Mostly known for their more full-bodied cigars, Joya de Nicaragua set their sights on the medium-bodied market in 2014 and they hit it out of the park with the new Joya Red. Blended by the president of the company, Juan Ignacio Martinez, and long time factory manager, Leonel Raudez, Joya Red is an exceptionally well made and great tasting cigar. The name comes from the reddish-brown hued Nicaraguan Habano wrapper leaf that drapes over the Nicaraguan binder and filler tobacco. As with many puros from this country, one would expect a full-bodied cigar, but the perfection in this blend puts it right in the middle at a medium. A true puro, the Red is handmade in Nicaragua and features a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper with a binder and filler from Nicaragua. The fillers consist of tobacco from Jalapa, Condega and Estelí. The new release was debuted at the IPCPR show in Las Vegas, and is the first release since the "Rediscover Joya" campaign. JDN's newest president of operations, Juan Martinez, led the way to this regular production stick, as Martinez wanted to produce a milder, gentler JDN. The JOYA RED tastes almost nothing like any of the rest of the cigars that Joya de Nicaragua makes, and that is most assuredly a good thing. It is exceptionally well balanced, with a great dark cocoa core to the profile that meshes well with the plum-like sweetness that is prevalent throughout the final two thirds and an interesting citrus tartness that shows up every once in a while. This cigar is perfect for anytime of day and the chocolate-like taste pairs amazing with a cup of coffee.