Humo Jaguar: The new cat on the block

In February of 2011, The Association of Honduran Tobacco Growers and Cigar Makers held their first annual Honduran Cigar Festival in Tegucigalpa, Danli, and the old Mayan city of Copan, Honduras. The festival is named in honor of Humo Jaguar, who became the 12th ruler of Copan at age 13 and reigned for 67 years from 628 – 695 A.D. The ancient Mayans used tobacco to summon the Gods and communicate with the spirit world. During a period in which tobacco grew scarce, Humo Jaguar implored the Gods to make the sacred plant abundant again. The Gods answered his plea and named the spirit of the jaguar as their [tobacco deity].

Attending the event were the top Honduran cigar manufacturers as well as the world’s best-known multinational cigar producers. During the festival, a contest was held for the best Honduran cigar blend. Over 200 judges smoked all of the blends and chose Nestor Plasencia’s blend as the winner, so Nestor decided to name the cigar after the great Mayan king and offer it in three sizes: Grande (6″x 60), Robusto (5″x 52) and Toro (6″x 52).

Humo Jaguar cigars are handcrafted with a highly aromatic blend of all-Honduran blend of Cuban-seed longfillers, Talanga binders and shimmering Oscuro Viso wrappers. The smoke is thick, chewy, and gets off to a peppery start. Eventually the pepper fades giving way to flavors of sweet wood and nuts, and finally, to notes of dark chocolate and espresso with a long finish. Of course, their observation may vary, but for those who enjoy full-bodied Honduran tobacco, this uber-complex cigar may be right in their wheelhouse.

“This is a strong cigar, but you can still taste the richness of the Honduran tobacco,” says Nestor Plasencia. “The cigar is also very well balanced with a full flavor, and you won’t want to finish it because the experience is so great.”

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