Country of origin: Nicaragua
Color: Colorado Maduro
Length: 6 1/2"
Ring gauge: 44
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Dominican Piloto Cubano (from La Canela)
Filler: Nicaraguan (from Ometepe & Esteli)/Peruvian
Rating*: ★★★★★
I will start by firmly stating that this cigar is, by far, one of the finest I've ever smoked - let's be clear that this stick is on my all-time favorite list. I've smoked a ton of these cigars (in different vitolas) since its release at the 2012 International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) trade show, but held back my review for quite some time because, admittedly, I was confused by its complexity. This is an extraordinary cigar with a very unique blend and unlike anything I've smoked before. Discerning the incredible variety of flavors offered during this smoke may have your head spin, so I decided to stop thinking so hard about it and just enjoy - repeatedly!
CyB is the result of a great collaboration between Dr. Alejandro Cuenca, President of Joya de Nicaragua, and Jose Blanco, formerly of La Aurora and now Senior Vice President of Joya de Nicaragua. Affectionately known as El Profesor, Mr. Blanco is a social media icon of the industry, a passionate ambassador held in the highest regard, an outspoken representative for cigar rights, and very well known for his tobacco knowledge and acclaimed blending seminars held across the nation. He humbly admits that he STILL doesn't know everything there is to know about tobacco (huh???) - I still think he has more knowledge in his thumbnail than most. The cigar was released bearing their name, Cuenca y Blanco; however, due to potential lawsuit, the name was changed to CyB.
Aesthetically, CyB Lonsdale Club is a gorgeous cigar, bearing a pretty band that is predominantly red with some blue and white coloring with "CyB" embossed in gold. The colorado maduro wrapper has a somewhat mottled reddish brown color, loaded with small veins which camouflages the seams. The wrapper is slightly toothy, but smooth and silky to the touch. The cigar is triple capped. It is extremely supple from cap to foot, with a much greater sponginess than what you would typically feel with other cigars. The wrapper has a slight leathery aroma, but the foot is incredibly aromatic of sweet tobacco which reminds me of cinnamon pastry. Each time I smoke this cigar, I find myself admiring the aroma from the foot for minutes upon minutes before bringing a flame to it - I just can't help it. Cold draw provides some raisin-like sweetness with some elements of woodiness.
The cigar lights very easily and burns flawlessly. I have never had to touch it up at any time and it burns evenly, even under the windiest conditions (like while driving with my windows down, which is how I smoke my cigars 90% of the time). The cigar produces nice ash, but will break easily onto your lap (this is not the cigar you would want to enter into your long ash contests with your buddies at the cigar lounge - but who really cares about that?).
From a flavor prospective, you will hear Jose Blanco talk about the unique complexity of the CyB blend, and this is an understatement. This stick offers a myriad of flavors that will morph throughout the smoke, but flavors that become scarce seem to resurface at some point again during the smoke.
CyB is a full-bodied cigar with medium strength. I have not noticed any dominance of any particular flavor throughout the smoke. The abundance of flavors does not permit me to develop the flavor profile graph that I have recently incorporated into my reviews. Some of the flavors encountered include cedar, cinnamon, and espresso. There are elements of sweetness like caramel with some raisin-like fruitiness. Retrohaling produces some earthy and floral flavors. Although I find it challenging to profile the flavors in terms of thirds, I found that there are some elements of sweet cashew-like nuttiness introduced during the final third of the cigar. The wrapper leaves some slightly bitter sweetness on the lips. This is a pleasantly spicy cigar that tingles the lips and lingers on the tip of the tongue and back of the throat - this spiciness is omnipresent and remains on the palate through the finish and lasts well after the cigar is done. This is a phenomenally smooth and creamy cigar that pairs fantastically well with coffee (CyB and French Vanilla hazelnut coffee is my favorite pairing during my morning commute), rum, single malt scotch, and bourbon. I am extremely impressed with this absolutely outstanding smoke...
The Lonsdale Club is definitely my favorite of the CyB line; however, the other vitolas include:
Corona Real (5 1/2" x 46)
Robusto Deluxe (5 1/4" x 50)
Toro Supremo (6" x 54)
Torpedo Especial (6 1/4" x 52)
Lancero (7 x 38")
Joya de Nicaragua has an exceptional portfolio - my favorite include the Antaño 1970, Antaño Dark Corojo, and the Cabinetta Serie. For more information, click on the link Joya de Nicaragua. Follow on Twitter (@joyacigars), Instagram (@joyacigars), and "LIKE" Joya de Nicaragua Cigars on Facebook.
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*Rating legend:
★★★★★ Excellent/Outstanding
★★★★ Very Good
★★★ Good
★★ Fair
★ Poor