Cigar Aficionado

Hawaii may be famous for tropical vacations, volcanos and Kona coffee, but did you know it also produces tobacco for premium cigars? A new brand made in Nicaragua has turned to the Aloha State for inspiration and it incorporates some Hawaiian leaf in the filler, bringing an unexpected angle to the mainstream cigar world. Called Dakine, the series of cigars is offered in eight different blends, all containing Hawaiian tobacco. 

The name Dakine is taken from da kine, an expression so versatile in Hawaiian Creole that it has its own Wiki page. It can mean, or be applied to, many things, depending on the situation. In this context, it’s all about exploring Hawaii as a new kind of appellation for cigar tobacco. 

Made in Nicaragua at Tabacalera Nuevo Nica S.A., Dakine comes in eight blends of varying strength levels and wrapper types, with each blend offered in two sizes—Robusto, at 5 inches by 50 ring gauge, and a 6-by-50 Toro. Packed in 20-count boxes, the cigars have suggested retail prices of $9.30 and $11.30, respectively, regardless of blend. 

As U.S. states have nicknames, so do the Hawaiian Islands. Every blend is named after the nicknames of each isle in the archipelago:

The Big Island (Hawaii) is made with a Pennsylvanian broadleaf wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and filler from Ecuador, Nicaragua and Hawaii.

The Target Isle (Kahoolawe) comes in an Ecuador Habano wrapper and Ecuadoran binder that holds Hawaiian and Nicaraguan filler. It’s the most full-bodied blend in the line.

The Valley Isle (Maui) consists of a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper and Ecuadoran binder around filler tobacco from Nicaragua and Hawaii. 

Lana’i is the sixth-largest Hawaiian island and also the lightest blend. It’s a green cigar, made with Honduran candela wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and a filler combination of Nicaraguan and Hawaiian leaf.

The Friendly Isle (Molokai) incorporates an Ecuador Connecticut wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder and filler from Nicaragua and Hawaii.

The Gathering Place (Oahu), is a combination of Nicaraguan and Hawaiian filler, a Nicaraguan binder and an Ecuador Habano wrapper.

The Garden Isle (Kauai) combines a Mexican San Andrés wrapper and Ecuadoran binder with filler from Nicaragua and Hawaii. 

The Forbidden Isle (Niihau), with its Nicaraguan binder and filler from Nicaragua and Hawaii, is topped with a Cameroon wrapper. 

Dakine is owned and distributed by online cigar retailer Best Cigar Prices, but this is not a catalog-exclusive brand. It’s available to all retailers through Best's business-to-business wholesale site. 

As for the Hawaiian tobacco, it’s grown from Criollo and Corojo seeds (lower viso and seco primings) although the company is not disclosing exactly which island it comes from. The grower, however, is Chris Weber, owner of Tabacalera Nuevo Nico and Maui native. 

If you want a taste of every blend without committing to eight boxes, an eight-count Toro sampler lets you island hop for $87.99. 

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