From the sizzling filling of fajitas to the crispy yet cheesy overload of enchiladas, Mexican cuisine gives us plenty to taco bout.

Mexican cuisine is often associated with having a kick, but it presents some of the most aromatic and flavorful food on the planet.

Aside from being a paradise for food lovers, it’s easy to forget that Mexico also grows some of the world’s greatest cigar tobacco. Wouldn’t it be great if we combined the two?

Let’s spill the beans and help you along this delicious journey by sharing some of the best (and our favorite) smokes to enjoy alongside your Mexican eats.

• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Strength: Medium-Full
• Wrapper: San Andrés Mexican Maduro
• Binder: African Cameroon
• Filler: Nicaragua
• Sizes Available:
• CAO Zocola Gigante (6 x 60)
• CAO Zocola Robusto (5 x 52)
• CAO Zocola Toro (6.25 x 54)

Initially a limited edition cigar, the CAO Zócalo returned as a regular production offering in early 2021. It is the first cigar under the CAO umbrella to use a Mexican wrapper. The rare and incredibly dark brown Morron wrapper leaf is grown in the San Andrés Valley and delivers a complex earthiness that CAO is renowned for.

The name Zócalo is derived from a celebratory city square in Mexico, and this cigar is a true celebration of the country. Even the band displays the Mexican flag’s green, red, and white colors.

This deep, heavy blend delivers earth, pepper, leather, and smoked spices. It’s a great match with Barbocoa — a traditionally slow-cooked meat dish (often in pits) with rich, smoky goodness.

• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Strength: Full
• Wrapper: San Andrés Mexican
• Binder: Ecuador Sumatra
• Filler: Dominican Republic / Nicaragua
• Sizes Available:
• Crowned Heads Juarez Jack Brown (5 x 56)
• Crowned Heads Juarez OBS (4.75 x 52)
• Crowned Heads Juarez Willy Lee (6 x 54)

Inspired by the Johnny Cash song “Cocaine Blues,” the rich and beefy Crowned Heads Juarez blend sees a dark chocolatey San Andrés Mexican envelope an Ecuadorian binder. It also features a bold core of Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers.

This slow-burning stick brings a lovely balance of sweet and spicy hits. If you have a sweet spot for Maduros, you’ll lick your lips at the smoky chocolate, sweet wood, black coffee, and spices that tingle on the lips like anchos.

This cigar offers the perfect start to the day with a strong coffee and a classic Mexican breakfast of Huevos Ahogados (poached eggs in a smoky tomato salsa). The Crowned Heads Juarez is also a winner when accompanied by a chili con carne.

Bring added depth to your chili by sprinkling dark chocolate over the finished dish — the sweet richness will complement the balanced complexity of this budget-friendly extension to the Jericho Hill line.

• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Strength: Full
• Wrapper: San Andrés Mexican
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua
• Sizes Available:
• Foundation Olmec Claro Robusto (5 x 50)
• Foundation Olmec Claro Toro (6 x 52)
• Foundation Olmec Maduro Grande (6 x 60)
• Foundation Olmec Maduro Robusto (5 x 50)
• Foundation Olmec Maduro Toro (6 x 52)

Named after the Olmec people, a Mexican civilization that cultivated tobacco, the Foundation Olmec comes in two versions: a light-hued Claro or a darker Maduro. Both leaf versions use a slowly fermented San Andrés wrapper, itself a former Olmec-occupied region. This slow fermentation process at low temperatures helps preserve the natural oils that give flavor.

The cigar has a rustic look and is polished off with a two-toned orange and black band with a gold accent. It features an artist’s interpretation of an Olmec head, with a core recipe of Nicaraguan binder and filler from the Estelí and Jalapa regions.

The tobacco are aged for three years before production to give a unique tapestry of flavors. Once you’ve fired up your Foundation Olmec, there are prominent notes of chocolate, cedar, red pepper spice, and warm cinnamon, while a creamy black peppery finish lingers on the palate.

Quesadillas are a truly versatile and satisfying Mexican dish together with this bold and flavorful medium to full-bodied smoke. Pack your flour or corn tortillas with your favorite veggies, and add fiery chilies, a squeeze of lime, and a generous dollop of sour cream to send your taste buds into a frenzy.

Alternatively, try Mexico’s gloriously doughy spin on doughnuts —  churros. Ensure they are generously dusted with cinnamon sugar and dunked zealously in mouthwatering chocolate to complement the mellow (yet still rich) moments of this smoke.

Well, that’s a wrap on three of our favorite cigars to pair alongside Mexican food. If you’re planning a big Mexican Fiesta or need advice on cigar and food pairings, contact us at JR Cigars. Buen provecho, amigos!