Sancho Panza Molinos

[ChanceSchmerr]

Havn't done a review in a while, and I have a few que'd up at my home computer that I will get to hopefully on friday - but in the meantime, Here is a review of my ashtray-testing cigar from last night!

Sancho Panza Molinos

Year - 2003

From - a good friend!

First impressions - a tight-feeling lonsdale! Actually, I am surprised at myself for how long I have held off in trying this particular cigar. I love lonsdales, and I like the Sancho Panza profile. So why the hell was I waiting? Truthfully, I don't even know. Perhaps I needed to be ready for this guy! The appearance is a medium colorado wrapper with a few freckles of dark brown. Good weight in the hand, and a nice toasted tobacco aroma. Near the head of the cigar, there is an odd indentation on the side, where it looks like the tobacco had a couple of lumps on the wrapper, and the cigar mold kind of pressed it to form when they rolled this cigar. Otherwise, it is a razor-sharp parajo, impressively cut with near-right angles from side to end. No real box-press to speak of. And it Looks great in the Ashtray!

Pre-light draw - Good, only a hint of tightness. No sweetness on the pre-light taste, this is all woodiness

First couple of puffs - Man, now THAT is a Sancho Panza! Leathery wood with a hint of sweet spices (nutmeg?), bound together with that salty Sancho taste. Looks like I'm in for a good ride!

First third - I should say that I've smoked enough Sancho Panza's (bachilleres, many Sanchos, Belicosos, Non-plus, a single Corona Grandes - only the Corona eludes me for now...) that...I've kind of figured out the ideal Sancho Panza flavour profile for me. That is - I know exactly what I expect in a properly blended and rolled SP cigar, which is probably the only brand I can really do that for so far in my cigar experience - There is still so much in each brand that I have to experience! This profile I expect is best described as "A walk through a sea-side forest". The best Sancho Panzas to me have two key flavours - a salty taste on the tongue that is medium in strength by absolutely characterises the blend, an unmistakable Woody flavour permeating the palate (primarily an Oak/Cedar taste), and an earthiness present in the background to round out the experience. The best of the SP's have some accentuating flavours, like a leather "old handbag" aftertaste, that reminds one almost of a sour Punch-esque taste, along with some of the more sweet spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. This cigar is really delivering on that expectation in the early going. The Woody taste is prominent, and the leather aftertaste is present in nearly half of my draws. The nutmeg appears every once in a while, but never truly comes out to stay, but the saltiness is ever-present, as it always is for Sancho Panza. I am suitably impressed with this cigar! The draw is excellent, creating tons of smoke with each puff. The burn is razor sharp, and is actually rather slow - slower than I usually experience for a lonsdale. I chalk it up to the density of the tobacco in the cigar, it is a rather packed smoke.

Second Third - I continue to be spoiled by this cigar right to the halfway point. The flavour has been consistent and in every aspect, this cigar has been firing on all cylinders, but at the halfway point, something changed. The woodiness remained, but the nutmeg and leather has run far away, to be replaced by a bread-y note. Not sure I like it that much! The saltiness tends to make almost like a pretzel aftertaste, but If i wanted a pretzel, I'd be down at the pub - it just seems so out of place with this cigar. I soldier on in hopes of a return of the leather spice! The burn remains razor sharp, but it appears that I'm producing too much saliva, so by the end of the 2nd third, I cut the last few milimeters off the head of the cigar, to try to improve the draw and taste. I guess that first third just had me drooling too much!

Final Third - That re-cut on the head has improved the draw and smoke volume immensely, and the flavour has become more prominent again - whoohoo! Trouble is - the breadiness remains, and the leather has not come back to the palate of this smoke. The Oak and the saltiness continue to provide enough incentive to stay on with the cigar, but I"m disappointed with how this has finished out. Such promise, gone in a flash! I smoke it to the nub, holding out to the end, but the leather and nutmeg won't come out. A real shame.

Final Thoughts - Like so many habanos cigars - this smoke could have been a classic, if not for inconsistency. If I had committed the cardinal sin and cut it in half, I could have had a 95 point and a 75 point smoke, but I didn't. In the end, it just couldn't repeat what was for me, a fantastic Sancho Panza for the first half. I really don't know if I'd want to pick up a box - but of course, recent production could be much better than this '03, I don't know. I'm also not certain if more age would have improved it - I agree that Sancho Panza is a brand that needs some time to figure itself out, but 7 years ought to be enough time to do so, at least in a general sense. If I saw an HQ or PSP box, I'd be tempted for sure. But for now, this is a Jeckll and Hyde cigar, and I'll need to go pick up another sample or two to know for sure.

Rating - 95 in the first half, 75 in the 2nd half. Overall, an 86 point smoke - extra point for great construction.

[MoneyPit]

I've got a box from 2006 that have been incredible. The burn and ash length on these is spot on perfect. Thanks for the review.

[CanuckSARTech]

Great breakdown and explanations, Chris. Very well done review - thanks for sharing!

[khomeinist]

Bump. Nice review for an underrated cigar.

[Smallclub]

The best box of lonsdales I have ever had was a box of Molinos from 1998.

[Dimmers]

If anyone is interested, several boxes of this stick at Dubai departures cigar shop, dated 2001- 2002.

[cottierm]

My boxes of Molinos 2009 have been extremely good so far. I did not hit the 'breadiness' you are mentioning, Chris. Here is my (very) short tasting notes for this one: "Taste: coffee, chocolate without honey, bitter-sweet. Starts with a floral taste and ends up magnificently!". Do you concur with that?

Best,

Michel

[ChanceSchmerr]

I remember this review!

I should really try another Molinos....I havnt had one since this review and don't have any in the collection...I think after the next month, a few boxes are in order...

My boxes of Molinos 2009 have been extremely good so far. I did not hit the 'breadiness' you are mentioning, Chris. Here is my (very) short tasting notes for this one: "Taste: coffee, chocolate without honey, bitter-sweet. Starts with a floral taste and ends up magnificently!". Do you concur with that?

Best,

Michel

This sounds about right, but could also be for a Rafael Gonzalez Lonsdale too!