Joya de Nicaragua Antano Dark Peligroso

Size: 5 X 44
Shape: Peligroso
Origin: Nicaragua
Body: Full
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Smoke Clock: 45 mins
Joya de Nic Dark Peligroso

This past Monday, having just eaten a hearty lunch, I ventured out into the November chill to enjoy a fine smoke. Joining me that day was the Joyo de Nicaragua Antano Dark Corojo. Ever heard the phrase “seek and ye shall find?” That day, I was seeking an excellent smoke, and I must admit that I found it.

With the first light came a blast of powerful pepper, which quickly mellowed to reveal some excellent caramel and leather notes. Although the smoke remained peppery, dark chocolate and rich, earthen black coffee notes made their way into the profile with some excellent support from the caramel and leather. There was a nice nutty aftertaste left on my palate after each exhale that made me hungry for more.

These notes remained strong into the second quarter of the smoke, weaving in and out of dominance like a well conducted symphony. One moment, the chocolate note would emerge and bathe me in decadence while the next moment earthen coffee notes would slip in to ground me. Caramel would emerge and flit across the profile like a flute solo before dropping away into a supportive role for the other major players. This interplay continued well into the third quarter of the smoke, mesmerizing my senses in a whirl of delight and subtle dizziness. This is a full bodied beauty, no doubt about that.

As the symphony played on, that familiar November chill began to seep into my bones. Finally relenting to the weather, I lay this fantastic stick down. Still mesmerized by the depth, complexity, and delicious flavors that this smoke provided, I stumbled back indoors with the taste of ecstasy still on my lips.

Rating:
Presentation: 7/10 – This stick is presented well. Simple and attractive, the double bands do their job well while not detracting from the cigar itself. Gold and black in color, the bands display the name of the stick (“Antano Dark Corojo”) and the strength (“Doble Fuerte”) of the cigar. My beef with the bands is this, the band closer to the head of the cigar which displays its name has muddy focus. “Antano” gets cut off at the top & bottom by the gold trim, making it difficult to read and leaves the focal point of the band in question.

Appearance: 9/10 – The wrapper on the other hand, is near flawless. It is a beautiful dark maroon color which is spread consistently across the leaf. Smooth with only 1 discernable blemish, this is a wrapper that deserves to be framed.

Construction: 32/35 – Construction is very good. This stick is very firm, but gets increasingly hard towards the head. Despite the density of the pack, the draw is open, providing an easy and pleasant smoke. I did get a few runs, but they never became more than a big wave and managed to fix themselves.

Flavor: 44/45 – This is what a great cigar should taste like.

Overall: 92/100 – This cigar is one for the ages: the leaf used is truly beautiful and unique in color; the flavor profile is deep, complex, and pure with an exquisite interplay that I’ve rarely experienced. For you full bodied fans, this is the stick to try.

-DH