Espinosa Laranja Reserva Azulejo
- Origin Nicaragua
- Wrapper Sumatra
- Binder Brazil
- Filler Nicaragua
- Strength Medium-Full
You could write volumes of prose on the long journey of what is now known as Espinosa Premium Cigars. None of it would be possible without the Alpha Dawg himself, Erik Espinosa. What a long, strange trip it’s been to get where he is today. To keep it short, he got his start in the industry as a cigar broker in southern Florida and quickly developed a desire to become a brand owner. He first launched EO cigars with his close friend Eddie Ortega and had cigars made by Pepin Garcia in Nicaragua. When Garcia could no longer commit to producing their blends, the duo split. Erik formed Espinosa Premium Cigars and opened his own factory in Nicaragua called La Zona where many of his cigars are made today. There’s so much more to this story, but Erik is one of our favorite people in the industry- honest and trustworthy as the day is long. It’s one of the reasons his brand has developed a cult-like following. He says what he means and does what he promises.
The Espinosa Laranja Azulejo is quite a mouthful to speak, but it’s also a tremendously flavorful cigar. It’s the third installment in the Laranja series and is quite a departure from previous versions. The term “Azulejo” is a Portuguese word that describes a special shade of blue used in glazed ceramic tiles in the region. This beautiful color is represented in the cigar band and the ribbon. Rather than being made in Espinosa’s La Zona factory, the Laranja Reserva Azulejo is made by AJ Fernandez in his San Lotano factory. The blend begins with Fernandez-grown Nicaraguan fillers, and is topped with a rare Brazilian Arapiraca binder leaf. Topping off the blend is a deep, dark hued Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. The result is a full strength cigar bursting with flavors of earth, pepper, and chocolate with hints of baking spices, leather, and raisin sweetness. Buckle up for an adventure of flavor!