honduras

Although the small country, which witnessed the Maya high civilization around Copán, had always had a tobacco culture on a modest scale, the cigar industry started to flourish in the Sixties last century, when Cuban tobacco experts chose Honduras as their new home in the wake of the revolution on the island. They also brought with them their expertise in growing tobacco and producing cigars. It was as early as 1960 that the Honduran government asked Havana for professional assistance in tobacco growing techniques, which was, in turn, granted by the Castro government. Already in 1961, a few experts from Cuba travelled to Honduras with packets of the best tobacco seeds as part of their diplomat luggage, and then decided to stay there for the rest of their lives. Over time, very many Cuban exiles followed, among them well-known tobacco planters and cigar makers such as Angel Oliva, Julio Eiroa, Frank Llaneza, Ramón Martinez, Rolando Reyes and Nestor Plasencia, the doyen of today’s Honduran cigar industry.
The climate and soil are proving ideal growing conditions, although not directly comparable with Vuelta Abajo, the primary tobacco growing area in Cuba. Among others, also Cuban tobacco seeds thrive in this region, giving the tobaccos strong nuances of aroma. Today, Honduran cigars are of excellent quality, and sales are rated second place in the U.S., after the Dominican. The heart of the Honduran cigar industry is the small city of Danlí, and the best tobaccos are grown in the Jamastrán Valley. Since more and more cigars have been produced from one hundred percent Honduran-grown tobaccos over the past few years, they have been gaining in taste and expression.
The tasting of a selection of Honduran long filler cigars took place in the Cortisen am See Hotel in St. Wolfgang on the Lake Wolfgang in Austria. Host and aficionado Roland Ballner, together with the well-experienced cigar expert René Wagner from Zurich, organized an interesting presentation of Honduran long filler cigars in his cigar-friendly hotel for the international tasting panel of the European Cigar Cult Journal. The tasting confirmed both the high quality level and the typicality of the origin of these cigars, which undoubtedly belong to the best in the world.

Evaluation Criteria

1 point

Weak Uneven burning procedure; bad puff; little aroma; sharp; flat; unharmonious taste.

2 points

Good Even burning procedure; good puff; nice aroma; harmonious taste.

3 points

Very good Fine, full smoke; discrete and expressive aromas; full, spicy taste without sharpness; 1 A burning procedure; full harmony.

4 points

Excellent Complex, multi-layered aroma; dense and spicy taste; 1 A burning procedure; full harmony.

5 points

A class by itself Perfection for the senses; pure harmony.

Astral Lujos, Lonsdale

16,4/1,7 cm, Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua, Binder: Honduras, Wrapper: Honduras, CH: CHF 11,-
Some of the samples had drawing difficulties; aromas of wood and cork with a quality of sharpness in the draw; bitter intertwined light taste which is lacking in expression.
1,5 points

La Hoya Tribal, Panatela

12,1/1,4 cm, Filler: Nicaragua, Honduras, Binder: Honduras, Wrapper: Honduras, CH: CHF 6,40.
Very well-rolled small cigar which draws well and develops a lot of aroma for its small-diameter size; smooth, soft and full taste of earth and aromas of wood; very intense and creamy; a little bundle of aroma; round and harmoniously structured. 3,5 points

Las Cabrillas Magellan, Corona

16/1,6 cm, Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua, Binder: Mexico, Wrapper: Connecticut Shade, D: EUR 3,10, CH: CHF 5,-.
Well-rolled corona with aromas of earth and peat in the good draw; restrained taste at the beginning which increases in volume during smoking; soft taste texture with a sweetish hint in a lightly woven, somewhat linear quality. 2,5 points

La Fontana Mona Lisa

12/1,6 cm, 100% Honduras, D: EUR 4,20.
Very well rolled cigar which has also a very good draw, floral flavors and distinguished aromas, this trumpet sized small and balanced cigar is light in structure but fine in the flavors with oaky scented texture in the silky taste, a fine cigar for everyday smoking. 3,5 points

Puros Indios, Maxima Reserva

Churchill, 17,8/1,9 cm, Filler: Nicaragua, Brasil, Domingo, Binder: Nicaragua, Wrapper: Ecuador, D: EUR 5,30, CH: CHF 9,50.
Very well-rolled with beautiful draw resistance; full, earthy undergrowth aromas in the very good draw; soft, subtly bitter-grassy taste; somewhat lightweight and restrained in aroma expression for this size. 2 points

Flor de Selva, Robusto Tubos

Robusto Tubos, 12/2 cm, Filler und Binder: Honduras, Wrapper: Connecticut, D: EUR 6,-, A: EUR 8,90, CH: CHF 11,60.
Very well-rolled; fine and discreet aromas of spicy wood essence in the full draw; subtle, complex aromas of wood with the light, finely intertwined taste which increases in density during smoking; subtle right to the end; a light to medium-strength robusto. 4 points

