Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 6 x 50 Toro
Strength: Medium/Full
Price: $7.80
Today we take a look at the Joya de Nicaragua Joya Copper.
BACKGROUND:
From Halfwheel.com (11-12-2019):
“Joya de Nicaragua has announced that the fifth line its JOYA Series of cigars will be an exclusive to Cigars International.
“The newest line is JOYA Copper, a Nicaraguan puro, that will be offered in four sizes.
“Joya Copper is the result of what a strong partnership is all about, in this project we worked hand-in-hand with the best talent of our factory, Drew Estate, and our friends at Cigars International where the product is going to be sold. We are really proud of it” said Juan Martinez, executive president of Joya de Nicaragua, in a press release.
The other four lines of the JOYA Series—Red, Black, Silver and Cabinetta—are sold to stores worldwide.
“The product will be showcased at the Cigars International store in The Colony, Texas on November 14th. It will be available only at Cigars International retail stores through December, and then will be available on its online site beginning January 2020.”
SIZES AND PRICING:
4.5 x 52 Consul $6.60
5 x 46 Corona Gorda $6.30
5.5 x 52 Robusto $7.10
6 x 50 Toro $7.80
APPEARANCE:
A very toothy stick. Seams are tight. Lots of small veinage. A perfectly applied triple cap. The very oily wrapper is the color of brown paper bag with hints of orange and cinnamon. The stick feels amply filled and done so evenly without hard or soft spots. And while I rarely comment on the cigar band (except for a plethora of skulls apparent), this is a classy design. I like it.
SMELL THE GLOVE:
A minor array of schnoz pleasers in order of appearance: milk chocolate, malt, cedar, creaminess, caramel, black pepper, floral, barnyard, and garlic.
The cold draw presents flavors of black pepper, creaminess, milk chocolate, malt, caramel, garlic/onion, and licorice.
The cigar has a small plug near the band, so I grab my PerfecDraw draw adjustment tool and go to work. A couple of manly thrusts and the draw is now perfect for my taste.
FIRST THIRD:
We begin the beguine…a nice attack of mild spiciness, very creamy, chocolate, malt, molasses, cedar, and nougat. Good start.
The black pepper ramps up immediately. Too much. For having 5 months of naked humi time, the spiciness has not been tamed. It should die down in the middle and then take off for the heavens in the last third.
The cigar is well made. It has that nice heaviness in the hand, the burn is A-OK, and the draw is poifect.
Strength is a potent medium, but not quite yet hitting on a consistent medium/full yet. The spiciness gives the illusion that the cigar is stronger than it really is.
I tried the cigar a couple months in and was disappointed. Unfortunately, the cigar manufacturer has left it up to you to do their job for them…aging this cigar in your humidor for 6 months instead of them hurrying to stick a 6-week rolled cigar into its cello. If you try this stick, you better have some patience, or all is lost.
But the wait was worth it. At 1” in, complexity rears its pretty head. Balance appears. And flotsam and jetsam of nuances and subtleties dart in and out keeping it interesting.
If the cigar continues on this journey without stagnation, it is going to be an excellent blend.
There are only a few written and video reviews of this cigar. Sometimes we reviewers don’t give a cigar a fair chance. If it isn’t ready to review, and is smoked too soon, the cigar is ignored as there are other fish to fry with the constant onslaught of new blends coming out on a weekly basis. Since this is a regular production cigar, it makes no never mind as to when it is reviewed; so, a little patience seems fair.
The complexity is ruling the roost now. Flavors morph into a nice stew. Transitions begin with a flurry of subtle flavors zooming by. The finish is dominated by black pepper and creaminess.
This is all good news as the cigar is hale and hearty. Don’t poop out on me Joya Copper.
The burn is impressive. The construction is better than most other $8 cigars.
A touch of citrus pops up…and then some hot cinnamon candy, bubble gum, and a nice Nic puro element that seems like one can taste the soil.
Strength remains at medium. The blend becomes super smooth now as the spiciness relents enough to allow the subtleties to shine.
SECOND THIRD:
This is really good. To be honest, not a big Joya fan. But this is something I wouldn’t mind having in my rotation.
I checked Cigarbid.com and these cigars are going for a song. I’m guessing at least half of their MSRP. I believe the lack of reviews, the impatience of smokers who imbibed too early, and maybe zero word of mouth has turned this tasty blend into a clearance aisle bundle cigar. This is good for the rest of us. If I can snag this cigar for $3-$4, a great go-to stick.
The black pepper has faded almost completely. It allows a burst of flavors to come forth and lets the complexity dig deeper.
Savory v. sweet is beginning to balance out nicely. Espresso shows up. Baking spices dot the landscape. There is also a touch of curry spices at play giving the cigar a little oomph.
