2023 Cigar of the Year Countdown (Coop’s List) #7: Las 6 Provincias CMW by Espinosa Cigars

#7 2023 Cigar of the Year: Las 6 Provincias CMW by Espinosa Cigars

SPECIFICATIONS

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano 2000
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: San Lotano
Toro: 6 x 50 (Box Pressed)
Price: $18.00

Sponsor: Yes
Samples Provided for Initial Review: Yes
Review: Las 6 Provincias CMW by Espinosa Cigars (9/25/23)
Appearances on Countdown (By Year/Company): 11 (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)

The Details

The #7 2023 Cigar of the Year is the Las 6 Provincias CMW by Espinosa Cigars.

CMW is the fourth installment of the Espinosa Cigars Las 6 Provincias series. This limited edition series pays homage to the pre-Castro era of Cuba. The name Las 6 Provincias means “six provinces,” referring to the six provinces that existed before Fidel Castro’s takeover of Cuba. It is also Espinosa Cigars’ most premium limited edition series to date. Each installment of the series has a unique blend, size, and associated artwork. The name CMW stands for Camagüey, the second-most eastern province on the island of Cuba in the pre-Castro era. Since the first installment of the Las 6 Provincias was launched in 2018, it has become one of Espinosa Cigars’ most successful near-annual limited series releases. The CMW is the third release of the series to land on the Countdown.

Blendwise, the Las 6 Provincias CMW features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper over all Nicaraguan tobacco. Production for the CMW comes from AJ Fernandez’s San Lotano factory in Ocotal, Nicaragua. The CMW is offered in one size – a 6 x 50 box-pressed Toro.

Flavorwise, the Las 6 Provincias CMW delivered notes of cocoa, earth, natural tobacco, fruit, pepper, and leather. The cigar started out as a medium strength, medium-bodied before progressing to medium to full in the second half for both attributes. Espinosa is well-known for its Habano wrapper releases. In this case, the Las 6 Provincias CMW is probably the most different Habano cigar I’ve had from Espinosa in the 11 years the company has existed.

Espinosa becomes the first company to land three cigars on this year’s Countdown. As we mentioned, Espinosa has been on the Countdown a record 11 times – all consecutive years. If you are keeping score at home, this is the 15th cigar from Nicaragua to land on the Countdown.