Joya de Nicaragua launched a new line of cigars called Numero Uno during the IPCR Trade Show. The Numero Uno line started as a private brand that would only be dedicated to diplomats and Nicaraguan ambassadors who would share them with other leaders worldwide to promote the brand.
The event became a Joya de Nicaraguan affair where Joya de Nicaraguan No. 1 would feature most of the time. In 2018, Joya de Nicaraguan Numero Uno became the No.1 cigar of the year, thereby becoming one of the most popular cigar brands.
This award was quite shocking, given that the cigar was only used at events. After the award, Joya de Nicaraguan decided to rebrand Joya de Nicaraguan No. 1 to Joya de Nicaraguan Numero Uno. Additionally, the company also rebranded the Lonsdale size to Joya de Nicaraguan L’Ambassadeur Viola. This marked the journey of Numero Uno cigars becoming famous amongst cigar enthusiasts.
Joya de Nicaraguan moved the Numero Uno into a brand of its own when the cigar was rebranded. Obras Maestro is always designated for the most premium brands of Numero Uno and includes the most premium offerings such as Cinco Decadas and Cuatro Cinco.
In this article, we dig more into one of the most popular brands of Numero Uno cigars, the Joya de Nicaraguan Numero Uno L’Ambassadeur.
Origin and Blend of Numero Uno Cigars
Numero Uno cigars are normally described as a brainchild and offshoot of Joy de Nicaragua Clasico, one of the oldest lines of Joy de Nicaragua and the first to be exported to other countries. All the Numero Uno cigars utilize the high-quality Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper and Nicaraguan tobacco.
Here are the key specifications of this cigar:
Factory: Fabric Joya de Nicaragua S.A
Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Box Count: 25
Size: 6 5/8 X44
Burn: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Strength: Mild to medium
Varieties offered
There was only a single size on the first launch of Numero Uno, the popular L’Ambassadeur Lonsdale. Today, there is another size of the cigar, Le Premier, a Churchill offering. You can also find the third size, the L’Attache, although this size is not that popular. In Chicago, the L’Attache went as an exclusive shop cigar. The Numero Uno L’Ambassadeur comes in a 25-count box.
The appearance of Numero Uno Cigars
If you know the design structure laid down by the former release of Obras Maestro, then Numero Uno follows this closely in terms of packaging. The package includes an oversized band and a thick gloss-coated box. This is a clever positioning of numbers on the cigar’s name. On the backside of the band, the ‘Obras Maestras’ appears.
Right from the onset, the L’Ambassadeur cigar is a perfect impression of craft and art. It has a sharp, fantail cap headlining all the details. It comes in a pale and quiet wrapper, not as bright as normal Connecticut.
When you take a close look at the cigar, you can see some well-positioned seams and medium-thick veins. When you first hold the L’Ambassadeur, it gives a solid feel from the toe to the head, something between a Lancero and Lonsdale.
The cigar’s foot emits the characteristic of oregano, nutmeg, and cinnamon, while the wrapper emits faint aromas of cedar and tangy musk. The draw is hair on the firm side and shows loads of cabinet spices like red pepper, chili powder, curry, and cinnamon. The components of L’Ambassadeur are not spicy as you might imagine but only more sweet with a complement of the touch of maple.
Pre-Light Draw
A straight cut is used to remove the tail and the cap instead of pulling the tail off the Numero Uno cigar. The cigar is in the pre-light mode once the cap is entirely detached from it. When you take a cold draw from the cigar, you can feel a mix of cedar and cream.
Sometimes the cedar and the floral are a bit overwhelming. It may not seem like the most amazing pre-light draw you’ve had before. In most cases, a pre-light draw is not used to rate a cigar, and for that reason, it may not be that useful in judging the L’Ambassadeur cigar. It’s the right time to bring your lighter close to the L’Ambassadeur for a puff.
Tasting Notes
If you are a cigar aficionado, you know that a cigar’s quality is hidden in the smoke. When you light up Numero Uno L’Ambassadeur, you are first welcomed with some note of lemon-citrus, fried nuts, and cedar.
There is no dominant note at the first draw, but as you keep smoking, the notes move into the forefront, and others settle on the background. You can retro-hale if you want to get the black-pepper note. Not everyone knows how to do this, and you should be careful when you try to retro-hale for the first time.
Some of the earth notes settle at the forefront as the Numero Uno L’Ambassadeur moves to the second third. At this time, there is an increase in cedar and nut flavors and some trace of lemon-citrus. The cedar replaces the lemon-cedar notes at the midway point.
The lemon citrus notes eventually settle with some cream and nut notes. No notes of black pepper settle on your tongue during this time. As the cigar comes to an end, the nub is slightly soft and cool in temperature.
The burn
When you rate Numero Uno L’Ambassadeur on the burn, it scores well. The cigar has no issues with maintaining a straight bun line and path. The ash has a smooth grey color. A firm ash comes off the cigar in clean chunks as it burns. The cigar has an ideal burn temperature and burn rate.
The draw
Numero Uno L’Ambassadeur has a perfect and impressive first draw. If you are looking for a draw with some touch of resistance, it’s what L’Ambassadeur offers you. The cigar is also low maintenance which makes it easy to drive the flavors.
Body and strength of Numero Uno Cigars
The Joy de Nicaragua Numero Uno L’Ambassadeur begins from a mild to medium strength as you near the last section. During the first half of the cigar, the strength increases by a nominal amount, giving you the time to feel the actual notes—the cigar strength increases to a medium point, and the increase levels off. The body starts as a medium and increases its strength with time.
When you compare the body and the strength, you realize the body maintains an edge with some gap closing between both attributes of the second half of the cigar.
Final Thoughts
Should you smoke Joya de Nicaragua Numero Uno L’Ambassadeur for the first time? Well, according to our review here, L’Ambassadeur seems to be on point if you are looking for some unique stick.
The cigar gives out some impressive notes of cedar and nuts to spice the smoke. It is not only one of the best cigars in the company’s line but one with the most complex and exciting Connecticut style in the cigar market.
Numero Uno L’Ambassadeur is one of the best Connecticut Shade you can find in the market. In terms of flavor, the first half performs better than the second. The second half delivers above-average flavor but way below the taste it produces in the first half.
This is one cigar that Bottle and Ash cannot hesitate to recommend to anyone looking for the best smoke around. As a cigar enthusiast, you can get a box of L’Ambassadeur and keep it in your humidor for a chilling smoke after work.
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