Cuba Libre One ‘The Brute’

Cuba Libre One is hand-crafted by Nestor Plasencia in his massive Nicaraguan factory that produces delicious super-premiums for more brands than you can even fathom. Fortunately, he has the manpower and the resources to make each and every cigar perfect no matter how many are made. Note the crisp, glossy white band with impressive silver and blue accents on this ultra-bold, mega-flavorful cigar—it really jumps off the dark Honduran Habano ligero wrapper, a gorgeous leaf from the Jamastran Valley of Honduras with an oily, flawless appearance that’s brimming with flavor. The cigar sits heavy in the hand because, well, there’s a ton of tobacco rolled into each one. Below the surface is a robust blend of Cuban-seed ligero long-fillers from Estelí and Condega, Nicaragua paired with additional ligeros from Honduras. It has two binders: a feisty Habano leaf from the Jalapa Valley and a flavorful Costa Rican leaf. All these tobaccos produce an exceedingly complex cigar from first light down to the nub. Cuba Libre One is rich, complex, and balanced. Surprisingly potent, it’s layered with notes of coffee, earth, pepper and cream, complemented by a spicy-sweet finish. This meaty handmade is not for every enthusiast, but full-flavored boutique fans are likely to love it. Try it with none other than a Cuba Libre: rum, coke, and lime.

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.