Comfortably Numb by Espinosa Vol. 1

The man behind the highly rated 601 brand, Erik Espinosa, is back! To say he knows cigars is an understatement – to say the least – as he’s worked with Alec Bradley, Gurkha, Rocky Patel, and Drew Estate, just to name a few. Born in Cuba, Erik is one of the best in the business and has just about mastered every aspect of the cigar industry while earning high ratings for his impressive creations. This month’s psychedelic creation lets his innovation shine through. Coming in only one perfect size, the Comfortably Numb comes dressed in a handsome chocolate brown Ecuadorian Habano wrapper that holds a bevy of Nicaraguan long-fillers and a zesty corojo binder. Medium to full in body, expect complex notes of cedar, coffee, earth, and a bit of sweetness and spice on the finish. Delicious down to the nub, get comfortably numb and pair it with a dark 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.