top of page

So...What the Hell Did I Smoke?


I really don't know! But sometimes is nice to NOT know what you are smoking - a brand that you've never seen before.


In my most recent monthly cigar club haul (from Cigar Hustler), I received a cigar that I could not identify. It was of the lonsdale vitola and had a small simple white nameless band with a classic 19th-century-like lithograph embossed on it. The wrapper was maduro and had a rough texture - there were prominent veins and visible seams, but appeared to be well constructed with a single cap. The wrapper and the foot gave off a musty aroma, and cold draws after a guillotine cut revealed a subtle sweetness.


The cigar lit very easily and burned quite slowly and evenly throughout the smoke; only required one touch-up about midway through the smoke. This medium-bodied smoke was of mild-to-medium strength, started with a rather oak cask-like woodiness and a mild ginger spiciness that lingered on the tongue. After the first third, the flavor becomes grassy and herbal with increasing spiciness; however, the cigar finished pretty flat with a significant decrease in flavor and body. Despite the non-impressive finish, the cigar was not a complete disappointment - not worth going out of the way to purchase, but would certainly light up again if gifted a few. And I would probably only smoke them during my day travels on the road; not for the special cigar moments to be enjoyed with my favorite spirits or companions.


So again, what the hell did I smoke? Well, after two weeks, I discovered that the cigar was a La Capitana No. 3 Corona (6" x 43). La Capitana is a hand-rolled Nicaraguan puro with the wrapper, binder, and filler from Habano seed tobacco. It is available in three other sizes: No. 1 Toro (6" x 50); No. 2 Robusto (5" x 50); and No. 4 Gigante (6" x 60).

La Capitana is manufactured by Villiger Cigars North America. Initially established as Villiger Sons Limited in 1888 in Switzerland, where the current headquarters remains, Villiger Cigars North America was established to provide premium cigars to the United States. The company's portfolio includes nine premium hand-rolled cigar brands, six machine-made cigar brands, pipe tobacco (in bulk and tins), and two lines of smokeless tobacco. Check out the Villiger website at http://villigercigars.com for more information.


bottom of page