EIROA Jamastran 11/18

When hearing the words Jamastran Valley, a diehard cigar smoker is going to think of Honduras (and perhaps vice versa). When said smoker thinks of Honduran cigars, chances are, they have already made the leap to a person practically synonymous with the region’s cigars, Mr. Christian Luis Eiroa.

One would think being at the family farm literally “days after his birth” in 1972, Christian would grow up and stay in the business, but that was not the case early on. After departing for college to pursue a degree in realty, he returned to Honduras in 1995 to “learn about tobacco and cigars.”

A turning point in his career came in 2000, when Christian made his mark on the industry with the release of the Camacho Corojo. He remained with Camacho even after their sale to Oettinger Davidoff in 2008, eventually parting ways in 2011 when he chose his own path in the industry. The year 2012 saw the launch of CLE Cigars and he has never looked back. Fast forward to 2019, and a new cigar (named for the valley that the Eiroas have occupied in since 1963) debuted under the more premium EIROA Cigars banner: Eiroa Jamastran.

EIROA Jamastran 11/18 Breakdown

The EIROA Jamastran is a Honduran puro, rolled with select, high-priming tobaccos. It is available in two sizes: 50×5, and the TAA (Tobacconist Association of America) exclusive 11/18. This unique shape is a throwback to Christian’s days with Camacho Cigars, made famous by the original Camacho Diploma cigar (as well as a host of other Camacho and CLE cigars in the years to follow).

Appearance

The cigars come packaged in a very attractive dark brown trapezoid-shaped box that is unique in its own right (another throwback to the Eiroas’ days with Camacho). Initial examination of the cigar shows an attractive double band in black and silver, with the EIROA name on the main band and “JAMASTRAN” on the secondary band (which is curved to match the oval shape of the primary band). The rest of the cigar is hidden under a paper sleeve, also reading “JAMASTRAN”. Upon removing the sleeve, we are finally treated to the unique appearance of this cigar. The 11/18 viola starts out at around a 52 ring gauge, tapers up to 58, and then back down to about 54 at the cap. The body of the cigar is a smooth medium brown. There is a satiny sheen to it, with tight invisible seams, along with a lack of bumps or visible veins—a classy-looking cigar, to say the least.

Smoking Experience

The aroma from the foot is a pleasant mix of roasted peanuts and sweet tobacco. The body of the cigar itself has a faint aroma of sweet tobacco. Upon cutting the cap, the pre-light draw is maybe just a point off of perfect, with the resistance of a nice thick milkshake. There is already quite a bit going on across the palate as well. Roasted peanuts, sweet tobacco, and florals are the primary notes, with a sweet, tart finish that is reminiscent of a York Peppermint Patty.

The first light gives a combination of the roasted peanuts and sweet tobacco from before, adding an herbal note and a little bit of pepper. This is all balanced with an underlying creaminess. The retrohale has a black pepper zing, with the same herbal note detected on the palate. As the smoke finishes through the retrohale, it retains that Peppermint Patty note, having the sweetness of dark chocolate, with the effervescence of peppermint. The strength is towards medium plus, as is the body. It’s nothing overpowering, but solid and well represented. It is easy to see right from the start that this is a quality cigar. At this point, it is hard to decide if this cigar is intended for smoking or eating, as the flavor profile is literally making the mouth water! The smoke output is medium but chewy, adding to the enjoyment of the smoking experience with a thick texture that seems to stick to the ribs.

Moving farther along, the roasted peanuts fade, and the sweet tobacco becomes the dominant note. Joining the party in the palate are now a black herbal tea and a creamy sweetness that is reminiscent of sweetened condensed milk. The pepper, herbal, and chocolate peppermint notes are still going strong on the retrohale, and have actually picked up in intensity a bit. There is also a bold floral note that has a spring morning-in-the-forest-like freshness to it. Christian said this cigar is “a throwback to the stronger, bolder cigars of his Camacho days,” and it sure seems that that is the case here, landing solid in the medium-full range. When it is time to remove the bands, they come off easily, with no damage at all to the wrapper of the cigar. The smoke output has increased a little at this point, still being chewy but by no means heavy.

Getting past halfway, the profile remains basically the same, though a citrus zing shows itself and plays very nicely with everything else that is going on. The floral note that appeared in the retrohale just before halfway really adds to the intensity here. Strangely, the citrus note only hangs out for about a half inch or so and quietly fades into the background.

Getting towards the end of the cigar, the sweetness and creaminess fade, being replaced with a peppery, salty, earth tone. The chocolate peppermint is still present on the retrohale, but is being pushed to the background by strong black pepper, with the floral note going away as well. This is how the cigar finishes, with a nub barely long enough to hold.

Would I Smoke This Cigar Again?

Yes. Even though this is a TAA-exclusive cigar, they are not strictly limited edition and can be found fairly easily, as many of these retailers are among the largest online outlets in the country. Though somewhat pricey, EIROA Jamastran will be in regular rotation in my humidor.

• This cigar was one of 12 releases in the TAA 2019 Exclusive Series Limited Edition collection.
• The 50×5 robusto version is sold through all CLE retailers.

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