Joya de Nicaragua is famously the oldest cigar manufacturer in Nicaragua, being established in 1968. The company has had quite the journey in the years following. Initially, Joya de Nicaragua was the only cigar made by the company, then known as Nicaragua Cigar Co. This brand would later be named the first (and only) "official cigar of Nicaragua." And during the 1970s, Joya de Nicaragua had the honor of being the official selection at the White House.
But Joya is certainly not without its share of hardships. The company endured the Nicaraguan Revolution, where the factory was bombed as war broke out in the streets of Estelí. Cigar production was temporarily moved to the Plasencia family's facility in Honduras while the workers set about rebuilding. The company went through periods of various ownership, including dictator Anastasio Somoza, the factory workers themselves, and eventually Dr. Alejandro Martínez Cuenca.
Dr. Cuenca purchased the company in 1994 and set about returning it to its former glory. He re-hired as many original factory workers as possible and initiated a special project to recapture the glory days of Joya; releasing Joya de Nicaragua Antaño 1970 in the early 2000s. This cigar set a new standard for full-bodied smoking experiences, using a Nicaraguan puro blend to best embody the historic Joya name. In 2009, the company was renamed Joya de Nicaragua in honor of the world-famous Joya brand.
Joya de Nicaragua is now 50 years old, continuing to bring cigar enthusiasts dependable and innovative smoking experiences through award-winning cigars such as Antaño 1970, Antaño Dark Corojo, JOYA Red, and many more.
