Joya de Nicaragua Clasico Torpedo (6 x 52)

Video review HERE.

Joya de Nicaragua Brings Back Clásico with Revamped Packaging.

The Joya de Nicaragua Clásico is back in the US market, with revamped packaging but the same timeless quality, exclusively available at Casa de Montecristo & JR Cigars.

Back in 1968, no one would have thought that cigars would shape the city of Estelí. In the United States, tobacconists would not have imagined that 5 decades later, consumers would be clamoring for Nicaraguan cigars; or that Nicaragua would become the number 1 cigar exporter to the US.

The One that Started it All, and Changed Everything: the Joya de Nicaragua Clásico.

At Joya de Nicaragua, we are very proud that our cigars and our people started this movement. For this reason, our 50th Anniversary would not be complete if we did not bring back to American consumers the first Nicaraguan cigar ever. The one that started it all, and changed everything: the Joya de Nicaragua Clásico.

With Clásico, Joya de Nicaragua is implementing the quintessential “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it” because some things need to change, others simply need to #StayClasico.

As Mario Perez, JDN’s Sales Director explains: “Clásico goes back to America at moment when we have reached the highest quality standards at the factory in our 50 year history, but we kept the same blend that the founders of the company created, the blend that once captivated world leaders when it was the official cigar of the White House back in the 70s.”

For the US market, consumers will be able to find 6 different vitolas in 25 ct. boxes:

· Churchill (6 7/8 x 48) MSRP per Stick: $8.50

· Toro (6 x 50) MSRP per Stick: $8.15

· Consul (4 ½ x 52) MSRP per Stick: $7.00

· Torpedo (6 x 52) MSRP per Stick: $9.50 REVIEWED TODAY

· Número 6 (6 x 41) MSRP per Stick: $6.50

· Señorita (5 ½ x 42) MSRP per Stick: $5.50

The cigar is a light brown. The wrapper obviously looks like a Connecticut. The torpedo cap is very long and sharp. The cigar has an average feel in the hand.

Joya de Nicaragua sent me a sample of these cigars. They even personalized the box.

I sampled the toro last night. Today I take a look at the torpedo.

The cigar is well made and the wrapper has no flaws. The test draw after taking the minimum from the sharp torpedo cap was very good. The initial flavors at light up were a candy-like orange citrus which reminds me of the Bayer baby aspirin we had as children. It's that type of orange flavor. There is also some white chocolate giving it more sweetness, along with some brown sugar and light cinnamon. Most of the sweetness come from the citrus and white chocolate. There were also nice black coffee notes at the base. There was black pepper which I rated at a 7. 

At the first third (31 minutes) the cigar is burning pretty evenly. I lost the white chocolate notes and in their place were caramel notes. There is a little more brown sugar now and that may be the result of the caramel notes. The main flavor is the candy-like orange. There are still sprinklings of cinnamon. The black coffee base and black pepper remain good. The cigar is very mild. This is not your typical Nicaraguan cigar. It's very mild. But, this is the original blend by Joya de Nicaragua so they are holding true to their roots. The finish is one of the front end citrus flavor and caramel. There is some lingering black pepper also. This is a tasty, sweet cigar but mild. For the first third I rated the cigar an 88.

Just past the midpoint I noticed nutmeg notes. They elevated enough to become evident and they are affecting the sweeter notes.

At the second third point (1 hour 3 minutes) the nutmeg has toned down the sweeter notes. While the citrus and caramel are still there they are somewhat subdued from the nutmeg. The brown sugar and cinnamon are still there but they are also somewhat subdued. The coffee is more earthy at this point and somewhat elevated. The cigar is still mild bodied. The finish is unchanged but it also has influence of nutmeg notes. The lingering black pepper seems to have decreased. Due to the nutmeg notes taking away some of the sweetness I am lowering the score to an 87.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 28 minutes. In the final third the brown sugar and caramel notes moved up a little while the citrus notes moved slightly downward. The nutmeg notes decreased back to where they were in the beginning. There were still sprinklings of cinnamon. The coffee remained nice. The pepper remained good. The finish was unchanged. The cigar remained mild bodied. With the elevated sweeter notes and decreased nutmeg notes I am moving the score back to an 88. This is a good tasting cigar but very mild. It would make a good cigar for a beginner who would like to experience Nicaraguan flavors without the fuller bodied effects.

Overall Score: 88 (87.67)