Flor de Selva Año del Conejo

For the sixth consecutive year, Maya de Selva has skilfully created a special cigar in honour of the Chinese New Year, which in 2023 will be marked by the sign of the rabbit. This is particularly fitting, as the rabbit has a special place in Honduran history. It was during the golden age of Copán (a great Mayan city of the 7th century) that King Waxaklajuun Ub'aah K'awiil, nicknamed 18 Rabbits, lived. It is to him that we owe some of the most impressive ball courts (the football of the time).

But let's get back to our cigar. The gold-footed band on a red background is a subtle blend of Chinese and Honduran iconography. It features a chubby rabbit largely inspired by the large stone steles dedicated to totem animals found in the Jamastrán region, where the tobacco used to make this Honduran puro comes from.

We particularly appreciate the excellent burn and the smoke that develops throughout the tasting. The beautiful length of the aromas on the palate and the peanut notes in the aftertaste.

The special edition "Año del conejo" is limited to 2,023 boxes of 10 coronas.

Honduras

14.5

Seasonal cocktail

Cedar

Tasting menu

Notes

We are introduced to this cigar with raw cedar aromas and a hint of vanilla. The first few puffs confirm that this will be a wonderful tasting experience. The woody aromas intensify and diversify, quickly providing a full aromatic palette of white pepper, earth and nuts.

Pairing

Summer is coming, and we suggest you welcome it with open arms, lying on a deckchair sipping a seasonal cocktail in the colours of the magnificent band that adorns the foot of this exceptional cigar.

Strawberry Smoke Spirit recipe
1 measure of Aperol Spritz, 3 measures of Prosecco Brut, 0.5 measure of Morand fig syrup, chopped mint, strawberries for decoration and ice cubes. Perfect as a non-alcoholic version with Rimuss Brut sparkling wine and without Aperol.

The cigar anecdote

The ring features the red and gold colours of good luck for Chinese New Year, as well as the zodiac symbol stylised in the style of a sacred stele from Mayan culture.

About Flor de Selva

Maya. One word is enough to command respect. She is a legend in the world of cigars, and thanks to her, women are represented with such pride. Maya is Madame Blue Smoke’s favourite; an evening at Royal Cigar to meet Maya in the flesh. It is the discovery of an incredibly rich and profound personality, proud of her country and her heritage. It is the breath of charisma through her words, her dazzling authenticity, the resonance of her values in her deep voice.

Like a warrior, she aims to fly the Honduran flag as high as possible in the world of cigars. It is a mission accomplished, for in 2024, Maya was awarded the “LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT 2024”

Madame Blue Smoke has an idol: Maya Selva.

Here, it is emotion speaking. Maya is an incredibly charismatic leader. Inspiring, radiant, warm. When she speaks, she mesmerises the crowd. A male-dominated crowd. She stands tall among the giants of the cigar world, alongside Eric M. Newman and Robert C. Newman, Rocky Patel, Manuel Quesada, Benjamin “Benji” Menendez, and Carlito Fuente.

But I don’t think that’s what drives Maya. She sincerely wants to put Honduras on the map, create jobs, restore the cigar industry’s reputation and make her country a key player in the sector.

Maya is a team. Every member we met—advisors, importers, sales representatives, brand managers—speaks with respect and conviction about her values, is convinced of the products, and is moving in the same direction.

It was therefore with undisguised emotion that we watched her take to the stage at the 2024 Cigar Trophy Awards ceremony.

Maya’s core value: ethics

Maya aims to create jobs in Honduras and to involve every trade that contributes to the making of a cigar. From the tobacco fields to the packaging that wraps the cigars. Consequently, every box produced comes from Honduras, including the raw materials.

Maya does not compromise. Its brand manager, Nina Cobos Rosa, told us at Intertabac: “Initially, the new bands for the ‘Villa Zamorano’ brand were to be gold-toned with green. The material for the gold finish was not available in Honduras; it was impossible to source it. Maya decided to change the band’s colour scheme to greener tones so that the band could be produced entirely in Honduras.”

Where does this Honduran icon come from?

Born to a French mother and a Honduran father, Maya grew up in Tegucigalpa. After studying engineering in France and the USA, Maya returned to Honduras with a master’s degree under her belt, but not yet ready to decide on a career.

It was then that she spent a year learning how cigars are made in the Danli region. Drawing on her academic background, she meticulously studied all the essential parameters involved in crafting high-quality cigars.

In 1994, her meeting with Nestor Plasencia proved decisive for her career. And a year later, after planning the production criteria for her cigars with Nestor, she launched “Flor de Selva” on the French market.

Read Maya Selva’s story