#10 2023 Cigar of the Year: Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro Eduardo I
SPECIFICATIONS
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Colorado Claro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: Plasencia S.A.
Eduardo I: 6 1/4 x 54
Price: $22.23
Sponsor: No
Samples Provided for Initial Review: No
Review: Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro Eduardo I
Appearances on Countdown (By Year/Company): 3 (2020, 2021, 2023)
The Details
The #10 2023 Cigar of the Year is the Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro Eduardo I. In 2021, Plasencia Cigars launched an offshoot of its Alma Fuerte brand known as the Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro. When Plasencia decided to bring its own brand to market in 2017, one of the first blends it introduced was the Plasencia Alma Fuerte. This cigar went on to become a very successful line. The Alma Fuerte was known for its dark Nicaraguan wrapper. As the name indicates, the Colorado Claro has a lighter shade with a slight reddish tint. The blend to the Alma Fuerte was tweaked, and thus the Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro was born. Today we take a look at the second vitola released in the Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro, the Eduardo I.
The Eduardo I introduced a 6 ¼ x 54 Toro-sized offering into the Colorado Claro line. The vitola, Eduardo I, pays homage to Eduardo Plasencia, a first-generation member of the Plasencia family. Eduardo Plasencia was the pioneer of the Plasencia tobacco family. He migrated from the Canary Islands to Cuba and started growing tobacco in 1865, and thus, the Plasencia tobacco dynasty was born. Since then, not only have the Plasencias become premier growers and manufacturers, but now they are making a mark with their own cigar brand.
The Colorado Claro is a Nicaraguan puro highlighted by a Colorado Claro wrapper from the Jalapa region of Nicaragua. The remainder of the tobaccos that make up the Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro are all from Nicaragua.
The Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro Eduardo I delivers notes of earth, natural tobacco, cedar, fruit, and pepper. The Eduardo I has a dialed-back profile as it starts out mild to medium in strength and body before progressing to medium in the final third.
For Plasencia Cigars, this is the third time the company has landed on the Countdown. If you are keeping score at home, this is the 13th cigar from Nicaragua to land on the Countdown – so Nicaragua continues to stretch its lead for most cigars on the Countdown. It’s also the second cigar out of the Plasencia factory to land on this year’s Countdown.
REFERENCES
- For details on how the 2023 Cigar of the Year Countdown works, see our 2023 criteria.
- Full 2023 Cigar Coop Cigar of the Year Countdown
Photo/Media Credits: Cigar Coop
Note: The photography used for these two thumbnails has made this cigar wrapper look darker and the cigar bands less green. We apologize for this, but we want to reassure you that this was the Colorado Claro Eduardo I that was used for his assessment.