Cuenca y Blanco - Lonsdale

Tale of the Tape:

Brand: Joya De Nicaragua
Series: Cuenca y Blanco
Vitola:  Lonsdale
Size: 6 1/2"
Ring Gauge: 44
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Nicaragua & Peru
Cigars Smoked for Review: 1

An offering from Joya De Nicaragua; the Cuenca y Blanco is the latest release from the Nicaraguan masters. The cigar is a blend that comes from the joint efforts of JdN President, Dr. Alejandro Martinez Cuenca and new Vice President, Jose Blanco.  Blanco is well known in the industry after spending some two decades at La Aurora.

JdN's press release gave a lot of information on the cigar.  So here is it in their own words.

"Departing from Joya de Nicaragua’s traditional puros of all Nicaraguan tobaccos, the Cuenca y Blanco had been blended to be a cigar comprised of air-cured black tobaccos from four different countries of origin. This unique recipe is handmade with aged filler tobaccos including Habano Seed lead from Nicaragua’s Estelí Valley and the volcanic isle of Omtempe, Piloto Cubano from the La Canela region of the Dominican Republic and an aromatic visa from Peru’s famed Tarapoto region. The cigar is expertly finished in a beautiful Grade 1 Ecuador Habano wrapper. This complex blend is the fruit of nearly a year of ceaseless experimentation and has resulted in a very flavor smoke with a tantalizing aroma."

I may be one of the luckiest smokers out there, in that I have a small cigar shop 200 yards from my front door.  There isn't a lounge or a huge selection; but they keep a pretty sweet selection.  That being said, I knew the blogosphere was buzzin' about this CyB (Cuenca y Blanco) by JdN (Joya de Nicaragua).and I saw a fresh box at my local shop.  Surprised the little shop picked up such a 'hot' item so quickly I jumped at the chance to try it.

First Third:

The cigar is extremely mild but tasty.  It doesn't have any predominant flavor that I can pick up, but there are nutty and woody notes.  haha woody.  As the cigar burns it starts to pick up a little bit of body, but it is definitely milder than anything in JdN's collection (I haven't smoked the Clasico).  At this point I'm a little disappointed, but I guess they are going for something completely different with this line.

Second Third:

The second third is much better than the first.  I've now accepted the fact that this is a mild-medium smoke and I"m not getting a full-bodied experience this go-round.  But its still just a medium bodied smoke with no remarkable flavor profile.  The cigar is requires a little touch up, but nothing crazy; I picked up my lighter twice.  The retrohale and resting smoke has a sweet aroma to it; the flavor profile is dominated by nutty flavors and a little bit of earthy notes.

Last Third:

The final third redeems the cigar.  Honestly, this cigar was a bit of a disappointment for my taste.  There is a time and place for mild-medium cigars - you know - sunday morning after a light breakfast, sipping  a coffee.  But as a smoker that loves full-bodied and full-flavored smokes, the CyB just isn't my cup of tea.  The cigar is well balanced and smooth; its well-made and while it might not be my style - it might be your favorite.  So give it a try.

Final Thoughts and Grade:

• The cigar is well-made and a balanced, smooth mild-medium stogie.
• I'm going to try this in a larger ring gauge.  The 44 ring on this Lonsdale leads to the Dominican wrapper carrying this smoke.  I'm usually a fan of small ring gauges but I'd be interested to smoke this in a larger ring gauge to get more of the filler flavor.
• While I wasn't blown away by this smoke, its interesting to see Jose Blanco's influence on JdN.  I can't wait to see their next offering.
• JdN is solid on quality and consistency, the CyB could be a favorite for medium smokers out there

B - 80 points 

The cigar gets top notch ratings on quality, craftsmanship and balance.  The lower ratings pertained to my personal preferences of flavor and body

Joya De Nicaragua - Antano 1970 - Machito

Joya De Nicaragua - Machito
After a long week of work I stopped by the smoke shop right next to my house. (I know, lucky right)  A few bucks in my pocket and an itch for a quick smoke I grabbed the Machito.  I am very familiar with the Antano 1970 series and have smoked a lot of these in various sizes.  They are a great go-to smoke and consistent in quality and flavor.

