La Aroma de Cuba Reserva Staff Review
The front porch has become one of my go-to places to enjoy a fine cigar. With a toddler in the house, the opportunity to sit back and relax for an extended period has become rare a treat these days. Now that my daughter is down for a nap, I have a few hours to kill, and I plan on taking full advantage by going to one of my all-time favorites, La Aroma de Cuba Reserva. As you’ve probably noticed by now, I am a huge fan of San Andrés wrapper. The thing I love most about San Andrés is the outstanding complexity and sweetness it brings to the overall profile of the cigar. There’s a ton of cigars out there that employ San Andrés wrappers, but when Jose ‘Pepin’ Garcia blends with it, he takes it to the next level.
La Aroma de Cuba Reserva is handcrafted at the heralded My Father Factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. Each cigar features a soft box-pressed finish and resembles a dark chocolate candy bar. The wrappers are selected by hand and display a deep-brown, oily smoothness courtesy of the extended fermentation process these leaves receive. Beneath the San Andrés Oscuro wrapper is an intricate blend of aged tobaccos harvested on the Garcia family’s farms in Nicaragua.
Today, I’ll be smoking the Robusto size, dubbed Maximo. Once I clip the cap and take a few cold draws, I am met with some sweet cocoa and coffee notes. The pre-light aroma reveals hints of black pepper and leather.
As soon as the cigar is lit, a plethora of flavors rise to the forefront with coffee, sweet bell peppers, and jalapeno in abundance. As these flavors intensify throughout the first few puffs, hints of dark chocolate enter, rounding out a tasty, sweet and spicy profile. Even with all of the spice present, there is an overall creaminess to the smoke and excellent balance.
Moving into the midway point, the creaminess starts to take center stage. There are some welcome nutty and oaky undertones peeking through while the dark chocolate and spicy pepper notes subtly dissipate. It seems as though the profile switches from earthy to sweet every few puffs. These transitions keep me on my toes and excited for what’s next to come.
Entering the final stretch, all the flavors mesh perfectly. The smoke is thick with a leathery characteristic. The dark chocolate and pepper hints mingle with the coffee and nutty undertones leaving my palate quite pleased. There was not one single time where I had to touch up the wrapper or even struggle to keep it lit. The construction was stellar. The thick clouds of smoke added a great aroma that I was able to enjoy when the breeze settled down. There is no doubt this is the epitome of what a San Andrés-wrapped cigar should be.
Back in 2012, when this cigar first hit the market, I was smoking it like it was going out of style. Today, I still keep a healthy dose of them in my humidor. Do yourself a favor and try one of these if you have yet to do so. But be warned, this cigar is not for the faint of heart. La Aroma de Cuba Reserva is a full-bodied treat with the strength clocking in around 8.5 out of 10. Sample it alongside other top-rated Nicaraguan cigars in our bestselling assortments like the La Aroma de Cuba/San Cristobal ’93-95 Rated’ Collection and the La Aroma de Cuba Fresh Pack Sampler. You won’t regret it.
