La Aroma de Cuba Pasion Corona Gorda 5 5/8″ * 46

The first Nicaraguan puro to wear the La Aroma de Cuba band, Pasión was developed by Jose “Pepin” Garcia and his son Jaime for Ashton.

The blend uses a Nicaraguan shade-grown wrapper from the Garcia family’s Namanji fields east of Estelí, with binder and long-filler from Estelí and Jalapa. The cigars are hand-rolled at My Father Cigars in Estelí, Nicaragua, and every leaf in the blend goes through a triple fermentation process. The Corona Gorda comes in at 5 5/8 by 46 in a parejo shape, at medium-to-full body.

The flavor tends to lean toward cedar, cashew, and leather, with a sweet hint of cinnamon and molasses through the middle and a peppery, slightly mineral finish. The narrower ring gauge in this size keeps the wrapper’s character more present than in the larger vitolas. Rated 94 by Cigar Aficionado. The format works well as a mid-length afternoon or early evening smoke.

Pairings: bourbon, red wine, or coffee.