Cigar Review: Cuenca Y Blanco
The International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers (IPCPR) tradeshow is an annual event where companies in the cigar industry come together to debut new additions to their cigar brands. The 2012 IPCPR tradeshow saw the debuts of several new cigars for smokers to be excited about. One cigar that is generating a lot of interest is Joya De Nicaragua’s Cuenca Y Blanco. The Cuenca Y Blanco is the result of collaboration between Joya De Nicaragua’s President Dr. Alejandro Martínez Cuenca and Senior Vice President Jose Blanco. Jose Blanco is veteran of the cigar industry, working for three decades at La Aurora before working with Joya De Nicaragua. The Cuenca Y Blanco cigar breaks Joya De Nicaragua’s puro Nicaraguan tradition by being a blend of tobaccos from Ecuador, Nicaragua, Peru, and the Dominican Republic. With that said, let’s take a look at Jose Blanco’s inaugural cigar with Joya De Nicaragua .
. Appearance: The Cuenca Y Blanco has a stunning milk chocolate toned Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. In addition to being visually appealing,the cigar is texturally appealing with a smooth and slightly firm feel.
Pre-Light: The pre-light notes of the cigar tell the story of what is in store throughout the entirety of the cigar. The effortless draw reveals notes of oak, earth, and cedar with a slight hint of dark chocolate.
1/3: The Cuenca Y Blacnco begins with distinct notes of leather, earth, and cedar. The most dominate flavor in the first third is earth with a hint of leather. The retro hale adds an additional layer to the cigar with espresso notes. Overall, the start of the cigar is smooth and easy. The first third of the cigar is a solid earthy medium bodied cigar that has a great balance of spice and smoothness.
2/3: This portion of the cigar marks a radical change from the beginning of the cigar. The notes of leather, earth, and cedar that dominated the first third have dissipated and notes of dark chocolate and espresso are beginning to become more pronounced. While the first third contains an earthy flavor profile, the second third is has a sweet and smooth profile.
Final Third And Parting Thoughts: Once again, the Cuenca Y Blanco changes its flavor profile. The dark chocolate and espresso notes of the second third have given way to notes of oak and earthy spice. The cigar remains well within the medium bodied range, while the flavor shifts to more full bodied tones. Overall, the cigar is a complex and interesting smoke that transitions effortlessly from flavor to flavor. The Cuenca Y Blanco is the perfect cigar for medium bodied smokers who are looking for a complex cigar. It is also refreshing to see Joya De Nicaragua break from their puro tradition to create a truly wonderful blended cigar.
The Cuenca Y Blanco will be available in 5 sizes:
Robusto Deluxe (5 1/4 x 50)
Toro Supremo (6 x 54)
Torpedo Especial (6 1/4 x 52)
Corona Real (5 1/2 x 46)
Lonsdale Club (6 1/2 x 44)
These sizes will be available at Emerson’s five locations as well as emersonscigars.com in 5 packs, 21 count boxes as well as a 5 cigar line sampler.
