How can I emulate a Nicaraguan blend?

[WLJayne]

Hey chaps,

My rolling is progressing fairly well, they're not always pretty but they're mostly smokable now. I've been using the WLT blend kits and they are brilliant (also thanks to Don for replacing a lost shipment last time) however I'd like to see if I can get a Nicarguan style favour profile. From what I have smoked they tend to be more savoury and spicy, and I prefer this type of blend. Are there any filler combos from WLT that would produce this sort of flavour?

Thanks .

 

[webmost]

This is a big prob, Jayne ... You need to know three simple things: what seed was planted, where it was grown, and what part of the plant the leaf was plucked from. Cigar manufacturers will tell you, at best, one third the story. They may say: "Nicaraguan filler, ligero binder, shade wrapper"; but they don't tell you what seed was planted in Nicaragua nor where it was plucked off the plant.

Don likewise offers Nic seco, ligero, and viso. What's the seed? Conversely, where's his new San Vicente from? His criollo? Corojo?

So when you say "I like Nic" -- I am puzzled. Nic what? Give us an example.

I just bought a bundle of Aurora seconds, for instance, to give away on my upcoming Johnny Sotweedseed ride down the Blue Ridge. They are from the Dominican; but are not that dissimilar to, say, Joya de Nic, which I also love. I'm combining these with a bundle of Nic seconds from I forget who, which taste far more Dominican to my imagination.

I prefer spice without pepper. Moody, but no bite. Ave Marias, for instance; or Torano 1916 (in fact most anything from Torano). These combine tobaccos from various countries. Nutmeg is what I think of when I think spice. I roll Don's criollo and corojo in his habano for a similar effect.

Tell us what commercial brands you associate with a Nic flavor so that we can relate.

 

[HIM]

Criollo + corojo really hits the mark for me. Pepper, cedar, coffee, cocoa, cream, leather.

1 Criollo 98 ligero
2 corojo viso
1 Nic viso

Wrap in broadleaf, San Andreas, or Ecuador Habano and use the binder of your choice( I prefer the dominican binder)


Edit - this is for a ~50RG cigar depending on leaf thickness. The Nic viso I have are pretty small and thin so sometimes you can get another leaf in there.

 

[WLJayne]

So when you say "I like Nic" -- I am puzzled. Nic what? Give us an example.
Tell us what commercial brands you associate with a Nic flavor so that we can relate.

Yes that would probably help! I like the flavour of the Nic marques like Regius, Chinchalero, Quorum and Tatuaje. I find they taste generlly different to Dominican cigars, which again taste different to Cuban cigars. Though of course there is variation in all of those groups. Does that make sense ?

Criollo + corojo really hits the mark for me. Pepper, cedar, coffee, cocoa, cream, leather.

1 Criollo 98 ligero
2 corojo viso
1 Nic viso

Wrap in broadleaf, San Andreas, or Ecuador Habano and use the binder of your choice( I prefer the dominican binder)

That sounds nice! I'm rolling with a Terroso Profundo blend at the moment which is fairly close to that. Though I prefer the sumatra binder and CT wrappers personally. I'll give that blend a try and see how it goes!

Thanks guys,

Will.

 

[HIM]

Yes that would probably help! I like the flavour of the Nic marques like Regius, Chinchalero, Quorum and Tatuaje. I find they taste generlly different to Dominican cigars, which again taste different to Cuban cigars. Though of course there is variation in all of those groups. Does that make sense ?



That sounds nice! I'm rolling with a Terroso Profundo blend at the moment which is fairly close to that. Though I prefer the sumatra binder and CT wrappers personally. I'll give that blend a try and see how it goes!

Thanks guys,

Will.

The CT wrapper is CT broadleaf.

This blend wrapped in broadleaf reminds me of a Tatuaje Reserva or Warped El Oso. Granted Kyle, Warped's blender, has stated he likes blending with criollo and corojo so its no surprise. I think you'll enjoy it. I started rolling the Terroso Profundo blend wrapped in broadleaf and fell in love. Recently though a buddy had a back and forth with Nick Melillo, the old DE blender that created the Liga Privadas(now owner of Foundation Cigars), and he suggested using more viso so I dropped the seco.
Haven't had any burn problems and it kicked the body and strength up to where I wanted. Let me know what you think!

 

[WLJayne]

That's very interesting! I have to say I'm somewhat baffled by the choice of leaves still, I need to read up on it all. I daresay a search will yield a guide. I really liked the broadleaf and sumatra in the Melodioso blend, nice to work with.

 

[webmost]

I like the flavour of the Nic marques like Regius, Chinchalero, Quorum and Tatuaje. Does that make sense ?

Both Regius and Chinchalero appear to be UK cigars. Quorum is available here as cheapazz gack. Horrible stuff. Tatuaje makes a variety of sticks. Many aficionados of wide experience swear by them; I have yet to smoke a Tat I cared for. So, you and I being of such disparate tastes, you should ignore my advice.

 

[deluxestogie]

The "original" (early 1970s) Nicaraguan cigar, grown from "Cuban" seed purportedly smuggled out of Cuba after the start of the embargo, was Joya de Nicaragua. Their Habano variety leaf was grown in newly cleared land near Jalapa and near Estelí. Those memorable and intense cigars were rock solid, and imparted a deep, dark chocolate character to the smoke. I recall their being fairly potent as well. There was just nothing else like it.

