Vieja Tradicion Corona Gorda

Veija may not be a name that you come across often but this Nicaraguan handmade will soon be a staple in your humidor for years to come. The Vieja brand has actually been around for a while but was recently resurrected in 2005 as a collaborative with the one and only Nestor Plasencia. The Vieja Tradicion is medium-bodied with a spicy aroma. Boasting a Connecticut Shade wrapper, Honduran binder, and Nicaraguan and Honduran long-fillers, the Tradicion delivers creamy and smooth flavors with caramel accents. Overall, our panel really enjoyed this cigar for the uniqueness of flavor and overall value. Our panel recommended pairing it with a shandy.

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.