Conga by La Perla Habana

Conga is a festive and flavorful extension of the La Perla Habana Black Pearl line. La Perla Habana is generally regarded as today’s top boutique brand, consistently receiving the highest of ratings from Cigar Insider, Cigar Aficionado, and SMOKE Magazine alike. The brilliant work of aficionados Sergio Cuevas and Doug Wood is undeniable here; the blend is complex and exceptionally flavorful. And how could they go wrong? This cigar is born and raised in phenomenal cigar-making company—it comes to us from the Carlos Toraño factory in Danli, Honduras and is produced under the attentive eye of Fidel Oliva. So what makes this cigar unique? Well, for starters, there’s the interesting “conga drum” style box it comes packaged in, another fun feature to this light-hearted cigar. But make no mistake—fun and lightheartedness aside, this is a serious effort and a solid smoke. More impressive than the cool packaging is the wrapper—a prized, Brazilian-grown Arapiraca leaf which is as exotic and rare as it is delicious. What’s more, the ingeniously blended combination of Nicaraguan and Honduran long fillers and Javan binder skillfully bring out the unique flavors of its exceptional wrapper. We really loved this cigar from its amusing label design to its nice fat ring gauge. Note the excellence of its construction and appearance: densely packed with top-tier tobaccos and exhibiting a properly oily sheen. We savored the outstandingly smooth, robust tobacco flavor, mellow spice and heaps of complex flavors. Note the stiff white ash, indicating properly aged tobaccos, and a growing pepperiness that always remains downy smooth as you make your way through this cigar. Honestly, we don’t feel its necessary to say much about this cigar—it truly speaks for itself. Throw on any record with the words “Buena Vista Social Club” in the title, pour yourself some warm dark rum and just try to fight the urge to dance. When you concede, don’t burn your partner with that fine stogie!