Flor de Copan, Toro

15,2/1,9 cm, Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua, Binder: Honduras, Wrapper: Connecticut Shade, D: EUR 4,30, A: EUR 7,90.
Very well-produced cigar; intertwined floral aromas of fresh wood with touches of menthol in the full, perfect draw; supple, mild taste which is intertwined with subtle touches of toast; light, fully aromatic cigar; very harmoniously structured. 4 points

Excalibur No. IV, Grande Corona

14,2/1,87 cm, Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua, Domingo, Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf, Wrapper: Connecticut Shade, D: EUR 5,80, A: EUR 10,80, CH: CHF 9,50.
Very well-rolled; full, vegetal aromas in the very good draw; full-bodied, earthy-vegetal, strong taste integrated with tartness and attractive touches of sharpness; a very unusual cigar. 3 points

Zino Mouton Cadet No. 6, Robusto Tubos

12,7/2 cm, Filler und Binder: Honduras, Wrapper: Connecticut grown in Ecuador, D: EUR 6,30, A: EUR 6,10, CH: CHF 8,40.
Very well-rolled; floral, woody-spicy, vegetal aromas with a touch of eucalyptus in the very good draw; balanced taste with texture and an abundance of soft smoke; an elegant robusto, light in structure; an aromatic "early morning cigar". 3,5 points

Tradition Havanna 2000, Churchill Tubos

17,4/1,9 cm, Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua, Binder: Ecuador, Wrapper: Havanna seed 2000, D: EUR 5,60.
Very well-rolled; earthy-woodsy, rough aromas with attractive touches of spicy sharpness in the very good draw; rough, toasty quality of spiciness with earthy touches in the strong taste; increases in pliability during smoking; a masculine cigar similar to the Cuban and full of character. 3,5 points

La Libertad Lonsdale

17,7/1,8 cm, 100% Honduras, D: EUR 5,-, A: EUR 7,50, CH: CHF 8,40.
A very well-rolled cigar of the Churchill size; aromas of cedary chocolate and cocoa in the smooth, very good draw; smooth, cedary qualities with fruity underlaid touches of chocolate; smooth and rich in a harmoniously structured aromatic taste; featuring a pleasant strength without being too strong; an also very elegant cigar with expression and character. 4,5 points

Carlos Toraño, Honduras Selection, Churchill Crystal

17,8/1,8 cm, 100% Honduras, D: EUR 4,80, CH: CHF 14,-.
Very well-rolled; subtle aromas in the cool, full draw; dense taste with a gentle core and underlaid with complex aromas of wood; a light, elegant and subtle cigar. 3,5 points

Don Tomas, Petit Corona

13,5/1,6 cm, Filler: Mexico, Nicaragua, Domingo, Binder: Mexico, Wrapper: Connecticut, CH: CHF 8,-.
Very well-rolled; rustic, bitter, vegetal and earthy aromas in the very good draw; supple, mildly bitter taste with subtle sharpness at the beginning which is incorporated very attractively; light to medium in strength. 3 points

Fire, Indian Tabac Cigar Company, Churchill

17,5/1,95 cm, Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua, Binder: Nicaragua, Wrapper: Corojo Seed Honduras, D: EUR 4,95.
Very well-rolled; mild herbal-spicy aromas of bitter chocolate in the very good draw; gently fruity, dense, cedar-chocolate qualities with a subtle sweetness of sandalwood in a balanced, softly intertwined spicy taste; elegant and very balanced. 4 points

Camacho Corojo, Churchill

17,5/1,8 cm, 100% Honduras, D: EUR 7,20, CH: CHF 10,20.
Very well-rolled; intense aromas of cedar and leather in the very good draw; spicy, strong taste with an underlaid earthy quality lined with cedar-leather; increases during smoking in concentration and density of taste; very balanced, strong in expression. 4 points

Camacho SLR Toro

15,4/2 cm, Special Limited Reserve, 100% Honduras, Colorado Wrapper, D: EUR 10,50.
Very well-rolled, producing an intense abundance of smoke with cedary aromas of undergrowth in the very good draw; a dense taste of a velvety nature bound in creaminess with discreet aromas of spicy pepper and cedar in a complex intertwined combination; a somewhat light, palate-friendly cigar with a rounded-off taste of spicy charm; an excellent smoking pleasure. 4,5 points

Flor de Maria Mancini, Grandees

16,5/1,7 cm, Filler und Binder: Honduras, Wrapper: Havanna 2000 Honduras, D: EUR 3,80, CH: CHF 5,90.
Very well-rolled; creamy, subtly oaky aromas in the very good draw; a lightly composed balanced cigar; creamy and full in its mild qualities with subtle touches of oak. 3 points