Por Larranaga Encantos Asia Pacific RE "2010" URG JAN 11 (RELERW)

[Notsocleaver]

So I have never really been one for the RE/LE hype, but about 5 years back when I was really starting to ramp up my cigar buying I noticed that Encantos were still available occasionally without much markup from the initial price. I think I paid like $10 a stick. Boy those were the days. This is the last stick in that box, which has been pretty uneven performance wise over the years. A few gems, a few airballs, but generally pleasant. That last one has been sitting around for a while now but this is double banded dollar gobbler week so its time to finish off the box.

Wrapper is a nice tan color, not the nicest, but for some reason I find wrapper matters less for PL than almost any other marca I can think of. Draw is firm but good. I feel like this box opened up over the years. I remember several early cigars from this box where unpleasantly tight. Cold draw has a distinct fresh bailed hay flavor. Very lively for a cigar this old. Opening notes of pretzel and caramel with a whole heck of a lot of 'cuban twang', that pleasant sour/savory note that seems so uniquely Cuban. More twang than any cuban I have smoked in years.

As we progress through the first half, the twang dies back. Grain and sweet notes combine into something that tastes a bit like Trader Joe's cookie butter on toast:

As the cigar progresses further individual notes become easier to pick out. The sweet notes take on a sharper character, like sugar cane. Their is a nice sour note that turns hay to lemongrass and wheat bread to rye on the palette. As the cigar ends there is a touch of agave perhaps as well, like a very mild mezcal.

Along with Quai d'Orsay, I have always felt like Por Larranaga was a country cousin to Cohiba and Trinidad and with age they can be almost as good. In this case, I would say this Encantos is just flat out better. Vivid, complex and perfect burn. I imagine this will be in my top 5 cigars for the year. 98+

 

[Wailbait]

Though I don’t recall ever being able to get them for $10, they are among my favorites and I loved reading this review.  I might just try one of these again.  I have less than 10 left and have savored them.  

[Chucko8]

Agreed these are amazing sticks to n my humble opinion. Great review thanks ?? 

[Sir Diggamus]

Great review! One of the best REs I have enjoyed, and the some of the best PL flavors. 

[Notsocleaver]

On 11/15/2019 at 7:35 PM, Wailbait said:

Though I don’t recall ever being able to get them for $10, they are among my favorites and I loved reading this review.  I might just try one of these again.  I have less than 10 left and have savored them.  

I think it was just about $260 US for the box when I bought them. There was a point where some place were putting them on sale to clear inventory. The Encantos seemed to have a weird semi-cult favorite status.