Ometepe

Sweet and mineral in a way no mainland Nicaraguan leaf quite matches - dried fig, clove, damp earth and a savory almost mushroomy undertone, finishing nutty rather than peppery. It carries real strength but delivers it as weight rather than sting. Blenders add it in small percentages to bring sweetness and body without raising the pepper level, and it is unusual enough that most blends using it say so on the box.

Volume is small and priming selection is correspondingly tight. Seco and viso are the workhorse grades; the limited ligero is strong, slow-burning and usually reserved for accent rather than backbone.

Young volcanic ash and lava-derived soil from the twin cones of Concepcion and Maderas, exceptionally high in iron, magnesium and potassium. The mineral load is the whole story of the leaf.

Island climate moderated by Lake Nicaragua, with steady humidity, strong lake winds and a warmer, less variable night temperature than the northern highlands.

Ometepe was planted commercially for cigar leaf only relatively recently compared with the northern valleys, and its output has always been measured in a few hundred acres rather than thousands.

Small but growing in prominence, with premium blends increasingly marketing the origin by name.