The year 2023 marked 55 years since Joya de Nicaragua opened its doors in Nicaragua and cemented itself as the oldest premium cigar brand in the country. In celebration of this milestone, the company rolled out a new brand at the 2023 PCA Trade Show known as Cinco de Cinco and added it to their Obras Maestras series. The company noted in a press release that even though the name represents the age of the company, it also claims that the blend is a “five out of five” in profile and complexity; full bodied and medium strength.
The company describes the blend as:
- Wrapper: Mexican San Andrés
- Binder: Nicaraguan
- Filler: Nicaraguan
Joya de Nicaragua’s executive vice president Juan Ignacio Martínez also notes that the Nicaraguan tobaccos used in the blend are a minimum of five years old.
The cigar is expressed in a five different vitolas, each packaged in 10-count boxes that are finished with a bright glossy emerald green color.
- Corona Extra (6 1/4 x 46) – MSRP $16.00
- Toro (6 x 52) Toro – MSRP $20.00
- Robusto Gordo (5 1/2 x 54) – MSRP $18.00
- Corona Doble (7 x 54) – MSRP $21.00
- Robusto (5 x 50) – MSRP $16.00
It should be noted that all five vitolas are available in the international market but in the US only the Corona Extra, Toro, and Robusto Grande are available.
For this review I sampled four of toros, which I received from the company’s US distributor – Drew Estate – to review on Stogie Press.
Pre-Light Examination
The Cinco De Cinco is cloaked in a dark brown wrapper with a slight oily sheen. The box pressing is fairly crisp. There is just the right give between the fingers. The cigar has minimal veins along with a slight bit of toothiness. A simple cap finishes the construction.
A single band adorns the cigar, which uses a vibrant emerald green background along with white and gold printing. The company logo is prominently displayed at the top and the phrase “CINCO DE CINCO” on the bottom. The back of the band notes “Obras Maestro” which translates into Master Work.
Running the Cinco De Cinco along the nose, I detected a mild hickory note along the barrel, while the foot offered notes of earthiness and floral.
I opened the cap perfectly using my CigarMedics Baller cutter and proceeded to give it some cold draw puffs that I found to be quite decent in restriction and offered notes of growing gentle pepper, earth, and nut.
Using my single flame Xikar lighter, I warmed the foot to an even orange glow as I drew in the first puffs of medium peppery smoke to start the journey. Follow along as I burn this one to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- The journey starts with a medium level peppery burst and a touch of salt that gently awakens the palate
- Fine white ash forms on top of a medium thick and fairly even char line
- Thick chewy smoke fills the palate
- Charred caramel notes add to the pleasure
- Mild jag in burn
- Ash dropped in an excellent chunk revealing a perfectly formed burn cone
- Earthy notes slowly fold into the mix rounding out the first third
- Dark chocolate notes moving into second third
- Spice notes build midway and continues down to the final third
- Continued Dark Chocolate
- Medium to full in Strength
- Total smoking time was 1 hour and 20 minutes
Final Analysis
The Joya de Nicaragua Cinco de Cinco Toro adventure commences with a moderate surge of peppery zest and a hint of salt that delicately rouses the taste buds. The palate is engulfed in thick, chewy smoke. Pleasure heightens with the addition of charred caramel notes. As the journey progresses, earthy nuances gradually weave into the tapestry, harmonizing the first third. Transitioning into the second third, the flavor profile deepens with the introduction of dark chocolate notes. Midway through, spice elements intensify, persisting through the final third. The indulgence in continued dark chocolate further enhances the overall experience in the final. This balanced and moderately complex cigar is worthy of a box buy. I rate this a 95.
Point Deductions: (-1) Mild Jag in Burn;
Bonus Points: (+1) Balanced and Consistent across multiple samples; (+1) Box Buy
