Morro Castle Torpedo

The name Morro Castle refers to Cuba's iconic landmark fortress built in 1589 to protect the Havana Bay from buccaneers. Morro Castle, the brand, hasn't been around that long but it is a famed Cuban brand that's been infused with new life at the renowned A J. Fernandez factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. The result is an old world, traditional, classic blend that's medium to medium-full in body and likely to please any cigar-loving palate. The classic, elegant artwork on the band fits the smoke to come. This stick is a looker. Its luscious, golden-brown Ecuador Sumatra wrapper is silky and loaded with oils. Its filler blend is a well-aged recipe of Cuban-seed Nicaraguan and Honduran long-leaf tobaccos. To fully appreciate its flavor profile and rich character, panelists recommend smoking this one slowly and deliberately. Its draw is ideal. Be prepared for smoke so thick it's almost milky. Look for a layered and creamy array of oak, nuts, coffee, and pepper in a smoke that's well-balanced, medium in body, complex, and delicious down to the nub. In honor of its heritage, consider pairing your Morro Castle with a well-aged dark rum such as Cruzan or Maui Gold.

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.