San Cristobal Elegancia Robusto

Created in 2007, the San Cristobal brand is starting to make waves throughout the cigar industry; in fact, the original San Cristobal line has a 93 rating with Cigar Aficionado. Normally known as a full bodied brand, the San Cristobal Elegancia you have in your shipment today shows the softer side of the brand. Hailing from Nicaragua, this stogie starts jam-packed with Nicaraguan long-fillers that are held together with a Nicaraguan binder, then wrapped with a delicious, golden brown Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper and finished with a three-seam cap. This medium to full-bodied cigar starts out full with notes of white pepper right up front but mellows out with creamy notes of oak, earth, and coffee. Masterfully blended, the Elegancia was given a well-deserved rating of 91 from Cigar Aficionado. Our panel recommended pairing it with an El Dorado 21 Year Rum.

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.