After my recent trip to Nicaragua I feel obliged to review a lot of cigars packed full of Nicaraguan tobacco. If that is your sort of thing then make sure you check back in here for the next few Saturdays.

Today I am enjoying a relatively new cigar to ABC, the Villiger 125. This cigar was created to celebrate their 125th year of being in the business. This cigar is limited to just 30,000 sticks, so once they are gone that is it.

This cigar starts with a beautiful Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. There isn't a "hotter" and more sought after wrapper leaf in the industry right now than the Ecuadorian Habano. I saw this leaf being put to use at every factory I visited on my trip to Estelí, Nicaragua last week. This cigar has a double Habano Jalapa binder. Of course, no Nicaraguan cigar would be complete without some Estelí filler. The blend of Jalapa Viso and Estelí Viso give the cigar just the right amount of spice and strength.

Ecuadorian Habano wrapper leaf just after fermentation.

I really enjoyed this cigar right from the start. Its appearance and feel were flawless. I couldn't find any soft spots anywhere on the stick. The flavor of the cigar was exactly what I expect to find in a cigar containing these wonderful Central American tobaccos. The Estelí filler provides its trademark pepper spice flavor along with a little extra nicotine. The fact that they used Viso priming and also incorporated some Jalapa on the inside does keep the power muted a bit, but this cigar is definitely a Nica. I classify the strength as a solid medium to full-bodied. Along with the pepper I experienced some sweet spices, most notably cinnamon. There was also a little cocoa, but the cinnamon was the most prevalent spice on the sweet side of the flavor wheel. Of course, the black pepper intensified as I smoked it past the halfway point, but the smoke was cool and it never got bitter. This cigar comes in three sizes, but their only variation is the length. The ring gauge is 54 on all three vitolas. Of course today a 54 is almost considered a Lancero compared to some of the massive cigars being produced. The cigar burned evenly throughout the one hour and 45 minutes I enjoyed it, and I never once had to relight or touch it up.

If you like spice and all the things that make Nicaragua tobacco what it is, give this cigar a shot. It is certainly up to the task of commemorating Villiger 125 years in the cigar business. I enjoyed this cigar with a nice cup of black Nicaraguan coffee but a nice porter or even a refreshing pilsner would have also been a fine companion.

Long Ashes,

Chris Gwaltney, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits North Florida Regional Manager. Certified Tobacconist and Cicerone Beer Server. Follow me on Twitter @abccigarchris.