Many of the products we enjoy on a regular basis have unseen contributors who put time and effort into their production. These products may even have unsung heroes who give their heart and soul to a particular field of study. In the case of premium cigars, and more specifically the premium cigars made at Fabricas de Nica Sueño in Esteli, Nicaragua. Nica Sueño is the factory home of RoMa Craft Tobac, producing popular cigar names names like Neanderthal, Cromagnon, and Intemperance. RoMa Craft has a very loyal following, especially among many who consider themselves true cigar nerds. All the while, there is a man at Nica Sueño who isn’t necessarily in the forefront, but happens to be co-owner of the facility. He is also the lead blender and all-around talented cigar maker, but I would wager that many fans of RoMa cigars are unfamiliar with the name Esteban Disla. He has been working with tobacco for nearly 40 years, and blending cigars for RoMa since the beginning of the brand. In 2016, Esteban released a cigar called Guáimaro that he had been developing at Nica Sueno for almost three years.
Guáimaro Corona
MSRP: $7.50
Size: 5.5 x 46
Origin: Fabricas de Nica Sueño
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
Binder: Brazilian Arapiraca
Filler: Nicaraguan and Dominican
In addition to the Corona size reviewed here, this cigars is also available in a 5 x 52 Robusto (MSRP $7.75) and a 6 x 54 Torpedo (MSRP $8.75).
Prologue
The Guáimaro Corona has a lovely dark brown wrapper, with a bit of a reddish undertone. It is a soft box press, but very cleanly rolled and well constructed. The color is even, the cap is neatly applied, and the surface of the wrapper has a well-defined tooth. That wrapper has some faint aromas of cedar, but the foot of the cigar is peppery and sweet. The cold draw is just right, and also has that combo of pepper and sweetness.
Act I
It starts out very bold, with pepper and dark roast coffee. That mellows after only a moment to include some sweetness accompanying the pepper. The smoke is extremely rich and dense, almost chewy in texture. That gives the feel of a creamy note that coats the palate and becomes a pleasing combination with the spice. The retrohale on this bebinning is no slouch, with spice that tingles the nose and waters the eyes.
Act II
The warmth that comes after 20 minutes of smoking time is allowing some more flavors and aromas to bloom. The coffee is still a factor, but now joined by a nice bitter chocolate. It goes well with the peppery spice, and heavy texture of the smoke. That retrohale just keeps ramping up. Now it is like smelling spicy red pepper flakes, but that honestly compliments the cocoa aromas.
Act III
The end of the cigar is honestly hard to keep up with. I get a sense of so many flavors, I am sure I missed some while I was taking notes. The cocoa, coffee, spice, and cream are now joined by hints of leather, earthiness, damp mustiness, mineral characteristics, and less sweetness than before. The retrohale did smooth out a bit, but still has that frontal zing of spice.
Epilogue
I was so very happy with the first two thirds of this cigar. Now, that isn’t to say that I disliked the final third, but it seemed like a completely different cigar. I think the shift was so major that it pulled the rug out from under me, and that was the case on each of these that I smoked. They were extremely consistent. Overall, I would easily see myself keeping some of these in my humidor. If you are inexperienced with spice and bold flavors in cigars, take this one slowly, but don’t shy away from giving it a go. The low price makes it easy to pursue.
Guáimaro Corona – How Bout That Cigar?
Rating: How Bout A 5er?
Overall Score: 90
PAD: +1.0 (What is PAD?)
Flavor Summary: Cocoa, Coffee, Spice, Earthiness
Strength Assessment: Medium-Full
Source: Cigars for this review were purchased by HBT Media LLC