MonthlyClubs.com 20th Anniversary Mini Salomon

Recently we celebrated a pretty momentous occasion here at MonthlyClubs.com: our 20th Anniversary! We’ve been celebrating all year (the climax being a rather lively company party in October), and we wanted to find a way to share our excitement with our Premium Cigar of the Month Club members, whose loyalty and enthusiasm make everything we do in this club possible. An exclusive, custom-made smoke seemed just the ticket. So, our panel set about smoking their way through countless cigar samples in order to come up with a cigar worthy of our 20th Anniversary. We couldn’t be more thrilled with the final result. It’s our pleasure to introduce the MonthlyClubs.com 20th Anniversary Mini Salomon, created by legendary cigar master A.J. Fernandez.

Hand-rolled especially for our members in Estelí, Nicaragua at A.J. Fernandez’s very own Tabacalera Fernandez, this handmade is one powerhouse you won’t forget. Just by looking at it you can tell it’s not a shy smoke as its dark, rich, and oily Nicaraguan Habano Sun Grown wrapper glistens, promising a rich smoking experience. Underneath is a Nicaraguan Habano binder from the Jalapa region that secures Cuban-seed long-leafs from the Estelí, Jalapa, and Condega regions of Nicaragua. Full bodied but very well balanced with an easy draw, this smoke is jam-packed with flavors of dark cocoa, leather, earth, honey, and peat, all wrapped up with a peppery finish. Look for the flavors to build in strength as the cigar burns. Due to its power, it’s a perfect smoke to enjoy after a meal, and our panel recommended a Single Malt Scotch for a smoky pairing.

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.