Oscar Valladares Tobacco & Co.'s first cigar was the "2012 by Oscar". In 2017, to commemorate five years of successful business for the company, Oscar and his blender Byron Duarte brought the line back, including Oscar Valladares 2012 Maduro cigars. Like all the cigars in the 2012 line, the Maduro is produced in Oscar's factory in Danlí, Honduras.
These dark sticks are medium-full strength and deliver dark chocolate, tangy citrus, toffee, and cinnamon flavors. The near-black Mexican San Andrés Maduro wrapper looks amazing in contrast to the bright red band with gold and black lettering. To call the wrapper oily would be a severe understatement.
Similar to the Connecticut broadleaf, San Andrés leaves are stalk-cut. A stalk-cut takes the place of priming. When priming, the tobacco leaves are removed a few a time. In a stalk-cut, the cut takes place at the plant's base to harvest it in one fell swoop.
After the plant wilts, they are hung upside down in curing barns to enrich the leaves further. The curing process here is longer than that of primed leaves. For Oscar Valladares 2012 Maduro cigars, the fermentation process is key. You don’t want too much fermentation. This dries out the leaves, which strips them of oils and flavor. And, you don’t want to go too light on the fermentation process. This makes the tobacco unpleasant and sour.
What else makes the flavors of this superb smoke possible? Beneath the dark leaf, we have a robust Honduran binder and top-shelf long-fillers from Nicaragua. Oscar Valladares 2012 Maduro cigars are great to burn while catching up with friends visiting from out of town.
Please enjoy Oscar Valladares 2012 Maduro cigars at your leisure.
