Sancho Panza The Original Robusto – Blind Cigar Review

Cigar Info

Matt Booth and General Cigar rebranded and reblended the Sancho Panza line earlier this year. The brand currently contains three lines, Sancho Panza The Original, Sancho Panza Double Maduro, and Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte.

The blends were a collaboration between Matt Booth, Justin Andrews and the HATSA factory. All come in 20 count wooden boxes with the new Sancho Panza logo that was created by Booth to give a nod to the Latin culture and vibe of West LA (CA).

Sancho Panza The Original contains tobacco from five different countries. The wrapper is a Honduran Connecticut, the binder is Mexican San Andres, and the fillers are Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Brazilian Matafina. It is described as a medium-bodied smoke. Sancho Panza The Original comes in three sizes: Robusto (5.5” x 50) $6.69, Toro (6.5 x 52) $7.09, and Gigante (6” x 60) $7.59.

Vital Stats:

Vitola: Robusto
Length: 5 1/2″
Ring Gauge: 50
Country of Origin: Honduras
Wrapper: Honduran Connecticut
Binder: Mexican San Andrés
Filler: Brazil, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua
Factory: HATSA
Blender: Matt Booth, Justin Andrews, HATSA
Number of reviewers: 5 – Noah S. (Noah) Sean F. (fullermaine) Randy B. (randobush) Angel M. (Angel) Chris M. (Chris)
Price: $6.69
Age: 3 Months
Release Date: July 2022
Contributed by: General Cigar

Initial Impressions – Sancho Panza The Original Robusto

Appearance: 90

“Coming in at 5.5”x52rg, this cigar comes with a light brown wrapper that has a copper hue to it. Triple cap and open foot up top and bottom. The pack is firm, ever so slightly bumpy, with visible seams!” –Randy B. (randobush)

Aroma: 88

“I get a very light floral hay and natural tobacco off the wrapper. Natural tobacco and light citrus off the foot.” –Chris M. (Chris)

First Third

Flavor: 88
Strength: Mild-Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium

“Draw is nice right from the get-go. Cedar, smoked paprika, salt, and a sweet citrus zing provide the mouthful of flavors, while the retrohale provides a nutty, cocoa, baking spice, and dry crisp toast to the bouquet of flavors, and it’s pleasing, and inoffensive. The finish is medium. The burn is razor-sharp in the first third.” –Randy B. (randobush)

“Although light-bodied right out of the gate this stick was flavorful and most of all smooth, indicative of well-aged tobaccos. The aromatics of the smoke were pleasantly sweet with hints of vanilla and cedar. What graced my palate was a light smoke with a predominantly nutty flavor that showcased toasted almonds with subtleties of vanilla, baking spice, and saltiness that lingered on my lips. The retro was incredibly smooth but bold with notes of freshly baked bread.” –Noah S. (Noah)

Second Third

Flavor: 88
Strength: Mild-Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium

“Cedar with the citrus peel still up top, and fairly bold. The nuttiness seems to have settled on walnut, picking up above the generic citric sweetness. Slightly gritty, earthy coffee near the background. The spice profile still has nutmeg at a moderate level, but the cinnamon is slightly overshadowed by the addition of a dry table pepper.” –Chris M. (Chris)

“Going into the second third everything remained fairly the same no major flavor transitions, still picking up the sweet tobacco and amaretto flavors. The smoke has dried a little bit but is still decently creamy and the temperature has picked up slightly, but overall, still a mild cigar and enjoyable.” –Angel M. (Angel)

Final Third

Flavor: 88
Strength: Mild-Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium

“Complexity waned ever so slightly upon entering the final third but the smoke remained quite enjoyable. Rich tobacco flavors became the frontman while the bread notes and creaminess took a step back into supporting roles. The retro was revived with a resurgence of spiciness that wasn’t peppery but more akin to baking spice. Although not prevalent, a savory and slightly sweet creaminess camped out on my palate.” –Noah S. (Noah)

“Cedar and citrus peel have smoothed back out a bit. Citrus sweetness picks up, while walnut drops back. The coffee drops to the background, losing the grit. Getting a heat on the finish not belonging to the current nutmeg, cinnamon, and table pepper. Heat moves to the lips coming up on the nub.” –Chris M. (Chris)

Overall Impressions – Sancho Panza The Original Robusto

Draw: 94

“I took a sliver off the cap and ended up with a slightly loose, but fairly nice draw. Snugs up after the light, which improves the resistance. Excellent smoke output.” –Chris M. (Chris)

Burn: 91

“Nice even burn from beginning to end.” –Sean F. (fullermaine)

Construction: 89

“This cigar was well constructed with tight seams, no obvious defects, and my favorite feature of the double cap which just ensures me that I won’t be annoyed by any unraveling.” –Noah S. (Noah)

Overall Strength: Mild-Medium
Overall Body/Complexity: Medium
Experience Overall: 88

“From the time I took it out of the bag and held it to my nose to the time I put it to rest in my ashtray, this cigar made a lasting impression on me. All around this was an effortless and undeniably pleasant smoke. With a near-perfect burn and draw, I didn’t have to work to smoke this cigar which always heightens the experience for me. Although lighter with regards to body and complexity, the flavor was certainly not lacking and the transitions were smooth and made sense. I typically reach into my humidor for a stronger cigar but would not hesitate to start my day with this cigar accompanied by a solid cup of coffee. I would also recommend this stick to any beginner with a developing palate who is looking to broaden their horizons and start venturing into slightly more complex and flavorful smokes. I can’t wait for the reveal as I would love to explore this cigar again!” –Noah S. (Noah)

“Very bland cigar. Only two notes coming through, oak and a sour acidic note. The burn was even with a dark grey ash. Toward the end, the cigar has a rough draw, splitting, and unraveling. Had to poke a few holes to get a better draw. Not a cigar I’d try again.” –Sean F. (fullermaine)

“I liked this cigar ok and would smoke it again. That said, something about it, puts it outside of my wheelhouse just enough, that I don’t think my intent to repurchase would be strong or often.
The draw, burn, and construction was all top-notch. No issues with the cigar as a whole, and my recommendation would be to smoke as a morning cigar with black coffee.” –Randy B. (randobush)

“Overall, this was an enjoyable cigar on the mild side with decent flavors that carried through the whole cigar. To me, this is a cigar that’s enjoyable without having to put too much thought behind it I feel this is something you can enjoy regularly, especially with a Kolsch or Lager style beer, or white wine for the wind drinkers. I would definitely recommend this to friends and family who like the milder cigars or someone new to the cigar world.” –Angel M. (Angel)

“This was a pretty enjoyable cigar from start to finish. I like the citrus-cedar combination when it’s well-balanced, and this hit that mark. I could see myself reaching for one of these on occasion.” –Chris M. (Chris)

Smoking Time (in minutes): 68

To view the complete scores and notes, click here.

Sancho Panza The Original Robusto – Blind Cigar Review