I have reviewed the other San Lotano blends and I held the Connecticut back for a couple of reasons. First, I did not hear great things about this cigar, which was very surprising considering how much positive buzz there was about the Oval and the Habano blends. When I hear bad things I sometimes hesitate and hold a review until some of the negatives have died out and I can take a fair look at the cigar. The second reason, and really the more important one, is that Connecticut blends are usually not my favorites. If you look back over the history of this blog, Connecticut cigars have really not done well in my tastings (with the exception of Oliva and Pedro Martin).
This cigar presents nicely. The wrapper is silky smooth and has some light dusty characteristics in the texture that make me think of velvet. There are very few veins here, and I am liking what I am seeing so far. An inspection of the cigar reveals no areas of concern, as the bunch and roll seem to be very well done to me. The pre light aroma is bready and it has a nice sweet hint of cedar. The pre light draw has some light white pepper tones, but does not show much else.
The cigar opens with a profile that has more depth and complexity than I expected. The core profile has some wonderful hints of bread, cinnamon, vanilla and cedar. The overall impressions of this mix of flavors is very favorable and I am very happy with the profile dynamics that are being shown so early. At the back of the palate there is only one flavor, white pepper, and I don't feel like it has enough glue to hold this profile together for long but for right now it is ok. The draw is a little too tight for me early on, but it is not causing any performance issues at this point. The burn is solid at this point and a sturdy ash is forming.
The first half of the cigar shows some flavor retreating and I find myself disappointed by this development. The core profile is really showing some hard cedar flavors at this point and there is a strange sweet spice that takes some reflection to place, but I finally decide it is like a hard cider. At the back of the palate some pepper flavors continue, but there is a papery finish to the smoke here and it takes away from the experience. The draw is loosening some, but I still feel like it is too tight for my tastes, there is just the slightest bit of labor involved. The burn is right on the money and I don't anticipate any issues.
The final half of the cigar continues to slide downward in my view. The profile becomes more cedary still and that flavor becomes sharp and somewhat bitter. The cider essence has gone away at this point and that makes the sharp cedar flavors all the more in your face at this point. The back of the palate is still showing some light wisps of pepper, but the papery flavors are still present at this point. The draw is still too tight to the end of the smoke, but the burn was solid throughout.
The finish was papery, but had a strong cedar flavor as well.
Appearance- 91 a very nice looking smoke
Taste- 86 some very nice early flavors, but the last half took away some valuable points
Construction- 87 the draw was too tight, but the burn was exceptional
Strength- 88 a very nice mild/medium that could have used more pop
Overall- 87.5 slightly above average, could have been excellent with less flavor loss late in the smoke
Showing posts with label San Lotano. Show all posts
Showing posts with label San Lotano. Show all posts
Friday, May 4, 2012
Sunday, March 25, 2012
San Lotano Maduro Lancero (7x38)
I will start with an interesting observation about this smoke. It does not appear on the AJ Fernandez website. As part of my smoke and review rituals I always check the manufacturer site for information or interesting tid bits, in this case there just weren't any. I'm not sure why this is and I did not waste much energy trying to figure it out, but I did find it to be strange. This cigar has a lot going for it in my mind. It is a lancero, my favorite size, and a size that you just can't find in the marketplace very often. It is a San Lotano, I have recently become a real devotee of these offerings as they have been a pleasant addition to my lineup of new and exciting smokes which is often lacking additions. Finally, it is a maduro, I have always been a fan of this wrapper.
The cigar is pleasant to look at, I always like the diminutive majesty of this size, most guys don't like this vitola, I think they believe that it is feminine. I have told fellow BOTL's for years that true flavor from a wrapper can only be experienced fully in thinner vitolas alas, my assertions have long fallen upon deaf ears. The band work is interesting to look at and there is a second back that identifies the wrapper. An inspection reveals that the cigar is soft in the middle third and I am worried about what that will do to the performance of the smoke. The pre light aroma is woody and has a nice tobacco nose. The pre light draw shows some notes of pepper and cola.
The cigar opens with a profile that is too thin for me, it really has no depth or complexity. The core is showing some pepper and dark wood flavors, but they lack nuance and balance in the opening moments. At the back of the palate there is a nice earthy tone, that would be very nice if complemented by the front of the profile. The cigar draws like an absolute dream, this is the perfect draw for me, I can only wish that it were delivering the dream profile. The burn is slightly wonky, but it evens out well before the first third passes.
The first half of the cigar continues to wallow in mediocrity. The profile is still showing some pepper flavors and some dark wood, but there is no development or added subtlety at this point. At the back of the palate some nice earthy flavors continue and there is some light coffee here too, I feel like if it were more robust it might be a missing link for this cigar. The draw continues to perform very well and the burn has evened out without issue. I have also come into the soft middle section that I noted earlier and there have been no issues to this point.
