A few years ago, Nestor Miranda, the creator of Miami Cigar & Co., decided to bring back one of his favorite blends – the Special Selection Habano – which originally debuted back in 2006. It was part of a 30th anniversary celebration of the company. I reviewed the Coffee Break vitola back in 2020.
The company describes the blend as a Nicaraguan Puro, hand crafted at the My Father Cigars S.A factory in Estelí, Nicaragua:
- Wrapper – Habano Nicaragua
- Binder – Criollo 98 Nicaragua
- Filler – Estelí, Jalapa, Condega
The Nestor Miranda Special Selection is available in 3 different vitolas, each packaged in 20-count boxes:
- Coffee Break (4.5 x 50) – MSRP $7.50
- Toro (5.5 x 54) – MSRP $8.25
- Gran Toro (6 x 60) – MSRP $8.75
For this review I sampled 2 of the Nestor Miranda Special Collection Habano Toros which were part of the company’s One Life gift pack that also included the new Special Collection Connecticut which I will be reviewing shortly.
Pre-Light Examination
The Nestor Miranda Special Collection Habano is an awesome looking cigar with its toothy and oily dark brown wrapper that is eye catching in hue and exhibits minimal veins. The cigar is excellently bunched and rolled and is firm from head to foot with no soft spots. A well applied triple cap finishes the construction.
A single band adorns the cigar that uses a copper, brown and white motif. It includes Nestor’s signature in red on a white background on top and identifies it as the “Special Collection” in copper on a brown background on the bottom.
Running the cigar along the nose I picked up nuances of cocoa and baking spice notes along the barrel while the foot exudes notes of fruit (pear), nut, and chocolate. The aroma alone has the makings of a terrific experience.
Using my CigarMedics Baller cutter, I opened the cap perfectly and gave it some cold draw puffs that continued the sensory delight as it delivered notes of peppery spice and cocoa notes.
Warming the foot to an even orange glow, I drew in the first puffs of peppery smoke to start the journey. Follow along as I burn this gem to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- Peppery blast to the nasals to start the journey
- White ash forms on top of a medium thick even burn line
- Cocoa aroma wafts off the foot
- Thick smoke on every draw
- Cream and chocolate notes evolve through the first third
- Ash fell in a decent chunk revealing a flat but centered burn cone
- Honey nuances join the mix near the end of the first third
- Slight off burn midway
- Fruit and spice notes join the mix
- Touchup required
- Cocoa notes reemerge in the final with an increased spice
- Medium in Strength
- Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 40 minutes
Final Analysis
The Nestor Miranda Special Collection Habano Toro journey initiates with a robust peppery explosion, awakening the senses with a vibrant nasal burst. The foot emits a tempting cocoa aroma, setting the stage for a sensory adventure. With each draw, thick and luscious smoke envelops the palate, creating a truly immersive experience. As the journey unfolds, a delightful evolution of creamy and chocolatey notes takes center stage in the first third.
In a captivating twist, honey nuances gracefully join the flavor mix towards the end of the first third, introducing a subtle layer of sweetness. The adventure continues with the introduction of fruit and spice notes, contributing to the evolving complexity of the cigar. In the final stretch, cocoa notes make a return, accompanied by an intensified spice element that adds an extra kick to the closing moments of the journey. The increased spice complements the familiar cocoa tones, creating a satisfying conclusion to this flavorful expedition. This is worth grabbing a fiver of. I rate this a 90.
Point Deductions: (-1) Wavy Burn; (-1) Off Burn; (-1) Touchup required; (-1) Flat but Centered Burn Cone
