Top 4 Plasencia Cigars
The Plasencia family is one of the largest growers of premium tobacco in Nicaragua and Honduras, farming a combined 5,000 acres between the two countries. Nestor Plasencia and his sons, Nestor Jr., Gustavo, and Jose Luis continue a cigar-making legacy that began with their ancestors in Cuba in 1865. Today, they own eight cigar factories where 700 cigar rollers handcraft about 33 million premium cigars every year. The Plasencias employ over 5,500 workers throughout their sizable operation, and you’ve almost certainly smoked cigars they’ve made before, even if you haven’t had a Plasencia cigar.
The Plasencias make several brands under contract for Rocky Patel, Romeo y Julieta, Alec Bradley, Gurkha, 5 Vegas, and more. For the past few years, they’ve also been making their own brand, Plasencia Cigars, in Estelí, Nicaragua. With their name on the cigar bands, the Plasencias aim to blend one of today's best boutique brands. Here are the top Plasencia cigars you should smoke if you want to get acquainted with a prolific cigar-making family who’ve stepped out from behind the scenes and into the spotlight.
1. Plasencia 1865 Alma Fuerte
Plasencia 1865 Alma Fuerte is complex, well-aged, and expensive. An oily Criollo-seed Nicaraguan wrapper leaf embraces a bountiful blend of premium long-filler tobaccos cultivated in four of Nicaragua’s main tobacco-growing regions: Estelí, Condega, Jalapa, and Ometepe. A hearty profile of cocoa, earth, and toast layers the palate with a good amount of spice while flavors of leather and wood round out a big finish. Cigar Aficionado rated 1865 Alma Fuerte 93 points and gave it a ‘Top 10’ ranking in 2017.
2. Plasencia Alma del Campo
A medium-bodied profile of dark cocoa, cedar, leather, and pepper bestows robust spices from beginning to end in a collection of slightly chunky shapes. A milk-chocolate-hued Nicaraguan wrapper leaf conceals a vintage blend of Nicaraguan long-fillers. Hints of fresh bread punctuate a long finish while the aroma bears a spicy and floral quality in Plasencia Alma del Campo.
3. Plasencia Alma del Fuego
Plascencia Alma del Fuego is unique because it’s primarily blended from tobaccos grown on Nicaragua’s Ometepe Island, where the soil is especially volcanic. Because Ometepe tobaccos are naturally potent, the Plasencias age them for a minimum of seven years before they’re blend with long-fillers from Jalapa and tucked under a reddish and glistening Nicaraguan wrapper leaf. Tasting notes of pepper, espresso, clove, and coffee bean pulse with hints of nuts and a slightly sweet nuance.
4. Plasencia Reserva Original
Nestor Plasencia Jr. is passionate about growing tobacco organically. For the past twenty years, he’s been cultivating crops that are certified organic according to Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA) standards. The binder, filler, and wrapper of Plasencia Reserva Original are grown without any pesticides or insecticides, and the resulting flavor is likely different from any cigar you’ve tasted before. Notes of wheat, earth, cereal, vanilla, and Turkish spices mingle before a crisp finish settles on the palate.
