In recent years, there seems to have been a push towards producing cigars that have characteristics similar to those found in Cuban blends. Since Tabacalera Perdomo has a very long history in the business, dating back to the 1930s when Silvio Perdomo worked in San Jose de las Lajas, Cuba; it is no surpise that Nick Perdomo was up to the challenge of not only creating a cigar similar to those stemming from Old Havana, but also one solely utilizing 100% Nicaraguan tobacco. Perdomo Habano is considered a Nicaraguan puro. The blend consists of all Cuban-seed, long-leaf tobaccos grown in Esteli, Condega, and Jalapa, which are Nicaragua’s three primary growing regions. For this reason, Perdomo Habano is pleasantly complex, expelling aromas similar to roasted nuts while offering the palate nuances of spice, earthy sensations, and light cocoa flavors in the aftertaste. The blend comes in a variety of different wrapper selections varying from a creamy Connecticut and rich maduro to a spicy corojo as well. There is a cigar in this line for all enthusiasts and since the Perdomo family is behind this project, each stick is guaranteed to burn properly, be consistent from box to box, and create a medium to full-bodied experience that is second to none. With no exaggeration necessary, Perdomo Habano may be the best blend Tabacalera Perdomo has released to date.

Q: What is the advantage of smoking with your nose?

A: When enjoying cigars, many people simply pull the smoke into their palates and then expel it back into the air. Since there are about 10,000 taste buds on the tongue, each individual does get a good representation of the characteristics offered by every cigar tasted. However, there are many competing nuances in a blend that may go unnoticed if the smoke is never expelled through the nose. Here’s why. There are many odor receptors located in the nose. These receptors can detect 80 to 90 percent more odors or nuances than the tongue. Although the tongue has 10,000 taste buds, it can only distinguish between salty, bitter, sour, and sweet flavors. Due to this fact, expelling cigar smoke through the nose will drastically increase the amount of competing flavors noticeable on the palate, which in turn improves the overall experience. Remember, when properly performed, the smoke is never inhaled into the lungs.

In order to accomplish this feat, simply pull the smoke into the palate and release about 80 percent of it back into the air. Keeping your mouth closed, try to swallow the remaining smoke. Don’t worry; the smoke will not flow into your stomach. Due to the air passage between the throat and nose, the pressure from swallowing will force the smoke into the back of the throat. Since nobody can breathe and swallow at the same time, upon swallowing you automatically release excess air from your body. When this happens, the smoke will automatically follow the nasal passage and release through the nostrils. Of course this method will take some practice, but it will drastically change the way you taste cigars, in addition to which cigars you continue to enjoy.

Cusano 59 Rare Cameroon - An excellent choice when looking for a complex, full-bodied cigar that truly captivates the essence of Cameroon leaf.

Cusano LXI Sun Grown - LXI Habano Sun Grown is another excellent blend hailing from world-renowned cigar maker Mike Cusano. Known for their mild to medium-bodied cigars, LXI Habano Sun Grown is a welcomed edition to the Cusano line, becoming their first full-bodied powerhouse.

Gurkha Turk - Gurkha has outdone themselves again, this time using a rare strand of Turkish tobacco to round out a smooth, mellow blend simply called "Gurkha Turk."

Man O' War - Manufactured at Tabacalera Fernandez in Nicaragua, Man O’ War is by far one of the best full-bodied cigars currently available. Not only are the tobaccos perfectly blended to create incredible complexity, but the quality and construction is also top-notch.

Rocky Patel I-Press - A limited blend from Rocky Patel, I-Press is a must try, especially for die-hard RP fans. Wrapped in a dark maduro leaf, I-Press is a box-pressed cigar that provides a rich flavor and slow burn.

Don ‘Pepin’ Garcia is known for his full-bodied, spicy blends that offer complex flavors with a long, enjoyable finish. Pepin refused to stray away from this formula when blending 601 Oscuro, creating another powerhouse characteristic of the Garcia name. 601 was created in conjunction with EO Brands and Green Oscuro may be the strongest out of the entire line. Blended with full-bodied enthusiasts in mind, 601 Green Oscuro is as strong as it is smooth. Utilizing a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper, which is darker than night and incredibly oily, Green Oscuro also contains Cuban-seed Nicaraguan long leaf tobaccos which were specially fermented by Pepin. This cigar emits a thick smoke with an aromacy reminescent of toasted cedar. Upon lighting, a leathery smoke engulfs the palate, producing hints of pepper while leaving rich notes of espresso lingering in the aftertaste.

