Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Decadas Diadema (6 x 54)

Video review HERE.

Because fifty years as pioneers and leaders of the Nicaraguan cigar industry deserve a superb tribute, Joya de Nicaragua is proud to present Cinco Decadas. A cigar not only made with an exclusive collection of tobaccos but also with fifty years of accumulated knowledge, experience and resilience unique to the first tobacco factory to craft premium handmade cigars in Nicaragua.

Cinco Decadas is about celebrating being first, being best or just being. It is a testament of the ultra premium quality that characterizes the JDN family, made exclusively with prime extra-vintage leaves. It carries an immaculate balance accompanied by sweet and spicy notes. Its silky smooth smoke delivers a rich and fulfilling experience.

“Cinco Decadas is a Nicaraguan cigar of unparalleled elegance. This cigar is intended to celebrate a special moment in our company’s history and offer an opportunity to pause, reflect, give thanks – and look to the future,” said Dr. Alejandro Martínez Cuenca, Owner and Chairman of Joya de Nicaragua.

“It is our most memorable milestone yet and the most memorable of celebrations always require that you rise to the occasion. That’s what Cinco Decadas represents. We want consumers to know that in Cinco Decadas, they will find a cigar so premium that the fact that there’s one in the humidor, will be enough to celebrate,” said Dr. Martínez Cuenca.

Cinco Decadas comes in an exquisitely crafted ivory-white and gold lacquered box of 10 cigars. Each unique element of its packaging also reflects the value and artistry behind this masterpiece, from its gold embossed leaves, to the special 50th Anniversary security seal that guarantees its exclusive origin, the Joya de Nicaragua factory.

At this time, Cinco Decadas will be available in two vitolas only, as a tribute to the first formats to ever been rolled at the JDN production floor back in 1968: Diadema (6 x 54) with an MSPR $19.99 and El General (7x50)  MSPR $18.99.

Cinco Decadas will be a limited on-going production of 5,000 boxes in year one available only in selected markets around the world. 3,000 of these boxes will be available in the USA, exclusively for DDRP shops.

The cigar is simply a thing of beauty. This particular shape is so classic in the cigar world. The wrapper is oily and the cigar is very well made. It has a very good feel in the hand.

The test draw after taking the bare minimum from the cap was very good. The initial flavors at light up were a little unique. There were sweet notes of a candy-like baby aspirin orange citrus (a lot of recent Nicaraguan cigars have had this particular flavor), with it there were very sweet apricot preserve notes, quite a bit of cinnamon and brown sugar, and a nice black coffee base. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2. The cigar is very sweet. You don't notice the black coffee as much as you notice the black pepper. While the two main flavors are unique together they are very nice.

At the first quarter (25 minutes; about 1 1/2 inches in) the flavors are amazing. The candy-like baby aspirin orange citrus and the apricot preserves are extremely rich and buttery. There are also tons of brown sugar and cinnamon. The lower level flavors of black coffee and black pepper are also very nice. The cigar flows from the sweeter notes to the dark notes in a smooth transition. The cigar is a high level medium bodied at this point. The finish is sweet cream with a touch of nutmeg with a modest amount of lingering black pepper. The cigar is very nice. The flavors work very well together. I rated the first quarter at 95.

At the midpoint (45 minutes) the cigar is burning very evenly. I am going very slowly and letting the cigar go at it's own pace. Add a touch of nutmeg, caramel, and light clean leather to the front end flavors. These flavors only make the already rich, sweet cigar better. The cigar is very rounded out. All the flavors work. They are great together. The cigar is now medium to full bodied. The black pepper is up and it's lingering so nicely. The finish is long and seems to go on forever. It is now one of those apricot preserves and a nice amount of lingering black pepper. The smooth lingering black pepper tingles the palate and also goes on and on. At the midpoint I raised the score to a 96.

At the 3/4 point (1 hour 11 minutes) the flavors are unchanged. The strength of the cigar is now a low grade full bodied. Joya de Nicaragua really pulled out the big guns with this cigar. The fantastic flavors continue as they were at the midpoint. To be honest, I got a little more of the candy-like baby aspirin orange citrus at this point than the apricot preserves but that's a small point. The finish was unchanged and very long with tons of nice lingering black pepper. I maintained the score of 96 for the 3/4 point.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 37 minutes. Quite a nice burn time. In the final stages I did not lose much. The apricot preserves faded. You still had the nice candy-like baby aspirin orange citrus, leather, touches of nutmeg, and plenty of cinnamon and brown sugar. I also l lost a touch of the richness. There was plenty of black pepper remaining. I thought there might be some changes due to the ring gauge decreasing. The finish is basically unchanged. The cigar is very full bodied. This is an impressive cigar. At $20 each it's rather expensive but very well worth it. I rated the final quarter at 95. If you see these on shelves be sure to pick one or two up. You won't regret it. If you cannot find them you can purchase these fine cigars HERE.

This is the backside of the band.

Overall Score: 96 (95.5)