We all have our skeletons in the closet, and for me it is the first few cigars I smoked when I took up this hobby of mine that would eventually lead to a career that the FDA is trying to take away from me. The skeletons for me are the first two cigars I smoked on a regular basis, Macanudo Robust and Por Larranaga. Eventually I would make it over to the Padron 2000 Natural and even today I am still searching for will become my next favorite cigar.
Last week, Altadis USA announced the return of Por Larranaga to the market with the release of today’s cigar featuring a different blend than when I started smoking cigars in the late 1990s.
Cigar Review: Por Larrañaga
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Ecuador Connecticut
Binder: Dominican Republic (Piloto 2012 Vintage)
Filler: Dominican Republic (Piloto 2012 and Olar 2013 Vintage)
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 50
Vitola: Toro
Strength: Mild
The Look: Packaged in teal wooden boxes accented in cliches, the Por Larrañaga has a more modern look than when I smoked them in the 90s. In fact a quick look at the band reminds me of Flor de Las Antilles and La Antiguedad from My Father Cigars right down to the texture of the paper. The cigar features an Ecuador Connecticut wrapper that is covered in veins and has slight creases along the roll of the cigar. There is a significant amount of oils present, and the foot is well packed with the cigar having a hefty weight to it.
The Notes: The cold draw of the Por Larrañaga takes me back to the cigar factories of the Dominican Republic when many work to make out cigars, their jobs in jeopardy with FDA looming. The taste, reminds of me of the aroma of raw tobacco. The aroma off the foot is similar with a hint of maple syrup.
Once the cigar is toasted and properly lit there are some subtle notes of hay, earth and honey like sweetness. There is a subtle cedar component as well and through the nose there is a complete absence of pepper with cedar dominating on the finish.
Normally, we break down the cigar in thirds but to do so here would be redundant as the cigar didn’t really change-up much until we got past where the band would be. At this point, some notes of toast join the honey as the dominant flavor with a subtle spice through the nose.
The Burn: A slow burning Connecticut the cigar had a fairly large combustion line that was a slightly jagged throughout the experience. The mostly light color ash was firm holding on for nearly the first half of the cigar, although there was a slight flake to it. The draw was a little loose for my liking, but should be well in the realm of acceptability for the novice.
The Finish: When I first received this sample I was giddy to smoke it since the brand played part in my beginnings as a cigar enthusiast. When I first lit the cigar up I was impressed and even uttered the words, “Wow, this is good.” However, as I smoked the cigar I realized I was quickly bored by the lack of complexity. Also, my mouth quickly became dry as if I had cotton in my mouth and it made me question the balance.
Score: 87
Price: $9.00
Por Larranaga
Por Larranaga Foot
Por Larranaga Burn
