Cain Habano 'F' Robusto

The Cain ‘F’ is an impressive handmade hailing from Oliva’s Nicaraguan-based factory, and a newer addition to the Cain line. The blend, wrapped in a toothy and oily Habano wrapper, is mostly straight Nicaraguan ligero. Ligero comes from the top leaves of the tobacco plant and receives more sunlight, which darkens and thickens the leaf. The Cain ‘F’ has three varieties of ligero leaf. The first is Esteli Ligero, which is the strongest of all ligeros. The second is Condega Ligero, grown north of Esteli, Nicaragua. Condega is supposed to be a little tamer and adds a rich complexity. Jalapa is the third and final ligero. It’s grown in the northernmost part of Nicaragua—in a valley so it receives less sunlight than the other two. This ligero is said to be the smoothest, with the most complex array of flavors.

Technically, this is not a 100% ligero cigar. It’s more like 82% because a straight ligero cigar would have major burn issues. Your Cain Habano won’t—the blend and construction are near perfect. Light it and you immediately get an earthy, rustic flavor with plenty of spice—and smoke so thick you can almost chew it. Look for black cherry nuances and a slightly sweet characteristic to join the flavor profile as you get into the smoke. In brief, this cigar has deep, dark flavor. For a full-bodied cigar, the smoking experience is surprisingly smooth—trust you won’t be overwhelmed. Nonetheless, this stogie is for the seasoned cigar smoker. Be sure to enjoy it after you’ve enjoyed a big, scrumptious meal with Johnnie Walker Black.

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.