Coopera Habano Toro by Hirochi Robaina

You may not have heard of Hirochi Robaina but you probably have smoked some of the tobacco his family is legendary for. In fact, Hirochi’s family has been growing tobacco in Cuba since the 1880’s and his grandfather, the late Alejandro Robaina, at one time was considered the “Godfather” of fine tobaccos. Plus, you definitely have heard of one his protégés: AJ Fernandez. Alejandro passed on the family business to Hirochi and from there Hirochi has not only upheld the family name, he expanded the business beyond Cuba to Nicaragua and has been creating top shelf premium cigars ever since. Created at his own factory in Nicaragua, the Coppera Habano features a stunning, spicy Nicaraguan Habano wrapper leaf with a Nicaraguan binder and long-fillers. This Cuban-esque medium to full bodied stick has rich core notes of coffee and earth with a spicy and sweet finish from the wrapper. Complex with hints of spice till the end, enjoy this with a full bodied cabernet after dinner.

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.