#9: Cyb by Joya de Nicaragua

Coming in at #9 is the CyB by Joya de Nicaragua.  The CyB was released just after the 2012 IPCPR Trade Show as the Cuenca y Blanco.  This was the first cigar released since Jose Blanco joined Joya de Nicaragua in 2011.  The cigar was named after Blanco and Joya de Nicaragua president Dr. Alejandro Martinez Cuenca.  Shortly after its release, Joya de Nicaragua made a proactive decision to rename the cigar CyB to avoid any potential trademark issues.  Regardless of the name change, the blend of the cigar stands up and is worthy of a top ten placing for 2012.

The CyB marks the first cigar by Joya de Nicaragua in the 2012 IPCPR countdown.  Including the MUWAT collaborations, this is the third consecutive year, Joya de Nicaragua has appeared on the countdown.  The #9 rating by CyB marks the highest rating a Joya de Nicaragua cigar has achieved on the countdown.   The CyB also becomes the fourth cigar on the countdown to have an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper – joining the #11 Montecristo Epic Vintage 2007, #12 CAO Concert and #19 Tatuaje Cojonu 2012 Habano.

In a conversation we had with Blanco at the 2012 IPCPR, he explained to us that it the CyB was a project that took about eight months and 60 blends to come up with. The blend is a true multinational (four country) blend – which is very different than the Nicaraguan-based blends that make up most of the Joya de Nicaragua lines.  Blanco told us it all started with a viso tobacco from Esteli that was reserved for a special project.  He fell in love with tobacco, and then started working with other tobaccos to build the blend.

The end result is what Blanco describes as “flavor, flavor, flavor” – and we agree with it.   The flavors truly keep coming at you with this blend and each time we smoked it, we picked up a different nuance.  We detected flavors of pepper, natural tobacco, sugar cane, berry, chocolate, and leather.   The flavors start out medium-bodied and progress to medium to full.  The cigar won’t overpower you with its medium strength, yet it will give you just enough.  Construction is top notch – everything you’d expect from Joya de Nicaragua and Blanco.

Click here for our assessment of the CyB (back when it was still Cuenca y Blanco).

CyB in its older Cuenca y Blanco banding (Corona Real size)

Blend Profile

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Piloto Cubanao (Dominican Republic – La Canela region)
Filler: Nicaraguan (Ometepe, Esteli); Peruvian

Vitolas Available

Lonsdale Club: 6 1/2 x 44
Corona Real: 5 1/2 x 46
Robusto Deluxe: 5 1/4 x 50
Torpedo Especial: 6 1/4 x 52
Toro Supremo: 6 x 54

Recommended Vitola: Lonsdale Club