Many enthusiasts enjoy Habano cigars. Habano (pronounced ah-bah-no) is taken from the Cuban-seed tobacco plant from which the naturally dark wrapper is made. Cigar enthusiasts adore the rich and spicy flavor profile of Habano smokes, with a subtle chocolate note often detectable.

There are two strains of Habano wrapper leaf — the Habano and the Habano 2000 (a cross between Cuban seed and Connecticut Shade). Extremely popular in the 90s, the Habano 2000 is used less frequently today.

Both wrappers were developed as hybrids from the Corojo leaf, which succumbed to several devastating tobacco diseases. Despite Habanos symbolizing Cuban culture and identity, the seeds made their way out of Cuba by the 1990s to the popular tobacco-growing countries of Ecuador and Nicaragua.

Both countries have cemented their reputation as viable alternatives for growing Habanos, retaining the flavor, power, and quality, while offering their own twist on the most famous Cuban cigars in the world.

Ecuador has 30 active volcanoes, attributed to the fertile and rich soils perfect for growing tobacco. Ecuadorian Habanos are primarily grown by the respected Oliva family, where a continuous cloud cover filters the sun’s rays. This process reduces the plant’s vein size and creates a very oily and supple leaf with just the right texture and thickness for cigars.

The optimum cloud coverage means the plants grow taller, with the leaves sagging as they hang on the tobacco stalks. It’s then a waiting game to see how good (or bad) the leaf is, as this can only be determined once it’s been cured in the barns.

Ecuadorian Habano wrappers come in shades of brown, from milk chocolate to chestnut, and dark brown, usually with a tinge of a reddish hue. They have a sweet and spicy aroma, but their flavor depends on aging and fermentation.

It will result in either a bold, heavily spiced smoke or something medium-bodied and sweet. The final product is always an aesthetically uniform cigar with flawless combustion.

The Habano wrapper has been grown in Nicaragua since the 1990s, with the Estelí and Jalapa Valley regions contributing to its renowned intense flavor that’s also naturally sweet. In particular, the Jalapa Valley soil is very similar to Cuba’s Vuelta Abajo region, making them popular with cigar enthusiasts seeking a true alternative to the Cuban.

While Nicaraguan Habano plants are small, they are robust and spicy. They are typically sun-grown, resulting in a thinner leaf. The rich-tasting leaves have a beefy character — notes of black pepper, cayenne, leather, and wood are often cited.

Habano cigar wrappers usually envelope cigars with more complex tastes. They are adored for their spicy flavor — coffee beans, earthy spices, leather, and wood are all common in this nicotine-rich wrapper. This means it can be powerful for first-time smokers, but many grow to love them.

We’ve picked out three premium cigars that use Habano wrappers to gauge how these robust, spicy wrappers work with different blends.

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Ecuador Habano

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Costa Rica / Nicaragua / Peru

Length: 6

Ring: 54

Strength: Medium – Full

Smoke Time: 105 minutes

Velvety to the touch with its medium-brown Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, the Crowned Heads Mil Dias Sublime has aromas of cedar, mild earth, cabinet spices, and a smidge of bell pepper. The three-nation blend reportedly took 1,000 days from start to finish, hence the name Mil Dias, which means “one thousand days” in Spanish.

It’s a complex and nuanced smoke that proves the best things come to those who wait. A tapestry of medium to full-bodied flavors lies ahead, with a profile that develops in richness. Dark roast coffee, earth, spice, and warm cinnamon notes are prominent, along with tingling white pepper spice on the retrohale.

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Nicaragua Habano

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Length: 5

Ring: 50

Strength: Full

Smoke Time: 65 minutes

A cigar in this list you may (or may not) have seen coming, the Blind Man’s Bluff Nicaragua Robusto was the first Nicaraguan puro released in Caldwell’s core line-up. Its deep brown Habano wrapper is oily and toothy, with many bumps up and down the stick.

The wrapper smells like sweet earth with some barnyard. Once lit, this rich, powerful smoke fires classic Nicaraguan hits of dark roast coffee, leather, sweet spice, and toast.

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Habano

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Length: 5.50

Ring: 54

Strength: Medium

Smoke Time: 80 minutes

Another premium Nicaraguan smoke, this time with a red and white band that almost has a festive feel to it. Ironically, you will feel like all your Christmases have come at once after you’ve savored the Verocú No. 2’s mouthwatering aroma of cedar, hay, and milk chocolate.

Available in three other sizes, the cigar’s thick, pristine, and oily Habano wrapper lights effortlessly and delivers another mesmeric blend from this boutique brand. Generous flourishes of coffee, cream, earth, and nuts come to play, while some herbal notes stimulate the back of the throat. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Don Pepin blend (feat. Pete Johnson) if there wasn’t some piquant spice, which prevails on the finish.

If you would like introducing to any of these exceptional Habano smokes or simply want to smoke some of the world’s finest handmade cigars, get in touch at JRCigars.com.