Arganese Habano Robusto

Arganese began with real estate developer Gene Arganese’s search for cigars made to his own specifications. That personal project became a business after he purchased a Dominican cigar factory in 2005, although the Habano Robusto featured here is made in Nicaragua. This 5.5 × 50 Robusto combines a dark Nicaraguan Habano wrapper with a Nicaraguan binder and Cuban-seed Nicaraguan long-fillers. Medium to full-bodied, its flavor centers on rich natural tobacco, subtle leather, and a lingering finish that combines pepper with gentle sweetness. It’s a direct, tobacco-forward profile, with the pepper giving the finish plenty of definition. Pair it with Brugal 1888 Aged Rum. Double-aging in bourbon and sherry casks contributes vanilla, toffee, cocoa, and oak-spice character, which should provide a rounded counterpoint to the cigar’s leather and pepper. The rum’s fruit and vanilla notes offer contrast without requiring an equally forceful layer of spice. We’d suggest serving it neat to keep the pairing focused on those complementary flavors.

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.