The La Libertad Gran Toro is the most generous format in Villiger's revamped La Libertad line — a 6×54 rolled at Villiger de Nicaragua, the company's own factory in Estelí built in partnership with Joya de Nicaragua. The blend pairs a dark Nicaraguan Criollo wrapper from Jalapa with a Dominican binder grown in the Cibao Valley, while the filler draws entirely from Nicaragua — Seco from Jalapa alongside Viso and Ligero from Estelí. It's a deliberately Nicaraguan-forward construction that replaced an earlier Ecuadorian-wrapped version of the brand, giving La Libertad a bolder, more grounded character than previous iterations.
The Criollo wrapper sits dark with minimal visible veins and almost no surface oil, giving the cigar a matte, understated look that belies the complexity inside. The Dominican binder adds a layer of structure beneath the Nicaraguan wrapper, while the multi-priming Nicaraguan filler — combining the mild Seco, the fuller Viso, and the powerful Ligero — builds a body that's earthy and leathery with cinnamon and black pepper running underneath. Construction-wise the Gran Toro burns slow thanks to its wider ring gauge, giving the blend room to develop gradually over roughly 90 minutes.
Flavor-wise the profile runs medium throughout, with dark chocolate, coffee, and caramel weaving through the earth and leather notes for a well-rounded, multifaceted smoke. It's the kind of cigar built for smokers who want a substantial Nicaraguan profile without venturing into truly full-strength territory — robust and complex, but never aggressive.
