An extraordinary achievementReconquista from Ave Maria is a thing of considerable beauty. Spectacular, inside and out. I would comfortably stack this against any medium to full-bodied blend available today….to say Reconquista will compare favorably is an understatement. Gorgeously packed in heavy, giant chests inside each cigar is individually encased in cedar coffin boxes then laid neatly over a bed of tobacco leaves. As good as this looks, the real juice is unquestionably the blend itself. Reconquista is made in one size only: a stately 7×54 Torpedo. This big, yet manageable, vitola optimizes the rich blend of aged tobaccos.a size perfectly tailored to the cigars formulation. The wrapper is a dark, toothy Habano Oscuro variety grown in Brazil: thick and oily, sodden with a feisty and voluptuous character. Its filler tobaccos combine rich, well-aged, Cuban-seed, Nicaraguan-grown leaves from Esteli, Condega, and Jalapa. The combination explodes with uniquely rich and dense, finely balanced, and smooth flavors. Hearty notes of espresso, pepper, oak, spices, tobacco, and cocoa lightly dust the palate, leading to a toasty-sweet finish. AVF-PM-1012