Although very strong, the finish is enjoyably long and features a cocoa-like sweetness which rounds out the blend. 601 Green Oscuro is slightly box-pressed, so expect a richer flavor in comparisson to other maduros currently on the market. Packaged in authentic Cuban-style boxes and immaculately constructed providing a slow and even burn with a perfect draw, 601 Green Oscuro is simply a great cigar.

La Punta (5.5" x 52) Perfect size. The ring gauge allows for an easy draw, without sacrificing the slow burn. Many cocoa nuances noticeable on the palate with much pepper and spice through the nose. Produced almost a 3-inch ash. 90/100 [Buy Now]

Tronco (5" x 52) Started off robust and heavy with ample spice but refused to mellow out. In addition, the after taste was definitely sweet making this size incredibly well blended. The oils left some residue on the lips and the last two inches were very strong, but highly enjoyable. 89/100 [Buy Now]

La Fuerza (5.5" x 54) Medium in length but thick, this size emits a ton of smoke. Although it burned evenly, the smoke seemed slightly hot on the palate but allowed for a rich after taste. Many espresso-like flavors. 88/100 [Buy Now]

Trabuco (6.1" x 58) Very big cigar that engulfs the palate with many competing nuances of coffee and pepper. Very complex but the burn followed a vein down the left side. Good cigar but became incredibly intense towards the last 3 inches. Will easily last 90 to 120 minutes with very little to offer in terms of sweetness. 88/100 [Buy Now]

6/13/08: Join Tim and Donny as they talk to Christian Eiroa of Camacho Cigars. Hear first hand about Camacho's newer releases and some of the methods of this storied cigar manufacturer's innovative ways. [Listen Now]

Traveling through Central America every month, you meet a lot of interesting people. Most of the Americans I come across on my flights are tourists heading out in search of some of the lesser-known vacation spots located off the beaten path. During my travels, one place I continually heard about was Granada. On one of my recent trips to cigar country (Esteli, Nicaragua) this past spring, I was winding down a 14 day factory visit and decided it was finally time that I discovered more of what Nicaragua has to offer.

The previous night I was out with some factory owners, including Abdel (AJ) Fernandez and Pepin Garcia, enjoying rum and live music, so my early morning departure was moving slowly. I crudely stuffed my clothes in my bag, grabbed my map and called my driver. When he arrived at the house I tried to show him Granada on my map and much to my surprise he needed little direction, as most Nicaraguans are all too familiar with this historic and popular town.

We drove due south from Esteli on the Pan American highway, swinging around the capitol city of Managua. For 14 strait days my diet consisted of rice, beans and churasco steaks so as we passed a Papa Johns pizzeria, my nostalgia for American food kicked in and I insisted we pull over for a slice. Back on the road, we finished our two and a half hour expedition.

Granada is referred to as the "Capital of Central America" on account of its age, which dates back almost 500 years. The city was named after the Andelusian city of Granada and is situated on Lake Nicaragua at the base of the Mombacho Volcano. This location made Granada a logical first settlement for the Spanish, ideal for farming and agriculture on account of its fertile volcanic soils and also ideal for trade with easy access to the Atlantic Ocean through the San Juan river, which feeds the lake. The Mombacho Volcano, which is now inactive, blew its top hundreds of years ago forming over 300 small islands off Granada’s coast giving it the nickname, “City of Islands”. These small multi-acre islands are owned by some of Nicaragua’s most elite members of society and are used as private getaways with extravagant mansions.

Pulling into the city was like going back in time. The Spanish influence was evident in the city’s architecture. There is a large open park at the center of town that is surrounded by beautiful hotels and buildings, including a world famous Cathedral that draws tourists from all over the world. Upon further exploration of the city, I was completely taken back by its cleanliness. Most cities in Nicaragua, and most in Latin America for that matter, are not known for their clean streets, however, Granada was very well kept with old cobblestone streets that were bustling with people. Unlike many of the country’s other areas, Granada appeared untouched by the violent conflicts which plagued the country during the 1980s.

