Cigar Review: Joya de Nicaragua Antano

Hello cigar smokers,
Today I'm smoking an old favorite of many, the Joya de Nicaragua Antano series. These cigars became a classic after the Cuban embargo, back then Nicaragua was not a big cigar producer, so in a way these cigars put Nicaragua on the map for cigar makers and connoisseurs alike. Joya De Nicaragua translates to "The Jewel of Nicaragua" and this cigar is a Nicaraguan puro, all the leaves in this blend come from Nicaragua. The Antano comes in boxes of 20, with the flagship tobacco leaf logo centered in the box. In the many boxes of these cigars I've seen the wrappers are all generally uniform and loose wrappers or cracked leaves are a rare occurrence in what I've seen. Recently the Antano has also started coming in cellophane wrappers, and I haven't seen an ugly or cracked wrapper since. Joya de Nicaragua is distributed in the US by Drew Estate, and they've been breathing new life into the brand with new blends, but the Antano is as consistently good as it's always been.

These cigars are definitely a full body smoke. It is a 5/5 on our strength ranking system, but the smoothness of the blend doesn't make it necessarily feel like a 5/5. From the first light up it gives a strong draw and robust flavor that gradually gets stronger and finishes strong. This size, the Consul, is a 4 1/2 by 52 ring gauge Robusto and I think it's one of the best sizes to enjoy a strong blended cigar in.  I recommend this cigar to people who want to try full bodied cigars, fans of Nicaraguan tobacco, or as a last cigar of the day to cap off a multiple cigar day. A full bodied cigar such like this I think goes best with full bodied spirits. Red wine or Port is my go-to pairing for this cigar, but whiskeys are another excellent choice. There's a reason Joya de Nicaragua has staying power in the cigar business and I these are an excellent introduction to the world of Nicaraguan tobacco.