Fratello Navetta Inverso

In the factory of Joya de Nicaragua, they make the Fratello Navetta Inverso, where the sun is hot and the air smells of dust and fermented tobacco. Omar de Frias was a NASA man who understood the physics of the shuttle. He knew that the architecture of a thing determines its soul. He took the original blend, and he inverted the leaves. He put the heart on the skin. It was a logical move for an engineer and it was a good move for the smoke.

The wrapper is a Nicaraguan Habano and it is a rugged leaf. It is not a silky thing for a man who wears a silk tie. It is toothy and it is veiny and it looks like a piece of driftwood. It is a Colorado shade and it is dry to the touch. The construction is very solid. It is a heavy cigar and it is packed with much tobacco. It looks like it could survive a crash or a long walk in the rain. Some call it an ugly cigar but they do not understand the beauty of a tool that is built to work.

You take a cold draw and you taste smokiness and cedar. It is a savory taste and it is strange and it is good. When the fire hits the foot there is a burst of white pepper. It is sharp and it is clean and it wakes up the palate. Then the spice goes away. It becomes sweet like graham crackers and milk chocolate and toasted marshmallows. It is like a campsite at night when you are eating well and the fire is high. The smoke has a high viscosity and it is very white and it is plenty.

He named the vitolas after the shuttles. There is the Endeavor and the Atlantis and the Discovery. They are large cigars and they burn slowly. The ash is a firm grey and it clings to the leaf with a great discipline. It stays until it is finished. The draw is easy and it stays easy until the end.

At the finish the flavor returns to the earth. There is leather and there is dark fruit. Some might complain of a musty finish but they are the same people who complain about the weather when they should be walking in it. It is a technical smoke for someone who appreciates the truth of the construction. It is an honest article and it is a good thing to have in your hand when the day is over and the stars are coming out.