Wrapper : Nicaraguan Habano
Binder : Costa Rican
Filler : Nicaraguan and Honduran
Source : Gifted by John (local broker/rep)

This week I am doing a first impressions of the Placeres Reserva which was given to me by our local broker/sales rep, John. This cigar is box pressed and is about a 5 by 50 cigar, with guessing on the 50.

Pre-Light

Taking a sniff of the Placeres reserva and I get a huge hit of barnyard from the wrapper while just a little from the foot. Cold draw produces a spice and bitterness associated with dark chocolate or black coffee. Cigar is a tight box press. Clipped the end with no problem and the flame did it’s job. Let’s smoke.

Cigar

Starting off the Placeres Reserva and it is a little spice bomb right out of the gates with some of the bitterness to it that seems more like dark chocolate at this point and a woody taste. Just got a smack in the face of woodiness with a splash of spice. Bitter chocolate is still there but really diluted. Wold be nice if the chocolate came a bit more to the forefront and mingles with the other players but there is no team in chocolate I guess. Solid medium body even before halfway.

Burn is going great with the flavors just blasting through. Still going strong with the woody spicy taste but the bitter chocolate has come back along with a creamier taste. Smoke volume is nice but not overwhelming and the room aroma seems pleasant to me.

Definite full body and full flavor in the last half, maybe last third. Dark chocolate came on fuller with the creaminess sticking around with the spice. Wood took a back seat to everything else towards the end.

Wrap-Up

Would I buy it again? Maybe. As most people know I am more of a mild to medium smoker but I would try this again after a nice steak dinner as it should cut through the heavy meal very nicely.