Curivari is a boutique cigar manufacturer out of Nicaragua. Not very well-known in the States, most of their cigars are produced for the European market. We had one of their lines, the Gloria de Leon, recommended to us by Todd Dailey of Good Karma Cigar. For this review, we traveled to Good Karma Cigar and smoked these Robustos with Todd.
Pre-Light: A muted cedar was the most dominant scent in the pre-light.
First Third: The Gloria de Leon starts off with a spicy graham cracker flavor typical of many refined, medium-bodied Nicaraguans. A caramel taste comes through as well, giving a pleasantly sweet flavor to this cigar. Todd notices a lemon peel note on the exhale, and surely enough Ben and I get that same citrus flavor shortly after. I would liken these to a lemon cookie, as they had a great lemon flavor but lacked the acidity that is present in the fruit. Minus the lemon, this cigar tastes like a Bolivar Gold Medal to us.
Second Third: While the lemon on the exhale continues, this Robusto becomes very floral. A strong hibiscus and rose flavor is what we peg it as. At the end of our second third, the cigar gets a very sweet molasses flavor to go with the graham cracker. The floral fades a bit, but is still noticeable on the exhale.
Final Third: The floral picks back up almost instantly, but is now more of a clove spice. A macadamia nut flavor comes along as well, making this cigar very complex. We are now picking apart graham cracker, clove, molasses, nut, and a hint of lemon. At the very end the cigar’s strength picks up and leaves us with graham cracker and red peppers. Final smoking time was 1 hour 35 minutes.
This was my and Ben’s first Curivari, and will most definitely not be our last. Both of us were surprised by the complexity of this cigar. Its body and flavors match our preferences almost exactly. Ben would pay $15 for this excellent cigar, and I would pay $13 (more for a larger size). If you have not yet tried a Gloria de Leon, ask your local retailer if they can get some in! Curivari has quickly become one of our favorite manufacturers.
where to find: Good Karma Cigar (806)702-9900 or todd@goodkarmacigar.com
expect to pay: $7.50-8.00
Curivari Gloria de Leon
Pre-Light: A muted cedar was the most dominant scent in the pre-light.
First Third: The Gloria de Leon starts off with a spicy graham cracker flavor typical of many refined, medium-bodied Nicaraguans. A caramel taste comes through as well, giving a pleasantly sweet flavor to this cigar. Todd notices a lemon peel note on the exhale, and surely enough Ben and I get that same citrus flavor shortly after. I would liken these to a lemon cookie, as they had a great lemon flavor but lacked the acidity that is present in the fruit. Minus the lemon, this cigar tastes like a Bolivar Gold Medal to us.
Second Third: While the lemon on the exhale continues, this Robusto becomes very floral. A strong hibiscus and rose flavor is what we peg it as. At the end of our second third, the cigar gets a very sweet molasses flavor to go with the graham cracker. The floral fades a bit, but is still noticeable on the exhale.
Final Third: The floral picks back up almost instantly, but is now more of a clove spice. A macadamia nut flavor comes along as well, making this cigar very complex. We are now picking apart graham cracker, clove, molasses, nut, and a hint of lemon. At the very end the cigar’s strength picks up and leaves us with graham cracker and red peppers. Final smoking time was 1 hour 35 minutes.
This was my and Ben’s first Curivari, and will most definitely not be our last. Both of us were surprised by the complexity of this cigar. Its body and flavors match our preferences almost exactly. Ben would pay $15 for this excellent cigar, and I would pay $13 (more for a larger size). If you have not yet tried a Gloria de Leon, ask your local retailer if they can get some in! Curivari has quickly become one of our favorite manufacturers.
where to find: Good Karma Cigar (806)702-9900 or todd@goodkarmacigar.com
expect to pay: $7.50-8.00
Curivari Gloria de Leon
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