Trinidad Espiritu Series No. 1 Toro

For nearly a century the name Trinidad has conjured up the richest, boldest flavor you could find in a cigar. The brand harks back to 1905 and Santa Clara, Cuba where two brothers, hardware traders Diego and Ramon Trinidad, bought their wares. They then travelled to remote villages on the outskirts of the city to sell them. One day, as they hauled their empty wagons back home, they noticed—truly noticed—the magnificent tobacco crops around them. Apparently, it was a eureka moment from which we cigar fans are still benefiting. They filled their wagons with the bountiful crop and, upon their return to Santa Clara, began selling this lush commodity. Suddenly they were in the tobacco business.

The Age of Aquarius in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s may have been an interesting time for most people but it was a great time for cigar connoisseurs. This era was known to some as the ‘golden years’ for tobacco, in direct reference to some of the fantastic blends that were coming out of the Caribbean. To recreate that essence of those cigars, the heritage brand Trinidad paired up with the legendary AJ Fernandez and the result is Trinidad Espiritu Series No. 1 which you have in your shipment today. This Cigar Aficionado 90-rated Nicaraguan puro features Nicaraguan long-fillers and a Nicaraguan binder which is then topped with a chocolate brown Nicaraguan wrapper leaf. Once lit, you’ll find medium to full bodied notes of pepper, citrus, toast, and vanilla. Pick up some El Dorado 21 Year Rum, or your favorite aged rum, and transport yourself to the Caribbean.

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.