We talked to a guy who really knows what he’s talking about! 
Nik Barker completed his Havana Master’s program, becoming one of the world’s leading cigar sommeliers. He works at #atfp_close_translate_span# James J Fox cigar merchants In London, there’s a shop that stocks hundreds of different types of cigars, and I suspect Nik has tried them all!
He has chosen a small cigar, a medium one, and a larger one; each of them is the perfect complement to a good glass of Cardenal Mendoza.
Small size: Cohiba Maduro Secrets
Size: small crown
Price: around 20 Euros.
It may be the most prestigious Cuban brand in the world; it was created to supply Castro himself with the best Cuban cigars.
Nik is a true fan. “Cohibas are excellent; people think they’re overrated, but they’re not.” He holds in his hands the perfect cigar to pair with Cardenal Mendoza
It takes an average of 25 minutes to smoke completely, with a spicy base flavor, but not overpowering. It has many notes of leather and brown sugar, characterized by its sweet yet ever-changing taste. We appreciate the distinct earthy and leathery flavors from the first time the ash falls.
The cigar’s fineness and the sweet notes on its exterior make the sweetness even more pronounced. Molasses, with subtle hints of coffee at the end.
Medium: Vegas Robaina Familiares
Size: Crown
Price: Around 20 Euros.
Alejandro Robaina was a famous tobacco grower in Cuba who harvested some of the highest quality leaves on the island; he soon began to produce cigars of the same character in one of the best factories in Cuba.
Not as well-known as his older brother, Nik describes him as his biggest surprise when choosing the cigars that best complemented a glass of wine. Cardenal Mendoza.
This cigar has a very different flavor: with a strong touch of pepper and spice but at the same time quite smooth; intense mineral notes almost like toasted bread and an acidic finish reminiscent of lime.
The cigar has a sweet yet dry finish, quite unusual but very good. The best-sized Corona cigar.
Large: Bolivar Super Corona Limited Edition 2014
Size: Super Crown
Price: around 28 euros.
If you want a cigar that lasts more than a couple of glasses of Cardenal Mendoza Then you need to choose the largest size; being longer, the combustion is slower and they are easier to smoke.
Bolivar is the brand par excellence in larger cigar sizes, but this one in particular (limited edition 2014) is relatively mild for its standards and medium size.
It’s a thick cigar but very easy to smoke: its size doesn’t affect its consistency.
It is probably the most suitable cigar to enjoy a good brandy like the Cardenal Mendoza Thanks to its smoothness, as it’s not as strong as Cohiba. The dark top layer ensures sweet notes.
