Cigar Review: Nestor Miranda Special Selection Lancero

This is the first of a series of reviews on lancero cigars. The lancero size is definitely my favorite. Many men don’t like it because it’s such a thin ring gauge, but I’ll tell you now that you’ll get flavor like you’ve never seen from these cigars. In this series, I’ll put the EO Cubao, Oliva Serie V, La Aurora Cameroon, and Nestor Miranda Special Selection in the ring and see who comes out on top.

This is a full Nicaraguan cigar (wrapper, binder and filler from Nicaragua) though it’s rolled in the DR.  It’s touted as the NEW special selection, as there was a previous release of other sizes.  This blend was a collaboration between Nestor and the now-famous Don Pepin and is said to be a medium-full spicy cigar.

Appearance: This is a 7.5×40 cigar.  Many other sites are claiming it as a 38rg, but according to the box it’s a 40rg.  I’ll go with what the box says.  This is a sexy looking cigar.  Its band is simple, but elegant with a copper metalic ring on the top and bottom of the band.  Nestor’s signature is there for you to see too.  The wrapper has a nice sheen to it.  There are some definite veins on this cigar, but no tooth.  Again, this is a sexy looking cigar.

Taste: The first thing that hit me on this was its sweetness.  I could have sworn it was sugar-tipped.  Initial flavors were a toasty leather, but that sweetness was strong underneath.  Very nice.  About half way through, the sweetness calmed a bit, but the same leather was apparent.  Some earth introduced itself, giving you a nice foundation to replace the sweetness.  As you got towards the end, the earthy tones became more pronounced.  There was an amazing amount of smoke with each draw making the tasting experience completely enjoyable.

Aroma: Holding this to my nose, I got slight hints of toasted bread and butter.  The smoke was mild and earthy.  I definitely wouldn’t mind being stuck in a room full of this smoke.

Construction: This felt a little spongy at first squeeze, so I was a little concerned, but it lit quickly and evenly.  It burned very well, but not perfectly.  You’ll find many smaller ring gauges have a tight draw because they’re difficult to roll, but this had a perfect draw.  The ash was a bit loose, so I wouldn’t let it grow beyond 3/4 of an inch or so, but it held well enough.  I wouldn’t try a longest ash competition with this.

Overall Impression: Well, we’re out the gate with a strong competitor.  Hot damn, but this is a fine smoke.  I don’t often get excited about a cigar, as I smoke a lot and it takes a lot to impress me.  This one definitely impressed me and will easily become a staple in my humidor.  It’s a good solid medium body, but I didn’t get the spice that others claim it has.  If you haven’t tried this, you are definitely missing out.  Its taste is the standout feature of this cigar, and it would have received a perfect rating had it burned slightly better.  Get your hands on these before I buy them all for myself.

Cigar Rating:

Note: I looked back on my ratings already for the year, and I’ve noticed that I’ve handed out a number of 4 1/2 star ratings already.  This isn’t normally my style as I’m pretty harsh on my reviews, but then I noticed that all of them except for one had one thing in common, and the answer became clear.  Can you figure out what it is?

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1. 

   MountChuck says:

   February 24, 2009 at 6:59 am

   I really enjoy these. I’ll be interested in seeing what the Don Pepin version is like.

   In addition to the lanceros you mentioned (all winners), I’d suggest the Illusione HL, El Triunfador, CAO Lx2, and the Padilla Miami 8&11 (if you can still find them)
2. 

   JasonT says:

   February 24, 2009 at 8:57 am

   I really like these also. I smoked a My Father lancero this weekend, and the Miranda blows it away. I’ll also mention that these can be practically stolen on the devil site. I look forward to the rest of the lancero collection.
3. 

   Ricky says:

   February 24, 2009 at 5:45 pm

   @mountchuck – I’ll look into a round 2 for the lancero comparison and then maybe pit the two winners together.
4. 

   tobacmon says:

   March 2, 2009 at 4:48 pm

   I also enjoy this blend. Have had the Robustos and look to try the Lanceros. I hear they pack a bit more of a kick!
5. 

   tobacmon says:

   April 23, 2009 at 12:11 pm

   Great smoke and review–these are some of my favorites!