The Machito is the embodiment of what you want in a short quick smoke.  4 3/4" is the perfect length to be quick but not burning your fingertips within minutes.  A 42 ring gauge keeps things quick, but isn't cigarillo status.
JdN does a great job of packing the Antano's characteristics into such a small package.  I have found that sometimes these shorty smokes can pale in comparison to their big brothers.  Some brands just can't bend their blends into smaller sizes without leaving something out.  JdN accomplishes this as well as anyone.

Pre-smoke
The Nicaraguan wrapper is a milk chocolate shade of brown marbled nicely without any flaws.  Firm, spongy feel throughout.  Cedary aroma with a little spice.  Well-made,
Smoke
The Machito opens with a familiar tinge of pepper up front.  The bite slowly fades as creamy smoke with a cinnamonesque flavor and aroma takes over.  At 4 3/4", the cigar goes from pepper to sweet and leans back to a spicy end, all the while maintaining a fulfilling full flavor.
While a lot of folks say these are 'full' cigars, I think the body is on the low side of full, high side of medium.
Overall
I'm happy with my quick smoke.  Nice end to a long week; just what I was looking for.  I recommend picking up any size of the Antano 1970 series.  Try a few different sizes and scope out the nuances of the blend.
This is a great cigar to age.  I've had a 5 year aged one that rivaled some top dollar and special blends out there.
This is also a great cigar to learn the subtle effects vitolas have on a blend.  Collect them all.

A short story of why I love this cigar series:

I'll always have a special place in my heart for JdN; the Antano 1970 especially.  A few years back, as I dove head first into a love for cigars; the Gran Perfecto, for lack of a better phrase, 'popped my full-flavor cherry'.  You can read the review for the Gran Perfecto Here.
I had been smoking a lot; trying new cigars, being careful not to smoke cigars that were not too strong and shying away from spending more than $7 a cigar.  I knew I didn't like mild cigars, so these blind, self-imposed guidelines left me smoking a lot of mediocre, medium bodied stogies.
I started becoming a regular at the smoke shop and asked the other guys their thoughts on different cigars.  One evening, an older guy; seeing my frugal nature, told me to hold on to my Perdomo Champagne "piece of crap", and handed me a Gran Perfecto.  'Wow, I've struck gold' I thought.  I had seen guys smoking these quite a bit, and I knew they were $12 or so.  I had also been told they were full-flavored, so I thought it'd be too much for me to handle.
That cigar changed my whole perception of smoking.  I lit the Antano 1970 expecting an explosion of pepper, dizzy head and burning stomach.  What I got was a new level of flavor and enjoyment.  It became an early favorite.  I've smoked a lot of these over the years and appreciate the blend for its flavor, quality and consistency.

Joya de Nicaragua - Antano Dark Corojo - Peligroso

Joya de Nicaragua - Antano Dark Corojo - Peligroso
Quick Analysis
JdN is a great brand with a lot of value you in their lines.  It is no wonder Drew Estate now distributes them, and I feel the brand fits well in Drew Estate's brand line-up. 

The Antano Dark Corojo Peligroso is the smallest size in the series weighing in at 5" X 44 ring - a great size for my preferences. 

The Dark Corojo is basically the Antano 1970 (click for review) with a dark corojo wrapper - shocker!  I love the original Antano line so I was excited when they introduced the DC a while back.  If you check out my reviews of the original Antano 1970 (there are 2 for 2 sizes) mind you that the Peligroso is a much smaller cigar than the two smoked in those reviews.  The wrapper to filler ratio difference really throws a wrench in the mix on trying to compare the lines through my reviews.

