Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 6 x 52 (Toro Deluxe Tubo)
Strength: Medium → Medium-plus
Price: ~$5 per cigar
Factory: Tabacalera Pages de Nicaragua
Blender: Raymond Pages
Release: Cigar Page regular production
Experience Rating: 90
I love it when I light a cigar, and it stands up immediately and says, “This is who I am!”
In this case, the Antihero says, “I’m a Nic puro. Deal with it.”
No frills. No gimmicks.
That could be misconstrued as boring or one-dimensional. But I’ve smoked enough Pages cigars to know that he always throws in little surprises that keep the smoke interesting. That’s not to say there haven’t been a couple of dogs along the way. But that’s part of the fun of trying out a blender’s range, even with someone like AJ.
I’ll just say it: This isn’t a dog.
And while it might not win a beauty contest or score points for complexity, it knows who it is and wears its identity unapologetically.
The wrapper is dark and rustic, with a couple of raised seams, but nothing concerning. The skin is nicely mottled, making me think this cigar has sat in the warehouse for a while. The light brown tinge of the cello confirms this. The wrapper and foot don’t reveal much, just a little hay and an indistinct fruity sweetness, with the sweetness slightly more intense on the foot.
I light it up, take my first puff, and get a pleasant hit of red-pepper spice. It’s a “Heeere’s Johnny” moment that grabs my attention. It fades almost as soon as it arrives, making way for nutty black Ethiopian coffee, roasted peanuts, light black pepper, and cocoa powder. Even without looking at the stats, I know this is a Nic puro through and through.
The profile settles right away, and the coffee moves to the front. The spice rises to the top of my palate, providing a nice vertical tension that lifts the profile.
Cream appears, but it slides in gradually, like a boat coming alongside a dock. The coffee darkens to espresso while maintaining its nutty Ethiopian character. Banana appears and seems to attach itself to the cream. I take another puff to confirm. It’s there.
A little further in, the profile organizes itself. The banana-tinged cream sits at the base of the profile, while a core forms with espresso, cocoa, and roasted peanut. Amazingly, the black pepper doesn’t incorporate into the core. It’s present in every puff, but it seems to float above everything. Nicotine gradually builds, but still has a light touch. Spice begins to pulse, still providing energy.
Cigar Page calls this full. I can understand this, given the dark-leaning core, but at this point, it’s a solid medium that keeps the experience pleasant and approachable.
In the first half, there’s not much movement. No shifts in profile. No spikes. But it’s also not demanding. If you’re willing to meet it where it is, it’s simply an enjoyable Nic puro. It reminds me of the AJ’s Man O’ War Puro Authentico. It isn’t complex, but it’s deeply rooted in Nicaragua.
And that’s the point of the Antihero.
We tend to rate the quality of cigars by the presence of complexity and transitions. But there’s lots of value in pure enjoyment. Sticks like the Antihero don’t make a show of doing much. They simply ask that you sit with them. They’re not transformative, because they’re not built to be.
Near the end of the first half, fresh cedar notes emerge and attach to the core, strengthening the cigar’s Nicaraguan identity. Black pepper still refuses to integrate into the core, which I find positive, as its inclusion could drag the profile into darkness.
Past the halfway point, something shifts in the bunching, and some very pleasing flavors emerge: dried fruit, cashew nut, oatmeal, yeasty bread, and dark molasses.
Then I get… soy sauce. Is the blend going to take a savory turn? This is one of those little surprises that Raymond Pages throws into his blends to keep people on their toes. Those unexpected twists are what keep drawing me to his work.
The spice action is more wave-like now, and it reminds me of smoking a Dominican cigar. It’s like drifting on a lake. Most of the time you wander aimlessly, pushed by the current and the wind. Along the way, little surprises pop up, or you make a course correction. Though the flavors are purely Nicaraguan in this case, the behavior is similar.
It’s a smooth glide with a Nicaraguan theme.
At this point, strength is just a tad over medium. This kind of restraint sets this cigar apart. Nic puros are known for their boldness and power. This one steps back from that. It’s living up to its namesake, not trying to be a hero. It doesn’t need to be because it’s comfortable being what it is.
In the last couple of inches, the spice has stopped pulsing and is now persistent. There’s no increase in intensity. It’s still a nice, gentle touch. And instead of feeling like red pepper, it feels like rye spice.
Espresso still leads in the core, but has lightened in intensity. Roasted nuts step forward and take on a hazelnut character. The cream still sits at the base, but it too has thinned in texture. This action opens the door to fresh-baked, yeasty bread and dried stone fruit. Nicotine notches up again, but is still well-behaved.
As I near the last inch, the breadiness takes a more prominent position in the front. I’m a little surprised by this move because most Nic puros tend to compress at this point. This is remaining incredibly composed and articulate.
The black pepper still refuses to integrate. It has sat passively in the middle of the profile, not caring whether I notice it or not. It’s just there.
Nicotine ticks up, and now I can feel it. As it does, the entire profile intensifies. But it still doesn’t compress. Roasted hazelnut switches places with the bread, and the spice morphs back to red pepper. It’s mouth-coating now, but not intense, still providing a nice, lifting tension to the profile.
Strength is ramping up to medium+, but the body is full now. This is probably where Cigar Page sets the strength. But there’s no ramp-up in strength until near the end. It’s medium to medium-plus most of the way. That’s a big reason it’s so enjoyable.
As the cigar burns down, the cream is the only thing to significantly thicken. Everything else is as articulate as ever.
The Antihero said, “I’m a Nic puro. Deal with it.” And it spent the next hour and a half proving it.
It’s a $5 stick that doesn’t smoke like one. It doesn’t reach for complexity it wasn’t built for. It just is what it is, all the way to the nub.
If you like Nic puros, this one’s right in your wheelhouse.
The more I smoke Raymond Pages blends, the more I appreciate what he’s doing. His sticks aren’t cheap yard-gar throwaways. They’re authored with intent. They just happen to be affordable.
You can get these at Cigar Page. At $25 for a five-pack, they’re definitely worth it.
Total smoke time: 1:25
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