The final half of this cigar starts to deliver what I would have liked from the beginning. The core profile becomes a more robust presentation of pepper, cocoa, dark fruit and wood. I am also experiencing the taste of cola as I noted in the pre light draw, this is very interesting to me as I have never experienced this flavor in a cigar before. The back of the palate is sweeter, almost floral, but continues to show earthy tones that are binding the experience together at this point. The draw has stayed as previously noted, but the burn has stated to jump around a bit again but requires no attention.
The finish was earthy, but a touch short.
Appearance- 88 a little rustic looking as the wrapper was lumpy, but a nice smoke
Taste- 87 some nice late flavor saved the score
Construction- 93 a superior effort here, without the slight burn issues I would have gone higher
Strength- 88 a solid medium that complemented the cigar nicely
Overall- 89.25 based mostly on very solid construction
The cigar is pleasant to look at, I always like the diminutive majesty of this size, most guys don't like this vitola, I think they believe that it is feminine. I have told fellow BOTL's for years that true flavor from a wrapper can only be experienced fully in thinner vitolas alas, my assertions have long fallen upon deaf ears. The band work is interesting to look at and there is a second back that identifies the wrapper. An inspection reveals that the cigar is soft in the middle third and I am worried about what that will do to the performance of the smoke. The pre light aroma is woody and has a nice tobacco nose. The pre light draw shows some notes of pepper and cola.
The cigar opens with a profile that is too thin for me, it really has no depth or complexity. The core is showing some pepper and dark wood flavors, but they lack nuance and balance in the opening moments. At the back of the palate there is a nice earthy tone, that would be very nice if complemented by the front of the profile. The cigar draws like an absolute dream, this is the perfect draw for me, I can only wish that it were delivering the dream profile. The burn is slightly wonky, but it evens out well before the first third passes.
The first half of the cigar continues to wallow in mediocrity. The profile is still showing some pepper flavors and some dark wood, but there is no development or added subtlety at this point. At the back of the palate some nice earthy flavors continue and there is some light coffee here too, I feel like if it were more robust it might be a missing link for this cigar. The draw continues to perform very well and the burn has evened out without issue. I have also come into the soft middle section that I noted earlier and there have been no issues to this point.
The final half of this cigar starts to deliver what I would have liked from the beginning. The core profile becomes a more robust presentation of pepper, cocoa, dark fruit and wood. I am also experiencing the taste of cola as I noted in the pre light draw, this is very interesting to me as I have never experienced this flavor in a cigar before. The back of the palate is sweeter, almost floral, but continues to show earthy tones that are binding the experience together at this point. The draw has stayed as previously noted, but the burn has stated to jump around a bit again but requires no attention.
The finish was earthy, but a touch short.
Appearance- 88 a little rustic looking as the wrapper was lumpy, but a nice smoke
Taste- 87 some nice late flavor saved the score
Construction- 93 a superior effort here, without the slight burn issues I would have gone higher
Strength- 88 a solid medium that complemented the cigar nicely
Overall- 89.25 based mostly on very solid construction
Thursday, February 2, 2012
San Lotano Oval Petit Robusto (4.5X54)
The San Lotano Habano, a brother of the cigar being reviewed here, was in my Top 10 Cigar list from 2011 which is no small feat in my not so humble opinion. I have had several of these Ovals laying about for awhile now and I'm not sure why I was waiting to smoke this, particularly since I enjoyed the Habano so much. I have spoken to some that have smoked this cigar and I have heard only rave reviews, this ordinarily gives me pause, but in this case I was actually excited about it. I believe some of my excitement stems from my opinion of AJ Fernandez and the smokes they produce, many of which I have rated very highly right here on this blog. Further anticipation comes from the fact that one of my friends that hates just about every cigar he smokes loved this one, that is so rare that I can only be rapt with glee at the prospect of smoking this cigar.
The cigar presents very well. It is firm, but not too bulky, even though 54 ring is a bit too big for me normally, this one does not seem to be as large as indicated. The wrapper is absolute eye candy; nearly vein free, full of oils, a deep and rich brown coloration like milk chocolate it really gets the synapses in the brain firing on all cylinders about the experience that might be forthcoming. The pre light aroma is a heady mix of spice, cedar and white pepper. The pre light draw is full of satisfying tobacco flavor.
The cigar opens with a profile that has miles and miles of depth and complexity. The core flavors are pepper, spice, tobacco, earth and chocolate. The flavors are so deep and nuanced that it is difficult to discern all of them, but they are not muddled, instead they are so intricately layered that each flavor has it's own kingdom inside the profile. I have seldom experienced this kind of nuance in a smoke so early on. At the back of the palate there are some excellent earth and tobacco notes that are binding the whole experience together in a soldiering fashion, they know their role and they perform it flawlessly. The draw is a little tight for me, but I am hoping it opens up as the smoke progresses. The burn is dead even and a firm ash is forming nicely.
