Lancero February 2015

[Senor Perfecto]

Day 1: Lost City
Day 2: Fausto
Day 3: La Riqueza
Day 4: Cabaiguan Guapos
Day 5: La Casita Criolla
Day 6: Tat Red
Day 7: Tat Brown, 7-20-4
Day 8: Opus X PL, La Palina Black PL
Day 9: Valeroso
Day 10: Viaje Exclusivo, Tat black PL
Day 11: Snare Drum
Day 12: Pepin Blue
Day 13: La Aurora 107
Day 14: MF #4, BOTL 2012
Day 15: Nat Sherman 1930 8x38 "super lancero"
Day 16: Fonseca Cubano Limitado
Day 17: Caldwell LLTK Jalapeño



I'm gonna get some hate mail for this...

Ok. I like Caldwell. And I have now tried THREE times to like this stick. But it's going to go dead last on my list of reviews, and it's probably going to stay there. Here's why.

It tastes like soap.

I can see the quality here! And the *smoke* tastes like I would really like it!

But this wrapper is just broken.

Normally what would be bitter, burnt coffee, here is nothing more than an unpleasant chemical-laced soap. I mean, it's like I'm the kid in A Christmas Story with a bar of Lifebouy in my mouth. And it overshadows everything else the stick is trying to do.

Call me crazy. The draw is a tad tight. The wrapper looks great in its reddish brown sheen. Just don't, you know, smoke it.

I love the marketing. I love some of the flavor in this smoke. But I cannot abide by a cigar that makes me want to spit it out as soon as I jaw it. Three different sticks in three different months.

I'll be seeing Robert next week, and I will find a way to ask him about this.

Ranked top to bottom thus far:

Lost City
Opus X PL
BOTL 2012
Fonseca Cubano Limitado lancero.
La Riqueza
7-20-4
La Aurora 107
Tat brown
MF #4
La Palina Black PL
Viaje Exclusivo
Tat Black PL
Pepin Blue
La Casita Criolla
Nat Sherman 1930 8x38 "super lancero"
Snare Drum
Valeroso
Cabaiguan Guapos
Tat red
Fausto
Caldwell LLTK Jalapeño

 

[King Kill 33]

Great review. My socks stayed on when I smoked one too a while back. Gonna giver another go in a couple days for this thread though.

 

[King Kill 33]

CyB TAA

Started off a little plugged but I rolled it around in my fingers where there felt like a hard spot was in the middle and it started smoking better. Flavors were very nice in the first half. Nutty and woody with a nice sweet spice.
Plugged again at the halfway mark, but I didn't give up. (Trooper me..) Gave it another firm fondling to get the smoke through. It opened right up and the same nutty and sweet spice was present. The creaminess ramped up towards the end and it finished wonderfully with a nice coffee note. Like a Tim Hortons double-double. Super creamy and sweet. Nice smoke for sure. Pic below shows how I rough housed it a bit to get it unplugged. Wrapper suffered a bit but it was needed to open it up.

Rated:88

 

[Senor Perfecto]

One of these is going to meet its maker tonight.

Any preference?

 

[jonnylieberman]

Day 1: Lost City
Day 2: Fausto
Day 3: La Riqueza
Day 4: Cabaiguan Guapos
Day 5: La Casita Criolla
Day 6: Tat Red
Day 7: Tat Brown, 7-20-4
Day 8: Opus X PL, La Palina Black PL
Day 9: Valeroso
Day 10: Viaje, Tat black PL
Day 11: Snare Drum
Day 12: Pepin Blue
Day 13: La Aurora 107
Day 14: MF #4, BOTL 2012
Day 15: Nat Sherman 1930 8x38 "super lancero"
Day 16: Fonseca Cubano Limitado
Day 17: Caldwell LLTK Jalapeño

View attachment 58970

I'm gonna get some hate mail for this...

Ok. I like Caldwell. And I have now tried THREE times to like this stick. But it's going to go dead last on my list of reviews, and it's probably going to stay there. Here's why.

