Cigar Review: Alma del Cielo Amanecer from Plasencia

Small Batch Cigar

The Alma del Cielo, or Spanish for “Soul of the Sky,” is the latest cigar from Plasencia. What sets this apart from other Nicaraguan Puros from the company is where it was grown – 3,500ft above sea level in the Condega region of Nicaragua. The elevation is said to give the tobacco its unique flavor characteristics. While I wouldn’t say this rises to the level of “gimmick,” it certainly is different.

The Alma del Cielo was announced at the 2025 PCA Convention and Trade Show in New Orleans. At that time Plasencia announced three vitolas: Amanecer (6″ x 60 Hexagano shape), Celeste (4-7/8″ x 44), and the Boreal (6-1/8″ x 54). Each size comes in a box of 10 and is rolled at the Plasencia Cigars S.A. factory in Nicaragua.

OVERVIEW

VITOLA:   Amanecer
SIZE:   6″ x 60

ORIGIN:   Nicaragua
FACTORY:   Plasencia Cigars S.A.

WRAPPER:   Nicaragua
BINDER:   Nicaragua
FILLER:   Nicaragua

STRENGTH:   Medium

SOURCE:   
Small Batch Cigar

ENVIRONMENT

WHERE:   
Smoldering Cigar

WHEN:   
July 25

DRINKS:   
Bottled Water

WEATHER:   
Indoors

HOW MANY CIGARS SMOKED:   
3

PRODUCTION

RELEASE TYPE  Regular Production

ORIGINALLY RELEASE DATE  April ’25

TOTAL PRODUCTION
Typical Box Size:     Boxes of 10
Production Totals:  Unknown

VITOLA BREAKDOWN
o  Amanecer  (6″ x 60)
o  Celeste  (4-7/8″ x 44)
o  Boreal  (6-1/8″ x 54)

BAND DESIGN

The Alma del Cielo’s band is a gorgeous deep blue with gold accent, and the cigar’s name in white. The Alma del Cielo is triple banded, like all other Plasencia cigars: The top band featuring the company’s logo, the middle band featuring the company’s name, logo, and name of the cigar, while the foot band sports the name of the cigar. It might be overkill, but it does make for a stunning presentation; especially given the box design of the Hexagono (Amanecer) box.

PRE-LIGHT OBSERVATIONS

CONSTRUCTION

The Nicaraguan wrapper is a beautiful shade of caramel. It is smooth to the touch and has very few blemishes. There are a few veins present, but the seam is almost undetectable except in one spot on the second cigar I smoked for this review. The Alma del Cielo is expertly triple capped. The hexagon shape adds to the “you’re smoking something special” feel to the cigar.

AROMA

The wrapper gives off faint notes of cedar and nuts. They’re subtle, but they are there. The foot has a floral note followed by sweet tobacco, fruit, hay, and wood.

COLD DRAW

The cold draw reveals nuts, sweet cream, a floral note, a hint of baking spices, and nougat. It’s delicious. I keep taking more cold draws, making sure that I haven’t missed anything. Maybe a hint of wood…and a herbaceous note. The draw itself is almost perfect.

SMOKING EXPERIENCE

LIGHT & DRAW
Cut: Le Petit by Les Fines Lames
Fire: Vector Icon II

The Amanecer, like every Plasencia, has a band on the foot…that literally rips the wrapper when you take it off. Whether you slide it off, pull it off, or undo where it’s glued. It’s Arturo Fuente level glued to the wrapper. Annoying, but nothing more than that. The triple flame of my Icon 2 lends itself to lighting this 6 x 60 without much issue. The initial light is creamy notes of wood, butter, baking spices, cayenne pepper, and caramel sweetness. There’s a floral element to the Alma del Cielo, too. Black pepper on the retrohale. Creamy is an understatement. Sweetness lingers on my palate. Spicy, sweet, creamy. Flying high right from the start.

SMOKE

The smoke creamy, plentiful, and more than satisfying. It has a great mouthfeel.

FIRST THIRD
>> Wood, Avocado Oil, Citrus, Black Pepper

The first third begins with notes of fruit, butter, wood, leather, and a pronounced citrus. Baking spices and a floral note are also present. Black pepper on the retrohale. The smoke is still creamy and unctuous. Sweetness and wood linger on my palate. There is a herbaceousness in the background. The Alma del Cielo has a long finish. Wood, caramel, baking spices, citrus all blend together with each draw. The burn is less than sharp, but nothing too concerning. The ash is compact. Gray with streaks of black.The floral and citrus notes accentuate the earthy wood and leather notes. The sweetness plays off the spicy. The burn evens out. The first third has found its groove. There’s a lot going on in this first third, but all of it works together. It is definitively medium bodied, but it is full of flavor. 

