Laranja Reserva Azulejo Toro

The Laranja Reserva Azulejo is the third installment in Espinosa’s Laranja family. “Azulejo” refers to the decorative blue tiles associated with Portuguese architecture, giving the cigar a distinctive identity before it is even lit. It is handcrafted at A.J. Fernandez’s San Lotano factory in Ocotál, Nicaragua, and the Toro has earned a 90-point Cigar Aficionado rating. A dark Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper covers a Brazilian Arapiraca binder and Nicaraguan fillers from multiple growing regions. Full-flavored and robust, it delivers mocha, roasted nuts, black cherry, clove, earth, and black pepper, with enough underlying sweetness to soften its bolder edges. Its lightly box-pressed construction encourages a steady draw and lets the flavors unfold gradually. Don Julio 1942 Añejo Tequila is an appropriately luxurious partner. Its cooked agave, caramel, vanilla, oak, and warm spice echo the cigar’s sweeter notes while smoothing its peppery finish. Together, they create an indulgent pairing that feels celebratory without becoming overly heavy.

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.