Hailing from Nicaragua, Reposado ’96 comes in either a Connecticut or Habano wrapper and is a medium-bodied, yet flavorful blend perfect any time of day.

Masterfully constructed, this cigar is a diamond in the rough utilizing first-class long fillers with premium wrapper leaves, weighing in at about $2.50 a stick. The tobaccos are all Cuban-seed Nicaraguan grown and the blend is only available in a stout, 7.1”x58 frame. Rolled under the supervision of A.J. Fernandez, creator of Man O’ War, these cigars are a true delight that will fail to disappoint even the most discerning aficionados.

Upon lighting, you’re met with light earthy flavors and subtle hints of spice that slowly build as the burn progresses towards the head of the cigar. Expect an even burn and a creamy character with underlying hints of espresso and cocoa thrown into the mix. Reposado also ages well and due to its perfect balance you’ll find its strength never becomes overwhelming. If you’re interested in a spicier character with richer nuances, go with the Habano wrapper on this one, otherwise the Connecticut is a better choice if searching for a smooth, refined character.

Q: I'm brand new to cigars. What should I try first?

A: There are tons of cigars currently on the market, all featuring different strengths, flavors, sizes, and of course price points so it's understandable to be completely overwhelmed as a new enthusiast. To put it simply, you'll most likely want to start off with a nice, mild cigar utilizing a Connecticut wrapper, preferably a blend containing Honduran or Dominican tobaccos as these leaves are not as strong as Cuban or Nicaraguan tobaccos. A Connecticut wrapper will provide you with cedar-like nuances and a smooth, creamy character so you won't have to worry about strength or the blend becoming too powerful. You'll want a mild cigar that has flavor, not something that will simply taste like smoke. We recommend 5 Vegas Gold or Cu-Avana. These blends are not expensive but are meticuloulsy constructed, feature a mild body and offer tons of flavor. They are also a good stepping stone if you're trying to move into stronger blends, such as Man O' War Ruination or other Habano, maduro, and Sumatra wrapped cigars featuring a heartier, medium to full body.

09/16/2009: Kim and Tim call up the Big A, Alex Svenson at the Tobacco Trade Show in New Orleans. Tune in and listen up as Alex tells us all about what 's new, hot, and worth trying! Informative show! [Listen Now]

CAO Brazilia shows the fuller-bodied side of CAO. It sports a dark and spicy wrapper making it incredibly flavorful with a long earthy finish. The oils from this wrapper are easily noticable and provide a great look but an even better aroma and taste as it burns, changing in complexity, from head to foot.

CAO is the maker of some of the highest rated brands in the world. Previously best known for making pipes, the Nashville based company broke into the cigar industry with authority. The attention they attracted has not just been from their first rate tobacco either. Their concepts and cigar packaging are very trendy and innovative, appealing to a new generation of cigar enthusiasts. They focus on quality over quantity and produce many great, highly rated blends.

For years CAO dreamt of a cigar utilizing premium Brazilian tobacco, but finding good Brazilian leaf at the end of the cigar boom was not an easy task. At the time, Brazilian tobacco was not readily available and it didn't hold to the standards of quality expected today. However, CAO stumbled on a beautiful dark wrapper leaf from the coveted Bahia region of Brazil and the rest was history. After its launch, this blend brought attention back to Brazilian tobacco and essentially was the rebirth of Brazilian cigars in the US cigar market as other cigar makers flocked to South America in attempt to recreate CAO’s success. The rich Brazilian wrapper gives CAO Brazilia a full-bodied and full-flavored aroma that carries a long and spicy finish. It is a truly unforgettable cigar, and a powerhouse addition to the humidor. Available in a multitude of sizes, there is something for everyone with this blend.

