In April of last year, Espinosa Premium Cigars a line extension to their Laranja Reserva line, Laranja Reserva Escuro. The new cigar was teased at their annual La Zona Palooza event in 2018 but wasn’t officially released until April.
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.
Escuro is the Portuguese equivalent of Oscuro in Spanish, meaning “dark.” The Escuro blend uses a Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper replacing the Brazilian Laranja wrapper on the original. It is box-pressed and uses Nicaraguan binder and fillers. It comes in 10- count boxes and in three sizes: Corona Larga (6 x 46), Robusto Grande (5-1/2 x 56), and a Toro (6 x 52). The cigar is rolled at AJ Fernandez’s San Lotano Factory in Ocotal, Nicaragua.
Vital Stats:
Vitola: Toro
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 52
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Brazilian Mata Fina
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Factory: San Lotano AJ Fernandez
Blender: Erik Espinosa, Hector Alfonso Sr.
Number of reviewers: 4 – Kevin A.(Kevin A.) Jake P.(Jake P.) Estevan Z.(TheRealBanzi) Allison T.(The Yoga Ash)
Price: $10.90
Age: 3 Months
Release Date: April 2019
Contributed by: Espinosa Cigars
Initial Impressions
Appearance: 94
“This soft box press wrapper has a look of a rich baking chocolate melting in a pan with white speckling. The seems are noticeable but so are the larger veins in the wrapper with a cap that sits pretty deep on the hip.” –Allison T. (The Yoga Ash)
Aroma: 92
“The body of cigar exhibits sweet tobacco, walnut and white pepper. The foot presents burnt coffee beans, barnyard and more white pepper. Cold draw brings the white pepper to the palate with a great date sweetness to balance it all out.” –Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)
First Third
Flavor: 93
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
“The prelight draw on this cigar gives me a strong espresso note, mixed with leather. Upon initial light, the espresso note jumps up, with the leather still there and a bitter salted caramel note. A very flavorful mix. The retrohale really warms up the palate and delivers a medium pepper not without a lot of burn. Draw is wide open, and maybe a little lighter than I would like but is still well within what I would consider acceptable. The cigar is putting of a nice thick smoke.and a nice, grey ash, that fell on it’s own at about the 1 inch mark.” –Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
“The early puffs of this first third brings a bunch of savory, mesquite bbq fired, grilled meat with some creamy cappuccino notes to balance it all out. The retrohale brings a wonderful horseradish spice to round out the experience. Half way through there is a distinct shift from that savory meat flavor to more of a cacao chocolate with an oily raw walnut that hangs on the tongue. The mesquite wood has fallen off into the background. The horseradish spice that was found early on has fallen off completely and is replaced with a vegetal note that allows you to retrohale without any fear of pain. Plenty of velvety, oily smoke can be found throughout the opening third lending to a long finish.” –Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)
Flavor: 88
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium
“Second third got more into dark chocolate and almonds. I would pick up a bit of a burnt caramel taste.” –Jake P. (Jake P.)
“Getting into the second third, I am really enjoying this cigar. Burn has been crisp and straight with just a slight wave to the burn line. The espresso has mellowed significantly and is replaced by a dark bakers chocolate, that blends well with the salted caramel that carried over from the first third. There is also a citrus like zing on the finish, that is hitting right at the tip of the tongue. The finish on the cigar is fairly long, allowing me to savor the flavors. Did I mention I am really digging this cigar?? Getting to the end of the second third, the pepper is picking up a little bit but is still not strong. There is now a bitter leather note hitting the sides of the tongue, but is is very pleasant. Retrohale is smooth!” –Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
“This cigar has sneaky Vitamin N that I felt in the last 1/3 with the amping of more flavor to the forefront as the draw has now picked up resistance. I get waves of cedar, the white of a hard boiled egg with hints of mulling Spice as the retrohale is warm white pepper.” –Allison T. (The Yoga Ash)
“As the final third got under way the cedar and wood notes took me on a ride. At times I felt like I was standing in a lumbar yard and could smell the fresh cut lumbar.” –Jake P. (Jake P.)
Overall Impressions
Draw: 95
“Wide open start to finish. Just a little on the light side, but still darn close to perfect.” –Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
Burn: 95
“Really crumbly ash with just a couple of touch ups.” –Allison T. (The Yoga Ash)
Construction: 92
“The construction of the cigar was great. The thin burn line tells me it is made with a well aged wrapper but the gray-white ash says the filler is younger. Ash held on for about 1″ and then would fall off cleanly.” –Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)
“Send me a box of these now!! This is one of the most enjoyable cigars I have smoked.” –Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
“Really enjoyed this cigar, from the pre-light aroma until the end. Starting with the coffee notes that carried into dark chocolate was very pleasant. I would love to smoke this one again.” –Jake P. (Jake P.)
“The first two third ebbed and flowed with that savory meat and cappuccino creaminess and finally a dry cedar but I think the last third really takes a bunch away from the overall smoking experience. I feel like this cigar was made to experience with great friend and even better conversations. Making it a good everyday smoke.” –Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)
“I would retry this cigar to hopefully get a better flavor profile but if they are like this I would not be making a box purchase” –Allison T. (The Yoga Ash)
"The first two third ebbed and flowed with that savory meat and cappuccino creaminess and finally a dry cedar but I think the last third really takes a bunch away from the overall smoking experience. I feel like this cigar was made to experience with great friend and even better conversations. Making it a good everyday smoke." -Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)
