Ave Maria Dark Knight Robusto

The Ave Maria brand is known for its elegance in not only its smokes but in the packaging as well. Like the others in the Ave Maria portfolio, the Dark Knight features a stunning band and has the quality that people have come to expect from them. Crafted in Esteli, Nicaragua by the talented hands of master-blender A.J. Fernandez – who needs no introduction among experienced cigar smokers – Ave Maria features top tobaccos grown in Nicaragua’s volcanic and super fertile soils. Each Ave Maria that we’ve had the pleasure of sampling – and there have been many now over the years – features excellent construction and rich flavor.

Many Ave Maria blends land among the most brawny out there, and the Dark Knight is also another rich and powerful cigar. The attractive Nicaraguan broadleaf maduro wrapper cloaks a Nicaraguan binder and an array of Nicaraguan long fillers. Light it up and you’ll enjoy up-front notes of spice and leather transitioning into a smooth, rich, dark chocolate finishing note. Despite its potency, this gorgeous Nicaraguan handmade puro still finishes smooth and balanced, as we’ve come to expect from A.J. Fernandez. For a beverage pairing, try a barrel aged stout.

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.