Joya de Nicaragua found enough success with the its 45th anniversary cigar that it’s coming back.

The company has announced that it will be introducing the Cuatro Cinco Reserva Especial—a modified version of the Cuatro Cinco the company released in 2013—on a limited, yet ongoing basis with the first shipment beginning later this month.

Cuatro Cinco Reserva Especial

Everything about the release, is familiar, yet modified.

The packaging now features “Reserva Especial” on the top of the band and substantially more silver than the relatively gold on black band that adorned the 2013 limited edition. The same goes for the blend, it’s based on the Cuatro Cinco Edición Limitada blend, including using five-year-old Nicaraguan ligero aged in oak barrels that previously held rum, a wrapper from the Jalapa region, but the company has added a Dominican volado binder.

Although the barrels previously held rum, Joya de Nicaragua said its goal was not to infuse any sort of rum flavor into the cigar.

“While aging in barrels is not a new discovery in our industry, since we started using them in (2008-2009) to age the filler tobaccos for the first release of Cuatro Cinco, we’ve been able to naturally amplify the richness of the Nicaraguan taste and aroma in them,” said Juan Ignacio Martínez in an e-mail to halfwheel.

“We are focusing instead on the distinct effects of natural aging process of the tobaccos inside an enclosed container, made out of wood, in which the isolation, absolute lack of light, the slower circulation of air inside and the controlled moisture provide the perfect environment to smoothen out the flavor notes and showcase the sweetness of our locally grown leaf.”

Cuatro Cinco Reserva Especial Vitolas

The original release was only offered in a 6 x 54 toro extra size, one that is not part of the four regular production sizes of the Reserva Especial: Doble Robusto (5 x 56), Petit Corona (4 1/2 x 46), Toro (6 1/4 x 50) and Torpedo (6 x 52).

“Cuatro Cinco was a great achievement for Joya de Nicaragua by allowing us to expand our brand portfolio not only with a remarkable limited edition, but with a super premium cigar,” said Dr. Alejandro Martínez Cuenca, chairman of Joya de Nicaragua. “Historically we’ve been known, not for pricey cigars, but more for the great price/quality ratio of our smokes. However, with our vast experience, our dedicated process and the undeniable quality and age of our tobaccos we can offer a genuine super premium product. The limited edition was a testament of that, and this Reserva Especial will reaffirm it.”

Joya de Nicaragua is distributed in the U.S. by Drew Estate. The cigar will begin shipping at the end of this month to select Drew Diplomat Retailers, a status that gives retailers greater access to limited product in the Drew Estate portfolio. After next month’s IPCPR Convention & Trade Show, the cigar will be offered to all Drew Diplomat Retailers.

Pricing has not been finalized, but it is expected to be between $8-13.

Davidoff is the official sponsor of halfwheel's coverage of the 2015 IPCPR Convention & Trade Show.
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Charlie Minato

I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. In addition, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.