SECOND THIRD
>> Chocolate, Charred Wood, Cinnamon, White Pepper

The spices get kicked up a notch, heralding the middle third. Cinnamon, white pepper, and cayenne pepper claw at the back of my throat. It isn’t harsh, just spicy. Chocolate, charred wood, and leather round out the start of the middle third. Graham cracker, cinnamon, honey, and herbal tea linger on my palate. The Alma del Cielo begins to burn wonky. The smoke is still creamy and plentiful. The ash is still compact. The floral was replaced by a definite herbal note. Sweet cream and honey dance with baking spices and white pepper on the retrohale. There’s blandness lurking in the undertones. Bread? Toast? It isn’t bad, but more bland them bread. Salted roasted nuts join the fray. The citrus is there, but seems to be playing hide and seek. The spice that kicked off the middle third has mellowed out. Salt and pepper, wood, cream, and honey. 

FINAL THIRD
>> Earth, Cayenne Pepper, Baking Spices, Black Pepper

The final third begins with little change from how the middle third ended. Still medium bodied. Notes of salt, pepper, citrus, chocolate, charred wood, baking spices, and white pepper. A funky, earthy note appears. Mushroom, maybe? Black pepper on the retrohale. A hint of star anise comes through. Floral returns and plays well with the citrus. The spice starts to ramp up: cayenne pepper, baking spices (cinnamon and star anise), and black pepper. The wrapper has torn where the main band was glued to it. (This eventually caused the wrapper to split) The burn is once again less than razor sharp. The ash remains compact. The sweetness is all but gone. A hint of honey remains. The profile is still creamy, which helps balance the spice. The final third is more earth and spice than anything else. The floral note ebbs and flows, keeping the final third interesting. Herbal tea returns. The burn evens out…again. It’s like a rollercoaster ride. The Alma del Cielo end with a long finish of cream, cayenne pepper, baking spices, mushroom, leather, charred wood, and black pepper. Still medium bodied and definitely not lacking flavor. 

RATING & FINAL THOUGHTS

FLAVOR PROGRESSION

Here are some words that I’d use to describe the flavor progression of the Amanecer: nuanced, complex, builds, balanced. What starts as a wood forward, yet creamy, experience ramps up to a chocolate bomb with baking spices and hints of pepper. It ends playing the greatest hits of the first two thirds, while still managing to stand on its own. Cream and butter (or avocado oil, if you will) carry throughout each third. Nuanced notes of citrus, nuts, and cayenne pepper are sprinkled throughout.

BURN EXPERIENCE

Never razor sharp, but never quite needing a touch-up. The issue that I have is how delicate the wrapper is (and how much glue is used on these bands). There have been two separate incidents, at two separate lounges, where I’ve personally witnessed the wrapper either explode or unravel. While I’m not counting those instances toward this review, it is interesting to note that the wrapper on one of the Amanecer that I smoked did split. Also, the foot band taking off part of the wrapper is, in my mind, egregious; especially when considering the price of the cigar ($29.50). 

RATING BREAKDOWN
0.80 / 0.80 … Craft & Aesthetic
0.47 / 0.50 … Pre-Light Characteristics
0.35 / 0.50 … Lighting Process
6.92 / 7.70 … Smoking Experience
0.46 / 0.50 … Personal Enjoyment

COMPLIMENTS & CRITIQUES

REACHING FOR THE SKIES.

The Alma del Cielo Amanecer is definitely more than a gimmick. The tobacco does have a more unique flavor profile when compared to Plasencia’s other releases. There is a creaminess, not only to the smoke but in the flavors, that I don’t remember any of the other lines having. There is definitely something about being grown at 3,500ft above sea level. If I were rating the Amanecer solely on flavor, this score might be close to a perfect 10. Maybe. However, the issues that I had with the burn, the wrapper splitting, and the band taking part of the wrapper off detract from the experience. Make no mistake, this is an experience. And it’s one you should try, even with the price point.

SIMPLY STOGIES RATING:  9.0 / 10.0

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