When I first started smoking cigars more than a decade ago, I remember tobacconists and friends in the hobby warning me to stay away from the Joya De Nicaragua Antaño 1970 until I was a more seasoned smoker. They shared how the pepper and strength would knock me on my butt. Not heeding their advice for long, I lit up my first Antaño 1970 and was overwhelmed with the pepper spice and nicotine kick. Over the years, I’ve reached for this Nicaraguan puro every now and then when I craved a strong cigar. But with each passing smoke, I realized that many other cigars on the market, especially from Nicaragua, were fuller flavored and offered more strength and I was left wanting. Now that I am longer seeking the biggest and baddest cigar out there, let’s see what the Antaño 1970 is all about.

The Antaño 1970, which translates to ‘yesteryear’, is a Nicaraguan puro manufactured in Esteli, Nicaragua. There is a large number of frontmarks in the line including: Machito (4 3/4 by 42), Consul (4 1/2 by 52), Gran Consul (4 3/4 by 60), Robusto Grande (5 1/2 by 52), Alisado (6 by 52), Belicoso (6 by 54), Gran Perfecto (6 by 60), Magnum (6 by 60), Churchill (6 7/8 by 48), Big Bull (7 by 60), and Lancero (7 1/2 by 38).

You can purchase the Joya De Nicaragua Antaño 1970 from our good friends over at Famous Smoke Shop.

THE FACTS

Price: $7.92
Vitola: Robusto Grande
Size: 5 1/2 by 52
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Criollo
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan (Jalapa, Condega, Esteli)
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 30 Minutes

PRE-LIGHT

Joya De Nicaragua’s Antaño 1970 wears a dark reddish brown wrapper that is loaded with black markings. The leaf is somewhat coarse and a light amount of oils can be seen. Small veins coat the cigar that is evenly and firmly rolled.

A faint aroma of vinegar and raisins is found on the wrapper, while chocolate, warm cedar, baking spices, and raisin comes across on the foot. A mild spice tickles my nose nearly bringing on a sneeze. A quick cut through the cap opens a perfect draw. The raisin flavor is followed by the rich cedar and cinnamon.

FIRST THIRD

The Joya De Nicaragua Antaño 1970 opens with a medium profile and spice. A sour note overshadows the other flavors as the cigar warms up. As the sour flavor subsides, a fruit flavor appears along with a generic wood. Black pepper trails and, at this point, there isn’t a whole lot of spice going on.  A burnt wood flavor sits on the finish of the smoke and the pepper spice is more noticeable as I retro-hale. Through the first third, the burn remained even as a white ash is held well.

MIDDLE THIRD

Making my was into the second third of the JDN Antaño 1970, there is a noticeable evolution in the flavors. The burnt wood flavor from the prior third has gained ground and the earlier fruit is now more of a floral note. The pepper spice is  right in line with the bolder flavors and there is a sweetness coming across on the back end of the profile.

FINAL THIRD

The floral flavor and spice intensify in the last third of the smoke with the wood and cocoa following. The sweetness is no longer consistent, but only appears every few puffs of the 1970. I burn through the last two inches of the cigar with ease.

WRAP-UP

It made a world of a difference approaching the Antaño 1970 with the right mindset. I didn’t go in to it expecting the strongest cigar out there, but, rather, I laid aside my previous opinions (as much as one can) to give the 1970 a fair chance. And I walked away from the experience with my expectations exceeded on what this cigar brings to the table. A complex, balanced, evolving profile characterized the Antaño 1970 that burned nearly perfect and produced a satisfying amount of smoke. And, the odd thing is, I found the profile to fit perfectly with a cup of coffee in the morning. With fifteen years under its belt, the Joya De Nicaragua Antaño 1970 is still a worthwhile smoke.