After exploring the city, I was excited to get to the lake. As we drove down the main street toward the water, banners and signs were positioned on every corner, supporting candidates for the upcoming mayoral elections. Arriving at the beach, I was amazed by the vista. In the distance, I could faintly make out the outline of Ometepe, the volcanic island at the center of Lake Nicaragua, which is home to some of the world’s best tobacco. I had the pleasure of visiting Ometepe earlier this year. I took a boat tour of the smaller islands of the coast before heading back to my hotel at the center of town.

During the evenings, I had the pleasure of discovering a different side of Granada. Home to a plethora of restaurants, the food was some of the best, most authentic Latin cuisine I have ever come across in all of my travels. Over the next few nights I would always try a new restaurant, swearing that each one was better than the previous. After dinner, I met up with a group of Americans and we made our way down to the many bars along the lake, where there is live music every night.

Waking up the next day, I made my way to a café near my hotel for lunch. Having smoked the last of my cigars the night before, I asked the waiter where I could find a decent cigar shop. A few moments later he returned with a cigar and told me it was on the house. Upon inspection, I immediately noticed the band which featured the name of the restaurant. I appreciated the gift, but was a bit disappointed that I was stuck with what I figured would be a mass marketed private label blend. I lit it up almost immediately and recanted my thoughts as my palate was consumed by what I can only describe as a raison like flavor and aroma. I must admit that I had never tasted anything quite like it in a cigar. I inquired as to where the cigars were made and was shocked to find that they were rolled at a small factory in town. In all of my research, I was unaware there was a cigar factory in Granada. I finished my meal and went back on the job as I searched for the blender who made my lunchtime smoke.

Within minutes I found myself in front of the Dona Elba Cigar Factory. Walking in, I was greeted by the owner, Silvio Reyes. Silvio looked familiar to me for some reason and I would later realize that it was his picture I was seeing on all of the posters around town. Silvio would be the next mayor of Granada and he was well known and liked by all of the residents of the city - I quickly found out why. With a glowing smile and unmatched hospitality, Silvio invited me in and offered me a cigar. As we both lit up I began asking him questions about his blends and specifically inquired about the unique aromas in his tobacco. With wide eyes, he shouted out in Spanish for one of his employees to bring him a hand of the “Mombocho” (a hand is a term used for a bunch of leaves tied together).

He eagerly presented a dark bunch of leaves for me to inspect. Putting my nose into the center of the bunch, my senses were overwhelmed with the same flavor I was finding in all of Silvio’s cigars. He went on to explain that for several years he had been growing experimental tobacco crops in Granada at the base of the Mombacho volcano. Silvio’s family owned a great deal of land and much of it had never been used for growing, making it ideal for tobacco. In fact, he grows his tobacco without the use of any pesticides or fertilizer making the tobacco grown on this virgin volcanic soil 100% organic. For his seeds, he was using a hybrid of a Cuban and native Nicaraguan variety which yielded a strong and tough leaf that requires three times as much fermentation as normal tobacco. I have been all over the world studying and smoking different tobaccos and I must admit that what I saw at this small factory in Granada was a first.

After spending the afternoon with Silvio, he prepared a small bundle of cigars for me and gave me a few hands of his organic leaf to show my collegues in the US. Time was short and I was late meeting my driver for my return flight. As I raced into the airport, I almost forgot my cigars in the car. The entire trip home I could not stop thinking about the few days I spent in Granada. The city was beautiful, cultural and relaxing. Its rich history provided a seemingly endless number of attractions and to top it off, I had discovered a small cigar factory that was doing innovative things with tobacco that the world had not yet seen.

Note: After visiting Granada and returning to the States, Cigar.com started working on a joint project with Dona Elba Cigar and Silvio Reyes. Be on the lookout for a new brand called “Verdadero Organic,” which will be debuting later this summer. Verdadero features a 100% organic filler grown on Silvios farms outside Granada and captures the unique aroma discussed in this article.