The best cigars in the world
A cigar after dinner? According to cigar aficionados, there is no greater pleasure than ending a dinner in style with a fat Cuban cigar. Although a Cuban? Connoisseurs are identifying a new kid on the block that threatens Cuban dominance in the cigar world: cigars from Nicaragua. Lifestyle journalist and cigar expert Marcel Langedijk delved into that world and, in his latest book Cigaragua, pays tribute to the Nicaraguan cigar.
Top 5
Langedijk is not the only one noticing this cigar trend. In 2016, the prestigious magazine Cigar Aficionado included no fewer than three Nicaraguan cigars in its annual top 5. Including number 1: the My Father Cigar Le Bijou 1922 Box Pressed. Indeed, quite a mouthful.
Why so good?
According to experts, the Central American country has a fantastic climate, fertile soil and — perhaps most importantly — the right people to make great cigars. Many Nicaraguan cigar makers have Cuban roots. Men who had little faith in Fidel Castro’s regime and sought their fortune elsewhere, such as Nicaragua. It turns out that the soil there is at least as fertile as in Cuba — if not better — and the climate is the same. What currently makes the biggest difference is that in Nicaragua they have always taken good care of their soil, ensuring consistent quality. The latter in particular has become an increasingly significant problem in Cuba in recent years.
Advantage
The advantage of cigars from Nicaragua is their attractive price. Cuban cigars are expensive. Very expensive. There are expensive Nicaraguan cigars too (think of a Padron), but generally speaking, they are considerably cheaper than the average Cuban.
Cigar capital Esteli
Langedijk’s book Cigaragua is not so much about cigars, but primarily about the people who make them. Together with photographer Jesaja Hizkiade, he travelled to Esteli in Nicaragua, the cigar capital of the world, and visited a large number of legendary cigar makers. From classic companies such as Padron and Joya de Nicaragua to the trendy Drew Estate and relative newcomers such as Espinosa Cigars.
Cigar shop
Fancy a cigar like that? At Van Baerlestraat 58 in Amsterdam, Cigaragua recently opened: the first cigar shop in the world to focus exclusively on Nicaraguan cigars.
Cigaragua
Author: Marcel Langedijk
Photographer: Jesaja Hizkiade
€ 29,95
Publisher: Conceptual Continuity
