MonthlyClubs.com 20th Anniversary Mini Salomon – CLUB EXCLUSIVE

In 2014 we celebrated a pretty momentous occasion here at MonthlyClubs.com: our 20th Anniversary! We celebrated that whole year and even had a big two-day company party at the end of that year, but we also 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 have been more thrilled with the final result: MonthlyClubs.com 20th Anniversary Mini Salomon, created by legendary cigar master A.J. Fernandez. Now four years later, we realized we hoarded a little too many of these of custom smokes, just enough for round two!

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. With the four year nap, this smoke is still full bodied and very well balanced with an easy draw, but now has more refined flavors of dark cocoa, leather, earth, honey, and peat, all wrapped up with a peppery finish that is smoother and more balanced. 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.