Joya De Nicaragua Press Release: Cabinetta Serie

Esteli, Nicaragua – Joya de Nicaragua, S.A. (JdN), the makers of the respected JOYA DE NICARAGUA® brand of premium handmade cigars, announced today that they will continue to slowly expand their release of their Cabinetta Serie® line to select retailers. Well known for their powerhouse Antaño® line, the Cabinetta Serie is an
unexpected departure from their classic full-bodied style of blends. This new blend is a marriage of a creamy, milder filler recipe of tobaccos complemented by the spicy taste sensation of its unique double-wrapped, Habano-Seed leaf head.

It was due to this dramatic difference from any other Joya de Nicaragua cigar that it was initially decided to release the product on a store-by-store basis. “We believe it is important to not only explain this cigar and its blend to each retailer, but to share this smoke directly with cigar consumers. It is an exceptional smoke, but the customer who is expecting Antaño may not be satisfied, while connoisseurs who might not typically select a Joya de Nicaragua given their notoriety for strength may avoid even trying it out. This would be a terrible shame as it is an exceptional cigar of mild-medium body,” explains Michael Cellucci, Vice President of Drew Estate. Drew Estate is the exclusive importer and distributor of the Joya de Nicaragua brand in the United States. He adds, “We believe educating everyone about this cigar is critical, so we decided to not adopt the typical, nation-wide release approach with this product. Although launched during the late spring of 2009, we did not display it at the IPCPR, nor have we offered it for general sale. To date, it is only available at seventy-five Class A tobacconists, but almost all are experiencing brisk sales of this new cigar. We believe this type of release is in everyone’s best interest and we intend to continue the practice of slowly expanding its availability during 2010.”

At first glance, you will notice the Cabinetta Serie features two wrappers, a top-grade Equadorian Shade which covers its entire length with the head then finished in a second cover leaf of rich, Nicaraguan Criollo. Aptly named by the factory as “Dos Capas”, this technique allows the smoke itself to be creamy and smooth, yet provide a spicy flavor for the consumer without making the smoke itself to strong. “Unlike the common, double-wrapped ‘barber pole’ cigars, which is primarily for appearance sake, this Dos Capas-style actually offers the cigar smoker a different and unique flavor and aroma,” states Dr. Alejandro Martinez Cuenca, JdN’s owner and master blender.

The Cabinetta Serie is cello-sleeved and is available in 24-ct, sliding lid boxes in four sizes:
Frontmark Size MSRP
Cabinetta Serie No. 2 Belicoso 6 x 54 $6.55 p/cigar
Cabinetta Serie No. 4 Robusto 5 x 52 $5.55 p/cigar
Cabinetta Serie No. 7 Toro 6 x 50 $6.05 p/cigar
Cabinetta Serie No. 11 Corona Gorda 5 x 46 $5.05 p/cigar

Dr. Alejandro Martinez Cuenca continues, “We at Joya de Nicaragua have always been known for creating full flavored, full bodied cigars in our Antaño line. I found that there was a demand for a cigar that the consumer could smoke at any time of day. Because of that, we’ve created the Cabinetta Serie; this cigar was exactly what
we were looking for, something that’s not too strong, but still has that distinct Nicaraguan flavor profile. This cigar is almost always my first of every day. As for Drew Estate’s decision to continue introducing it slowly into the marketplace, I am confident that it is the right decision for this particularly unique cigar and will afford it the opportunity to be sampled and enjoyed by all.”

Joya De Nicaragua - Antano 1970

Antano 1970 (Robusto Grande)- You can check out the Gran Perfecto review out if you'd like. I have to say, this is one of my favorite lines out there. I smoke a lot of them and while I prefer the Gran Perfecto there are some interesting differences in the other sizes. Today I will write a short review on the Robusto Grande, comparing it to the Gran Perfecto.

Gran Perfecto Stats- 6 1/8" 50-58 ring
Robusto Grande Stats- 5 1/2" 52 ring

Prelight- The cigar has a nice look, but it has nothing on the Gran Perfecto. The wrapper looks rough and dry with some oils shining off it. The draw is a little more resistant than the GP but it is smooth and steady. The prelight tastes of mild leather and a hint of spice. The cigar has a sweet aroma to it; very similar to the GP. Overall, the stick is not as spongy as the GP, but still feels and looks like a great stick.

