Joya de Nicaragua Cinco de Cinco Corona Extra

Last year, Joya de Nicaragua marked its 55th year in operation, a five-and-a-half decade run that tells one of the most interesting stories in the cigar industry.

It released a cigar in celebration of the milestone anniversary: the Joya de Nicaragua Cinco de Cinco, which itself comes with a rather interesting story. To create the blend, the company found inspiration by the hundreds of blending recipes that were created during private blending sessions with consumers and others that visit the company’s factory. The blend that the company calls “the perfect scoring recipe” uses an “ultra-vintage” Mexican San Andrés wrapper, while the binder and filler both come from Nicaragua. Keeping with the cigar’s name, it is described as a five-out-of-five in both profile and complexity, billed as full-bodied and medium strength with hints of cocoa and dark chocolate.

“This cigar was made with the people, by the people and for the people,” said Juan Ignacio Martínez, executive vp of Joya de Nicaragua, in a press release. “Our past is all about tobacco. Our bright future is all about tobacco. We are here, stronger than ever thanks to our wonderful community of amigos.”

The Cinco de Cinco was released in September 2023, and offered in five sizes, all of which get a soft box press:

• Joya de Nicaragua Cinco de Cinco Corona Doble (7 x 54) — $21 (Box of 10, $210)
• Joya de Nicaragua Cinco de Cinco Corona Extra (6 1/4 x 46) — $16 (Box of 10, $160)
• Joya de Nicaragua Cinco de Cinco Toro (6 x 52) — $20 (Box of 10, $200)
• Joya de Nicaragua Cinco de Cinco Robusto Gordo (5 1/2 x 54) — $18 (Box of 10, $180)
• Joya de Nicaragua Cinco de Cinco Robusto (5 x 50) — $16 (Box of 10, $160)

A sixth size, a 6 x 60 gordo, was released in October 2024 as an exclusive for retail members of the Tobacconists’ Association of America (TAA), wearing a foot band indicating its exclusivity.

When the Cinco de Cinco line arrived, it joined a fairly elite group of cigars in the company’s portfolio, a collection called Obras Maestras. That group includes the Cuatro Cinco, the Cinco Décadas, the Numero Uno and the Dos Cientos, a foursome that has garnered a number of honors from this site:

• Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Decadas was ranked halfwheel’s #8 cigar of 2020,
• Joya de Nicaragua Dos Cientos was ranked halfwheel’s #4 cigar of 2021
• Joya de Nicaragua No. 1, the predecessor to Número Uno, was ranked halfwheel’s 2018 Cigar of the Year.
• Joya de Nicaragua Número Uno was ranked halfwheel’s #6 cigar of 2020 as well as the #15 cigar of 2020,

Here’s what I said about the Joya de Nicaragua Cinco de Cinco Corona Extra when I reviewed it in December 2023:

In thinking back about the Joya de Nicaragua Cinco de Cinco, my thoughts get drawn to the second third as the high point of the cigar, with similar yet slightly different roads leading both to that section and away from it. The merging of flavors and harmonizing of components that occurs in that second section is what makes this cigar special, as It seemingly encapsulates the goal of the blend. That said, for as well as it executed the process, and as good as the result was, it didn’t deliver the kind of profile that puts a cigar into the upper echelon that the company has reached before. I would still gladly smoke this cigar again, I look forward to smoking some other vitolas, and I’ve already got this on the calendar for a redux review as I am curious to see what just a bit more time might do to the blend.

• Cigar Reviewed: Joya de Nicaragua Cinco de Cinco Corona Extra
• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Factory: Fábrica de Tabacos Joya de Nicaragua S.A.
• Wrapper: Mexico (San Andrés)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua
• Length: 6 1/4 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 46
• Shape: Pressed
• MSRP: $16 (Box of 10, $160)
• Release Date: September 2023
• Number of Cigars Released: Regular Production
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Redux: 1

I don’t know what it is, but seeing a Joya de Nicaragua with the kind of box press that the Cinco de Cinco gets seems odd; it’s not like the company doesn’t produce other box-pressed cigars, but this seems particularly pronounced. The cigar sports a dark brown, evenly colored wrapper, though as I rotate the cigar, I notice what appears to be a dried glue spot on one side just under one shoulder. That rotation also causes me to notice the reflectiveness of the band, which at some angles looks forest green and at others, more emerald. I will readily admit I really like this band design for pretty much every reason: the colors, the design and the branding all work very well for me. The few veins that the leaf has are thin, flat, and relegated to the sides and back of the cigar, leaving a very clean-looking front side. There is a very fine grit texture to the wrapper, and I’m not surprised to find any oiliness to the leaf. There wasn’t much a year ago, and with this cigar not in cellophane, I’m sure that whatever it might have had is long gone. The cigar is still consistently firm from head to foot but does have a bit of give to it, something I’m again not surprised by, given the box press. The foot’s aroma is fantastic, reminding me of a cooled, freshly baked chocolate chip cookie but a denser version of that smell. The cold draw is near perfect in terms of airflow with just a touch of resistance, while I find a small touch of pepper in the flavor, while the chocolate chip cookie now tastes more like a blondie or maybe even a brookie.

Given what I picked up from the cigar before lighting it, the Joya de Nicaragua Cinco de Cinco Corona Extra starts off earthier than I would have expected but it does still seem very much in line with some of the hallmarks of the company’s blending style. A few puffs later, a pepper appears and light creaminess appear, lightening up the profile. The first retrohale brings the pepper into the forefront, fairly full in intensity but thin in body and dissipating rather quickly. Right after I take the image below, the ash starts leaning and breaks off right after. At that time, the cigar begins a pivot to more rockiness in the earth, which changes the sensation I get from each puff, now eliciting a reaction at the top of my throat. That sensation continues to evolve, becoming a touch more focused and sharper on subsequent puffs. That doesn’t stop the cigar from being enjoyable, but I’d gladly remove it from the experience if I could. Flavor-wise, it feels like the cigar is close to breaking through into some puffs of real complexity, which has me eager and a bit anxious, but also wondering if it might not get there, which with the burn line approaching the halfway point, will have to come in the second half. Flavor is medium-full, body is medium-plus and strength is mild. Construction has been very good thus far with no issues.

The second half of the Joya de Nicaragua Cinco de Cinco Corona Extra starts with a campfire aroma that first appears via a retrohale and is quite enjoyable. There’s a return to the earthiness of the first puffs, now with a bit of chocolate syrup, making for a very enjoyable couple of puffs. They are short-lived, though, as the final throw ushers in some real heat, some red chili pepper flakes, and a much sharper profile. That sensation dials back a bit, but the burn rate begins to accelerate and it feels like the cigar has come to its completion before it has the chance to fully course correct, wrapping up after about an hour and 45 minutes. Flavor is medium-full, body is medium-plus and strength is medium-minus. Construction is very good with no issues, though I’m puzzled by why the burn line seemed to step on the gas pedal in the final third.