Villiger La Flor de Ynclan Robusto
Known primarily for its massive and venerable machine-made cigar business, Villiger has been determined to create not just a good, but a great premium cigar. It wasn't about the money, as Villiger is already a billion dollar company. It stemmed from owner and chairman Heinrich Villiger's love and appreciation for premium cigars. His company finally achieved greatness with La Flor de Ynclan.
Few might remember this brand's lackluster debut. The cigar was released with little fanfare, and consumer response was lukewarm at best. It was discontinued and, for the most part forgotten—but Villiger refused to let it go. He went back to the drawing board and enlisted the skills of José Matias Maragoto to reblend the Flor de Ynclan from top to bottom. The new La Flor de Ynclan—reblended, repackaged, reimagined—was reintroduced to the market in 2017.
Now, the cigar is a fantastic smoke, sweet and charming from first puff to last, anchored by simple-yet-pleasing notes of chocolate and salt, and then refined by more precise intonations of walnut and orange marmalade. It's a welcome change, giving Villiger—which has made cigars since the 1800s—its first entry into Cigar Aficionado's Top 10.