When I received my invitation to see Ometepe this past February, I was ecstatic. I have been writing about brands that use tobacco grown on this mysterious island for years and have always dreamed of visiting to see its lush soils for a first hand look. Opportunities to visit Ometepe don’t come along very often. Not only is this tobacco a closely guarded secret (you need special permission to visit the farms), but Ometepe is so isolated – it’s an island in the middle of the country’s massive Lake Nicaragua – that it takes two full days of travel in planes, boats and cars just to reach Ometepe’s beautiful shores from the United States.
My bags were packed and I started my trek from Chicago through Miami before arriving in Managua, Nicaragua. I was already exhausted and my travels had only begun. I met my driver and we started the long, grueling drive to San Jorge. His frequent accelerating and decelerating over the rough road made me feel like I was in the back seat of a Chicago cab driving through a minefield. I had a few hours to kill in San Jorge before my boat pulled anchor for the Island, so I took in the sites of the town and the beautiful views of Lake Nicaragua, the largest fresh water lake in Central America. The ecology of the lake is fascinating. Since it was once easily accessible by the ocean, the fresh water lake that is now land locked is the only place in the world where tuna, marlin, crocodiles and even sharks flourish in fresh water. Due to the scary stories told to me by some of the locals, swimming in this lake was definitely not on my agenda. Eventually, the ferry pulled off from shore and the boat made its way through the rough water. On the ferry, I was joined by a group of backpackers who had set off on their own adventure to conquer the great volcanoes that actually make up the island. As the boat pulled into port, I was happily greeted by the sound of howler monkeys; the Island’s natural inhabitants.
Two sizable volcanoes make up Ometepe: Concepcion and Maderas, which are joined by a small land mass. When the boat arrived in Concepcion, I was met by Armando Robaina, the nephew of world-renowned tobacco grower Alejandro Robania. Armando manages the farms and would be my guide for the next few days. As he drove me to my hostel in Maderas, I immediately began asking him the list of questions I had prepared prior to my trip. There are 31 farms on Ometepe; all operated exclusively by Nestor Plasencia, the largest grower of Cuban-seed tobacco in Central America. In turn, the leaf is sold only to General Cigar for use in their Bolivar, Partagas Decadas and a small number of other brands. Before I could delve into my list, we were already at camp and I retired to my room after a beautiful sunset, anxious to meet with Armando again the next day to continue my tour.
The next day began early after a breakfast of rice and beans. I accompanied Armando as he made his daily stops to all of the farms. The secret to Ometepe’s tobacco rests in its soil and climate. The volcanic soil is rich in calcium, potassium and magnesium, all key elements in growing premium tobacco. This soil, in conjunction with a natural and ever-present moisture and perfect cloud cover, grows tobacco stalks as high as 6 feet. Most of the farms are located on the outskirts of the island, and I was in awe of the beautiful tobacco that was pitched in the foreground of breathtaking vistas of the lake and volcanoes. I have never seen such lush tobacco in my life. It is easy to see why tobacco agronomists compare the conditions on Ometepe to those of Vuelta Abajo, where the finest Cuban tobacco is grown.
Armando offered a wealth of knowledge that he did not hesitate to share with me. Picking up a clump of soil in his hand, he proudly showed off its perfect color, which was a bit darker than that found in the Jalapa region, but lighter than the black soil of Esteli. He stated they water the fields every week without fail at the same interval and have workers caring for each plant by hand in the same intervals. Armando then went on to say that having the right conditions for growing is only half of the secret to Ometepe’s tobacco. The other half is the expertise of the engineers and workers that care for the farms. These employees are hand picked from farms in other regions and charged with the task of ensuring successful harvests in Nicaragua’s most coveted Tierra. The day flew by as I passed time with Armando and took photos at every farm, each seemingly more beautiful than the last. As Armando pulled back into the hostel, I thanked him repeatedly for his hospitality and quickly retired to my room to take notes while the details of the day’s events were fresh in my head.
From the seedbeds, to the fields and finally to the curing barns, the tobacco remains in Ometepe for six months before it is transported to Esteli for fermentation. There, Nestor Plasencia’s fermentation specialists keep a watchful eye on the bails. The fermentation facility is visited frequently by General Cigar’s buyers, as well as Daniel Nunez; who monitors the tobacco’s process carefully. Before its final fermentation, the tobacco is moved to General Cigar’s fermentation and aging facilities in the Dominican Republic, where they are fermented one final time. Afterward, the secret finishing touches are added and the tobacco leaves undergo several years of aging, before finding their way into the rich filler of Bolivar cigars, among others.
I was grateful for the opportunity to visit Ometepe, and I can safely say the bar has been raised in tobacco cultivation after visiting many of the 31 farms. The tobacco I saw, touched and tasted was unlike anything I have seen in the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua or any other growing region in the world. It is not a surprise that those involved in all aspects of caring for this tobacco are so secretive. In an industry as competitive as this, having access to tobacco of this caliber gives Nestor Plascencia a big leg up on the competition. I just hope that I will be invited back again soon to follow the success of this tobacco in the years to come.