Top 6 Cigars with an Ecuador Wrapper
Cigars blended with Ecuador wrappers encompass a wide range of flavor profiles, and the seed varietals play a major role in what you taste. Many of the highest rated and most popular cigars ever created are blended with an Ecuador wrapper leaf. Premium tobacco crops thrive in Ecuador because the country is home to rich volcanic soil and abundant cloud cover, which naturally filters the sunlight.
Today’s biggest cigar-makers, including Carlito Fuente and Jose ‘Pepin’ Garcia, love blending cigars with Ecuador wrappers. The three main types of Ecuador wrappers are Ecuador Sumatra (Sumatra-seed tobacco planted in Ecuador), Ecuador Connecticut (Connecticut-seed tobacco planted in Ecuador), and Ecuador Habano (Cuban-seed tobacco planted in Ecuador). Below are two examples of cigars blended with each varietal of wrapper. Add them to your humidor without hesitation and savor the broad spectrum of flavor the finest Ecuador wrappers possess.
Ecuador Sumatra
No discussion of the best Ecuador cigars is complete without discussing the best Sumatra cigars, as the two countries have been linked for decades. Sumatra-seed tobaccos have been planted in Ecuador since the 1950s when many Cuban cigar-makers fled Cuba after Fidel Castro took over.
Ashton VSG
Ashton VSG debuted in 1999, and it became an instant classic. Like the first Fuente Fuente Opus X cigars, VSG was allocated to select retailers in limited batches that were tough to come by. VSG stands for Virgin Sun Grown, and the cigar is named for its Ecuador Sumatra wrapper, which grows under naturally filtered sunlight. World-renowned cigar-maker Carlito Fuente blends VSG from a potent marriage of premium Dominican long-fillers aged to perfection and assembled beneath the cigar’s oily and decadent wrapper. Ashton VSG is a 94-rated pillar in the world of premium cigars.
Oliva Serie V Melanio
The critics in Cigar Aficionado have long gushed over the original Oliva Serie V line, but when Serie V Melanio premiered, they awarded it 96 points and ‘#1 Cigar of the Year’ honors in 2014. A toothy Ecuador Sumatra wrapper is drawn over a formidable blend of premium Nicaraguan long-fillers in a collection of mostly box-pressed sizes. Notes of caramel and wood accompany an underlying spice in the highest-rated Oliva cigar to date.
Ecuador Connecticut
The soils and climates of Connecticut and Ecuador are markedly different, but both yield remarkable tobacco crops. Once upon a time, tobacco-growers took Cuban seeds to the Connecticut River Valley where more than 30,000 acres of premium tobacco crops were planted – during the region’s zenith of tobacco production. Today, fewer than 3,000 acres exist in the valley. Eventually, however, those “Connecticut” seeds were taken to Ecuador where they could thrive in the volcanic soil, and, as a result, you will find Ecuador Connecticut wrappers on an increasing number of premium cigars.
San Cristobal Elegancia
Jose ‘Pepin’ Garcia blends San Cristobal Elegancia from a vintage blend of Nicaraguan long-fillers that are finished in a golden-blond Ecuador Connecticut wrapper leaf. Tasting notes of white pepper, almond, coffee bean, and cashew weave a creamy tapestry over the palate in several traditional sizes. The 91-rated Elegancia is a favorite among fans of Nicaraguan cigars who prioritize approachability over brute strength.
Perdomo 10th Anniversary Champagne
Perdomo brand founder Nick Perdomo is stickler for perfection, and his bestselling 10th Anniversary Champagne is a brilliant example of what he does best. A glistening Ecuador Connecticut wrapper embraces a bountiful blend of premium Nicaraguan long-fillers grown on select Perdomo estates. Notes of coffee bean and nuts characterize the blend’s pleasant flavor with a touch of spice and loads of creamy aroma.
Ecuador Habano
Cuban-seed tobaccos have been planted in Ecuador for only about the past two decades, but their prevalence in today’s premium cigars has spread like wildfire. Cigar-makers, cigar-lovers, and critics universally adore cigars blended with Ecuador Habano wrappers, and much of their appeal lies in the distinctive, spicy, and complex flavor they offer.
La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial
Father-and-son cigar-makers Pepin and Jaime Garcia have been blending La Aroma de Cuba cigars for nearly twenty years, and Edicion Especial is among their finest. An oily-brown Cuban-seed wrapper cultivated in Ecuador encapsulates a hearty blend of Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos matured to perfection. Smoky notes of cocoa, leather, and coffee bean meld with an abundant backbone of almond and pepper. The critics in Cigar Aficionado rated Edicion Especial 94 points and included it in their coveted ‘Top 10’ list.
My Father
The original My Father blend set the stage for dozens of critically acclaimed cigars blended by Pepin and Jaime Garcia, Nicaragua’s leading father-and-son cigar-making duo. An oily, medium-brown Cuban-seed wrapper grown in Ecuador harbors a complex blend of premium Nicaraguan long-fillers. Notes of leather, wood, pepper, and cocoa culminate in a big and smooth finish with hints of dried fruit.
