theory unfettered by any preconceptions.

Blend Specifics

• Cigar Reviewed: Joya de Nicaragua Antano Connecticut
• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
• Binder: Nicaraguan
• Filler: Nicaraguan
• Size: 5’x 52 (Robusto)

Appearance and Construction

The Joya de Nicaragua Antano’s light wrapper has few veins and is sleek looking with a well-made cap. The cigar is spongy—squeezing it has bit of give.  Smelling the foot gives distinct raisins, wood and cinnamon spice.

Flavor & Smoking Characteristics

With my palio cutter I surgically clip a straight cut and take a dry draw. What emerges is a mustiness followed by oak and cinnamon. I light up the cigar using matches (regretfully those I picked up from the now shuttered doors of the Nat Sherman Townhouse) and allow the sulfur to burn off before taking flame to tobacco.  With the initial puff, floral and tea notes begin filling my mouth and linger there for a moment. Another draw gives me the sensation of leather with honeyed tea on the finish. The smoke thus far is proving to be subtle and I’m able to pick up cedar and creaminess along with nuts and café.

Near the middle of the cigar, coffee and leather pick up leaving café au lait on the mouthfeel. Around this time I notice there is a crack developing on the side of the wrapper, though thankfully it isn’t affecting the flavor.

A few puffs later, a sudden sweetness comes through which layers on top of almonds and espresso. I take a retrohale where oak and cinnamon lightly fill my sinus. The smoke carries a mild to medium profile with flavors that are discerning yet not overwhelming.

Smoking into the final third, the coffee and nuts return. Another retrohale gives me the cinnamon like before but less pronounced.  An interesting change here is how the leather and dryness engrosses my palate without the creaminess that was pervasive during the start of the cigar. At the same time, some floral notes with Earl Gray tea and leather resonate in my mouth.

My last few puffs bring forth more of the wood and tea along with a short finish.

This was a tasty Connecticut blend all in all.

Conclusion

The Joya de Nicaragua Antano Connecticut is a fine example of the flavors possible in a Connecticut wrapper. The blend creates a creaminess with oak, leather and wood that remain in a medium profile throughout the smoke. I enjoy this style in a morning cigar with some espresso. It’s a wonderful balance in tasting. The expressions of the Antano Connecticut seemed to capture the essence of a what a morning to midday cigar is about, with no flavors coming on too strong. Despite crack in the wrapper the subtleties were pleasurable. I would recommend having a few of these in your humidor.

Final Rating. 90

Joya de Nicaragua is on a bit of a tear this year with new releases. The company released a new size of the Antaño Gran Reserva, Clasico, Cinco Decadas, and Joya Silver. The Cinco Decadas Diadema received an enviable score of 93 from us for it’s stellar complexity, balance, and flavor.

The Joya Silver is one of the company’s less expensive releases, with prices ranging from $6.30 – $7.80 per cigar depending on size. The company describes the cigar on the website saying:

The national release of Joya Silver is a shining representation in the Joya family of our continuous quest for a truly unforgettable, yet quotidian, smoke. Silver is a box pressed cigar that delivers a dynamic complexity of fresh spice, chocolate and cherry notes. Its oscuro upper-priming wrapper showcases the perfect complement between the richness of the Nicaraguan fillers and the refined sweetness of the Ecuador grown wrapper and Mexican binder. The result is a medium to full body smoke that achieves an indulging matching of flavors.

Product Specifics

• Cigar Reviewed: Joya de Nicaragua Silver / Joya Silver
• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Oscuro
• Binder: Mexican
• Filler: Nicaraguan
• Size: box pressed 5 x 50 robusto

Appearance & Construction

The box-pressed Joya Silver features a dark brown Oscuro wrapper with minimal veins and just a bit of toothiness. When squeezed, it is clear that it is packed firmly and consistently the length of the cigar.

