Montecristo Nicaragua

Montecristo stands for quality, flavor, and consistency among both cigar aficionados and the top manufacturers in the world. Not surprisingly, it has become one of the most recognized brands worldwide. From its humble beginnings in the early 20th century through today, the brand has exploded into a variety of line extensions. Currently, Montecristos sold in the USA are distributed by Altadis U.S.A. and their head of product capability, Rafael Nodal, paired up with the famed AJ Fernandez to create the Montecristo Nicaragua. Fairly new, this smoke was released in the summer 2018 and has been making waves ever since. In fact, the Montecristo Nicaragua made Cigar Aficionado’s 2018 Top 25 list at number 10, scoring an impressive 93. As the name suggests, this Montecristo is 100% Nicaraguan tobaccos that is full of Nicaraguan classic flavors of spice, chocolate-covered espresso beans, and hints of dried fruit. Medium to full bodied, pair this with an imperial stout.

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.