Vital Stats:
Vitola: Lancero
Length: 7.5″
Ring Gauge: 38
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Length: 7.5″
Ring Gauge: 38
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
This cigar was reviewed blind (no bands) by a panel of at least 4 reviewers. They did not know what they were smoking beforehand. The scores are an average of all the reviewers' scores with outliers removed. All of our cigars reviewed are shipped to the panelists with Boveda packs to ensure optimal smoking experience.
Wrapper: Pennsylvania Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Factory: Tabacalera Fernandez
Blender: AJ Fernandez
Number of reviewers: 5 —— Derek (lilninjabuddy) Milton (mjohnsoniii) Brian (B-daddy) Nicholas (volpow61) Ron (shuckins)
Price: $6.00
Contributed by: James (Engineer 99)
Initial Impressions
Appearance: 89
Aroma: 91
Construction: 89
“Right off the bat, I noticed that this one isn’t the prettiest lancero I’ve come across. It has a couple of lighter spots and small veins running along its length.” –Milton (mjohnsoniii)
“Leather, cocoa and barnyard.” –Derek (lilninjabuddy)
“Very nice aroma, smells like cappuccino with nutmeg” –Ron (shuckins)
“Nice tight seams. Even firm pack along the whole length. Neat triple cap with a little pig tail.” –Brian (B-daddy)
First Third
Flavor: 90
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium
“Mild start with sweet tobacco taste, spicy coffee with nutmeg flavor and a light cedar aftertaste.” –Ron (shuckins)
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“Initially quite smooth. Rich chocolate, with espresso and wood undertones. Flavor is thick and syrupy, and the smoke is creamy. Burn from the start is razor sharp. At an inch in, the espresso becomes the dominant flavor, the cocoa settling in the back. Dry wood, cedar spices and black pepper remain in play as well. The smoke seems to be alternating between a dry smoke and a thick creamy smoke. At about two inches, the pepper kicks it up a notch and coats the palate.” –Derek (lilninjabuddy)
Second Third
Flavor: 90
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium
“Through the second third, spice dies down but is replaced with a nice creaminess with some sweetness and almost like a raisen flavor as well. Nice flavors. Having a little trouble with the draw and smoke production starting into this third of the smoke” –Nicholas (volpow61)
“At the start of the second third, the flavors do not change, but their strength does. The flavors take turns at the front. Wood, pepper, cocoa, espresso and the cedary spice all appear as the primary flavor, taking their turn literally from puff to puff. While not especially complex, the cigar is proving quite interesting! At the midway point, a slight raisiny sweetness appears. Not quite to the strength of a Fuente Unnamed, but very similar in nature.” –Derek (lilninjabuddy)
Final Third
Flavor: 90
Strength: Medium-Strong
Body/Complexity: Medium
The flavor profile from the second third continues through most of the final third. Earthy and leathery. A little spice on the finish. Still getting some hints of chocolate, too. Toward the end of the final third, I start getting a little soapy bitterness. Not bad, interesting.” –Brian (B-daddy)
Changed directions with lot’s more wood, coffee and peppery tobacco flavors the closer to the end it got.” –Ron (shuckins)
Overall Impressions
Draw: 88
Burn: 89
Overall Strength: Medium
Overall Body: Medium
“Tight draw most way through especially mid way to the end.” –Nicholas (volpow61)
“Good burn from start to finish (almost). Surprisingly good smoke volume for a small ring gauge. However, with about an inch to go, the cigar suddenly goes out. (Might have had something to do with ~100% humidity outside.) Weird. Flavors weren’t good when I relit, so I just ended it there.” –Brian (B-daddy)
Overall Experience: 91
Smoking Time (in minutes): 82
“Despite the tight draw, the flavors of this cigar were quite pleasant. I know draw issues are prevalent with lanceros, and are simply inherent to the format. I’m betting this would go from a good cigar to a great cigar without the overly tight draw. Definitely one I’d want to revisit.” –Derek (lilninjabuddy)
“I’ve never been a huge fan of lanceros, but lately, they have been very good and this is yet another one that proves it. I’m definitely going to be adding more to the stash for future smoking enjoyment. Hopefully these will be some that will be relatively easy to get a hold of.” –Milton (mjohnsoniii)
“I enjoyed this cigar. Nice flavor profile and good burn/construction throughout. However, I got a little bit tired of the flavors after about an hour and a half. Maybe if the last third would have evolved a little, it would have been “great.” –Brian (B-daddy)
“Overall not an enjoyable smoke to me only because of the draw and smoke production couldn’t produce any good flavor past the mid way point.” –Nicholas (volpow61)
“I enjoyed this cigar, it was never boring, had lot’s of flavor changes, and built to a very nice finish.” –Ron (shuckins)
Total Score: 90 (very good)
Link to full scores and notes: Full Notes