As I’ve said before, I’m a huge fan of fine Nicaraguan tobacco. There’s just something about its richness that I love. Historically, Christian Eiroa crafted his cigars in Honduras using primarily Honduran leaf. But now, he has a Nicaraguan cigar with a Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper on it. Sounds nice, right? This is the CLE Prieto.
What am I Smoking?
Cigar: CLE Prieto Robusto
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Length: 5 Inches
Ring Gauge: 50
Power: 7/10
First Impressions
It’s hard to ignore the packaging of these cigars. They arrive in finished cabinet-style boxes of 25 with glossy and semi-holographic seals on them. The brand name is printed with silver paint on the front side of the box as well. The cigars themselves are covered 3/4 of the way with tissue paper that holds the name of the CLE brand, along with a primary black and gray band that denotes the same name.
The Look
As for the cigars, they look very good. A toothy, espresso colored wrapper that shows hardly any veins or seams is draped over a well humidified blend. Aromas from the foot remind me of double chocolate chip cookies and coffee while the prelight draw contains notes of nutmeg spice and pepper.
The Smoke
Right after sparking up, the first thing I notice is the woody and smooth profile. It contains notes of rich chocolate and sea salt alongside a subtle kick of black pepper through the nose. The finish is quick, but that just makes me anticipate the next draw even more.
The second third offers up some of those same notes, but with added intensity. Dark cocoa, powerful cedar and dried figs make up the majority of the taste at this point, and hints of earth balance out its natural sweetness. The burn is straight, requiring no attention on my end. The ash holds steady and shows off marbled colors of bright white and medium gray.
The final third is nearly identical to the second, just a touch stronger, but I’m not complaining about that one bit. So I’ll leave it at that. The burn started to waver slightly, but it had no issues straightening itself out towards the end. This was a solidly constructed handmade cigar through and through.
Final Thoughts
In my opinion, Christian Eiroa has put out some pretty kick ass maduro blends recently, and this is one that is no exception to my statement. The CLE Prieto had a vibrant and complex profile that continuously excited my palate all the way to the nub. Not to mention, it’s Connecticut Broadleaf added a beautifully savory mouth feel that highlighted the notes of its blend. This is a must try.
Rating: 92
Price: $7.49 / $163.99 (Box of 25)
