Brand: Los Blancos Premier Maduro
Vitola: Torpedo
Ring Gauge: 52
Length: 6.50
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Nicaragua
Origin: Nicaragua
Price: Roughly $5.75

Brand:
The Los Blancos Cigar Company was established in 1998, but has a family lineage that goes back 80 years to the Pinar del Rio region of Cuba. The distribution center and corporate office is located in the city of Chicago. One of the strong parts of Los Blancos Cigars is their family operation. Each person within the family plays a very important role in the day to day operations of the company.

The cigars are crafted in Esteli, Nicaragua, in Nestor Plasencia’s Segovia Factory. The selection of this particular factory has everything to do with its tradition and values. For years it has been referred to as “The Cathedral” for its large stained glass windows and exposed wood beams.

The Premier line of Los Blancos Cigars is made up of four varieties, which include a Connecticut, Criollo, Maduro, and Sumatra. Each wrapper is available in several sizes and come packaged in boxes of twenty-four. The sizes within the Maduro line include a Churchill Tubo (46 x 7.00), Double Corona (52 x 7.00), Torpedo (52 x 6.50), Toro (52 x 6.00), Corona (44 x 5.50), Robusto (50 x 5.00), and a Sesenta (60 x 6.00).

Pre-Light:

We recently received an email from David Blanco, of Los Blancos Cigars, asking if we would be interested in reviewing some of his product. After a terrific first impression at IPCPR in Las Vegas, we accepted the offer. A few days later I came home from work to find a package from Los Blancos Cigars awaiting me.

After getting the loose cigars unpacked and separated, I re-bagged them and allowed them to acclimate to my preferred Relative Humidity and Temperature. About two weeks later and here we are for the formal review.

The cigar of choice for tonight was the Los Blancos Premier Maduro. I removed my Torpedo from its cellophane sleeve and gave it a good looking over. The first thing that I noticed was the wrapper color was lighter than that of the sixty I smoked previously. It leads me to believe that there may be some inconsistency in Maduro color among the brand.

The color in itself was consistent from head to foot. There were several veins throughout the wrapper, all of which were small enough to leave the cigar feeling smooth to the touch. When pinched, I found the stick to be firm and consistently packed with tobacco. The aroma on both the wrapper and exposed foot were rich and aromatic.

Being satisfied with the cigar so far, I reached for my Xikar Cutter and clipped the head of my cigar. The pre light draw was free with a fruit like sweetness on the cold draw.

First Third:

After my pre light inspection was complete, I reached for my lighter and got down to business. After a quick and easy lighting process, I had my Los Blancos Premier Maduro evenly lit and producing lots of smoke. The first few puffs gave way to loads of dense smoke that was easy on the palate and very mild to start.

As I settled in on the cigar, things began to come into focus. The first thing that I noticed across the palate was the body. To my surprise, it was much milder than I anticipated, and I expected it to be fairly mild. After allowing the smoke to clear off of my palate, I began to feel little dried out from the smoke. A sip of water alleviated the dryness and left me ready for the next puff.

In the flavor department, there was a very distinct flavor that I could not place. The first thing that came to mind was some sort of dark fruit, like a cross between plum and cherries. As this fruit like flavor passed, I could taste secondary flavors of coffee and wood.

As the cigar burned, it produced a light colored ash that became a little flaky at times. The ash would grown to about an inch in length before being knocked off with a gentle tap above the ashtray. The burn line was thin and even while producing a mild room aroma. The draw was free and produced lots of dense smoke.

Second Third:

After smoking for about sixty minutes, I reached the second third of my Los Blancos Maduro. The body has progressed and moved into the mild to medium range. The finish continued to leave me feeling dried out. This feeling intensified as the cigar got shorter.

The interesting fruit like flavor began to change as I moved through the cigar. In the earlier stages, the flavor was defined and easy to pick out. As I move on, they became muddy and not nearly as defined as they were. The new blend of flavor lacks the sweetness mentioned earlier, instead it carries a mild salty flavor. The background flavors consist of coffee and wood, with more emphasis on coffee.

The burn line was thin and even while producing a good burn rate. The draw remained free and produced loads of thick smoke which was easily passed through the sinus. On occasion I was having a little difficulty keeping the cigar completely lit. The odd touchup quickly solved the problem and I was back in business.

Final Third:

As I neared the ninety minute mark, It was time to remove the band on my cigar and get down to the final third. The body continued to progress but never moved beyond what I would consider medium. The finish changed directions and became mildly creamy while being smooth on the palate. This new change was a welcomed one which I found much more enjoyable that the dry finish of the first and second third.

Just like the finish, the flavor profile went through an extensive change into the final third as well. The once salty and muddy flavors were now back to being crisp and defined. The primary flavor at this point has become cedar with coffee lingering around in the background. Some saltiness remains, but it isn’t nearly as defined as it once was. In between puffs there is an occasional chocolate flavor that quickly comes and goes. This flavor adds a new level of complexity to the smoke and is very enjoyable.

The occasional touch-up is still required to keep the filler completely lit. My assumption would be that there is a bit more ligero in this area of the cigar. As a result, it doesn’t burn as well as the filler surrounding it and needs a quick touch-up to keep it in check.

Final Thoughts:
After just about two hours, I sat my cigar down to rest with mixed feelings. I can easily say that it wasn’t something that I generally smoke, but it certainly was not a bad cigar. The flavor changes kept me on my toes and made for an interesting smoke.

If you are the type of person that wants an interesting Maduro flavor without all of the punch typically associated with a Maduro, this is certainly something you may want to look into. The body remains easy going from start to finish and the cigar delivers several interesting flavors.

All of the samples I smoked were paired with water and smoked in the evening. I think this cigar may be better suited for me with a beverage such as coffee and smoked much earlier in the day.

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