Plasencia Alma del Cielo

I was especially looking forward to writing about this series, as I was fortunate enough to witness not one but two live product launches of the Plasencia Alma del Cielo Cigars. The first event took place during the PCA cigar trade show in New Orleans on April 12, 2025. The Plasencia family hosted the launch at their booth. After a short speech by Nestor Plasencia Jr. and a musical performance by October London, a well-known artist in the U.S. and beyond, the cigars “from heaven” were lowered from the highest point of the booth. Translated, Alma del Cielo means Soul of the Sky. Some of the tobaccos used in these cigars are grown at an altitude of 1,300 meters on the oldest Plasencia estate in Nicaragua—hence the reference to the sky.

Plasencia Alma del Cielo: Cigars with High-Altitude Tobaccos

The second launch took place here in Düsseldorf on June 5, 2025, at the Canonicus cooking and event venue. We were invited by importer VCF (Vandermarliere Cigar Family) and Plasencia’s European representative, Rodrigo Medina, and of course treated to cigars. Both in the U.S. and here locally, we were very impressed by these cigars—so I think I’ll go ahead and enjoy another one to see if that impression holds up! Sure, anyone can just have ChatGPT write something. But our goal is to share something more unusual and personal about each cigar—leaving out all the usual marketing fluff entirely.

Finca San Julián: The Family Origins of the Alma del Cielo Tobaccos

The cigar is lit—a Boreal in the Toro Gordo format, by the way (which means “northern” in Spanish)—so let’s get into the background of the finca before I get into the cigar itself. The Finca San Julián in the Condega region originally belonged to the family of Melalina Torres, i.e., the in-laws of Nestor Plasencia Sr.. The family sold the farm—which had been used for cattle and coffee production—in 1961. In the 1990s, Nestor bought it back as a surprise anniversary gift for his wife Melalina. Today, part of the tobacco used in the Alma del Cielo Cigars is cultivated there. A lovely story, right? The finca is now frequently used for intimate family gatherings and celebrations—not least because of its remote location, a welcome contrast to the otherwise hectic lives the family leads in Estelí, Danlí, and Miami.

Alma del Cielo Boreal: Mild Flavors and Floral Notes from Nicaragua

The names of the other two cigars from Nicaragua are just as unusual: Amanecer means something like sunrise or dawn, while Celeste can be translated as “sky blue” or even “heavenly.” The tasting journey of the Alma del Cielo Boreal I sampled starts off floral, with an occasionally slightly peppery edge. Today’s sample had less of the previously noted rich, creamy sweetness that my first two cigars had shown. The second third heads back into familiar territory and becomes increasingly complex and also more earthy, with that recognizable sweetness returning. The final third remains consistent in flavor. To be fair, we did occasionally encounter minor issues with the wrappers when removing the bands on the Alma del Cielo Cigars. Nothing that impacted the smoke—just a small visual quirk. The “blue” Almas are definitely the mildest of the Alma cigar family, with the classic Alma Fuerte being medium-bodied and the Alma del Fuego Cigars being the strongest. Here you can find an overview of all Plasencia Cigars available on the German market.