Espinosa Habano No. 4

The man behind the highly rated 601 brand, Erik Espinosa, is well known in the industry for doing whatever he wants while going above and beyond to make sure the quality of his cigars are second to none. To say he knows cigars is an understatement – to say the least – as he’s worked with Alec Bradley, Gurkha, Rocky Patel, and Drew Estate, just to name a few. Born in Cuba, Erik is one of the best in the business and has just about mastered every aspect of the cigar industry while earning high ratings for his impressive 601 creations and his own brand of smokes. The Espinosa Habano is the first cigar to be made in Erik Espinosa's La Zona factory in Estelí, Nicaragua and it’s a real stunner. This Cigar Aficionado 93-rated smoke, which landed at #11 among their Top 25 Cigars of 2019, comes chock full of a secret blend of Nicaraguan filler tobaccos, a Nicaraguan binder, and an impressive leathery Nicaraguan Habano wrapper. Light ‘er up and you’ll get medium notes of pepper, cedar, and cocoa, ending with a long, creamy, sweet finish. Pair it with an aged Irish whiskey, such as Redbreast 12 Year Irish Whiskey.

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.