Cigars with Corojo wrappers are generally blends that are built to bring out the flavors of classic Cuban cigars. Corojo tobacco was for many years the wrapper leaf of choice for leading Cuban blends. Its spicy punch was a signature note in many of those famous cigars. Eventually, however, the varietal’s susceptibility to certain crop diseases led growers and blenders to seek another type of tobacco. Criollo then replaced Corojo to a large extent. As hybrid varietals were developed Corojo eventually found its way back into the market, and today there are plenty of blends that use these modern hybrid Corojo wrappers or Corojo tobacco as a component of the filler blend.
For example, the Rocky Patel Number 6 scored 95 points and was named Cigar Aficionado’s #9 cigar of 2020, thanks in part to a Corojo wrapper grown in Honduras. And a cigar that’s driven fans crazy for decades, the Fuente Fuente OpusX, had succeeded largely off the back of Corojo wrappers grown on the Chateau de la Fuente farms in the Dominican Republic. The 2016 Cigar Aficionado Cigar of the Year, La Flor Dominicana’s Andalusian Bull, also featured irresistible mottled brown Corojo wrappers that led a powerhouse blend right into the winner’s circle.
Of course, it’s not all wrapper leaf. My Father’s La Opulencia used Corojo tobacco and created a fantastic blend that earned it the #2 spot on Cigar Aficionado’s 2018 list. Many other blends include Corojo tobacco, especially when they need a potent and spicy note in the smoke.
Classic Corojo wrappers are no longer grown in Cuba, not even on the farm that originally pioneered it, but a few other limited fields may still grow the legendary leaf. For the most part, smokers looking for that famous taste of Cohiba Esplendidos from yesteryear will find that they need a time machine. Instead, Corojo 99, the hybrid tobacco, is what you can find in the modern cigar industry. This leaf is exquisite but different, and we can embrace change like that.
Please browse our selection of cigars with Corojo Wrappers at your leisure.
