Plasencia Alma Fuerte Robustus I

Here is our winner! Topping CigarJournal’s prestigious annual selection, this Robusto has the stature of a conscript ordered to stand still and maintain the ‘Attention!’ ” Plasencia’s Alma Fuerte range treats us to four sizes, each sporting a rich, dark wrapper, and this time we’re focusing on the youngest, the most promising, the champion!

Nicaragua

13.3

45 – 60 minutes

Rum

Robusto

Peppery

Tasting menu

Notes

I wouldn’t go so far as to say it smelled of warm sand, but my goodness, it’s bursting with aromas! A bold opening from the band, where red pepper and cinnamon make their presence felt. The tone is set – this cigar really packs a punch! Precious wood and notes of dried fruit are certainly not to be outdone. A hint of tartness (red berries?) livens up my tasting experience somewhat and offers a touch of vibrancy amidst this maze of uppercuts and straight right-handers on the palate! It’s a cigar that builds gently in intensity as you smoke it – who knows where it will end! It reminds me of Ravel’s Boléro.

Pairing

A powerful and lively piece of classical music, paired with a spicy Caribbean rum

Momentum

After a hearty meal with red meat

A cigar-related anecdote

Here, Plasencia has highlighted the family’s “Alma” (soul) and its “Fuerte” (strength) in producing quality tobacco. This range is the Plasencia family’s promise to offer all aficionados a unique experience.

About Plasencia

It was in 1865 that Don Eduardo Plasencia arrived on the island of Cuba with a single goal in mind: success. He soon had the opportunity to establish his first tobacco plantations in the Vuelta Abajo region.

A few years later, he was joined by his nephew and exported the family’s tobacco until 1963, when Cuban policy prevented them from continuing their work and confiscated their farms.

It was then time to expand into Mexico and later Nicaragua in 1965. Once again, the family had to relocate to Honduras following the Sandinista revolution.

1987 marked a turning point for the family, as it was in that year that they officially entered the cigar world by manufacturing their own vitolas.

Once solely tobacco growers for other companies, they are now among the leading figures in the cigar industry, having offered exceptional cigars for over 35 years.

Still owning fields in various Latin American countries, it continues to supply its tobacco to other cigar producers. This control over the production chain, from seed to cigar, enables it to guarantee impeccable quality across its entire range of cigars.