Off of the foot, the aroma is strong and intensely woody. Quite a complex smell actually, with something resembling wet mulch and almonds layered in the background. Testing the draw, it’s perfect, with 7/10 restrictiveness. On the cold draw, I get a lot of finely ground black pepper and lingering spice on the tongue, along with some leather and natural tobacco notes.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

First of all, it’s clear after lighting that Joya Silver has excellent smoke production. The cigar kicks off with plumes of lush, medium to full strength smoke. The flavor profile is is dark, with dominant leather, ground black pepper, and oak. Beneath that core profile are some sweeter supporting notes, with some dark cherry and slightly creamy espresso. Every couple of puffs I also pick up something that reminds me of wine that’s just about to turn a touch vineagery.

At an inch in, strength and body settle at a notch above medium. The salt and pepper burn is flawless, and the cigar maintains great smoke production. As the cigar burns into the second third, the flavor profile begins shifting rapidly, some puffs featuring notes of bitter chocolate and leather, other puffs favoring notes of milk chocolate, cream, nuttiness, and dark fruits. Initially, the alternation between flavors is enjoyable, but after a while I find myself wanting a bit more steadiness to the experience. The retrohale is smooth but flavorful, with light black pepper and charcoal.

At halfway, the body and strength both jump to medium plus. Black pepper becomes a much more dominant feature of the smoke, with cocoa, peanuts and dry wood as supporting characters. Quite nice.

In the final third, the Joya Silver ramps way up to full strength. The smoke, though still smooth, is much heavier and more flavorful. Sweet and bitter achieve an better balance, with loads of black pepper, fresh espresso, cedar, toasted bread, and cocoa.

Conclusion

I enjoyed Joya Silver. For a cigar priced in the $6 – $7 range, it’s a great value. Still, the cigar had a lot of trouble settling on a flavor profile. Extremely complex cigars have a lot of change throughout the smoke, but the changes are measured and deliberate. In the case of Joya Silver, the flavors change so quickly that the smoke experience often feels disjointed.

Regardless, Joya Silver is a cigar to pick up, especially if you are a fan of full-bodied smokes and enjoy richer, darker profiles.

Final Score: 88

The Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Décadas celebrates the 50th anniversary of Joya de Nicaragua cigars, the first cigar producer in Nicaragua. Dr. Alejandro Martínez Cuenca, the company’s owner and chairman, described the cigar in the following way:

“This cigar is intended to celebrate a special moment in our company’s history and offer an opportunity to pause, reflect, give thanks – and look to the future. It is our most memorable milestone yet and the most memorable of celebrations always require that you rise to the occasion. That’s what Cinco Decadas represents. We want consumers to know that in Cinco Decadas, they will find a cigar so premium that the fact that there’s one in the humidor, will be enough to celebrate.”

That last line strikes me as a bit gutsy, and of course is why we’re here reviewing the cigar today. It’s also fascinating that this cigar doesn’t have blend information released, though all tobaccos would logically hail from Nicaragua.

Product Specifics

• Cigar Reviewed: Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Décadas Diadema
• Wrapper: Undisclosed
• Binder: Undisclosed
• Filler: Undisclosed
• Size: 5 x 54 Diadema

Appearance & Constructions

The Cinco Décadas is presented with a flawless dark brown wrapper. Minimal veins and a light oily sheen. The band hangs together nicely as well. It is quite ornate, with gold, red, and cream as the dominant colors and a large “50 ANIVERSARIO” designation on the back.

After using a straight cut, I test the draw which is about a 7/10 in terms of restrictiveness. The cold draw is a mix of oak, fallen leaves, granola, earth and raisins. The foot smells similarly, though with more wood influence.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

As I light the cigar using a soft flame, it’s immediately apparent that producing smoke on this cigar could be challenging. I have to puff four or five times to produce even an average amount of smoke. I’m hoping this is mainly the result of the tapering, because it’s very frustrating.

When I am able to experience the smoke, it is dark and rich, with a backbone of charred oak, charcoal, leather, and bitter espresso. The aroma is another story, with sweet cream, cocoa and wood. The retrohale is very smooth and understated, mostly channeling the charcoal from the palate. Strength and body wise, it isn’t far above mild, which is surprising given the size and darkness of the wrapper.