Gol! (5"x56) The big ring allows for a cool,even and effortless burn and draw. The complexities of this size overwhelm the palate with rich nuances and a sweet aftertaste. Enjoyable. 89/100 [Buy Now]

Amazon (6"x60) A little longer than the Gol!, this size really opens up after an inch and continues to build in complexity as the cigar burns. Very rich with full flavors. 89/100 [Buy Now]

Lambada (6"x50) Offered less pepper up front and burned slightly uneven. The wrapper looked great, however, and the cigar emitted a fantastic aroma. 87/100 [Buy Now]

Ipanema (7"x50) This size you'll need at least an hour to enjoy but it doesn't get too exciting until the final 4 inches, where it just builds in strength to become a full-bodied powerhouse towards the nub. Make sure you have a full stomach before trying this one. 87/100 [Buy Now]

Reposado '96 - Hailing from Nicaragua and available in either a Connecticut or Habano wrapper, this is a medium-bodied, yet flavorful blend perfect any time of day.

La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Miami - If you’re an enthusiast who prefers full-bodied blends, then you need not look any further than Artesanos. Named one of the Top 25 Cigars of the Year, the blend also earned a 92 rating by Cigar Aficionado.

Nica Libre - A great, everyday value crafted by hand in Nicaragua and comes in a box-pressed format, creating a rich and elegant experience at a pauper's price.

Carlos Torano Dominico - A quality bundled cigar produced by the world-renowned Torano family, so expect the same in quality and consistency as you would with any other Torano cigar, but at half the price!

Cigar.com (CC): Alejandro, thank you for taking the time to meet with me. Your brand is among my favorites and I am happy we finally have a chance to meet. Can you start by telling us a bit about the history of Joya de Nicaragua and how you got involved?

Alejandro Martinez-Cuenca (AMC): The first shipment of Joya de Nicaragua cigars was imported into the US market over forty years ago in November 1968. It is the only Nicaraguan cigar made uninterrupted since the very infancy of the cigar business and has become known worldwide as the original and most “authentic” cigar from Nicaragua. It is the national cigar of my country and was even made the official cigar of the White House when the Cuban Embargo began. Internationally, Joya de Nicaragua is regarded as the best representation of the Nicaraguan puro as it is made almost exclusively of natively grown tobaccos; it has always been very well constructed with an excellent taste and enjoyable smoke. In 2001, we decided to make a very strong Nicaraguan cigar and that is how I blended Joya de Nicaragua Antaño, a puro that brought a new dimension of strength to cigars. Today many people in the US mistakenly think of Joya de Nicaragua as only a full-bodied cigar, but I must say this is not true. We also manufactured the Celebración line which is a first class medium-bodied Nicaraguan puro and for those who enjoy a milder cigar we handcraft our Clásico brand which provides great enjoyment for enthusiasts who are not only attracted by strength but flavor. Although I’ve been involved in the factory since the mid-eighties, I bought the entire company back in 1993, and have since become very involved and passionate about cigar blending and manufacturing.

CC: Joya de Nicaragua is synonymous with strength and a rich, full body. Did the brand develop this way on its own or was this part of your vision?

AMC: Until 2000 the company was manufacturing cigars in its traditional way: rich, aromatic but not full-bodied. It was the end of the boom, and while many factories started to disappear and go bankrupt, I thought it was time to push ahead, trying to make something much different from what everybody else was doing at that time; the tobacco cultivated in Nicaragua’s nutrient rich fields was dramatically improving in its quality and that facilitated our work. I felt it was time to begin making full-body cigars using a blend that would give complexity and real enjoyment to cigar enthusiasts, in addition to strength. That is when I developed Antaño 1970. Since that moment, aficionados began experiencing the richness and full body of a true Nicaraguan puro and that is how we became known as the maker of such robust cigars.

CC: How many cigars do you enjoy a day? What are some of your favorites and do you have any rituals when it comes to experiencing your cigars?

AMC: I light up no less than three cigars per day. I usually start the morning with a Joya de Nicaragua Clásico in a corona size. As I move through the day, I prefer increased strength so I typically enjoy a Celebración in the afternoon and in the evenings I close the day with a full-bodied Antaño. Sometimes, during the day, I will also try other manufacturer’s cigars as I always like to sample what other makers in our business are creating and I just love good cigars, even those made by my competitors.

