Mark Twain Riverboat Churchill

Mark Twain once said, "Eating and sleeping are the only activities that should be allowed to interrupt a man's enjoyment of his cigar." Anyone who is acquainted with Twain through his legacy of literature knows he was a man for whom cigars were as important as the written word. He’s also famous for declaring: “If smoking is not allowed in heaven, I shall not go!” In the history of cigars, no one has been a bigger fan or a more dedicated smoker, so it’s fitting he should have a stogie named after him. Mark Twain was rarely seen without one. In fact, it’s reported that he regularly smoked 22 cigars a day and sometimes as many as 40. The man’s list of positive attributes doesn’t stop there. He was a humanitarian, a novelist, a humorist, and a scholar. Similarly, Mark Twain cigars bring an extensive list of positive attributes to the table—all smooth and mild, all tasty, all extremely affordable. The Riverboat is in tribute to his years as a riverboat pilot on the Mississippi River, where his pen name ‘Mark Twain’ came from. The first thing you’ll immediately notice are the twin Connecticut and Maduro barber pole wrappers. Underneath is a Nicaraguan binder and a robust mix of Nicaraguan long-fillers. Medium in body, expect notes of wood, toast, cedar, and sweet spice from the maduro wrapper. Enjoy this smoke on a warm spring afternoon with an espresso.

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.