Hechicera by Sotolongo Cigars was announced in early October, 2013. The company was created by Grace Sotolongo and Christian Eiroa of CLE Cigars. A Maduro blend was announced at the 2014 IPCPR and on July 31st, 2014, Grace Sotolnogo revealed that she had the company effective immediately. The Hechicera brand is owned by CLE Cigars and Chrisitan Eiroa has said that the “concept” of this brand was being retained.
The translation of Hechicera means a female sorceress, who has the ability to captivate and enchant those around her with her beauty and charm.
The Nicaraguan Puro blend is available in four vitolas: 5 1/2 x 44 Box Press (MSRP $5.95), 4 1/2 x 50 (MSRP $6.95), 6 x 52 (MSRP $7.95) and a 6 x 60 (MSRP $8.95) All vitolas are available in boxes of 10.
I purchased several of the 6×52 vitola from different local tobacconists for this review. I paired the cigars with water while performing the review.
The Hechicera’s wrapper is a medium brown in color with prominent veins and visible seams. The cigar is firm to the touch and has a mild tobacco aroma coming from the wrapper leaf. The cigars have a finished foot that emits a rich, fragrant berry scent. The cigar’s cap is well formed and smooth.
The pre-light draw is easy with no resistance at all. I also picked up on that rich berry flavor at this point.
Getting into the meat of this cigar, the first third brings a rich, savory tobacco flavor on my palate and a sharp spice sensation to the back of my throat with a milder spice in my sinuses.
The second third of the cigar brings a stronger tobacco flavor on my palate and the spice strength in my sinuses also picks up. There is a long lingering finish and I can feel a bit of a nicotine buzz at this point.
The final third really kicks this cigar into high gear with a lot of sweetness and strong tobacco flavors. The spice sensation remains the same in my sinuses. I really feel this cigar comes into its own here at the end.
The cigar burns very well throughout the smoke with an even, scalloped edge. The cigar’s ash is firm and tight with a thin carbon ring. The ash initially falls off after about an inch and a half. The cigar also produces a tremendous amount of smoke with each puff.
I would classify the Hechicera as a full bodied, medium to full strength cigar. It is an absolute pleasure to smoke and has quickly become one of my favorite cigars. On a scale of 100, I give the Hechicera a 92.
Only time will tell if this brand sticks around but for now, I recommend to pick some of these up at your local shop if you come across them.