Camacho Powerband Gordo

For cigar aficionados, the Camacho brand is synonymous with “full”—as in full-bodied, full-flavored, and full of character. Their blends usually promise a powerful well-balanced smoke brimming with aromatic flavor. This is precisely why Camacho makers Christian and Julio Eiroa have developed such a loyal cult-like following. The Powerband does not disappoint; it is the newest edition to the Master Built Series and it fits right in with the Triple Maduro and the full-bodied American Barrel Aged. This powerhouse is inspired by the classic V-twin engine and is not only a looker but is super tasty to boot. Starting from the outside in, this high-octane blend features a Habano 2000 Ecuador wrapper, a Mexican Negrito San Andrés binder, and a filler blend of Nicaraguan Corojo, Honduran Original Corojo Ligero, San Vicente Ligero, San Vicente Viso, and Piloto Cubano from the Dominican Republic. According to Camacho the Powerband is: “…amplified by a proprietary Powerband™ bunching process that maximizes airflow for peak performance.” We aren’t exactly sure what that means but we do know that this smoke has an excellent draw and burn, so something awesome is at play here! With five different countries intermingling, toast the foot and get full-bodied notes of dark coffee, chili pepper, and a rich oaky core. Tasty, powerful, and intense, pair it with a full-bodied Cabernet.

Honduras has been a tobacco growing and cigar manufacturing area for hundreds of years, but it was the Communist revolution in Cuba that really put Honduras on the map. In the 1960s, many Cuban cigar makers fled their homeland and arrived in Honduras to re-establish their way of life. The immigrants took advantage of the climate, soil, and geography, which were well-suited to tobacco growing, and began producing high quality cigars. The center of the Honduran cigar industry is the city of Danli and the nearby Jamastran Valley. The majority of the world’s pure Corojo tobacco is grown here, now that Cuba has stopped production of this iconic, spicy, and rich variety in favor of Corojo hybrids. Other important areas of Honduran cigar production include the Talanga Valley, Copan, and Trojes.