During the 2019 PCA Trade Show, the Drew Estate booth was showcasing a very special cigar from Joya De Nicaragua known as the Número Uno “Obras Maestros”. This cigar was part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the company. Prior to this release, the cigar was previously the one the company gave out by Nicaraguan ambassadors throughout the world. The term “Obras Maestros” translates to “Masterpieces” and it represents the best the company offers. Others in the Masterpiece line include the Cinco Decades and Cuatro Cinco cigars.
I received a single Joya De Nicaruagua Número Uno that was encased in a beautiful blue coffin box. It has been in my humidor for 7 months and I felt it was time to treat myself to a masterpiece cigar today. The cigar actually comes in 25-count boxes and has a annual limited production of 1,500 boxes only available at Drew Diplomat Retail Program retailers. The Número Uno is expressed in a single (6 5/8 x 44) lonsdale vitola named L’Ambassaduer and carries an MSRP of $15.00/cigar. Drew Estate is the US Distributor for Joya De Nicaragua.
The blend of the Joya DeNicaruagua Número Uno is described as:
- Wrapper – Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade
- Binder – Nicaraguan
- Filler – Nicaraguan
Dr. Alejandro Martínez Cuenca, Chairman of Joya de Nicaragua noted:
“Número Uno was developed as a unique gift and later an event-exclusive cigar, and although it wasn’t the original intention, we decided to make Número Uno available to a bigger audience.
However it will remain as something exclusive, as production will be limited to 1,500 boxes a year for the global market and will be available only in selected retailers around the globe.”
Dr. Alejandro Martínez Cuenca
Pre-Light Examination
The Joya De Nicaruagua Número Uno is a beautiful silky smooth cigar that has a golden tan wrapper. It has all but invisible seams and minimal veins. It is well packed and smooth to the touch, from head to foot. The cap is finished old school with a well applied triple cap with a twist finish.
A single band adorns the cigar using a blue, gold, and white motif. The company’s logo is proudly displayed in the center with radiating golden lines running out from it. The name Número Uno is printed below. The word UNO uses the number 1 as the right side of the letter “N”. The side of the band is gold and declares this as “Obras Maestros” in blue lettering.
Once the band is removed, the back of the band notes the story of the cigar.
Running the Número Uno across the aroma sensors I detected a sweet
curing barn note along the barrel and enticing raisin and chocolate notes off the foot.
I sliced the cap along the shoulder of the cigar and proceeded to give it some cold draw puffs that were equally enticing to the palate, with notes of sweet raisin, chocolate, and cinnamon. The draw was spot on with restriction and had me chomping at the bit to ignite the foot and take this one on a relaxing journey.
I opted for the soft flame of a cedar spill to ignite it, gently warming the foot so as not to scorch the delicate wrapper leaf. As I drew in the first puffs of herbal and cinnamon spice, I cued up some soft jazz and settled back to enjoy the journey of ambassadors, government officials, and world leaders.
Cigar Review Notes
- First light offers a delicious combo of herbal and cinnamon spice notes to get things going
- Cream notes enter after a half inch of burn
- Solid light grey ash is forming on a fairly thick and even char line
- Fruit notes start to fill the profile with a back note of leather
- Sweetness and herbal notes swirl back in to keep it interesting
- Decent ash fell and revealed a perfect burn cone
- Smoke volume is full – especially for a smaller ring gauge cigar
- Spicy aroma wafts off the foot
- Strength starts to move up the scale deep in the second quarter
- Smoke is thick and creamy in texture (perfect smoke ring texture)
- Sweetness grows as it moves towards the midway point
- Cedar notes enter to brighten the mix
- This is a smooth smoke on the palate and nose with a pleasantly clean finish
- Spice moves back in with a fruit nuance
- Herbal sweetness finishes the journey
- Medium in Strength
- Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 30 minutes
Overall, the Joya De Nicaruagua Número Uno was a spectacular cigar which I can understand why it was given to world leaders by Nicaraguan ambassadors. It started with an intriguing pre-light set of aromas and flavors and once the flame was set to the foot it only got better with swirling and shifting aromas and flavors that took you on a journey that only the best can do. Considering this was a Connecticut shade, there was no discernible bitterness at all. There was even a core of sweetness that added to the pleasure in various stages of the burn. I rate this a rock solid 97.
Point Deductions: NONE
Bonus Points: (+1) Buy or Share a Box; (+1) Complex Profile; (+1) Amazing Burn