It tastes like soap.

I can see the quality here! And the *smoke* tastes like I would really like it!

But this wrapper is just broken.

Normally what would be bitter, burnt coffee, here is nothing more than an unpleasant chemical-laced soap. I mean, it's like I'm the kid in A Christmas Story with a bar of Lifebouy in my mouth. And it overshadows everything else the stick is trying to do.

Call me crazy. The draw is a tad tight. The wrapper looks great in its reddish brown sheen. Just don't, you know, smoke it.

I love the marketing. I love some of the flavor in this smoke. But I cannot abide by a cigar that makes me want to spit it out as soon as I jaw it. Three different sticks in three different months.

I'll be seeing Robert next week, and I will find a way to ask him about this.

Ranked top to bottom thus far:

Lost City
Opus X PL
BOTL 2012
Fonseca Cubano Limitado lancero.
La Riqueza
7-20-4
La Aurora 107
Tat brown
MF #4
La Palina Black PL
Viaje
Tat Black PL
Pepin Blue
La Casita Criolla
Nat Sherman 1930 8x38 "super lancero"
Snare Drum
Valeroso
Cabaiguan Guapos
Tat red
Fausto
Caldwell LLTK Jalapeño

Never had the Lance, but I had another Vitola and was totally unimpressed. Which is weird because I really dig King is Dead and Eastern Standard.

That said, I have the Lance to smoke, and ten more days in which to smoke it in...

 

[King Kill 33]

View attachment 59001

One of these is going to meet its maker tonight.

Any preference?

I believe if I had to smoke a San Lotano, that Habano wrapper would be the one. They are pretty tasty from my recollection.

I have the Holi in my humi as well that will need to go down before month's end. Look forward to comparing notes...

 

[Trackmyer]

Lancero February:
Stick #1: L40 by Drew Estates
Stick #2: 2014 TAA by CyB
Stick #3: 2012 Illusione Holy Lance
Stick #4: DPG Original Blue
Stick #5: Room 101 Master Collection One Mutante
Stick #6: Joya de Nicaragua Antano 1970
Stick #7: Viaje Oro
Stick #8: BLTC Morphine
Stick #9: AVO Heritage
Stick #10: Headley Grange Drumstick
Stick #11: 2014 Illusione Holy Lance
Stick #12: L'Atelier Lancero

Running low on options without hitting some duplicates in my stash so figured might as well burn this one today. Now I know why it lasted this long in my stash. I wasn't expecting much, and boy did it deliver just that. Single flavor profile, not bad, just boring. I did stick it out till finish, but not impressed.

 

[Trackmyer]

Haa, forgot, I still have a unopened Tat Lance sampler....SCORE!! New sticks to put into the mix. Nice!

 

[Trackmyer]

View attachment 59001

One of these is going to meet its maker tonight.

Any preference?

Id be all over that Edgar Hoill like white on rice!

 

[jonboy]

Tatuaje Cabaiguan

Nice looking stick. It has a very supple feel with an almost velvety, butter soft light brown mottled wrapper. No visible seams and a few small veins. Construction was spot on. Great draw, good smoke output, fantastic burn requiring zero touch-ups. I found this stick to be fairly unique flavor wise, although not very complex. It started out with a white pepper blast on the first few draws. Shortly, the pepper dialed down ever so slightly and was accompanied by a silky, creamy sweetness that played a distant second fiddle. It was a very nice combo that remained steady through the first half. Just as i was becoming bored, the second half brought on a role reversal. The creamy sweetness jumped to the forefront joined by a nutty bread flavor, and the pepper, although still there, was considerably less prevalent. It remained this way until I put down the still cool smoking 1" nub. I really enjoyed this one.
Final score: 90

 

[irie]

room 101 Master collection tonight.

wow.......... not what I was expecting. This stick started out silky smooth with lots of cream on the palette. I was getting almost nothing substantial flavor wise on the draw until my first retrohale. This thing is so subtle and nuanced you are seriously missing out on 99% of the flavor without a good retro from time to time. Nice smooth transitions from sweet and cream to a tiny bit of spice and light meatiness. It rounded out with a bit more body, light coffee, cocoa, cherry and pepper. loved it! My only regret is only grabbing one at the room 101 event I got this one from.