CC: Since moving your distribution to Drew Estate, you have had more time to spend with enthusiasts in the United States as you travel from event to event. What have you learned about the American cigar market in your travels? Any surprises?

AMC: I certainly have been spending a lot of time with retailers and consumers by attending dozens of Joya de Nicaragua events and store visits organized by Drew Estate on my behalf, and frankly speaking, for me they have all been an amazing personal experience. I have learned more about our customers likes, dislikes, and desires than I ever could have from any formal school or university. I have come across personal testimonies that moved me in my heart, seen how individuals value our cigars and have experienced their sincere esteem and loyalty for Joya de Nicaragua. Their passion has filled me with renewed enthusiasm and energy to work even harder, be more innovative and ensure we always strive to create the best cigars possible.

CC: So, tell us about your new cigar. I heard it will be a full-bodied line extension to Joya de Nicaragua Antaño. Can you confirm this?

AMC: Yes, we introduced it at the IPCPR convention in August as Joya de Nicaragua Antaño Dark Corojo, which will be on par with what I did when I first came out with Antaño 1970. I am sure once you taste it you are going to love it. It is exceptionally full-bodied and robust, but only using mature leaf so it is different than most strong cigars. Rather than the unpleasing bite most strong blends have, this one has roundness, depth and complexity. It is lush. But it also is a little deceiving. So many people today equate strong cigars with harshness. Enthusiasts might initially think “this isn’t that strong,” but I assure you once you burn about half of one you will feel the power of this blend. I am not making this new line as a substitute to our Antaño 1970 blend; rather I want to give the consumer another true, robust Nicaraguan puro to enjoy. I believe many people who enjoyed my first Antaño will appreciate this mature adaptation, but I also believe it will attract others to appreciate our brand.

CC: When do you think we will start seeing this new line hit the market?

AMC: October of this year.

CC: Going beyond this new Antaño line, where do you see Joya de Nicaragua five years from now?

AMC: I envision Joya de Nicaragua growing not only in the number of cigars we sell, but also by making enthusiasts more aware of our history, tradition and passion. For over 40 years we handcrafted some of the finest cigars in the world and our job is to continue to do so. We will continue to break myths and bring new dimensions to the pleasures of cigars and their enjoyment.

CC: How do you spend your time when you are not working with cigars? Any hobbies or outside interests?

AMC: I mountain cycle about one hour a day, at least five days a week. I also enjoy experiencing nature to the utmost. I enjoy swimming in the sea and love watching sunsets so I spend my leisure time on the beaches of San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. I take great pleasure in observing the beauty of the world in which we live.

CC: Before we wrap up, is there anything you would like say to our readers?

AMC: Thank you for your loyalty to Joya de Nicaragua, we deeply appreciate it. Let me share with you one final thought. A year ago in October 2008, while the world was turning upside down with the Economic Financial Crisis, I was attending a cigar event in Detroit organized by my distributor Drew Estate. As I was signing boxes purchased by several dozen customers, a young man of about 43 years old approached me and said the following testimony, which I will forever remember: “Dr. Martinez-Cuenca,” he said, “For years Joya de Nicaragua has always been my companion on the happy days as well as on the sad ones. Today is a sad day for me and my family because I lost my job at one of the Chrysler factories, but I did not want to go home without taking with me a box of your Joya de Nicaragua because I know it is the kind of companion that keeps the spirit in my life alive and I know that with the company of this box of your cigars, I am going to overcome this bad moment. Thank you for making such a great companion!” I was overwhelmed by his kind words and it made me realize just how much enjoyment can be experienced by the simple pleasure of lighting a Joya de Nicaragua. Now having had the opportunity to personally talk with so many of our customers, one on one, I have come to understand that my cigars mean much more to many than just being a great smoke. With this realization and as the owner and master blender, it is my personal commitment to all of our customers that Joya de Nicaragua will always and forever be your loyal friend.