The first half of the cigar loses some of the nuance, but what is left continues to be very impressive. The core profile becomes a more focused presentation of tobacco and chocolate notes with some sprays of pepper to keep things interesting. This thinning of the profile is somewhat disappointing after the beginning salvo, but it continues to be very solid. At the back of the palate the flavors of earth and tobacco continue to march on providing a solid backdrop for the entire flavor experience. The draw is still a touch tight, but I am managing well enough. The burn stays solid.
The final half of the cigar really let me down. It was not bad, far from it, but I was expecting an epic ending after the phenomenal beginning and solid middle. Maybe part of the charm was that this did not happen, as it does so often in other cigars. I feel like the decision was made to just let the cigar speak for itself and not do anything to punch up the ending, looking back I think this could be an excellent choice. The core profile begins to show cedar notes and some beautiful pepper flavors return here, they are subtle, but add so much to the experience. At the back of the palate there are booming flavors of earth and some nice, rich tobacco flavors as well. The consistency of these final moments are what smokers will remember and that is key. The draw is fine, but still tight for me. The burn was solid to the end.
The finish was earthy and satisfying for several moments after completion.
Appearance- 94 a very attractive smoke
Taste- 91 very, very solid some follow through of early flavors would have been nice
Construction- 90 excellent, points removed for draw tightness
Strength- 92 a wonderfully full bodied, medium strength cigar
Overall- 91.25 an absolute must smoke
The cigar presents very well. It is firm, but not too bulky, even though 54 ring is a bit too big for me normally, this one does not seem to be as large as indicated. The wrapper is absolute eye candy; nearly vein free, full of oils, a deep and rich brown coloration like milk chocolate it really gets the synapses in the brain firing on all cylinders about the experience that might be forthcoming. The pre light aroma is a heady mix of spice, cedar and white pepper. The pre light draw is full of satisfying tobacco flavor.
The cigar opens with a profile that has miles and miles of depth and complexity. The core flavors are pepper, spice, tobacco, earth and chocolate. The flavors are so deep and nuanced that it is difficult to discern all of them, but they are not muddled, instead they are so intricately layered that each flavor has it's own kingdom inside the profile. I have seldom experienced this kind of nuance in a smoke so early on. At the back of the palate there are some excellent earth and tobacco notes that are binding the whole experience together in a soldiering fashion, they know their role and they perform it flawlessly. The draw is a little tight for me, but I am hoping it opens up as the smoke progresses. The burn is dead even and a firm ash is forming nicely.
The first half of the cigar loses some of the nuance, but what is left continues to be very impressive. The core profile becomes a more focused presentation of tobacco and chocolate notes with some sprays of pepper to keep things interesting. This thinning of the profile is somewhat disappointing after the beginning salvo, but it continues to be very solid. At the back of the palate the flavors of earth and tobacco continue to march on providing a solid backdrop for the entire flavor experience. The draw is still a touch tight, but I am managing well enough. The burn stays solid.
The final half of the cigar really let me down. It was not bad, far from it, but I was expecting an epic ending after the phenomenal beginning and solid middle. Maybe part of the charm was that this did not happen, as it does so often in other cigars. I feel like the decision was made to just let the cigar speak for itself and not do anything to punch up the ending, looking back I think this could be an excellent choice. The core profile begins to show cedar notes and some beautiful pepper flavors return here, they are subtle, but add so much to the experience. At the back of the palate there are booming flavors of earth and some nice, rich tobacco flavors as well. The consistency of these final moments are what smokers will remember and that is key. The draw is fine, but still tight for me. The burn was solid to the end.
The finish was earthy and satisfying for several moments after completion.
Appearance- 94 a very attractive smoke
Taste- 91 very, very solid some follow through of early flavors would have been nice
Construction- 90 excellent, points removed for draw tightness
Strength- 92 a wonderfully full bodied, medium strength cigar
Overall- 91.25 an absolute must smoke
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
San Lotano Habano Toro (6x54)
I picked this cigar up while nosing through the humi at my favorite New Orleans B&M, I knew nothing about it at the time except that it had been made by A.J. Fernandez. A.J. Fernandez usually means that I will like the cigar, but I have had some that I did not care for. The proprietor of the establishment couldn't tell me much about the cigar, but I liked the looks of it, so I decided to grab some. Smoking a cigar that you know nothing about can be a real leap of faith, and I have many more of these leaps lead to disaster than I have had lead to nirvana.
