Review: Joya de Nicaragua Numero Uno L’Ambassadeur

There are cigars that don’t start with a bang, but with subtle, highly elegant nuances. When I light the Joya de Nicaragua Número Uno L’Ambassadeur, a gentle, delicate balance settles on the palate from the very first puff. No heavy-handedness here, but a finely calculated opening that makes me pause. The smoke rises gently and has a lovely presence. As I savour the first few minutes at 11.25 am, a delicate interplay of subtle saltiness and a very slight acidity unfolds on the palate. It is precisely this combination that captures my attention.

A history of diplomacy & a world-class reputation

It is no coincidence that this blend exudes such a special aura: originally, the Número Uno was a closely guarded state secret. Executive President Juan-Ignacio Martinez once revealed the story behind the name L’Ambassadeur: The cigar was presented exclusively by Nicaraguan ambassadors to diplomats worldwide during official state visits as a high-quality gift.

Número Uno is one of Joya de Nicaragua’s „Obras Maestras“. Its history began in an unusual way: the cigar was originally presented by Nicaraguan ambassadors as a diplomatic gift during official visits.

It was not until 2018 that Joya de Nicaragua presented some of these exquisite cigars to selected members of the media and a specialist audience – and immediately secured the highest rating in the company’s 50-year history! This triumph was ultimately crowned with the title Cigar of the Year 2019 (Halfwheel, 2019). The cigar is the jewel in the crown of the renowned Masterpieces-Line – the brand’s absolute top-of-the-range range. In Switzerland, it is available from time to time in limited batches.

Observed during the tasting

• Smoke pattern: Not very dense; it dissolves quickly, but becomes denser over time.
• Balance: A hint of saltiness that disappears immediately; low acidity; a gentle bitterness that remains pleasantly noticeable. A long finish, becoming denser and even longer as it lingers. Much greater depth on the retronasal palate. Umami plays an important role.
• Development: It begins with a gentle balance. From around the second half and the final third, there is significantly more depth to the balance.
• Strength: First cigar in the morning: 1st half 1/5 → 2nd half 2/5 → 3rd third max. 3/5. // Second cigar in the afternoon, interesting: first half 2/5 → second half 3/5 → third third max. 4/5.
• Design: Regularly rolled, superbly blended.
• Burn-up: Even, stable ash. Glows for a long time after a puff (7 minutes, then goes out). A puff approximately every 1.5–2 minutes (took two puffs).

The Joya de Nicaragua Número Uno L’Ambassadeur in the slim „Lonsdale“ format, 6 5/8 × 44. A cigar that starts off exceptionally smooth in my tasting – and gradually opens up beautifully.

At a glance

• Brand: Joya de Nicaragua
• Exact line: Número Uno (Masterpieces)
• Vitola (format): L’Ambassadeur (6 5/8 x 44)
• Length and diameter: Length 6 5/8 inches (168 mm), ring size 44 (17.4 mm)
• Origin: Nicaragua
• Cover sheet: Ecuador (Connecticut)
• Cover: Nicaragua
• Insert: Nicaragua
• Box Date: No information provided
• Tasting on: 2 copies, 18 August 2026, 08:30 and 13:30
• Estimated age: unknown
• Strength: 1/5 → 2/5 → max. 3/5
• Price: CHF 16.– per cigar (box of 13 cigars for CHF 208.–)

I deliberately give the L’Ambassadeur time. About every one and a half to two minutes, I draw on it twice – in between, I let the embers continue to smoulder undisturbed.

Smoke pattern – How does the smoke behave?

The smoke starts off subtly. At first, it isn’t very dense and dissipates relatively quickly. However, this doesn’t last. As the smoking session progresses, the smoke visibly gains in body. It becomes denser and lingers longer, without this change occurring suddenly. Rather, it is a gradual thickening. This fits in with the overall course of my tasting: the L’Ambassadeur does not reveal everything straight away, but builds in intensity bit by bit.

Why does the cigar behave like this?

The density of the smoke and the speed at which it dissipates can be influenced by several factors: the density and moisture content of the tobacco, as well as the rolling technique, air channels, combustion temperature and the rhythm of the puffs.

The pace at which you take puffs plays a particularly important role with cigars, because each puff supplies fresh oxygen to the ember and thus affects the burn. During this tasting, I took my time with the L’Ambassadeur, taking two puffs roughly every one and a half to two minutes.

The construction proves its reliability during the tasting: even burn, stable ash and embers that remain surprisingly undisturbed even during longer breaks.

Balance – How harmonious is the blend?

Something interesting happens on the palate right from the start. A salty sensation appears briefly and disappears almost immediately. Afterwards, a slight acidity and a gentle bitterness remain pleasantly noticeable. What matters most to me is how these impressions relate to one another. None of them dominates the others. The finish lingers for a long time, right from the start.

In the second half, the character changes. The balance takes on more weight and feels denser. At the same time, the finish lengthens once again. This effect is particularly evident on the retronasal palate: there, I perceive much more, and the balance takes on a noticeably greater depth. As it develops further, Umami important to my perception. Not as an isolated effect, but as part of this increasingly profound sense of balance.

What is umami?

In ‘Tasting Notes’, the term Umami used to describe a subtle, savoury and mouth-watering depth in the smoke. Unlike distinct flavours such as spiciness or sweetness, umami creates a balanced, rich and long-lasting flavour sensation on the tongue and in the finish.

Why does the cigar behave like this?