Half an inch in, the draw opens up and smoke production ramps up (thank God!).

And what a difference it makes. The bitterness tones way down, becoming much more balanced with sweeter notes of cinnamon, cream, cocoa and raisins. On the retrohale, the charcoal is joined by light baking spices and fresh bread. Overall, the smoke remains light and elegant, with constantly improving smoke production.

In the second third, the balance of flavors really hits its stride, with strength and body both at medium. Each puff enters sweet and creamy, with tangy and bitter notes adding depth and finesse that keeps the cigar interesting. There’s a lot going on: sweet cream and cocoa on entry, followed immediately by wood, baking spices and leather on the tip of the tongue and bitter espresso and charcoal on the retrohale. Construction never wavers, with the burn remaining straight and the ash holding for an inch and a half on average. I can’t imagine a smoker who wouldn’t appreciate the experience that the Cinco Décadas has provided up to this point.

As the cigar burns into the final third, strength increases to above medium, and the profile becomes more potent. The balance of flavors with each puff, sometimes favoring bitter, other times sweet, and still others spicy. It’s a hell of an experience.

The final inch of the cigar moves into full strength territory, dominated by wood, dark chocolate, charcoal and baking spices. A marvelous finish.

Conclusion

The Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Décadas presents a flavor profile that no JdN fan could miss: dark oak and charcoal, creamy cocoa, leather, and light spiciness. What Cinco Décadas achieves is to take the JdN flavor profile that we know and love and elevate it into the realm of art. I know that is high praise, but it is true, particularly given the cigar’s sheer complexity and balance.

Still, the Cinco Décadas is not without flaws, struggling initially to produce adequate smoke–a flaw I’ve encountered more frequently with Joya de Nicaragua cigars in 2018 than I’d like to admit.

Overall, construction issues can’t stop the Cinco Décadas from achieving an enviable score, and one that all but guarantees it a spot on our Top 10 of 2018 list.

Final Score: 93

Up for review today is a 2018 release from Joya de Nicaragua. Though a new release, the Clásico line actually dates back to 1968—it was JdN’s core line. According to Cigar Aficionado, who covered the re-launch of Clásico ,

“The original Joya de Nicaragua was renamed Clásico in 2001 when the company released Antaño 1970, its first major brand extension since Dr. Alejandro Martínez-Cuenca purchased Joya de Nicaragua in 1998. The Nicaraguan cigar company, which is still owned by Martínez-Cuenca, is re-releasing Clásico in celebration of its 50th anniversary. The cigars began shipping this month and are sold exclusively through Casa de Montecristo and JR Cigars. According to Juan Martínez, executive president of Joya de Nicaragua, Clásico is the company’s best-selling cigar in Europe and South America.”

With that backdrop, let’s get to the review.

Product Specifics

• Cigar Reviewed: Joya de Nicaragua Clásico
• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua
• Size: Señorita (5 1/2 x 42)

Appearance & Construction

The Joya de Nicaragua Clásico is a very well presented cigar. The gold, white, and green band strikes the balance well between being understated but still having personality. The outer wrapper is very smooth, with no imperfections and a carefully applied triple cap. The cigar seems packed well, with no uneven soft spots. After cutting the cigar with a straight cut, I test the draw, which is about a 7/10 in terms of total restrictiveness. Just right.

The cold draw carries some spice and wood, and off the foot I pick up some wood and sweet malt flavors.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

The Joya de Nicaragua Clásico opens all the way down at mild bodied. Is hard to discern exactly what is going on because of how mild it is. There’s a bit of a wet paper note seated next to a cedar and salted peanut combination. I’m surprised to find that the retrohale has no strength at all. The lack of strength wouldn’t normally be an issue, but smoke production is at or even a touch below average so I don’t feel like I’m getting a true experience of the blend. Overall, not an encouraging start to this cigar.

