Calixto López Cigars Corona Exquisitos
- Size: 5 1/2 x 43
- Strength: Mild
About Calixto López Cigars
It begins toward the end of the 17th century. The Spanish galleon San Clemente on the Acapulco-Manila trade route brought 200 ounces of Cuban tobacco seeds to the shores of the Philippine islands. These exquisite seeds propitiously found their way into the hands of the Spanish missionaries. Aside from sowing the seeds of the Catholic faith, the Spanish friars took it upon themselves to cultivate the tobacco seeds in Cagayan Valley, Isabela, a fertile region north of Manila, named after Queen Isabela of Spain.
With land as rich and climate as favorable as that of Cuba’s, tobacco-growing soon flourished throughout the Philippine archipelago and gave birth to a burgeoning cigar-making industry under colonial Spain.
To this day, how Tabacalera Incorporada manufactures cigars remains unchanged – totalmente hecho a mano or totally hand-made. Some of its wood presses are over a hundred years old.
For those who doubt the Philippine cigar’s quality, Filipinos may point to the words of famed British writer Rudyard Kipling, who attested its excellence with a stanza in his 1886 poem “The Betrothed”. “Open the old cigar box – let me consider a while,” he wrote. “Here is a mild Manila – there is a wifely smile.”
bpbcc1 (verified owner) –
I purchased this one because of the price and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. There isn’t anything overly strong in it and it seems well put together. At that price, I’m going to get some more.
David Moat (verified owner) –
Bought some of these on spec a couple of weeks ago, and tried one out in my gazebo last night. Nice even burn, easy draw, and plenty of pleasant tasting mild smoke. Overall, an excellent smoke at an almost unbelievable bargain price. Will definitely add this to my list of regular smokes.
prichard (verified owner) –
Well built, they burn with a firm white ash. They are milder than I prefer, which is why I’m giving it 3 stars.
James –
Nice bargain cigar. Pretty well constructed. Overall mild with a nice draw. Burned nice and even. Nice looking band too. Would definitely buy again. Pleasantly surprised.
gerardo dipopolo (verified owner) –
Good cigar, didn’t expect such a good smoke for the price.