Pre-light Experience

The wrapper on the VegaFina Nicaragua Jalapa is light brown and has a couple of thin, decently raised veins. The seams are smooth and the caps well applied. The cigar has three bands, with the primary being the traditional design for the brand. The secondary band is orange, brown and silver and denotes Nicaragua while the foot band is white, brown and green with birds and flowers on it and denotes Jalapa. The aroma from the wrapper is a light mix of cedar and earth while the foot brings cedar and stewed fruit. The pre-light draw brings cedar and honey sweetness along with a mild spiciness on my lips.

First Third

The cigar begins with toasted cedar, baking spice and light earth. At a quarter inch in, the baking spice is now even with the earth in the background. At a half inch in, some mustiness joins the profile. At three quarters of an inch in, the baking spice transitions to black pepper which is now ahead of the earth. The retrohale is toasted cedar and a mildly zingy black pepper. As the third comes to a close, the earth and black pepper are now even, just a bit behind the toasted and musty cedar up front. The strength in this third was right at medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the overall profile is now a bit dry. At a half inch in, the toast level increases. The retrohale is now musty, toasted cedar and mild black pepper. At an inch in, the black pepper has become very mild. As the third comes to a close, the profile is musty, toasted cedar up front with earth in the middle and mild black pepper in the background. The strength remained at medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the pepper remains light, but has a long finish. The retrohale is musty, toasted cedar with a bit of a fuller black pepper now. As the cigar wraps up, the toast level increases and the profile finishes with musty, heavily toasted cedar up front, earth a bit behind and light black pepper in the background. The strength remained at medium.

Burn

The burn line was a bit wavy at times and the cigar went out twice in quick succession towards the end of the second third, requiring re-lights.

Draw

The draw was a bit tighter than I prefer, but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.

Overall

The cigar began with toasted cedar, baking spice and light earth. Some mustiness joined a bit later and the baking spice transitioned to black pepper. The toast level increased as the cigar went along. The VegaFina Nicaragua Jalapa had an average flavor profile throughout, focused around toasted cedar, earth and black pepper. It never really kept my attention and was fairly mundane. I don’t see this as a cigar I’d come back to.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.30

Cost/Point

N/A

Scoring System

Personal Cigar Review: VegaFina Nicaragua Jalapa