Por Larrañaga Encantos RE Asia Pacifica MLO MAY 11 (BGRW)

[The Squiggler]

Big Guns Review Weekend!

Por Larrañaga Encantos RE Asia Pacifica MLO MAY 11 (BGRW)

I racked my brain trying to decide what to smoke for the 'big guns' review, pondering "which cigar is most sentimental to me? most nostalgic? most alluring? most coveted?".  Historically speaking, I find that my most enjoyed cigars have typically been dalias or lonsdales, so I pulled out a few of my favorites.  I hovered over a box of partagas 898 for a moment, thinking 'this has to be one of my favorites, and a cigar that really made me fall in love with cubans', but somehow it just didn't feel special enough to categorize as a 'big gun'.  I then moved on to a recently acquired box of Hoyo Des Dieux, a cigar that quickly gained rank among my favorites (RIP) after trying a single acquired in a trade last year, but somehow it still didn't feel quite right (though I may yet review one as a second entry to this comp).  Finally I came to an untouched box of Por Larrañaga Encantos that I'd been waiting for a special occasion to crack.  One of my favorite marcas, PL has consistently impressed me with nearly every offering I've tried, and sensing that the end may be around the bend, I decided this may be as good a time as any to dive in--Smoke 'em if you got 'em folks.

Once again, you couldn't ask for better weather on a day like today.  The wind is blowing, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and the deck is fresh and clean.  I use a small punch and test the draw, which is perfect with just the right amount of resistance.  The flavors at cold are quite mild, offering hints of aged tobacco, hay, and coconut husk. 

While the flavors seem somewhat muted at first light, a great amount of complexity is evident.  There is a nutty woodiness reminiscing of cedar and pistachio, and the texture of the smoke is soft and velvety.  Soon, flavors of milk and honey take over, yielding to a touch of baking spice on the mildly sweet finish (nutmeg, perhaps).  This all compliments a predominating flavor of charred butterscotch, which seems to reside at the core of this cigar.  Smoke is pouring off the foot, producing sweet and decadent aromas of aged tobacco (I'm not sure if a cigar has ever smelled quite so good). 

Into the second third some floral notes emerge.  Hints of lavender and french breakfast radish come in to accompany the sweeter milky flavors.  There is a slight tanginess present on the lips, though there does not seem to be much oil present.  An essence of coconut husk keeps entering my mind, but I'm not sure if I've ever tasted the husk of a coconut so I could be losing my mind (sign of the times). 

Around the halfway point a bit of mild spice becomes present on the palette, reminiscing of paprika or muted white pepper.  The soft charred butterscotch flavor remains at the core.  Up to this point strength has been low, while body has been a solid medium plus with a silky mouth-feel.  Construction is perfect, requiring no touch-ups.

Approaching the final third, hints of leather creep in and out, but they are only hints.  This cigar continues to produce a diverse array of flavors and there is a lot to untagle--a welcome challenge.  All of these flavors remain very mild.  This is a very approachable smoke.  The mouthfeel is big and creamy (more like whole milk than cream, if that makes any sense).  Flavors of pistachio are still fairly consistently present (though they creep in and out), along with big doses of something like cereal grain.  It occurs to me now that this cigar reminds me of a fresh bowl of cereal with whole milk--'Wheaties' or 'Special K', perhaps--I f*@#ing love cereal.  Flavors shift from one puff to the next, but the core flavors remain: cereal, milk, nuts, burnt sugar.  Vegetal flavors emerge here and there, especially as the burn line approaches the band, and I find myself thinking of frozen sweet green peas.  There are touches of hay, earth and leather, all adding to this quite variable, yet cohesive experience.  Strength ramps up to medium toward the end, making for a strong finish.

It even gets a little salty toward the nub (which I love)--and yes, I did nub it. 

Overall impressions: it's not too often that one runs across a cigar this good... the silver lining being that when you do, you appreciate it all that much more.  There was so much to be enjoyed here--a veritable revolving door of flavors--all wrapped up in a mild and approachable package.  My one complaint: it didn't last long enough, clocking in at roughly an hour.  Final score 97/100.

[Goodfortune]

Nice review! Looks and sounds great!

[The Squiggler]

14 minutes ago, Goodfortune said:

Nice review! Looks and sounds great!

thanks!  it was definitely the best smoke I've had recently, and I've had a few good ones (a few duds as well, but what can you do?).  PL has really been knocking my socks off though.  I actually had a 2019 Monte Carlo the other day that I put '92/100' on despite it being so over-packed my eyeballs receded into my brain at one point while smoking it... it just tasted so good.

[StogieSteve23]

Nice review here! PL is a wonderful marca with great complexity. 

[rcarlson]

Good job.  Aged PLs are special.  

[Sir Diggamus]

Great choice! Every one I have enjoyed has been flawless and super tasty, the years have only made this one better. Great review. 

[Chucko8]

Fantastic review and pictures. These are undoubtedly one of my all time favourites. I totally get where your coming from with the cereal aspect, I often feel this with PL's though had more thought it of a biscuity, bran, breadiness feel. Though now that you've mentioned cereal I'm thinking yep that's the one.

[Markspring1978]

Very nice review. I’m a huge fan of Lonsdales as well, so bravo! And wow, that is some serious ash. 

[The Squiggler]

1 hour ago, Chucko8 said:

Fantastic review and pictures. These are undoubtedly one of my all time favourites. I totally get where your coming from with the cereal aspect, I often feel this with PL's though had more thought it of a biscuity, bran, breadiness feel. Though now that you've mentioned cereal I'm thinking yep that's the one.

Exactly!  It took me about 3/4 of the cigar before I could put my finger on it, but I finally realized I had been sensing a hint of 'bowl of cereal' (the healthy kind) all along.  Wheaties happen to be my favorite, but I almost feel like this was more in the vein of Special K somehow.

[The Squiggler]

12 minutes ago, Markspring1978 said:

Very nice review. I’m a huge fan of Lonsdales as well, so bravo! And wow, that is some serious ash. 

Thanks!  I wasn't being too gentle with it either, it just held on solid for inches at a time until it dropped abruptly. 

[Islandboy]

Great review!

Butterscotch! That’s exactly what I was tasting last night with my PL Gran Robusto, but I couldn’t ID it then. I knew it was a familiar taste, but it was driving me nuts trying to put my finger on it. Thanks!

[The Squiggler]

On 4/11/2020 at 1:02 PM, Islandboy said:

Great review!

Butterscotch! That’s exactly what I was tasting last night with my PL Gran Robusto, but I couldn’t ID it then. I knew it was a familiar taste, but it was driving me nuts trying to put my finger on it. Thanks!

absolutely!  Whenever I detect sweet elements, especially in aged cigars, they typically reminisce of overdone (or in softer cases, 'caramelized') sugar of some sort (scorched caramel, burnt marshmallow, charred butterscotch, etc.)... it always seems imperfect, but that's the best way I can ever think of to describe it

 

On 4/11/2020 at 6:35 AM, StogieSteve23 said:

Nice review here! PL is a wonderful marca with great complexity. 

Thanks!  I totally agree.  PL has treated me well, but I've never had quite the smorgasbord of flavors and evolutions as I experienced with this one.  I'd love to try more of the special releases.... I'll have to make a point of tracking more down ?