BrandonP
Cigar King Scottsdale
Here is the latest review from the Cigar King Blog:
If you ask most people what the most anticipated new release this year coming out of the IPCPR trade show was, most would probably have answered Cuenca y Blanco from Joya de Nicaragua. There are many reasons this release had so much buzz behind it, the biggest being that this was the first release from Joya de Nicaragua since Jose Blanco joined the team 1 year ago. Cuenca y Blanco is the namesake of brand owner Dr. Alejandro Martinez-Cuenca and brand VP Jose Blanco, who held the same position with La Aurora before joining Joya de Nicaragua after the 2011 IPCPR. Jose is very well respected in the industry and is known for having a wonderful palate that was a more then welcome addition to the team at Joya de Nicaragua. The team at Joya has been quoted many times that this blend was done for flavor, flavor, flavor and not overpowering strength. Enough backstory though, why dont we get to the particulars. The line comes in 5 traditional sizes: Torpedo, Toro, Robusto, Lonsdale, and Corona, with the Corona being the subject of this particular review.
Cuenca y Blanco
Size: Corona Real 5 ½ x 46
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Piloto Cubano Dominican Republic
Filler: Nicaraguan & Peruvian
Strength: Medium
Flavor: Full
Cost: $7.50/stick or $132.95/box of 21
Appearance: The Cuenca y Blanco is maybe the most flawless cigar I have seen. No veins, the seams are practically invisible and color is a soft brown with a slight sheen from the oils. The wrapper is soft to the touch while the cigar is firm in the hand. Even the triple cap seams are almost invisible. The band is very nicely done in a baby blue, deep red, gold and cream colors. The Cuenca y Blanco name stands out in gold over the deep red color and the color scheme itself is definitely different then Ive seen on other cigar bands before.
Cuenca y Blanco
Pre-light Aroma: The Cuenca y Blanco has a nice pre-light aroma of sweet tobacco and licorice on the foot. The wrapper also carries a sweet smell, more akin to chocolate and leather, that leads my palate to high expectations for this cigar. Once the cap has been clipped, the draw is firm but not tight, with a nice leathery core over sweet earthiness before it has been lit.
From the first light, the sweet flavors I smelled on the wrapper are apparent. Raisin like sweetness is accompanied by an earthy leather flavor with a very slight spice through the nose. The earthiness works very well with the sweet flavor as neither overpowers the other but act as a nice complement to the other. Each puff brings plenty of smoke, especially from a 46 ring gauge, and the burn line is almost spot on. Strength hasnt quite hit the medium listing yet but it is working towards that as the first third comes to an end.
Cuenca y Blanco
Moving into the 2nd third of the Cuenca y Blanco the spice starts to pick up on the backend with a distinct creamy chocolate flavor coming into play. This portion of the cigar truly shines with the flavors being abundant and the smoke coating your palate with each puff. The cigar has stayed lit without a relight to this point and no touch-ups needed, it has burned razor sharp from the start.
The final third starts and ends a lot like the first third of this Cuenca y Blanco. Raisin and earth are rich and distinct with a leathery undertone. The complexity of this cigar keeps your palate interested from start to finish and the medium body wont overpower you. The flavors are distinct enough to hold up after a meal but I suggest smoking this on a fresh palate to really see this blend shine. The nuance of the flavors deserve your undivided attention. This is an early frontrunner for Cigar of the Year!
Cuenca y Blanco
Cigar King Staff Quotes:
- Josh Jose doing what Jose does best: blending a complex, medium bodied flavor bomb.
- Mitchel Forget everything you know about Joya de Nicaragua, this is different then everything they have ever done. They knocked it out of the park with this one!
- Paul Great way to start or end your day, sitting on the porch with this beauty lit, smoking your cares away.
-Joe Brought a whole new flavor range to JdN. Loved the smoke! Breakfast-JdN Cabinetta, Lunch- Cuenca y Blanco, Dinner- Antano Dark Corojo. What a great line up for the day.
Check out the video review here .
