Sometimes in life, we all need to do a little soul-searching. Today I’m searching for the strong soul of Nicaraguan tobacco in the Plasencia Alma Fuerte (translated ‘strong soul’). This Nicaraguan puro was released in 2017 and uses Nicaraguan Criollo ’98 tobaccos from the country’s top-growing regions of Condega, Estelí, Jalapa, and Ometepe.
One of the most beautiful handmade cigars you’ll ever see, it’s cloaked in a Jalapa Shade grown wrapper, with glorious splashes of black and gold across a trio of bands made from heavy-weight paper. This was the first line crafted by the Plasencia 1865 Company and is still a fan favorite today.
The Alma Fuerte’s rich appearance screams ultra-premium, with the boxes even doubling up as a fully functional ashtray. However, Nestor Plascencia and his family are keen to point out that the aged tobacco is what places it in the $20-$22 mark.
With sizes including an innovative, six-sided, hexagon-press 6 x 60 Gordo (the size we are reviewing today), and a 7 x 58 box-pressed Salomon, let’s find out if the flavors are as bold and vibrant as they look.
Brand Overview
Before we start burning our way through this Plasencia Alma Fuerte review, let’s marvel at Plasencia Cigars' true origins, which have seen them survive disaster, emigration, revolution, and war.
The Plasencia family’s love affair with tobacco can be traced back to 1865 when Eduardo Plasencia emigrated to Cuba from the Canary Islands in Spain. He cultivated tobacco on a modest farm, and the Plasencia family’s reputation grew when his nephew Sixto joined the operation.
However, the Cuban Revolution of 1959 halted their ascendance. Fidel Castro seized all their farms, meaning Sixto and his family fled Cuba for Mexico empty-handed. Sixto’s son Nestor Sr. (Hall of Fame inductee of Cigar Aficionado Magazine) was just 15. After two weeks in Mexico, they moved to Honduras, where Sixto received two job offers at tobacco companies.
He worked for three months, then moved the family to Honduras. Once Nestor Sr. graduated from agricultural university, he joined forces with his father at a tobacco farm in Jalapa. Sadly, revolution number two hit in 1979, meaning it was dangerous for Cubans to be in the country.
Nestor Sr. retreated to Honduras to start over, while Sixto jetted off to Miami. He often traveled to Honduras to help his son, but Nestor Sr. continued to plow on, even overcoming an outbreak of blue mold that destroyed all the family crops. He’s now regarded as “one of the foremost tobacco experts in the world,” with the company producing sticks for 30 different brands by the turn of the millennium.
After all that time growing tobacco and making cigars for other companies, the fifth generation of the Plasencia family (Néstor Andrés, Gustavo, and José Luis Plasencia) launched the Plasencia Cigars we know today. Let’s see how their debut stick performs once toasted.
Cigar specs
- Country of Origin: Nicaragua
- Strength: Full
- Wrapper: Nicaraguan Jalapa
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Sizes Available:
Cold draw
I can make out notes of earth and leather from the oily wrapper. The foot of the cigar is also kicking out some strong earth with a slight cocoa sweetness.
Nicaraguan tobacco is known for its earthy qualities, and the enticing earthy-moss-like flavor seeps into the cold draw. A touch of creaminess and white pepper also sets me up nicely for the smoking phase.
First Third
The first puffs are intense, with some dark cocoa nudging the Alma Fuerte up the intensity scale later.
Retrohales are also peppery and vibrant, yet the smoke is smooth and creamy, which delivers a wonderful contrast and complexity.
Second Third
Cedar takes on more of a supporting role in the second third, with rich hits of black coffee, black pepper, leather, and semi-sweet chocolate catching my attention. The black pepper and black coffee, in particular, add a smokey element that heightens around the midway point.
There’s some subtle earth still lurking in the background, while some soft Asian spice notes bring a sweetness to the heat on the finish.
Final Third
The final third is notably bolder and darker than the previous two. My taste buds are treated to a hearty medley of dark chocolate, espresso bean, licorice, and rich earth. Smokiness is minimal on the palate, and it’s clear that any creaminess has left the building.
While a bit of black pepper tingles the tongue on the finish, I can confidently say the spike in strength and body during this part of the smoke didn’t detract from my Plasencia Alma Fuerte cigar experience.
Conclusion
What an introduction from Plascencia Cigars. It’s impossible not to be impressed by the Plascencia Alma Fuerte’s superb construction, breathtaking transitioning, consistent depth, and flavors as rich as the ocean. It’s a fantastic reflection of the heartfelt efforts that the Plasencia family have (and continue to) put into the cigar business.
If you crave a top-shelf cigar to satisfy your soul, pick up a box of 10 for $194.95 from cigars.com now.
