If you've never tried a breakfast cigar, you've really been missing out. Call us crazy, but there's just something special about starting the day with a premium cigar blend in hand, and a cup of caffeine in the other.

No, your smoke doesn't have to be super mild, flavored, or small in stature for it to be considered a breakfast or brunch cigar. Actually, some of the best breakfast cigars tend to be of the darker variety.

Cigars that prefer to proffer up flavors of espresso, roasted tree nuts, chocolate, vanilla, and sumptuous layers of baking spice. Smokes like Joya de Nicaragua's Silver line. A premium cigar blend that much like the venerable cigar manufacturer itself comes packed with all manner of unsung surprises.

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Unlit Impressions

Firmly box-pressed, and virtually devoid of any sign of an oily sheen, the Joya de Nicaragua Silver looks all the world like an old-school chocolate bar. It sure as hell smells like one too.

Long before this cigar is set ablaze, notes of creamy chocolate, espresso coffee, toasted vanilla, and nutty nougat all tease the olfactory senses. Cold, unlit pulls offer a lovely leathery lick of something spicier. A signature calling card of a brand that has kicked my ass quite a few times over the years with its full-strength Nicaraguan tobacco.

Initial Smoke

Double-punched and fired up, the Silver offering from Joya de Nicaragua's "Modern Line" wastes no time in getting right down to breakfast. Everything you encounter in the unlit impressions portion of the cigar smoking experience is there, plus a few additional extras for good measure.

Spice forward at first, the Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro cigar wrapper quickly sets to bringing balance to this box-pressed Toro, by turning it into a smoldering chocolate bar on steroids.

Oh, and let's not forget the fact that there is a Mexican San Andres Maduro binder beneath that matte brown cigar wrapper. A chocolatey, coffee-like tobacco leaf that plays second fiddle to the Oscuro surrounding it, while still retaining notoriety.

2nd Half

As the leather spice slowly takes a backseat, dark cherry stone fruit subtleties start to surface. It's a spectacular way to transition from one portion of the cigar to the next, without things becoming too muddled. Cherries and chocolate still go well together, right?

Meanwhile, the espresso side of the cigar has mellowed out a bit as well. Leaving ample room for those flavors of roasted tree nuts, and sweet vanilla to stand forward for a spell.

On a side note, the strength of the cigar has become far more subdued by this point. Adding further reason for me to nominate this cigar for this year's title of "Best Breakfast Cigar."

Parting Puffs

After mulling over the complexities at the core of the Joya de Nicaragua "Silver," the final portion provided me with further explanation... and flavor.

There's an oaky tannin touch that has formed within this mocha macchiato masterpiece, and it builds a pleasant platform for the chocolatey, fruity flavors to rest atop.

Being that the spiced, leathery notes from the first quarter of this 6-inch long smoke have just returned in force, the cigar flavor profile remains both intriguing and approachable.

A more enjoyable finish to a dark cigar is hard to come by, and thus puffing all the way down to the shoulder of the cigar is not out of the question. Which surely explains how I managed to set fire to my fingertips that morning...

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

Construction and combustion were both of upper echelon status with Joya's "Silver." The box-pressed Toro burnt cool the entire duration of my 1.5-hour morning smoke session, and the ash it built was both sturdy and sizable.

Despite having punched the cigar (cutting box-pressed cigars can be a risky endeavor), smoke was in ample supply, as was the level of draw felt throughout.

Final Thoughts

Taking the time to smoke a Joya de Nicaragua "Silver" at 10am on a Friday was one of the best moves I've made in recent memory.

Not only was it a brilliantly blended mocha-like experience that paired perfectly with my locally roasted cup of coffee, but it also provided something that cannot buy.

The chance to truly enjoy a gorgeous autumn morning, and set a little time aside for some self-care. Just one more reason why the occasional breakfast cigar should be on every smoker's schedule.

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