[video=youtube;dYYHWxSPfgo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYYHWxSPfgo&feature=plcp[/video]
If you ask most people what the most anticipated new release this year coming out of the IPCPR trade show was, most would probably have answered Cuenca y Blanco from Joya de Nicaragua. There are many reasons this release had so much buzz behind it, the biggest being that this was the first release from Joya de Nicaragua since Jose Blanco joined the team 1 year ago. Cuenca y Blanco is the namesake of brand owner Dr. Alejandro Martinez-Cuenca and brand VP Jose Blanco, who held the same position with La Aurora before joining Joya de Nicaragua after the 2011 IPCPR. Jose is very well respected in the industry and is known for having a wonderful palate that was a more then welcome addition to the team at Joya de Nicaragua. The team at Joya has been quoted many times that this blend was done for flavor, flavor, flavor and not overpowering strength. Enough backstory though, why dont we get to the particulars. The line comes in 5 traditional sizes: Torpedo, Toro, Robusto, Lonsdale, and Corona, with the Corona being the subject of this particular review.
Cuenca y Blanco
Size: Corona Real 5 ½ x 46
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Piloto Cubano Dominican Republic
Filler: Nicaraguan & Peruvian
Strength: Medium
Flavor: Full
Cost: $7.50/stick or $132.95/box of 21
Appearance: The Cuenca y Blanco is maybe the most flawless cigar I have seen. No veins, the seams are practically invisible and color is a soft brown with a slight sheen from the oils. The wrapper is soft to the touch while the cigar is firm in the hand. Even the triple cap seams are almost invisible. The band is very nicely done in a baby blue, deep red, gold and cream colors. The Cuenca y Blanco name stands out in gold over the deep red color and the color scheme itself is definitely different then Ive seen on other cigar bands before.
Cuenca y Blanco
Pre-light Aroma: The Cuenca y Blanco has a nice pre-light aroma of sweet tobacco and licorice on the foot. The wrapper also carries a sweet smell, more akin to chocolate and leather, that leads my palate to high expectations for this cigar. Once the cap has been clipped, the draw is firm but not tight, with a nice leathery core over sweet earthiness before it has been lit.
From the first light, the sweet flavors I smelled on the wrapper are apparent. Raisin like sweetness is accompanied by an earthy leather flavor with a very slight spice through the nose. The earthiness works very well with the sweet flavor as neither overpowers the other but act as a nice complement to the other. Each puff brings plenty of smoke, especially from a 46 ring gauge, and the burn line is almost spot on. Strength hasnt quite hit the medium listing yet but it is working towards that as the first third comes to an end.
Cuenca y Blanco
Moving into the 2nd third of the Cuenca y Blanco the spice starts to pick up on the backend with a distinct creamy chocolate flavor coming into play. This portion of the cigar truly shines with the flavors being abundant and the smoke coating your palate with each puff. The cigar has stayed lit without a relight to this point and no touch-ups needed, it has burned razor sharp from the start.
The final third starts and ends a lot like the first third of this Cuenca y Blanco. Raisin and earth are rich and distinct with a leathery undertone. The complexity of this cigar keeps your palate interested from start to finish and the medium body wont overpower you. The flavors are distinct enough to hold up after a meal but I suggest smoking this on a fresh palate to really see this blend shine. The nuance of the flavors deserve your undivided attention. This is an early frontrunner for Cigar of the Year!
Cuenca y Blanco
Cigar King Staff Quotes:
- Josh Jose doing what Jose does best: blending a complex, medium bodied flavor bomb.
- Mitchel Forget everything you know about Joya de Nicaragua, this is different then everything they have ever done. They knocked it out of the park with this one!
- Paul Great way to start or end your day, sitting on the porch with this beauty lit, smoking your cares away.
-Joe Brought a whole new flavor range to JdN. Loved the smoke! Breakfast-JdN Cabinetta, Lunch- Cuenca y Blanco, Dinner- Antano Dark Corojo. What a great line up for the day.
Check out the video review here .
[video=youtube;dYYHWxSPfgo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYYHWxSPfgo&feature=plcp[/video]
