Flor de Selva Lancero Cigar Review

This weekend on The Cigar Authority we will discuss the winners of The 2015 Cigar Trophy Awards as presented by Cigar Journal magazine. Last year it feels as if the awards were dominated by Flor de Selva and Maya Selva Cigars who this year began to make a push to improve their footprint in the American market.

The company which is headed by Maya Selva, a Franco-Honduran; began selling cigars in France in 1995 and to celebrate the company’s 20th Anniversary they released a limited edition lancero of which only 500 boxes of 10 have been released in the United States.

Cigar Review: Flor de Selva
Size: 7 x 38 (Lancero)
Wrapper: Honduran Connecticut
Binder: Honduran Habano (Jamastran)
Filler: Honduras
Strength: Mild-Medium
Source: Maya Selva Cigars

The Look (8/10): The shade grown Connecticut seed grown in Honduras has an almost velvet like appearance to it. There are some visible veins  although none of which are too big to cause concern and the cigar is seamlessly rolled. In the hand the cigar feels light but firm with no soft spots and a well packed foot. The band of the cigar reminds me of the Vitruvian Man by Michelangelo although the drawing is that of a woman. The cigar also uses a foot band as visible in the pictures below.

The Notes (33/35): The cold draw of the cigar serves up a notes of fig and raisins with just the slightest hint of molasses creating a sweetness that is enjoyable and gives off the feeling of tobacco that has been well aged. The foot of the cigar has a notes of wood and spices.

As we smoke the first third of the Flor de Selva the dominant note becomes wheat which is something new for me in smoking a cigar. I guess you can call it earthy but it is definitely wheat my palate is picking up. Through the nose there is some subtle pepper. The finish is subtle with elements of toast and coffee.

As we breach the second third of the cigar some of the sweetness from the prelight draw begins to emerge with notes of molasses and maple. The sweetness however was short-lived as around the half-way point it disappeared with wood notes being the dominant flavor. There is still some elements of burnt toast and coffee although some leather has snuck its way into the finish of the cigar.

The final third of the cigar sees the leather notes that developed at the half-way point become dominant with some increased spices. Some wheat notes make a return though they are muted compared to the first third of the cigar. The finish becomes lengthy would notes of wood, leather and spices.

The Burn (35/35): Simply put you cannot find a better constructed lancero on the market today. The Flor de Selva had an absolute perfect draw with the right amount of resistance. The ash held in one-third increments which is rare for a lancero, but what is even more rare the cigar remained lit from first light to last puff. The combustion line was thin and crisp and the cigar burned cool.

The Finish (17/20): At $15 per stick the cigar is a little bit pricey for a lancero and it would limit how often I smoked them but given the rarity of the cigar with its limited production and availability I would pick up a box for sure. Smoking the cigar has some Cuban-esque elements to it in terms of flavor but it comes off as something that is suited for the American market.

Score: 93
Price: $15.00

Bullet Points

• I love the feeling of the band from the artistic standpoint of Michelangelo’s Vitruvian Man. However, I think it could use some reworking to bring it more up to date for today’s marketplace.
• I have a huge fan of lancero cigars and corona cigars; but finding them is getting harder and harder. In terms of sales on a nationwide level they are minuscule. In case you were wondering the top three sizes sold in the US are Robusto, Toro and Sixty.
• This is the first cigar I smoked today. I bought a new vehicle on Friday and I have yet to light up in it; so I no longer smoke a cigar on the ride into work.
• While the cigar began as mild, it became medium to medium plus but the end.
• I paired the cigar with Dunkin Donuts coffee (It’s a New England thing).
• Smoking Time was 1 hour 20 minutes