Many cigar companies strive to produce a Cubanesque flavor, but Aganorsa founder Eduardo Fernández upped the ante by relocating an entire team of Cuban cigar and tobacco experts to Nicaragua when they were building Aganorsa Leaf in the late 90s (Agricola Norteña S.A. = Aganorsa). This turned out to be a fantastic decision, as Aganorsa Leaf cigars are award-winning machines, earning accolades year in and year out, from one growing season to the next.
Not only are Aganorsa Leaf cigars delicious, high-quality smokes, but the Cuban style tobacco the company cultivates has been used to great effect in quite a few blends created by other companies. For this reason, the list of Aganorsa Leaf cigars that have topped the charts includes quite a few other brands. The standout so far at the time of this writing is the Warped Guardian of the Farm (a Nicaraguan puro that was the 93-rated #8 cigar of 2017), but Aganorsa also produces cigars for world-class cigar brands like Illusione, Foundation, and Viaje, to call out a few of the biggest names.
Aganorsa Leaf cigars come in a number of sublines, so you may have already enjoyed the cream of the Aganorsa crop without knowing it. Two must-smokes are the JFR Lunatic Habano (a nutty smoke rolled in sizes up to an 80 ring gauge; the 93-rated #7 cigar of 2019) and the Casa Fernández Miami Anniversario (an ultra-premium cigar that was ranked #3 in 2014, with a 94 rating).
Of course, Aganorsa Leaf has its own standouts under the house name, too. For example, the perfectly fermented and rich Aganorsa Leaf Maduro was the #11 cigar of 2016, earning a 93 rating for its chocolatey and creamy flavors.
Aganorsa Leaf is a cigar company that does it all in-house – “from seed to ash” as they say. From the first planting to seeing finished stogies roll out the door, Aganorsa oversees every step of the process, giving them total control over their cigars. Of course, there’s a little room left over for Mother Nature to decide the exact details of each tobacco leaf that goes into a blend.
Whether it’s from the company’s home factory in Estelí (TABSA) or the stateside production facility in Miami, Aganorsa is rolling up spectacular Cubanesque cigars. Much of the success of Aganorsa Leaf cigars boils down to two tobacco varietals for which the agronomy teams have perfected the art of cultivation.
The first is the classic Cubanesque seed: Corojo ’99. This is grown in the Jalapa region of Nicaragua, and the Viso priming is where the flavor really shines. According to Aganorsa Experience leader Terrence Reilly, this leaf is the delicious one that really makes you salivate when smoking.
The second is quintessential Nicaraguan: Criollo ’98. Aganorsa grows this in Estelí, and also focuses on mid-stalk Viso leaf. This is a salt-of-the-earth tobacco type and has been the core of countless highly-rated Nicaraguan cigars for Aganorsa and many other companies operating in the region.
Curious to learn more and in need of a vacation? Visit the Aganorsa Leaf main operations center in Nicaragua to see Halfwheel’s “Best Factory” of 2015 and 2016. That’s where much of the magic happens.
Between Eduardo and his son Max, Aganorsa Leaf appears to be building a foundation of a cigar company to last for years to come.
Please browse our selection of Aganorsa Leaf cigars at your leisure.
