Vitola: Toro(ish)- 6” x 54 ring gauge
- ~6.75
- Samples provided by J.C. Newman
Background
It’s been a full year since I published my review of the Yagua by J.C. Newman. I found it to be a fun and unique cigar that was good, but the experience was marred too frequently by tight draws to give it a resounding endorsement. After my initial review period, I seldom came back to the rest of the box that Newman had sent me, so when I was informed that another box was on the way to me in September, I decided it might be time to burn some of those 2020 releases again…and give some to my other cigar friends. Let’s just say that few of my close cigar-smoking friends have not been given a Yagua in the past couple months.
So we’re into the 2021 release of the blend. I smoked my first one a couple days after smoking a 2020 release and was struck by how different they were. While obviously they share a blend (although just harvest year or extra age before shipping could change how they smoke)—and they are both strong Nicaraguan cigars with Connecticut Broadleaf wrappers, the newer one smoked richer and more refined. So while I don’t want to do a full review on these, I thought it would be appropriate to at least revisit them in the way of a “Cigar Extra” as well close the year out.
As a reminder, the Yagua is made with Nicaraguan filler and binder, along with the aforementioned Broadleaf wrapper. They made 1,000 boxes of 20 sticks in their Nicaraguan factory. The cigars are made without a mold or press, and while they are still wet, they are bound together in a bundle wrapped very tightly with a palm leaf. Each stick ends up taking on a very unique shape that can make the draw unpredictable. They are currently out of stock, but Small Batch Cigar does list these on their website.
Notes
If you like these cigars, you really should buy them when you see them. They have a bargain price in today’s marketplace, especially when it comes to the limited nature of the cigars. While they didn’t say specifically, I’m thinking that they are releasing 1,000 boxes of 20 each year, which will make them hard to find in perpetuity.
It’s also noted on the J.C. Newman website that they use “under fermented” Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper tobacco. Because of this they age the cigars a full year after they are rolled before they are released.
In general, the cigars in the box I got this year are more rounded and less “erratically flattened in places” than the box I got last year. This should provide for a better draw for more sticks. The cigars that drew well in last year’s box were excellent…the ones that drew poorly were pretty forgettable. In the ones I’ve smoked from this box, all have had an excellent draw, including this one.
The prelight draw was full of cocoa powder, earth, and cedar flavor, with secondary tea and bell pepper notes. The retrohale had black pepper, roasted nuts, and wood. The draw gave up tons of creamy, thick smoke on every puff.
I paired the cigar with some Elijah Craig Small Batch Rye, which I fully reviewed recently. This is a very good rye whiskey that imparts more sweetness than many in the category, while providing tons of characteristic spice.
The Yagua performed really well, with a great draw from end to end and just a few touch-ups needed along the way. The flavor was earthy and leathery with a good amount of sweetness and pepper along the way. Basically, it was everything that the original release promised, but with a more consistently good draw.
