I will preface this review by reiterating something I will yell from the rooftops to any BOTL within earshot. I love Lanceros! I just don't understand why this size does not get more market attention. I know that big ring is the thing, but these delicate masterpieces deliver more flavor and depth than any big ring gauge could ever dream of. The reason? The wrapper my friends. In smaller ring cigars the wrapper is more prominent, and thus you get more wrapper flavor. In all cigars the wrapper is the premium leaf and I don't understand why you would pass the chance to savor the premium tobacco in a smoke by gumming it up with 50+ rings of filler and binder. The silver lining to my dark cloud of disappointment is that I can always find Lanceros because no one smokes them....so I guess you should pay no attention to what I have said above. I don't want a run on Lanceros that creates a void for me. These aren't the droids you are looking for....
Anyway, Jedi mind tricks aside, this cigar presents beautifully. The cigar is majestic and the wrapper is leathery and oily with very few veins. An inspection reveals nary an issue and I am becoming enticed by this smoke. The pre light aroma is of cinnamon and leather. The pre light draw shows some nutty sweetness.
The cigar opens with a profile that is surprisingly complex for so early in a smoke. There are some hints of cinnamon, leather and nuts in the front of the profile and I am immediately on notice. At the back of the palate there is a satisfying melange of light earth, wood and spice. The draw is excellent and my one complaint about small ring cigars is usually draw. The burn is also on the money at this point. I settle in for the rest of the experience and revel in the early complexity that was so unexpected.
The first half of the cigar continues to develop and shows layers of depth and complexity that continues to catch me off guard. The core profile shows excellent flavors of cinnamon, leather and has a sweet nutty complexity that ties it all together. At the back of the palate some of the tones have thinned, but there are still some nice layers of earth and wood. The draw continues to perform well and the burn is sharp with a solid ash.
The final half of the cigar shows some small losses in depth and complexity, but still rates well. The main profile weakens into a showing of leather and nuts, but the layers of depth just aren't here anymore. At the back of the palate there are still some nice notes of earth and wood, but again that prior layers of depth have disappeared, there is also the introduction of a white pepper here that seems disjointed from the rest of the experience. The draw and burn remain excellent throughout.
The finish has a nutty quality, but shows some interesting notes of pepper as well. I would recommend this to all enthusiasts. Get ready to pay the $10+ price though.
Appearance- 92 a very attractive smoke
Taste- 91 some deterioration in the back of the smoke hurt the overall impression
Construction- 97 a nearly flawless performance here
Strength- 93 a very excellent medium
Overall- 93.5 an excellent experience
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