Casa Fernandez JFR XT Corojo 654

JFR cigars are one of the best boutique brands out there today. Most of the tobaccos used for their cigars come from Casa Fernandez’s famed Aganorsa farms where they are well known for growing some of the most Cuban-esque tobacco outside of Cuba. The JFR XT hails from Nicaragua and features a Nicaraguan Aganorsa binder and fillers that are all wrapped up in a dark and luscious Aganorsa Corojo wrapper. Slow burning with lots of smoke, expect medium to full bodied notes of spice, earth, leather, pepper, and wood. With flawless construction and beautifully balanced, enjoy this smoke with 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.