At a inch in, the burn is great and the salt and pepper ash is still holding on. Body and strength are still at the bottom end of mild, which is beginning to get a bit frustrating. Flavors on the palate are mostly unchanged, though a very subtle vanilla note is hanging around that I really like, rounding out the woodsy notes.

As the cigar burns into the second third, the salted peanut that dominated initially has also drawn down a bit, making more space for other flavors to emerge. There are hints of spices here and there which are augmented by a nice creaminess in the texture, but they never step forward enough to claim their space in the overall profile.

In the final third, the cigar finally starts to hit its stride, with smoke production increasing, along with the strength of flavor. Gentle wood notes make a solid foundation for supporting flavors of creamy coffee and nuttiness. Construction in this section of the cigar is flawless. Nice overall, but a bit perplexing.

Conclusion

I enjoyed the Joya de Nicaragua Clásico, but find myself a bit disappointed at the end. Though the cigar performs very well in terms of construction and has some nice flavors, I was expecting a bit more in terms of strength. For that reason, it probably isn’t a cigar I’d return to outside of an early morning smoke.

I have considered the possibility though that this is exactly what JdN is going for in this blend: i.e. an extremely smooth, easygoing smoke that I can’t imagine would offend anyone’s palate. The company reported that the Clásico line is its best selling product in Europe. This makes sense given that the European market is saturated with more Old World Cuban products that tend to be less forceful than Nicaraguan cigars. So the gentler experience is likely what the company was going for. Whether it will be successful in the American market is less clear.

In any case, this is a solid product, and if you are in a mild cigar phase, I’d suggest giving the Joya de Nicaragua Clásico a try.

Final Score: 86

Up for review today is the Joya de Nicaragua Cuatro Cinco, a cigar that celebrates the 45th anniversary of the founding of the company. As you can see, the cigar is a beauty to behold–part of the reason I picked it up. But beyond any aesthetic appeal has to be quality and craftsmanship.

Blend Specifics

• Wrapper: Nicaragua (Jalapa)
• Binder: Nicaragua (Jalapa)
• Filler: Nicaragua (Estelí and Jalapa)

Appearance & Construction

It’s impossible to deny that the Cuatro Cinco is a beautiful cigar. The color of the wrapper plays nicely with the dominant black, white, and gold from the band.  The Jalapa wrapper is a deep, rich dark brown with small veins. The texture is sandy, springy when squeezed, and seems to be packed evenly.

The pre-light draw has a healthy amount of resistance and I pick up hints of earth, chocolate, and a slight spiciness.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

Joya de Nicaragua Cuatro Cinco opens with some fun notes of toasted bread, pepper, and an ultra smooth cocoa note that reminds me (at least in terms of consistency) to hot cocoa. Overall, the smoke at this point is medium bodied. The character of the smoke is interesting in that, though it is a very rich smoke, it also activates the tip of my tongue heavily with the spice.

One thing I notice is the box pressed format of this cigar makes for a really comfortable smoking experience.

An inch in, the burn is sharp and the cigar is producing a lot of smoke. The flavor has also shifted subtly, with the addition of peanuts and an oat-like aroma that I find very enjoyable.

In the second third, the spice increases a bit. There’s also an anise note that works well with the rest of the profile. The burn remains sharp, with a solid, white-gray ash.

Moving in to the halfway mark, I pick up leather, as well as a saltiness that’s saddled up alongside the pepper. Quite nice.

The final third doesn’t change much, but the cigar continues burning smoothing and the burn never wavers.

Conclusion

Cuatro Cinco is another great offering from Joya de Nicaragua. The blend showcases a lot of flavors found in other cigars like the Dark Corojo, but offers additional complexity to enhance the experience.  But the number of flavors isn’t the only factor: they also have to harmonize with each other. The combination of flavors comes together like a gourmet meal: silky smooth, but rich and chewy. Chocolate, spices, peanuts, and anise. A great combo.

Final Grade: 89