Origin : Nicaragua
Format : Corona
Size : 5 1/2 x 42
Wrapper : Nicaraguan Habano Criollo
Binder : Nicaraguan Seco
Filler : Nicaraguan Habano Seco and Ligero
Hand-Made
Price : ~$4-5 each
More info about purchasing Joya de Nicaragua Celebracion...
A couple of months ago I was gifted a box of Joya de Nicaragua Antano (the review it links to is not mine and I can't pick up all those flavors, but it describes it nicely). Needless to say, I immediately smoked one and regretted my decision 30 minutes later as it packed quite a punch and I had it on an empty stomach. My second experience was much better, but I still found the cigar too powerful despite the excellent flavors that I was enjoying. I continued smoking these cigars from time to time, mainly after dinner, and, visiting my local B&M, saw a box of Celebracion in the corner. The tobacconist told me that these were basically the 'lighter' versions of Antanos, so I grabbed 5 sticks to try.
Appearance : 
Joya de Nicaragua Celebracion is a Nicaraguan puro, introduced in 2004. I really like smoking and reviewing cigars that have been on the market for a lot of time instead of running after new releases (although some of them are really good). This cigar definitely deserves more attention than it's getting. With its slightly maduro wrapper and an attractive band, it doesn't really look like a cheapie. The rough nature of the wrapper and a rather ugly cap give it a rustic appearance.
Construction :
Out of 5 cigars that were smoked for this review, 4 were absolutely fine, thus 4 stars. One cigar cumulated the issues - not only the draw was on the tighter side, but the burn line was random. Hopefully the proportion of well-constructed cigars is higher than 80%!
Flavor :
Smoking the first one, I was trying to compare it to the Antano, which I find full-flavored with main notes being earth and pepper, sweetness (chocolate/coffee) in the background. As I lit up the second one, I thought that it wasn't right to describe the Celebracion as the 'Antano Light', because IMHO they don't share the same flavor profile. Medium-bodied from beginning to the very end, the Celebracion is built around woody flavors, with enough pepper to ensure you don't forget this is a Nicaraguan puro. The common point is that it also has those pleasant sweet undernotes.
Value :
A great price point here. I am planning to get a box of those at around $80.
Overall Rating :
Honestly, if I were to choose between Antano and Celebracion, I'd go with the latter. Perhaps my palate is not developed enough, but I don't find the Antano richer in terms of flavors, and its power is a real turn-off. If you tried both blends, please let me know which one you'd choose and why.
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