Sparking it - The cigar lights easily and the first few puffs have a sweet spice taste. The draw is perfect and delivers loads of smoke. At this point in the cigar, the draw and early burn is a little nicer than the GP. Shortly into the burn, leather mixes in and the spice mellows out.

Smoking it- The Robusto burns like a champ through and through. Overall is has a better burn than the Gran Perfecto. This stick tastes a lot like the GP but the subtle differences in flavor make for an interesting smoke. I tasted some cinnamon, and more spice and leather than the GP. The ash held tight and long. This cigar gets an 'A' for construction. While not as pretty as the GP, it sure is a hell of a stick in its own right.

Overall Comparison- The Gran Perfecto is my personal favorite in the Antano series, while the Robusto falls next in line. The flavors aren't drastically different, but I find the Gran Perfecto to have a creamier, sweeter smoke. Both are packed with flavor and well built, but the Robusto burns a little smoother and tighter. I highly suggest giving this cigar a try. Every smoker out there - run and get one. A lot is said about this being a monster full-flavor, but it isn't overpowering in any sense. Pick up the Antano 1970, you will not be disappointed.

Overall- A-

Joya De Nicaragua - Antano 1970

The Antano 1970 - Made by Joya De Nicaragua this is a Nicaraguan Puro. Meaning, all the tobacco used in this bad boy (filler, binder, wrapper) is grown in Nicaraguan. Being a fan of a few other Puros from that country I had to give it a try. Antano means "yesteryear" en espanol. This cigar was made in homage to the cigar this company produced in the 70's - which, according to the company, was very popular at the time. I was born in '84, so I'll take their word for it.

Prelight- Right off the bat, I'm in love. I went for the Gran Perfecto. The cigar is big, has a bulbous front end and I pictured how badass I would look smoking it. The cigar feels like any perfect ass on a woman, firm but juicy at the same time. Straight up, this cigar is sexy. Before you think I'm fucked up in the head, check out this stick. Anyways, the aroma off this is sweet and creamy. Odd for a cigar known to be very full in flavor. The prelight draw only brings more sweet aroma; I'm getting excited reaching for a lighter.

Sparking it- Back to how sexy this cigar is, the foot comes to a nipple and flaries outward as it goes back. Truly a beauty. Surprisingly, the nipple served well to light this fatty; with only three puffs, I was in business. First impression on the smoke- creamy, sweet, hell yeah. I'm not a fan of mild cigars that usually get the creamy tag, but this creamy is full flavored. This is a man's cigar and its got flavor. As I really start smoking this I can only admire the construction on this stick.

Smoking it- The first half of this cigar has me satisfied and happy. The sweet aromas with full flavor combo is hard to find- and the creamy pull of the smoke is fantastic. I have a short glass of Johnny Walker Black which couples with this smoke very well. And no, I'm not drunk. But if I was, I'd definitely be late-night text messaging this sexy bitch. The bulbous front end presented a little uneven burning as it first progressed, but nothing that distracted me from the amazing smoke. French-inhaling this cigar was a pleasure.

Overall- To put it lightly, FUCK YEAH. Awesome cigar. At $12, I was hoping it'd be good, but it turned out to be great. Definitely a new top 5 favorite of mine. I recommend this to every cigar smoker out there. For those of you that enjoy mild sticks, I urge you to give this a try. Many people get the wrong idea about "full" flavored cigars, because many tend to end harsh and be too spicy for those that enjoy a mild smoke. But this cigar isn't so much full as it is full with flavor. The cigar is complex and evolved throughout. Clinging on to the creaminess throughout. Hands down a bad ass cigar. From the sexy look to the sweet ass smoke, this one is a keeper. I'd love to see what aging a box of these would do.

Score- A+