 

[Trackmyer]

room 101 Master collection tonight.

wow.......... not what I was expecting. This stick started out silky smooth with lots of cream on the palette. I was getting almost nothing substantial flavor wise on the draw until my first retrohale. This thing is so subtle and nuanced you are seriously missing out on 99% of the flavor without a good retro from time to time. Nice smooth transitions from sweet and cream to a tiny bit of spice and light meatiness. It rounded out with a bit more body, light coffee, cocoa, cherry and pepper. loved it! My only regret is only grabbing one at the room 101 event I got this one from.

Master Collection Two's are hard to come by for me. One's can be found everywhere, but I haven't seen Two's anywhere nearby.
On the hunt now for the newly released Three's

 

[irie]

yeah if you can find one I say definitely grab one to try. Was pleasantly surprised by this stick. I have another of their lances, im not sure what it is (silver and grey band same one sirspanks had the other day) i will spark it up this weekend and report my findings....

 

[3/5King]

Got my Matilde Ranacer long and skinnys yesterday.. What a beautiful cigar.

http://www.botl.org/threads/matilde-renacer-lancero.78776/

Figured I would post a link rather than the whole review here.

 

[Senor Perfecto]

View attachment 59027

Got my Matilde Ranacer long and skinnys yesterday.. What a beautiful cigar.

http://www.botl.org/threads/matilde-renacer-lancero.78776/

Figured I would post a link rather than the whole review here.

Beautifully done.

 

[King Kill 33]

Goldie Laguito #1



Getting better with age. Very nice LANCERO that finishes well. Goes through a spot about 1/3 in where you get a few harsh flavors, but that soon passes and gives way to a nice creamy toasty caramelly note that dominates the rest of the cigar. I estimate that these will be super awesome this time next year.
Rated:90

 

[King Kill 33]

View attachment 59027

Got my Matilde Ranacer long and skinnys yesterday.. What a beautiful cigar.

http://www.botl.org/threads/matilde-renacer-lancero.78776/

Figured I would post a link rather than the whole review here.

Awesome review..! Check it out folks.

 

[King Kill 33]

room 101 Master collection tonight.

wow.......... not what I was expecting. This stick started out silky smooth with lots of cream on the palette. I was getting almost nothing substantial flavor wise on the draw until my first retrohale. This thing is so subtle and nuanced you are seriously missing out on 99% of the flavor without a good retro from time to time. Nice smooth transitions from sweet and cream to a tiny bit of spice and light meatiness. It rounded out with a bit more body, light coffee, cocoa, cherry and pepper. loved it! My only regret is only grabbing one at the room 101 event I got this one from.

Irie, I do agree on your review of the MC2. They are smoking magically now.
Also, all 5 vitola are in stock (boxes and fivers) at Famous right now.
http://www.famous-smoke.com/brand/room+101+master+collection+two+cigars?allbranditems=true

 

[King Kill 33]

Also, just a quick reminder to all that were unaware. Lancero February has a couple contests to go with the fun. Check out post #1 for details...!

 

[jonnylieberman]

View attachment 59027

Got my Matilde Ranacer long and skinnys yesterday.. What a beautiful cigar.

http://www.botl.org/threads/matilde-renacer-lancero.78776/

Figured I would post a link rather than the whole review here.

Man... I guess mine needs age -- or something -- but I did dig this stick. Mostly one note through the entire thing, and then just kinda... meh. Smoked it side by side with @drewvonah who was smoking a Holi Lance and the Illusione was so much better. Big let down for me, as the Matilde robusto I had a few months ago was wonderful.