CIGAR OF THE WEEK: Herrera Esteli Norteño Belicoso Fino

$7.99 (Limit of 5)Size:  5″ x 50
Wrapper: Mexican San Andrés
Binder: Honduran
Filler: Nicaraguan (Jalapa, Esteli)

A rare and delicious surprise this week: Willy Herrera‘s Norteño, an outstanding maduro which was released last year to much fanfare. Herrera is no stranger to tobacco blending, having worked for eight years at El Titan de Bronze, the small Miami factory responsible for some of the finest Cuban-style cigars available. Norteño is Herrera’s long-awaited maduro, in development since before even his primary line (Herrera Esteli) was released to the public, and it’s a doozy: fillers from Jalapa and Esteli, a rich Honduran binder, and a wrapper of spicy San Andrés give the cigar a thick, hearty flavor with an earthy, peppery base and a berry-like sweetness that emerges around the halfway point. A very fine cigar that would give a Padrón a run for its money, especially at this week’s insanely low price!