Astral Favorita

More than three years of planning went into the production of this brand, introduced in 1995 by U.S. Tobacco International (USTI). The Astral brand is handmade in Danli, Honduras, a dusty backwater nestled beneath the mountains separating Honduras from Nicaragua to the south, the town gained infamy during the Contra War as a staging site for the anti-Sandinista rebels. Today, thanks to the efforts of Raymond F. Guys, director of cigar and cigar leaf operations for USTI, Nestor Plasencia, Rolando Reyes, Indalecio Rodriguez and others, Danlí has been transformed into a cigar making mecca. The Astral brand is a highly recognized and praised mild-to-medium in bodied line. Its Connecticut-seed shade wrappers give this line an elegant appearance, with silky expresso and cream flavors. Special features of this line include the gentle taper of the foot of the Favorito size that you’ll have a chance to try this month and the narrowed head of the Perfeccion size. Astral has been consistently highly rated in Cigar Aficionado and Smoke Magazine and we know that you’re going to enjoy this elegant, well-made cigar.

Immediately note the pristine, silky smooth, slightly oily Connecticut shade wrapper that encases this expertly crafted cigar. Aesthetically, it’s a beautiful thing. Note the slighty tapered foot which facilitates an even burn. We found the draw good, the burn perfect and plenty of smoke in this well-aged Honduran. Look for a somewhat sweet woody earthy quality complemented with a hint of nuttiness. Lots of flavor in a relatively mild-to-medium bodied cigar. Note a pleasant cedar aroma and spicy woody finish. Overall, a great smoke any time of day that would be complemented nicely with an oaky chardonnay.