La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor

New 2010 Release: La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor

As some of you may know, I was a HUGE fan of the old La Aroma de Cuba blend from Honduras. Chewy, rich, tasty....I loved this cigar and have missed it considerably ever since it left the market. Now, this brand is made in Nicaragua by Jose ‘Don Pepin’ Garcia, and it’s drastically different. Some claim it’s better, some claim there’s nothing quite like the original.

I now have in my hand the latest blend from La Aroma - Mi Amor - which I plan to take for a test drive. This new blend is very different in appearance than the other La Aromas on the market. The wrapper is a dark and toothy Cuban-seed leaf grown in Mexico - it offers a dark chocolate-brown hue with minimal oils. Smelling the unlit foot, I pick up a trace of baked bread - much like the aroma you’ll smell when walking through a tobacco curing barn. The slightest bit of spice tickles my nostrils, leading me to believe there’s a little ligero within this all-Nicaraguan long-filler blend, ready to smack my palate with a dash of pepper. I chose a punch cut - because somebody took my damn cutter off my desk - and am ready to go.

The first few puffs are very smooth, with a deep, roasted tobacco flavor and toasty influence. From the get-go, I notice thick and heavy clouds of gray smoke exiting the foot of this cigar. Dark, aromatic smoke with a warm, toasty scent. The faintest bit of spice lingers on the back of my palate after each puff, a spice which is more promiment through the nose. I’m just a half an inch in and I feel this cigar will surpass the medium-bodied range and reach full-bodied before the smoke is done.

An inch in, the deep, roasted flavors remain when the smoke is first introduced to your palate with each puff, however a rich, espresso-like nuance is left behind with each exhale, quickly followed by the subtle spice. The Mexican wrapper is true to its origin, a dense, earthy leaf offering an enjoyable, rustic tobacco flavor that hits the front of your palate everytime you draw on the cigar.

Midway through, the cigar becomes considerably smoother. The roasted influence seemed to have faded by now, allowing a rich, unsweetened touch of dark chocolate to surface. This nuance hit me mostly in the middle of the palate and on the sides, and does not overshadow the espresso flavors or slightly spicy finish. It’s actually a welcome change to the first half of the smoke.

By now, I feel the weight of this cigar in my belly and behind my eyes. I won’t go as far as saying this is a full-bodied handmade, but there’s no doubt some strength behind the blend. A full meal is not required prior to enjoying Mi Amor, but I wouldn’t recommend this as a morning smoke for first-timers.

The final third is quite rich, with a soft charcoal-like aroma that fills the room. Rich tobacco, dark chocolate, and espresso followed by that subtle spice I’ve been mentioning the entire time. All the while, this cigar has produced a flaky but firm, salt and pepper ash with a razor-sharp burn and easy draw. No one flavor dominates any significant portion of the smoke, and all are presented in a balanced and smooth fashion.

While La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor is still very different than the original, Honduran-made La Aroma that I loved so much, I did enjoy burning this cigar and will no doubt burn more in the future. It’ll never replace the original, but it’s great to see the new Nicaraguan-made La Aroma making strides in a tasty direction.

La Aroma de Cuba has always been a brand to which I didn’t give much attention. But I’ve recently seen the light.

La Aroma de Cuba is an old Cuban brand with a great back story. Supposedly, the Cuban La Aroma de Cuba brand was a favorite of Winston Churchill. In 2002, Ashton released a Honduran-made La Aroma de Cuba which initially made a big splash. Quickly earning some impressive ratings, La Aroma de Cuba was generating some serious buzz. The artwork was beautiful, the cigars were made in the renowned Flor de Copan factory (home of Saint Luis Rey, Quintero, Romeo Habana Reserve, et. al), and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. I was excited to try one. So I tried about 4 and had a terrible experience each time – I had some serious issues with construction and the flavor was just average. Then I forgot about La Aroma de Cuba for a long time. A couple of years ago they launched La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial and while I enjoyed it, the price was a bit more than I cared for. But a new era of La Aroma de Cuba is here and they’ve calmed all my fears. The original La Aroma de Cuba is now made in Nicaragua by Don Pepin Garcia and the Edicion Especial has just experienced a drastic price decrease. Plus, they’ve just launched a new addition to the line – La Aroma de Cuba ‘Mi Amor’ – and the initial response has been tremendous. So once again, I was excited to one.

La Aroma de Cuba ‘Mi Amor’ is handmade in Nicaragua by Don Pepin Garcia and marks a drastic departure from the other blends in the line. The wrapper is a dark, ultra-thick Mexican maduro leaf that’s extra toothy. On the inside, a bold blend of Cuban-seed Nicaraguan long-fillers. The whole thing is then gently box-pressed and adorned with the signature La Aroma de Cuba artwork. And I must say, it’s a good looking cigar.

Initially, the flavor is slightly dry with a rich, charred finish. That kind of sounds bad, but it’s an interesting taste that’s oddly delicious. As it burns, the flavor develops nicely and the taste balances.  It’s extremely rich, with a supporting cast of espresso, pepper, spices, cedar, and a slightly sweet finish which rounds out the mix. It changes often and offers a ton of flavor, all delivered in a full-bodied, but refined manner. And the toasty, chocolatey aroma adds an additional layer to the experience. Smooth throughout with a slow-burn and tight, grey ash, La Aroma de Cuba ‘Mi Amor’ is a cigar I’ve been thoroughly enjoying.

It’s different than most cigars on the market, but a true premium with a ton of flavor. If you enjoy rich, full-bodied smokes, La Aroma de Cuba ‘Mi Amor’ is one that should definitely be added to your rotation. They’re not cheap, but for a cigar of this level of quality, they’re worth the asking price.