Diesel Unlimited Maduro d.7

If you're a fan of Diesel, or full-bodied boutique blends for that matter, you're going to love this gem. With a ring gauge of 58, the Diesel feels heavy in the hand. The pre-light aroma is a smoker's delight — rich fermented tobacco that hints at the strikingly robust smoke yet to come. Placing the band at the foot of the cigar enhances the stick's dark, oily, beautifully-veined, and toothy Broadleaf Maduro wrapper. This full-bodied powerhouse has a blend that consists of bold long-leaf Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos that are secured by a San Andres binder. The result is a strikingly robust smoke with intensely lush flavors. From the very first puff, this cigar produces thick, heavy clouds of smoke. Look for notes of leather, spice, cocoa, and coffee that are all complemented by a slight touch of natural sweetness and pepper that continues throughout the burn. Pair it with a stiff Cognac, Manhattan, or something that's big and bold enough to match up to this beauty.

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.