ThePlasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro Robustus II distills more than five generations of Plasencia tobacco knowledge into a compact, remarkably expressive cigar. Alma Fuerte was created around some of the family's most carefully aged Nicaraguan leaf, but Colorado Claro approaches that formidable tobacco with greater restraint. Its centerpiece is aNicaraguan Colorado Claro wrapper aged for ten years, a leaf that softens the darker intensity associated with the original Alma Fuerte while exposing a different range of aromas and subtleties underneath.
At approximately5⅛" x 55, the box-pressed Robustus II gives that aged wrapper a particularly engaging relationship with its all-Nicaraguan binder and filler. Cocoa and roasted almond establish the cigar's richer side, while cedar and nutmeg provide dryness and spice. Underneath lies the earthy depth and natural sweetness characteristic of well-aged Nicaraguan tobacco. The relatively short format brings those flavors together early, while the generous ring gauge gives the interior blend enough breadth to keep the cigar composed rather than aggressive.
The Robustus II is a useful reminder that strength isn't what makes Alma Fuerte important. Plasencia's advantage lies in tobacco—growing it, understanding it, and having the patience and inventory to hold exceptional leaf until it is ready. In the Colorado Claro Robustus II, that philosophy produces a cigar with plenty of authority but an unusually polished delivery. It's the sort of Robusto an experienced smoker can spend forty-five minutes with and still find himself thinking about afterward.