In cigars, balance arises from the interplay of many factors. These include the choice of tobacco, the position of the leaves, varying degrees of fermentation, the proportions within the blend, construction and ageing. Sweetness, acidity, bitterness, saltiness and umami can also influence each other’s perception. What is therefore decisive is not merely the intensity of a single basic sensation, but how it interacts with the others and how long it remains perceptible.

In the second half, L’Ambassadeur gains noticeably more depth. The intensity, which starts at 1/5, rises to 2/5 and reaches a maximum of 3/5 in the final third.

Invitation from Zigarren.Zone

Development – Is the cigar changing?

The Joya de Nicaragua Número Uno L’Ambassadeur It begins with a very well-balanced, gentle harmony. In the first half, there is a subtle but steady intensification of the flavour sensations on the palate. The transition from around the second half into the final third is wonderfully smooth: the balance gains significant depth, the mouthfeel becomes richer, and the finish on the palate expands noticeably once again.

Why does the cigar behave like this?

As a cigar is smoked down, several factors change simultaneously. The ember moves closer to the mouth, the temperature and smoke concentration may change, and the individual’s puffing rhythm also influences the sensation. Retronasal smoking, moreover, elicits different sensory perceptions from those experienced purely on the tongue.

The smoke changes too: at first it dissipates relatively quickly, but later it becomes noticeably thicker. This change takes place gradually – not as an abrupt shift.

Strength – two cigars, two different perceptions

The strength in both cigars follows the same basic pattern as the rest of the flavour development: it builds up slowly rather than surging forward suddenly. What is interesting, however, is that, how differently I perceive this process in two specimens on the same day.

I smoke my first cigar in the morning. During the first half, I make a note of 1/5, in the second half the strength increases to 2/5. It’s only in the final third that it really grabs me a maximum of 3/5.

In the afternoon, I have my second cigar – and this one really takes it up a notch. Even in the first half, I note that 2/5, then 3/5 and finally, in the last third, maximum 4/5.

What strikes me, therefore, is not just the gradual increase in strength within a single cigar. A direct comparison also shows just how different the perceived strength of the same cigar can be. Mornings: 1 → 2 → 3. Afternoons: 2 → 3 → 4. The course remains almost parallel, but my perception shifts by a whole step.

Why does the cigar behave like this?

The perceived strength of a cigar depends, amongst other things, on the amount of nicotine consumed, individual smoking habits and the duration of smoking. The smoker’s physiological response also plays a part. Strength and flavour intensity are therefore not the same thing.

Behind the scenes of this review: The photographs are taken whilst smoking a third cigar, after tasting the first two. Observing, taking photos – and giving the cigar plenty of time in the process.

Construction and burn – How clean is the cigar?

The construction shows very even rolling; the blend is superbly composed. The burn is extremely even and is accompanied by a stable ash. The smouldering time is noteworthy: even after being left to stand for a full 7 minutes, the embers continue to smoulder before finally dying out. The ideal puffing rhythm was 2 puffs every 1.5 to 2 minutes. Due to the slim 44 ring gauge, the recommendation here is: take slow puffs!

Why does the cigar behave like this?

How evenly a cigar burns can be influenced by the way it is rolled, the air channels, the distribution of the tobacco, the moisture content, the density of the tobacco and the rhythm of the draw.

The effects of fermentation and ageing

My notes contain just one short sentence at this point: excellent tobacco. However, I know nothing about the actual age of this particular item. There is no record of a box date, nor of the year of production or the storage conditions.

Why does the cigar behave like this?

Fermentation and ageing are two distinct processes. The fermentation of the tobacco takes place before rolling. During this process, controlled biological and chemical processes alter the raw tobacco. After rolling, much slower ageing processes can continue within the finished cigar. However, it is not possible to determine exactly how these processes have affected an individual cigar simply by observing how it behaves when smoked.

In the final third, little remains of the initial restraint. The balance feels richer, the finish longer – and yet the development unfolds without any sudden breaks.

Conclusion

The Joya de Nicaragua Número Uno L’Ambassadeur It won me over during the tasting with its smooth, superbly balanced character. What begins with a light, airy smoke and subtle hints of acidity and saltiness develops an impressive depth from the second half onwards, with umami playing a central role. With a strength ranging from 1/5 to a maximum of 3/5, excellent construction and a remarkably stable burn, it offers a long, rich smoking experience. A truly masterfully composed blend.

Frequently Asked Questions

Further reading

• What fermentation actually does

Sources and background information

This article is based on my tasting of the cigar described, drawing on my own experience as a cigar connoisseur since 1996, as well as on specialist literature on tobacco, fermentation, ageing and the physical processes that occur during smoking. In addition, recent scientific publications on tobacco fermentation and on heat and mass transfer in tobacco have been taken into account.

• Hu, W. et al. (2022): Study on the chemical compositions and microbial communities of cigar tobacco leaves fermented with an exogenous additive. Scientific Reports. → Fermentation, chemical changes and microbial processes in cigar tobacco.  
• (2023) Study on the correlation between the dominant microflora and the main flavour compounds in the fermentation process of cigar tobacco leaves → Investigates the relationships between dominant microorganisms and key chemical indicators.

Photos

• Vasilij Ratej

Note regarding the photos: All the photos were taken by me and edited in Affinity Photo. To achieve the final cinematic look, I also carried out digital colour grading with the aid of AI. The subject, composition and image content remained unchanged.