HC Series Habano Colorado Belicoso

It wasn’t long ago that Xikar was only known for their lifetime guaranteed high-end cigar accessories and not their lines of premium cigars which they offer as well, some with 90+ point ratings! The band on their HC Series cigars features palm trees that are meant to represent the El Corojo farm in Cuba where the famed Corojo tobacco was developed. The Xikar HC (Havana Collection) Series Habano Colorado not only has a 92 rating from Cigar Aficionado, but was also honored in the Top 25 Cigars on their list in 2009. This medium to full bodied stogie features an impressive blend of tobaccos from Honduras, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua that is secured with a Nicaraguan binder and finished with a stunning oily chocolate brown wrapper from Jalapa Valley in Nicaragua. The result is that this Nicaraguan handmade offers smooth flavors of leather, pepper, and hints of sweetness. Our panel enjoyed theirs with a bourbon; one panelist recommended a Castle & Key 2023 Small Batch Bourbon.

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.