Fonseca Nicaragua

The Fonseca Nicaragua cigar just goes to prove that whoever came up with that hackneyed phrase about old dogs and new tricks had no idea what in the Sam Hill they were talking about. The creator of many a humidor staple since the 1960's, Manuel Quesada is no one-trick pony. Instead, his blending talents are often considered without equal, and this latest release continues his reign at the top. The first Nicaraguan Puro in the Fonseca lineup, the recipe is a veritable whos-who of the country's best-growing regions. Jalapa is well represented, supplying the Oscuro Criollo '98 wrapper as well as the binder and part of the filler, which is then completed by hefty portions of longleaf tobaccos sourced from both sunny Esteli and the volcanic isle of Ometepe. (Shop other Fonseca Cigars) If you are used to Fonseca's stylized 'F' on a simple red and gold band, it is going to take a moment to realize what you see when you first open a box of Fonseca Nicaragua. The full name 'Fonseca' is spelled out in contemporary script and layered atop a plethora of tobacco leaves and flowers. Beneath this new decoration lies an impressively dark outer skin that looks and smells like cocoa, while the foot wafts fresh alfalfa. The thick smoke that first courses through the well-packed barrel of the cigar is awash with dark chocolate, stone fruit, and cedar. Shifting to an earthier profile during the slow-burning second half, the flavor becomes loaded with coffee, mesquite, almonds, black pepper, and wheat toast. Designed from the get-go as a premium cigar for about half the price, there's a lot of good smoking mileage to be had in every Fonseca Nicaragua. Medium-bodied but with enough complexity to impress even the most jaded of aficionados, this is a smoke to be enjoyed by almost everyone.