Herrera Esteli Norteño Coming Via Joya de Nicaragua

Willy Herrera’s long-awaited maduro project final has a target release date, June, but it’s not coming from where you think. The Herrera Esteli Norteño, the working name for the last several months, will be made at Fabrica de Tabacos Joya de Nicaragua S.A., not from La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate.

Herrera told Cigar Aficionado production constraints have forced him to move the maduro project to Joya de Nicaragua. Herrera Esteli Norteño will feature a Mexican San Andrés wrapper, Honduran binder and fillers from Nicaragua.

The cigar has been in the works for well over a year, as Herrera began work on the project almost immediately after the launch of the original Herrera Esteli. It will be available in five box-pressed sizes: 5 1/2 x 44, 4 3/4 x 48, 4 x 42 and a 5 x 50 belicoso. The company is also deciding on a toro size, which will be either 6 x 50 or 6 x 52.

Norteño translates into northerners. It is used in Nicaragua to refer to people from Estelí, which is located in northern Nicaragua.

Drew Estate is the distributor for Joya de Nicaragua in the U.S. The company’s MUWAT brands are made at the Joya de Nicaragua factory, which has had capacity issues for the last few years.

Production of the original Herrera Esteli brand will remain at Drew Estate. Herrera hopes the move to Joya de Nicaragua will allow for increased production of Norteño.

(Image via Brooks Whittington)

Update (April 11, 2014): Three of the sizes have changed.