Xikar HC Series Criollo Toro

It wasn’t long ago that Xikar was only known for their lifetime guaranteed high-end cigar accessories and not their lines of premium cigars which they offer as well, some with over 90+ ratings! The band on their HC Series cigars features palm trees that are meant to represent the El Corojo farm in Cuba where the famed Corojo tobacco was developed. For this tasty morsal, HC employed the talents of Jesus Fuego. Born in Cuba, Jesus was raised within five generations of deep Cuban traditions and brings those traditions to cigar making. This Criollo is a prime example of those Cuban traditions rolled into one well-balanced cigar. Handmade in Nicaragua, this smoke sports a dark and slightly toothy Nicaraguan Shade Grown wrapper which has been aged for five long years, hugging a Nicaraguan binder and a bevy of Honduran and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos. Rated 91 by Cigar Aficionado, this smoke will lend medium-bodied notes of leather, wood, and nuts, with hints of spice. Tasty down to the nub, try pairing it with a spiced 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.