Calle Ocho Vintage Toro

Calle Ocho gets its name from the famous Little Havana neighborhood in Miami, the heart of which is Eighth Street, or as the locals call it, ‘Calle Ocho.’ No, the stogie wasn’t manufactured there—the name simply pays homage to this U.S. cigar epicenter. This mild-to-medium bodied cigar is expertly constructed in one of Nicaragua’s top boutique factories, one that has been around for decades and is famed for producing some of the world's tastiest handmade cigars. Handcrafted from patiently aged (four years) Cuban seed Nicaraguan and Dominican long-fillers, the Vintage is cloaked in a creamy natural Connecticut wrapper. Each cigar delivers beautifully balanced, smooth flavors. Look for crisp notes of earth and coffee with an underlying light touch of pepper. This is a perfect everyday smoke.

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.