Villiger Cigars came out with the La Vencedora in 2018, and was a sequel of sorts to their 2017 La Flor De Ynclan. 2018 was the 130th year anniversary of Villiger Cigars. La Vencedora translates to “The Victor” was described by the company as their first full-bodied smoke. La Vencedora, along with La Flor De Ynclan is a part of Villiger’s most premium portfolio.
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.
The blend is a Nicaraguan puro and uses a Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro wrapper with Nicaragua binder and filler. La Vencedora originally had three vitolas: Robusto (5×50) MSRP: $9.00, Toro (6×50) MSRP: $9.50, and Churchill (7×50) MSRP: $10.00. A gordo size was added later that same year; it measure 6 x 60 and sells for $10.50. It is actually rolled at Fabrica de Tabacos Joya de Nicaragua S.A.
Vital Stats:
Vitola: Churchill Length: 7″ Ring Gauge: 50 Country of Origin: Nicaragua Wrapper: Nicaragua Habano Oscuro Binder: Nicaragua Filler: Nicaragua Factory: Fabrica de Tabacos Joya de Nicaragua S.A. Blender: Undisclosed Number of reviewers: 4 – Sean F.(fullermaine) Alan(Eulogy) Matt Cade(CADE) Kevin A.(Kevin A.) Price: $10.00 Age: 16 Months Release Date: February 2018 Contributed by: Villiger Cigars
Initial Impressions
Appearance: 86
“This cigars is big. This soft box press cigar has a very dark brown oily wrapper, with quite a bit of mottling. The seams are for the most part invisible and there are just a few visible veins. The cap is a little roughly applied, looking like the entire cap didn’t make it to the cigar, leaving a split in the cap and visible binder around the seam. Overall the firm, telling me it is nicely filled. The box press is very soft on this, most pronounced on the foot. The middle of the cigar is almost round. All in all a pretty intimidating looking cigar.” –Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
Aroma: 91
“Smells good. The foot has some cedar, baking spice, and mineral to it. I’m only getting a little bit of dry leaves and maybe a touch of leather from the wrapper. ” –Alan (Eulogy)
First Third
Blind Cigar Review: Villiger | La Vencedora Churchill
“It’ll only smoke if I hold it a certain way and pinch the sides a bit due to the heavily damaged wrapper. The flavors aren’t bad though and the smoke output is very good if I’m tweaking the wrapper just so. There’s a nice level of baking spice that provides a snappy tingle at the end of the draw. Leather, dry cedar, and black tea make up the bulk of the profile with some occasional notes of dark toast. ” –Alan (Eulogy)
“After a cold draw that features some of that sweetness and a touch of mint, upon lighting the foot on fire there’s a very distinct sharp spice on the nose initially that almost immediately calms down and is joined by some mineral and that is accompanied by an earthiness and, most noticeably, a bold black coffee note on the draw. ” –Matt Cade (CADE)
Second Third
Blind Cigar Review: Villiger | La Vencedora Churchill
“The flavors are very consistent from the last third with the inclusion of a pine style woodiness. The smoke output is still very good even with the exploded wrapper. Notes of dark toast, leather, baking spice, and black tea are all still present. ” –Alan (Eulogy)
“Sugar and spice notes. Notes of sugar and cinnamon are making this a pleasurable smoke.” –Sean F. (fullermaine)
“Strength picks up once again in the final third, it’s in full territory now baby. But the ever increasing
Blind Cigar Review: Villiger | La Vencedora Churchill
strength is the only interesting thing to be found in this cigar. The mineral present earlier in the retrohale is almost MIA so we are left with just pepper spice and on the nose and it’s just that same black coffee note on the draw.” –Matt Cade (CADE)
“Burn issues and unravelling continue into the final third and I feel this cigar is fighting me to not finish. I will win! Flavors are still the same, with the intensity of the retrohale picking up a notch. After relight #2, the cigars starts to develop a harsh bitterness, that is starting to mask the flavor profile. This cigar went out again with about an inch and a half to go in the final third and I am calling it at this point.” –Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
Overall Impressions
Draw: 92
“If I held the cigar just right the draw was actually very good with a nice resistance and smoke output. ” –Alan (Eulogy)
Burn: 93
“I had to correct the burn line once, and then it smokes okay throughout the smoking experience. ” –Matt Cade (CADE)
Construction: 88
“Construction was okay but the cigar did require some corrections throughout the smoking experience. ” –Matt Cade (CADE)
“As a fan of the box press, this smoke would round out your humidor nicely. A nice sweet and spice cigar. Notes of vanilla, sweet tea, and chocolate go well with the cinnamon and licorice. A hint of peanut comes through towards the end. Great cigar to enjoy in your local lounge or on a deck or patio. ” –Sean F. (fullermaine)
“Just in terms of flavor this was actually a very good cigar. The smoke output was creamy, the draw was nice if I held it just right, and it burned well even with an almost destroyed wrapper. The size was very large though and with the lack of profile changes did make it a bit one dimensional.” –Alan (Eulogy)
“This was an okay cigar that featured an okay coffee note on the draw with some far more enjoyable flavors on the retrohale. If you’re adverse to blowing smoke out of your nose, don’t bother smoking this cigar because it won’t be worth your time. There might have been a great revelation in the last inch but I gave up on it…” –Matt Cade (CADE)
“I have never been a fan of a cigar that fights me and will typically put it down and grab something else. I gave this cigar a fair shot, and the burn/construction issues took away from the enjoyment to the point that I would not want to smoke this again” –Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
To view the complete scores and notes, click here.
Blind Cigar Review: Villiger | La Vencedora Churchill
Overall Score – 90 – Very Good
Blind Cigar Review: Villiger | La Vencedora Churchill
Summary
"Just in terms of flavor this was actually a very good cigar. The smoke output was creamy, the draw was nice if I held it just right, and it burned well even with an almost destroyed wrapper. The size was very large though and with the lack of profile changes did make it a bit one dimensional." -Alan (Eulogy)
