Today, we review Nestor Miranda Grand Reserve 2024 edition. 2024 marked a special year for Nestor Miranda’s Miami Cigar & Company as it celebrated 35 years in the cigar business. One thing that the company did to mark the occasion was to release a new Nestor Miranda Grand Reserve Cigar.The Nestor Miranda Grand Reserve is a limited-edition torpedo cigar that was first introduced in 2011, followed by another release in 2012. After more than 12 years without a new Grand Reserve, the Grand Reserve 2024 edition has finally arrived. This cigar debuted at the 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show.

Each Nestor Miranda Grand Reserve is distinguished by its jewel-toned packaging. The 2011 edition featured an emerald color, while the 2012 edition showcased a blue diamond hue. I remember hearing in 2012 that the next installment of the Grand Reserve was expected to be ruby red. Little did I know that we would have to wait twelve years for this release. Here is a summary of the three Nestor Miranda Grand Reserve offerings:

• Nestor Miranda Grand Reserve (2011)
• Nestor Miranda Grand Reserve 2012
• Nestor Miranda Grand Reserve 2024

Without further ado, let’s break down the Grand Reserve 2024 and see what this cigar brings to the table.

Nestor Miranda Grand Reserve 2024 – Cigar Review

SPECIFICATIONS

Blend and Origin

The first two Grand Reserve cigars featured a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. The 2012 blend was described as an “amp’d up” version of the 2011.  The new Grand Reserve 2024 features an entirely new blend highlighted by a Nicaraguan wrapper. The Grand Reserve 2024 is made from 100% Nicaraguan-grown tobaccos.

• Wrapper: Nicaraguan
• Binder: Nicaraguan
• Filler: Nicaraguan
• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Factory: My Father Cigars S.A.

Vitolas Offered

The Grand Reserve is available in one size, a 6 1/8 x 52 belicoso. This is the same size as the previous two Nestor Miranda Grand Reserve Cigars. Miami Cigar and Company released 1,500 ten-count boxes of the Grand Reserve 2024. Typically, Miami Cigar & Company’s limited releases are one-time-only, and this appears to be the case with the Grand Reserve 2024.

Appearance (*)

The Nicaraguan wrapper on the Grand Reserve 2024 had a medium to dark Colorado shade wrapper. There were some oils on the surface, and a slight amount of mottling was present. The wrapper had some visible veins and some visible wrapper seams. There was a moderate taper on the head of the cigar that led to a converged tip.

PERFORMANCE

Pre-Light Draw (*)

A straight cut was used to remove half of the Belicoso tip from the Grand Reserve 2024. This allowed for a good tapering effect. From that point, it was time to commence the pre-light ritual. The cold draw delivered a mix of cocoa and bread notes. Overall, this was an excellent pre-light draw and a nice appetizer for the cigar experience. At this point, it was time to toast up the footer of the Grand Reserve 2024 and see what the smoking experience would have in store.

Tasting Notes

The Grand Reserve 2024 opened with notes of cocoa, herbal, earth, baker’s spice, and cedar. Early on, the cocoa’s herbal notes took center stage. The earth, baker’s spice, and cedar settled in the background. It seemed like the herbal notes had a slight edge over the cocoa notes, but both were still very much primary notes. Meanwhile, the retro-hale delivered additional layers of cocoa and cedar.

The second third of the Grand Reserve 2024 saw the herbal notes gradually take sole control of the flavor profile. While I usually am not a fan of these notes, the cocoa (which had now become a secondary note), along with the earth, baker’s spice, and cedar, rounded things off nicely. Toward the latter part of the second third, there was a gradual increase in the cedar on the tongue.

The final third saw the herbal notes fully grounded in the forefront. The cedar notes continued to increase, but never made it to primary note status. Meanwhile, notes of cocoa, earth, and baker’s spice continued to round out the flavor profile. This is the way the Grand Reserve 2024 came to a close. The resulting nub was cool in temperature, with a slightly soft nub.

Burn

The Grand Reserve 2024 maintained a straight burn path. Except for some minor jaggedness, this cigar maintained a relatively straight burn line. This cigar required minimal maintenance in terms of touch-ups. The resulting nub had a silver-gray color. The ash was skewed toward the firmer side. As for the burn rate and burn temperature, both were maintained at ideal levels.

Draw

The draw of the Grand Reserve 2024 performed exceptionally well. This was a cigar that had a touch of resistance to it, which is something that I like. The tapered tip of this belicoso held up quite well. Overall, this cigar was easy to enjoy and required little maintenance to appreciate its flavor.

Strength and Body

The Grand Reserve 2024 delivered a medium-strength, medium-bodied smoking experience from start to finish. There was a slight increase in the intensity levels of both attributes; however, the Grand Reserve 2024 ultimately remained in medium territory in terms of strength and body.

BANDING AND PACKAGING NOTES (*)

The packaging for the Grand Reserve 2024 follows the same design as the 2011 and 2012 versions. As mentioned, the Grand Reserve 2024 is highlighted by its ruby red color. The green and blue versions of 2011 and 2012, respectively, looked fantastic, and the red is equally impressive. The red contrasts nicely with the dark Nicaraguan wrapper of the cigar. This line has some of my favorite packaging from Miami Cigar & Company.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT