Bahia Blu B500 Robusto

With its smooth Corojo wrapper, the Bahia Blu doesn’t need dressing up, but its bright blue band with its distinctive silver script does add yet another elegant dimension to this medium-bodied handmade from Nicaragua. The blend consists of Nicaraguan long-fillers grown in Esteli, Jalapa, and Leon and aged five to six years. After rolling, each is aged in cedar for another 180 days. The result is a smoke that’s somewhat mild but flavorful. Expect a rich and toasty profile with a sweet, cedary core, notes of coffee and cream, and a crisp, lingering finish. Panelists found the Bahia burned evenly all the way through. Our panel found that a gin and tonic would complement the Bahia Blu nicely.

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.