Hoyo La Amistad Silver, Tradition United

Hoyo La Amistad Silver, Tradition United

Who doesn’t love a good collaboration!? Whether it’s Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney, Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton or Peanut Butter & Jelly, two is almost always better than one. Today I have the second rendition of the collaboration with Hoyo de Monterrey and Aj Fernandez, the Hoyo La Amistad Silver. I’ve got my hands on the “Pancho” size, which is a 5 1/2 x 52. The Ecuadorian Habano wrapper is a rich medium brown, light oil and little veins. The La Amistad is finished off with a dual band, displaying the redesigned Hoyo logo and of course the AJ Fernandez name. The cold draw is a subtle sweet tobacco and cedar. Off the foot, I’m getting cedar, coffee, spice and some cocoa. Smoking further into the first third the blend starts to take shape, giving us a rich cocoa, cedar, coffee and a collection of spice. The retrohale is a tasty cinnamon type spice with cedar on the tail. The La Amistad smokes pretty similar throughout but nearing the final third, the blend smoothens out as the pepper starts to slow down. Down to the final puffs, the coffee notes fall off while cedar and spice holds true. The cigar finished with just some slight bitterness but maintained a decent profile of flavors. The Hoyo smokes medium plus and the burn is pretty steady with some flaky ash and minor touches. All said and done, the Hoyo La Amistad is a good smoke for the money. Coming in well under the $10 price point makes this a great value for those looking to fill up the humidor with an anytime smoke. Looking for a stick that doesn’t break the bank and keeps the wife happy? Give this one a try….

– David Harvey