What specific Habano variety was it? I suspect that those pioneer expats weren't really sure, when they planted it. It was the seed of some successful Habano variety that had been grown in the recent past in Cuba. You take what you can get.

Well...forget all that. The revolution in Nicaragua destroyed the tobacco industry. They had to start all over. The currently available Joya de Nicaragua Antaño cigars are an attempt at recreating the magic of the original ones. "Antaño" (ante año) means yesteryear. I refuse to pay the current price, so I can't comment on how successful the project has been.

As far as purchasing leaf, I would suggest Nicaraguan Habano (seco, viso and ligero) as a foundation--the majority of the filler. Pick any other potent filler variety for use as a condiment (Criollo, Corojo, etc.). Probably any full-bodied wrapper would match well.

Since all tobacco offered commercially is an agricultural product, it all varies from bale to bale, year to year, source to source. Explore. Rather than asking for the best spot on earth to see, just plan to travel a lot.

Bob

 

[webmost]

The currently available Joya de Nicaragua Antaño cigars are an attempt at recreating the magic of the original ones. "Antaño" (ante año) means yesteryear. I refuse to pay the current price, so I can't comment on how successful the project has been.

I scored a slew of Antaño once. They were fairly tasty. Very similar to Don's dark Corojo wrapper, IIRC. It is at least possible I may have one or two left. If I can hunt one up I'll send it to you. They don't actually cost that much as cigars go these days.

 

[deluxestogie]

When I was a student, I would swallow hard, then cough up 65 cents for a Joya de Nicaragua double corona. Never could afford a whole box. (I lived on $300 a month.) Since I enjoy most of my home-grown cigars more than the majority of the fancy, factory cigars that relatives send me, it takes a special sort of trickery for me to spend more than $2 on a cigar.

Bob

 

[WLJayne]

Ok wow, I have so much to learn!

 

[moscca]

I happened that I smoked a Antaño Corojo yesterday night. It was my first one. FULL flavor, and I mean full. Nothing for the empty stomac. Very strong, but well balanced between spice and sweetness.
I really liked it. I will buy a few to rest a few months in my humidor.
I think they sell for 109 $ for a box of twenty.

 

[webmost]

When I was a student, I would swallow hard, then cough up 65 cents for a Joya de Nicaragua double corona. Never could afford a whole box. (I lived on $300 a month.) Since I enjoy most of my home-grown cigars more than the majority of the fancy, factory cigars that relatives send me, it takes a special sort of trickery for me to spend more than $2 on a cigar.

Bob

Yeah, well, when I was a student, gas cost 17 cents a gallon.
I know: Let's print more money. We can give it to the banks.

Can't find any more Antano in the box. Musta smoked them up. Can you blame me?

 

[deluxestogie]

Yeah, well, when I was a student, gas cost 17 cents a gallon.

But the old junker that you drove got only 8 miles per gallon.

Bob

 

[webmost]

But the old junker that you drove got only 8 miles per gallon.

Bob

Motorcycle.
Thirty five.

Tho in high school I drove a Fiat 500 that got 45 mpg.

 

[LewZephyr]

Presently this is my favorite blend. Leans mostly Nicaraguan.

Nicaraguan Seco 2leaf
Nicaraguan Viso 2 leaf
Mata Fina Just 1/4thleaf
Sumatra Double Binder
Habana 2000 Wrapper

It works good without the Mata Fina, but that seems to just add the right something something to the blend.

 

[waikikigun]

Say, Lew, which "Nicaraguan" leaves are these? At WLT there are currently Nicaraguan Habano and Nicaraguan Criollo 98 leaves available. I have both varieties and they taste/smell very different from each other. Just curious what you're rolling here.

Thanks!

Presently this is my favorite blend. Leans mostly Nicaraguan.

Nicaraguan Seco 2leaf
Nicaraguan Viso 2 leaf
Mata Fina Just 1/4thleaf
Sumatra Double Binder
Habana 2000 Wrapper

It works good without the Mata Fina, but that seems to just add the right something something to the blend.

 

[LewZephyr]

Say, Lew, which "Nicaraguan" leaves are these? At WLT there are currently Nicaraguan Habano and Nicaraguan Criollo 98 leaves available. I have both varieties and they taste/smell very different from each other. Just curious what you're rolling here.

Thanks!

Good question.
They are the Habano type. And yeah they do have a different taste/smell from the Criollo.

 

[waikikigun]

Good question.
They are the Habano type. And yeah they do have a different taste/smell from the Criollo.

Okay, thanks.

The Habano is an interesting leaf. Such a strong, vegetal, almost bay-like foresty smell "uncooked," which then is present in the burned state more or less depending on how aged the stick is, in my experience so far. Very distinct. I've been using it as both a binder and a filler.

 

[Smokin Harley]

When I was a student, I would swallow hard, then cough up 65 cents for a Joya de Nicaragua double corona. Never could afford a whole box. (I lived on $300 a month.) Since I enjoy most of my home-grown cigars more than the majority of the fancy, factory cigars that relatives send me, it takes a special sort of trickery for me to spend more than $2 on a cigar.

Bob

I totally understand . I'm the same way.