I imagine that most of you are experiencing uncomfortable humidity with the heat. It is frustrating as hell to dry box my cigars. But they come out of my humidor too moist and unready to smoke for 2-3 days. I’m forced to think ahead. Not my forte.
“Immigrant Song” is playing. Did you see the Jeff Beck documentary on HBO? He invites Jimmy Page to join him on stage and they rip into an instrumental of this song. It was killer. Big smiles on both Page and Beck.
Creaminess surges. My lips and teeth feel coated by various milk products.
A perfect blend for newbies and aficionados alike. The strength is hanging tough at medium. A good morning cigar. And for those still working on training their palate, it is one of those sticks that allows you to enjoy the experience without the knack of dissecting all the flavors. We can thank the rich complexity for this.
As I said, the construction is on the money. The burn is even and takes its time. This will be a 90-minute smoke. And I haven’t needed to touch up the char line once.
A sip of water and it has me licking my chops like a hungry dog.
I’m always amazed when I get to smoke an inexpensive cigar that the manufacturer took seriously and passes on that passion for the blend to you.
What can I say? The cigar gets better with each puff.
“Paperback Writer” by The Beatles is playing. When I first heard it on the radio in 1966, I thought they were singing “Paper Bag Tiger.” Excessive masturbation when you are a teen does affect your hearing.
Back in the day, the announcement of a new Beatles album was a really big deal. By the millions, fans pre-bought the album at their favorite record store…yes, they had record stores in those dinosaur days.
In fact, my second job was for the record store Licorice Pizza in downtown Long Beach. I made $1.65 an hour. Great job. But then I got offered a better paying job at $1.95 if I went to work as the steamboat captain at Knott’s Berry Farm. It turns out that Licorice Pizza exploded into a chain and all the Hippies I worked with ended up as executives. The chain was sold to Sam Goody. Timing is everything.
As I pass the halfway point, the cigar takes a leap of faith and digs deep. The distinct flavors are becoming harder to pinpoint as the complexity sucks them all into a black hole that coagulates them into the whole is the sum of its parts.
I’ve now begun to freak out my family because of the success of my diet. 24lbs gone now. Hence, my face and body have slimmed down dramatically. Only 15lbs to go and I will be at my fighting weight. Do 70-year olds have a fighting weight? Or is it more to do with the ability to bend over or kneel without asking for help to get back up?
Whenever a booze shipment arrives at the cigar lounge, I have to lug around boxes, open them, distribute them and then hook myself up to my I.V. of Fentanyl. I’ve only tripped once on the wheels, but I caught myself.
This is a very consistent blend. No intermissions while the cigar decides what to do next. It is on a mission from God. Get the money for the church orphans…wait…that’s not right.
I remember seeing The Blues Brothers in 1979 at the Greek Theater in L.A. I was amazed as I watched the morbidly obese John Belushi do cartwheels on stage. That had to take a lot of cocaine to brave that stunt.
LAST THIRD:
Surprisingly, the strength of the cigar has not increased during the formation of character and complexity that has increased exponentially.
I get asked all the time at Prime Cigar for mild to medium blends. This is tougher than it sounds. Usually, the mild blends are tasteless. I do my thing and veer the purchaser towards something more medium but warn them that the last third will probably get stronger. Some folks listen. Others ignore me like the pest I am.
My biggest gratification is obtaining the right blend for the individual. And then getting feedback that they really enjoyed the cigar. Or when customers return the next week and tell me they really liked the cigar I proposed. I take the same amount of honesty I try to convey in my reviews to real life when recommending cigars or accessories. Customers appreciate the non-salesman approach and find themselves trusting me. Gives me a boner this big.
The balance is a joy…no pun intended…well, maybe a little.
Nicotine enters.
Strength hits medium/full.
But the complex nature of the blend sweeps away the hallucinations. This is a cigar you don’t drop in the ashtray with 2” to go.
And because the lip-smacking goodness of the stick is so rich, I can take the recommended 2 minutes between puffs so I can relish the aftertaste.
No harshness or bitterness. Smooth. This is a big selling point for me. I find myself pissed off at cigars whose last-ditch efforts at life descend into something unsmokeable.
Newbies…get in on this. Experience smokers…likewise.
If you can snag some Joya Copper cigars on Cbid, you will thank me…or not.
Just remember, do not smoke one ROTT. You will have wasted a good cigar. You want a great tasting blend, then wait the 4-5 months to get the true blender’s intent.
RATING: 92
Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS
Cigar Reviews by Phil 'Katman' Kohn 
1/3 into one right now. Your review, so far, is spot on! Good smoke.
I was right?
Damn.
No one has ever told me this before.
Thanks Bob,
Phil