Here in the United States, there is no shortage of available options to choose from when it comes to cigars. There seem to be countless brands and they all are pumping out the latest Limited Edition to go along with the new core line recently introduced. If I only had snagged some Bitcoin in 2009, then I could try them all! Perhaps on another timeline somewhere, but I digress. Normally, European markets are looking to tap into the sea of options us Americans have. Luciano Cigars did the opposite though and worked with Dalay Zigarren of Germany to bring the brand to the United States. In the summer of 2023, two lines made their way over and were dubbed Dalay Istanbul and Dalay Nicaragua. The Instanbul has some Turkish tobacco in the filler and the band has artwork created by Hasan Kale, the "Turkish Microangelo" who is known for his tiny masterpieces. That one looks & sounds amazing, but today we're going to check out Dalay Nicaragua. There is no Turkish delight up in this one, but let's add fire and see what's up anyway.
The Deets
Cigar: Luciano Dalay Nicaragua Corona Gorda
Origin: Dominican Republic
Factory: Tabacalera Zauberberg
Size: 5.5 x 46
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Corojo 98
Binder: Brazilian Arapiraca & Ecuadorian Corojo 98
Filler: Nicaraguan from Pueblo Nuevo, Jalapa, Estelí, & Massatepe
Appearance 9.5/10
What a sharp looking corona gorda. An ample & clean cap sits atop a satin smooth wrapper with excellent seams. A quality feeling band is properly applied, uniformity is outstanding, and the cigar is firm throughout. There is one vein on the backside that is a little bumpy, but it doesn't get in the way at all and overall is a very nice looking cigar.
Draw 9.5/10
Brought the cleaver down for a straight cut. Things looked a little tight, so I used my tweezers to make some elbow room. There were zero planks of lumber and I didn't even really remove anything. It was more of a tidy up job. Top-notch draw after that with the perfect resistance the entire session. Sweet spot was achieved on this sample with lots of smoke output.
Burn/Construction 8.5/10
The wrapper behaved well, but the burn line was wavy the whole time. I did some fire touchups after every ash drop. The ash was bright white and not flaky, but it also wasn't firm. I needed to keep a watchful eye to ensure my pants didn't become the ashtray.
Taste 9.5/10
1/3 - A very nice beginning of soft cedar, almonds, and a floral vibe that reminds me of lavender without being gag-level strong. Fresh clean hay is sprinkled about. The retro is a mix of Lemonheads and Bottle Caps candy, but without the sugar blast. Chalky finish. Body richness moves up by the end of the 1st third and a cream wave rolls me into the next.
2/3 - Hotcakes become known and without any syrup. I find the retro is now more like the main profile which is very similar to the 1st third. The hotcakes, soft cedar, almonds, and subtle floral are all in great harmony and deliver a complex profile.
3/3 - The note that shines in the final third is a sandy soil note. Warm, sweet sands get mixed with lemon cream and bound together with leathery cedar. A hellofa final third and I went as far down the nub as I could.
Overall 9.3/10
I really liked this cigar. The Dalay Nicaragua not only had a simple yet sleek look to it, but most importantly had a delicious flavor profile. Sure ok, there were some minor inconveniences regarding the burn line. That wasn't enough to ruin the session and took a backseat to the flavor which was complex & well balanced. Transitions were present, but were done mildly and slowly. While I'm a big fan of 10 count boxes, I'd be ok with a 20 count box of these.
**Number of cigars smoked for the review: 1
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