Nica Libre

Nica Libre

• Strength: 3 /  5
• Size: 5.5 x 50
• Origin: Nicaragua
• Price (local): $4.50
• Wrapper: Maduro
• Flavor Text:

Box-Pressed maduro goodness!

Hand-crafted in Nicaragua, Nica Libre is a veritable candy bar. This blend showcases an aged combination of Nicaraguan long-fillers secured within a Habano binder, inside dark and oily, positively resplendent San Andres maduro wrapper. A classic maduro experience: rich, hearty, and silky smooth. Deep notes of coffee and earth smack the palate in balanced fashion, leaving behind a bold, somewhat peppery aftertaste that lingers long on the palate. A hint of dark chocolate is present during the slow burn, completing an eventful and enjoyable medium-bodied cigar. One of the finest values in a Nicaraguan handmade maduro that you'll find on the market today. 

Here's a cigar I just sort of stumbled upon recently, and while a box-pressed Maduro is typically right up my alley, I just flat out didn't think this one tasted too good. In fact, it was pretty mediocre overall.

The Nica Libre is a Maduro wrapped, box-pressed offering that is not a super popular cigar by most marketplace metrics at retail. However, it's a really popular smoke online due to it's cheap cost and availability. The construction of this one is simple, easy to draw on, and pretty reliable. Mine did not feature any issues with smoking or maintenance, so that was a nice find. As for the flavor, I found it to be extremely overwhelming. The cigar is advertised as a cigar that has a good amount of earthiness and cocoa to it, and of course the Maduro wrapper leaves one to think that a natural, dark sweetness may be in the foreground of this smoke as you rip through it. I found a lot of these flavors to be rather underwhelming and not very apparent as I smoked it.

It was... mediocre. This cigar would be one that I defined as "just a smoke." For a Maduro, it had a pretty tame blend of tobacco, and I wouldn't classify it as too aggressive for most smokers. Hell, its profile kind of identifies it as a really good barrier cigar for those trying to go from milder smokes to heavier smokes. This cigar would be a good fit for those who are stuck on milder smokes and want to venture out a little bit. The Nica Libre features many sizes with a Maduro wrapper, and a Nicaraguan blend of tobacco that has been watered down in strength while still featuring some classic full-body cigar flavors. It's good for beginners, but if you're looking for a top end Maduro, I'd look elsewhere.

Happy smoking! CB