Por Larrañaga Lonsdales OEB OCT 06 (R90)

[Sir Diggamus]

 

 

CIGAR: Por Larrañaga Lonsdales 

DATE: 04/17/2020

SIZE: 42 x 6 1/2"

SHAPE: Cervantes/Lonsdale

ORIGIN: CUBA

AGE: OEB OCT06

This is a cigar in which the last one smoked from the box was probably my favorite cigar of 2019. These were a frustrating lot in the beginning because several in the box were so plugged they were tossed less than halfway in. All of the ones smoked after the five year mark have been good and I have been careful to dry box them first. Cigar is paired with Yunnan Golden Special tea

Aroma before lighting is hay with a hints of flowers. I clip the end and light it hoping to get some smoke. Argh, none. So I clip another 1/8 or so off and, success. The first few puffs reveal a firm draw but I am getting plenty of smoke. Staring off with flavors of toasted tobacco and not much else 

1/3 About half an inch in the caramel flavor comes striding on in. Sweet but not very rich with a mild spice I can't yet put my finger on. Very mild so far. A little ginger note on the retrohale. Flavors develop into bready spice notes, French bread, or like a spiced naan. Still a little caramel in there but it is mostly hiding at this point. 

2/3 As the cigar transitions into the 2/3 it picks up a little heft and the caramel flavor emerges in the forefront. A honeysuckle note joins in. Full on medium with the sweet/floral notes dominating and spice on the retrohale. This is nice! In an abrupt fashion the sweet/floral notes disappear and what remains is a French bread note with nougat finish, unexpected but pleasing. As I am smoking now I am thinking about what a journey a REALLY good cigar can be through all the flavor transitions. And there it is, lavender. Por Larrañaga is the only marca I have ever detected lavender in and it is always a welcome flavor when revealed. The cigar has been burning dead even throughout and smoke production is great 

 

3/3 I ditch the RE band as the cigar burns into the last third gracefully. The lavender note slowly fades and a rich caramel note becomes more prominent. A nutmeg note on the retrohale and finish. It's with almost each puff at this point that I seem to be detecting a flavor I didn't previously, and they are all layering nicely. This cigar has a fantastic progression of flavor. As the Lonsdale is slowly burning to its end a cream and nougat note are up front with the caramel playing hide and seek, showing up every second or third puff and lingering on the finish. 

 

WOW! This cigar was probably just as good as the last one but the flavor progression was different in that one while some of the core caramel and floral notes were still there. I haven't had a ton of really old cigars but one thing I have taken note of is that Por Larrañagas go through a special transition after 4-5 years of aging and get so much better after 8-10 years. I don't think I have ever been less than wowed by any aged PLs where some other aged marcas I have enjoyed have not given me the same reaction with similar age. Simply spectacular

 

Six out of Six Smoke Rings or a 95 rating