601 Serie Red Habano Robusto

The man behind the highly rated 601 brand, Erik Espinosa, is well known in the industry for doing whatever he wants while going above and beyond to make sure the quality of his cigars is second to none. To say he knows cigars is an understatement – to say the least – as he’s worked with Alec Bradley, Gurkha, Rocky Patel, and Drew Estate, just to name a few. Born in Cuba, Erik is one of the best in the business and has just about mastered every aspect of the cigar industry while earning high ratings for his impressive 601 creations and his own brand of smokes.

Handmade at Erik Espinosa’s own factory in Nicaragua, the 601 Serie Red is another slam dunk in the 601 portfolio. This puro is stunning, featuring Nicaraguan aged long-fillers and a Nicaraguan binder, and is dressed with a silky Nicaraguan Habano wrapper. Light ‘er up and find medium to full bodied velvety notes of earth with hints of sweetness that will linger on the back of the palate. Grab a whiskey, such as Knob Creek 9 Year Bourbon Whiskey, sit out on the patio, light ‘er up and enjoy a nice warm afternoon.

The Nicaraguan cigar industry originated when Cuban cigar makers escaped the revolution and re-established their livelihood in Nicaragua with Cuban-seed tobacco. Blessed with dark, rich soil, their new home was ideal for tobacco cultivation and Nicaragua quickly became known for cigars that rivaled Cuban quality. Unfortunately, revolution and war came to Nicaragua in the 1980s and devastated the industry, but it’s rebounded dramatically and is once again producing tobacco considered by many to be the finest in the world.

The Esteli Valley is in many ways the heart of Nicaraguan production and is known for its very powerful and spicy tobacco. The Jalapa Valley produces arguably the finest tobacco in the country: somewhat sweeter and less intense than Esteli, but extremely complex. The tobacco of the Condega Valley is often described as a blend of the other two regions.