I’ve never been one to hide my enjoyment of a Nicaraguan puro, but our Trinidad Espiritu review brings a Latin Caribbean twist to Nicaragua’s rich stogie culture.
Celebrating half a century of the Cuban brand Trinidad, the Trinidad Espiritu Series No. 1 is the first installment in a three-part “Espiritu” (Spanish for “spirit”) series that captures the party lifestyle, colorful energy, and soulful tobacco that glimmered the “golden era” (late 60s-early 70s) of cigars.
In the hope of reinventing the Trinidad brand like never before, two legendary blenders in Rafael Nodal (Altadis U.S.A.) and third-generation Cuban-born cigar maker AJ Fernandez collaborated to produce the Trinidad Espiritu. Its follow-up - the hotly anticipated Espiritu Series No.2 was launched earlier this year.
Fernandez has a history of putting his own voodoo touch on vintage Cuban brands, namely Montecristo, Punch, and Romeo y Julieta. So, how did he fare alongside Nodal in his first attempt at revamping the classic Trinidad brand for a new generation of cigar enthusiasts?
Cigar Specs
- Country of Origin: Nicaragua
- Strength: Medium
- Wrapper: Nicaragua
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Smoke Time: 120 minutes
- Sizes Available:
- Toro (6 x 54)
- Belicoso (6.12 x 52)
- Robusto (5 x 50)
A look at the Espiritu Series No. 1 construction
Cuban culture is notoriously vibrant and this is reflected in the bright, tropical artwork of the cigar’s packaging that takes inspiration from the streets and buildings of 1960s Havana.
There’s a light oily sheen that gives the stick a silky smooth vibe. The medium-dark brown leaf wrapper has some raised veins present that carry a light caramel tint.
When I roll the cigar between my fingers, it’s actually slightly rough in texture, which you wouldn’t expect judged solely on its appearance. However, there is a satisfying amount of oils buffing up my fingertips.
The primary band displays the unmistakable Trinidad logo. It is blemished in gold foil over a square of sea blue, with a rich palette of Caribbean-inspired design on either side.
The “Espiritu” name adorns the secondary band. It has a thick blue stripe with thinner gold stripes surrounding it at the top and bottom. Once again, the borders are given an artful, tropical edge, without being over the top and ostentatious.
That being said, was the cigar as good to smoke as it was beautiful to look at? Let’s see what the pre-light draw brought to the table.
What was the cold draw like?
The aroma from the wrapper is all about docile spice, stone fruit, and earth, while the foot had a richer earthiness that revolved around barnyard smells.
Once I’d used a straight cut to remove the cap, I took some long cold puffs that were bang on the money in terms of restriction and gave me a tantalizing prelude of the initial flavors. I picked up sweet leather and some light peppery notes, along with a pronounced spiciness on my lips.
Flavors I enjoyed from the Espiritu Series No.1
Though not overly complex, there was still plenty going on with the flavors of the Trinidad Espiritu Series No. 1. Some sweetness kicked in halfway through to harmonize the spices that mellowed as I transitioned through each smoking phase.
As I neared the end, some charred wood and bitterness entered the flavor profile, while some lovely anise notes lit up the finish. The “sweet spot” for me was at just about the middle of the cigar where the contrasting spice intensities and subtle creaminess reached a startling level of synergy.
First Third
Thick creamy smoke pulped the air immediately after my cigar had felt the heat. The Trinidad Espiritu Series No.1 started out with some intense red pepper spice, which settled to a medium level after a few puffs.
Some of those delightful barnyard aromas that I’d experienced from the wrapper also pulled through, joined later on by some nut and earth notes.
Second Third
As I burned through into the second third, some dry fruit notes and sweet heavy cedar emerged to give the flavor profile a little sweetness. There was also a natural drizzle of creamy vanilla on the retrohale.
That being said, the cigar was still heavily focused on spices, with the pepper spice and the introduction of a light baking spice presenting a fascinating contrast for both the modest smoker and heavy-hitter.
Final Third
I’m still picking up some spice notes in the final third, but the pepper is largely stifled by seasoned wood notes, earth, and hints of citrus zest. At half an inch in, some slight char and bitterness join the profile, while some tangy paprika glazes the smoke exhaled through my nose.
Even though the flavor complexity doesn’t quite smoke the heights of the first and second thirds, there was still more than enough at the close to capturing my attention.
How strong is the cigar?
The body and strength of the Trinidad Espiritu Series No. 1 smoked at the medium level for the most part, although the depth of flavors in the first third was closer to the medium-full end of the spectrum.
The cigar huffed and puffed excellently from beginning to conclusion, with a razor-sharp burn line, and solid ash that held on in inch and a quarter increments.
Last Thoughts
You can enjoy the flavor beats of this lively cigar even more by pouring yourself a finger of bourbon and listening to the Espiritu Series No. 1 playlist that Trinidad has curated for accompanying this smoke.
The Espiritu Series No. 1 is packed with a delicate balance of spices and semi-sweetness. While it has given a greater contemporary look to a classic Cuban cigar brand, there’s enough vintage in the mix to satisfy purists.