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Among the many new cigars to arrive in our humidor this month is a limited edition Nicaraguan stick from blender Carlos Pereda Robaina, grandson of famous Cuban cigar maker Alejandro Robaina. The Elogio Serie LSV Edicion Limitada Lancero contains a blend of longfillers from the Condega and Jalapa regions of Nicaragua, along with Nicaraguan binder, and a special and rare Ecuador Habano wrapper grown by Carlos and his uncle Armando at the Robaina family’s small farm in Somoto. Having heard a decent amount of buzz about Elogio lately, I decided to take it out for a test-smoke in today’s review.
The cigar was decked out in a smooth and oily, dark brown wrapper. Its banding was simple and elegant, with just one small gold band bearing the Elogio name. Construction looked solid from head to foot, and after a quick toast, I was off and smoking.
The LSV Lancero opened up with layered flavors of earth, an anise-like sweetness, and deeply rich spice. Right off the bat I started picking up hints of pure-cane sugar and white pepper in the background, which assured me I was in for a complex smoke. The burn was off to an even start, and a chalky grey ash was beginning to build up nicely. About an inch and a half in, the smoke became majorly smooth and creamy with some subtle leather on the finish.
As I burned into the 2nd third of the cigar, while I wouldn’t describe it as a major transition in terms of flavor, I did begin to taste notes of molasses and oak which added even more depth to the profile. I noticed that this stogie was burning pretty slow, especially for one with such a small ring gauge. Also worth mentioning is the fact that this portion of the cigar was so smooth and easy to smoke that I accidentally half-inhaled it, not once, but twice, which is something I haven’t done since my very earliest smoking experiences (much like touching a hot stove, inhaling a cigar will teach you quickly that it’s something you do not want to do.)
In the final 3rd this stick continued to wow me with awesome, complex flavor. A milky note accompanied by a little bit of graham joined the mix, and a rich, malty sweetness emerged on the finish. The Elogio LSV continued to produce thick, creamy plumes of tasty smoke until the end.
Almost every cigar out there these days claims to have “unique” flavor, and only a select few really stand out from the pack. The Elogio E.L. Lancero most certainly had a distinct and original taste that stood out to me, with tons of interesting flavor nuances that I hadn’t experienced before. In addition to that, the cigar gave me absolutely zero problems with burn or draw, and stayed cool, smooth, and slow-burning all the way through. Smoking a cigar like this reminds me that even when I start to think I’ve tried every flavor profile under the sun, I haven’t, and that there are countless blend combinations and flavor profiles I still have to look forward to. In other words, it’s days like this that I really love my job. I award the Elogio LSV Lancero an A grade, and will be smoking one again in the near future, as my 5-pack order has already been placed.
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