Nicaragua

Last week a group from ABC paid a visit to Nicaragua courtesy of Drew Estate. Unfortunately, I didn't get to join in the cigar adventure, but my friends did an excellent job of keeping me updated on all of their travels. They texted photos of the cigars they were smoking along with the beautiful scenery they encountered. I even enjoyed a cigar with them across the many miles. After seeing picture after picture of them enjoying Liga Privada 9's and T-52's, I decided to go grab a Liga 9 out of my humidor and join in the fun vicariously. Of course, the pictures of their cigars included spacious views of mountains in the background. All I could see while enjoying my cigar was my Cairn Terrier feverishly scratching at my patio door in a fruitless attempt to join me outside. Some folks may get angry with such tormenting, but I had two good reasons to not let it get to me. First of all, they all brought me back a hefty cache of cigars and secondly, they provided me with an opportunity to write about Nicaragua.



Nicaragua


Nicaragua probably isn't the first country that comes to mind when people discuss cigars, but perhaps it should be.  Cuba may be the birthplace of premium cigars and it still has some of the greatest soil and micro climate in the world for growing cigar tobacco, but Nicaragua is quickly becoming the best cigar region this side of the Pinar Del Rio.


The city of Esteli is the epicenter of Nicaragua's cigar production, as most of Nicaragua's cigar factories are located there. Esteli is also responsible for growing some of the strongest tobacco in the world. The dark, volcanic rich soil is perfect for growing the bold dark leaves that make some of the strongest filler you will find anywhere. I often warn inexperienced smokers to be very careful when smoking these cigars. A 6x60 packed full of Esteli Ligero filler will turn a rookie green faster than you can say revolution.



Tobacco air curing in a barn in Esteli
Tobacco air curing in a barn in Esteli



As you travel north from Esteli, things will get a little milder. The next tobacco town you come across is Condega. It is here where sun grown leaves are the norm. Condega tobacco is mostly used for binder and filler. They are a tad bit milder than the cousin down the street, but still bold enough to live up to the
Nicaraguan reputation.


As you travel even further north into a remote area near the Honduran border, you will come across the old stomping grounds of the Sandenistas as well as the Contras. This region is called Jalapa and let me tell you that it may very well be the Jewel of Nicaragua. The tobacco here is the mildest you will find in the country, but it produces a leaf with a subtle sweetness while still maintaining its robust flavor, despite its lesser bit. The exquisite tobacco grown in Jalapa is perfectly suited for wrapper production. Many years of warring rebels, floods, hurricanes, and revolutions did its best to destroy this areas Tobacco business, but today things are booming.


Now for what might be the most unusual tobacco region, not only in Nicaragua, but the entire world. I am talking about the Island of Ometepe. Ometepe, which in Aztec means "two peaks," was formed by the emergence of two volcanos, Concepcion and Madera. Concepcion is still an active volcano, although it hasn't provided any really devastating fireworks in over a century. This island sits in the middle of Lake Nicaragua, the worlds' 19th largest lake and the biggest in Central America. If a smoking volcano isn't enough to ward off intruders, the lake and island used to be a safe haven for pirates who accessed it by sailing up the San Juan River. Today the pirates are gone, but perhaps an equally sinister and potentially more dangerous creature utilizes the same river to cruise the lake and patrol the shores of the island. Lake Nicaragua is home to a nice population of bull sharks. Anyone who has watched shark week knows that the bull shark is quite possibly the most deadly shark in the world. So with all of these natural defenses, the fruit of Ometepe must be great. Well, the tobacco is almost as equally interesting as its surrounding environment. It's unique—sweet yet earthy is something not often found in a singular leaf. Some will say that Ometepe lacks flavor, but compared to the other Nicaraguan tobaccos I think they are confusing taste with strength. Its mild natured sweetness certainly imparts something special when blended with other fillers.



Drew estate
Drew Estate



So there you have it, a little information about one of the greatest tobacco growing countries in the world and from the guy who missed out on the trip last week. Don't feel too bad for me.  I will be heading down there sometime next year and I promise to do two things: keep my friends updated with plenty of texts and pictures, and bring them back a few cigars.


Long Ashes,


Chris Gwaltney


ABC Fine Wine & Spirits regional manager in Jacksonville. Follow him on Twitter @chrisgnole



Share this:

,

CONVERSATION

0 comments:

Post a Comment