The cigar itself is a bit too thick for me, it is well established that I much prefer the thinner ring gauge cigars, but sadly there just aren't that many new cigars that offer a thin ring vitola and if they do B&M's don't seem to carry them. Note to B&M's; you are letting smokers like me down! The wrapper is beautiful, smooth and supple with a light brown coloration like a lightly creamed coffee. There are very few veins and it is very inviting visually. The band work is simple, yet interesting. An examination does not lead me to believe that there will be any issues with the smoke as it seems solidly constructed. The pre light aroma is a heady mix of spice and fruit. The pre light draw shows pepper and wood.
The cigar opens with a profile that shows scads of depth and complexity. The main flavors are cinnamon, citrus and light tobacco. The mix of these flavors is sublime in the opening moments of the smoke. At the back of the palate there are savory and satisfying flavors of light wood and black pepper. The mix and balance of this total profile is extremely rewarding early on. The draw is a little bit tight, but I can perceptibly feel it loosen up as it goes on. The burn is right on the money and the ash is very solid.
The first half of the cigar loses some of the opening depth, but is still a very solid presentation of flavor. The core profile settles into a more relaxed presentation of cinnamon and light coffee, there are hints of light tobacco flavor here as well, but I would have liked more to add further depth. At the back of the palate a more intense flavor of wood has come on strong, but it overpowers some of the nuance from earlier in the smoke. The draw continues to improve as the smoke progresses. The burn is still very solid.
The final half of the cigar really touches all the bases for me. There is a significant increase in strength in the back portion of the cigar, something that I don't experience much any more, and it is very refreshing and exciting to have in this cigar. The profile shows excellent flavors of cinnamon, leather, coffee and tobacco and the mix is deep and complex. I really like when a cigar saves a surprise or two for the closing gambit, and in this case that leather flavor is a real kicker. The back of the palate shows excellent and balanced flavors of wood and some light earth in the closing moments. The draw is now firing on all cylinders and the experience is made more enjoyable because of it. The burn is solid through to the end.
The finish is long and smooth and shows some wood and leather notes well into the night.
Appearance- 92 a very attractive smoke
Taste- 94 an excellent profile that loses out on being classic due to some slippage in the first half
Construction- 91 some points reduced due to early tightness in the draw
Strength- 93 this was magnificent, transitioning from medium to full as the smoke went on
Overall- 92.5 a fabulous smoking experience that I would commend to any full flavor enthusiast
The cigar itself is a bit too thick for me, it is well established that I much prefer the thinner ring gauge cigars, but sadly there just aren't that many new cigars that offer a thin ring vitola and if they do B&M's don't seem to carry them. Note to B&M's; you are letting smokers like me down! The wrapper is beautiful, smooth and supple with a light brown coloration like a lightly creamed coffee. There are very few veins and it is very inviting visually. The band work is simple, yet interesting. An examination does not lead me to believe that there will be any issues with the smoke as it seems solidly constructed. The pre light aroma is a heady mix of spice and fruit. The pre light draw shows pepper and wood.
The cigar opens with a profile that shows scads of depth and complexity. The main flavors are cinnamon, citrus and light tobacco. The mix of these flavors is sublime in the opening moments of the smoke. At the back of the palate there are savory and satisfying flavors of light wood and black pepper. The mix and balance of this total profile is extremely rewarding early on. The draw is a little bit tight, but I can perceptibly feel it loosen up as it goes on. The burn is right on the money and the ash is very solid.
The first half of the cigar loses some of the opening depth, but is still a very solid presentation of flavor. The core profile settles into a more relaxed presentation of cinnamon and light coffee, there are hints of light tobacco flavor here as well, but I would have liked more to add further depth. At the back of the palate a more intense flavor of wood has come on strong, but it overpowers some of the nuance from earlier in the smoke. The draw continues to improve as the smoke progresses. The burn is still very solid.
The final half of the cigar really touches all the bases for me. There is a significant increase in strength in the back portion of the cigar, something that I don't experience much any more, and it is very refreshing and exciting to have in this cigar. The profile shows excellent flavors of cinnamon, leather, coffee and tobacco and the mix is deep and complex. I really like when a cigar saves a surprise or two for the closing gambit, and in this case that leather flavor is a real kicker. The back of the palate shows excellent and balanced flavors of wood and some light earth in the closing moments. The draw is now firing on all cylinders and the experience is made more enjoyable because of it. The burn is solid through to the end.
The finish is long and smooth and shows some wood and leather notes well into the night.
Appearance- 92 a very attractive smoke
Taste- 94 an excellent profile that loses out on being classic due to some slippage in the first half
Construction- 91 some points reduced due to early tightness in the draw
Strength- 93 this was magnificent, transitioning from medium to full as the smoke went on
Overall- 92.5 a fabulous smoking experience that I would commend to any full flavor enthusiast
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