Por Larranaga Panetelas GOS MAR 19 (P&PLRW)

[bishop532]

After lunch today I smoked a (spoiler alert) fantastic 3-year-old Por Larranaga Panetela. 5 x 37 and short filler, these cigars were inexpensive and delicious, especially for a breakfast smoke. Unfortunately, as with most skinnies, Cuba decided to stop producing them. In my opinion, this was a terrible decision, but considering the price - I think I paid under $60 usd both times I bought boxes - I guess I can see how it doesn’t fit with their marketing as an exclusive luxury product. 

This box has dark, milk-chocolate-colored wrappers and have all been rolled between perfect and a touch too tight. This particular stick felt perfect when I gave a pre-smoke squeeze. The smell from the foot was generic sweetness, cedar, and tobacco (surprise!). Cold draw was brown sugar and tobacco, kind of understated. I paired it with Door County Coffee’s Wisconsin Harvest Blend.

First third - The sweetness jumped out right from the start, with that brown sugar rapidly transitioning into a strong caramel note. Underneath, there was cedar and a touch of earth. For a short-filler stick, the construction was great, as the ash held on to over an inch before it started to fall apart. The draw was perfect. 

Second third - Caramel and pecan with light cedar undertones; just delicious. The retrohale was like pralines.  I’m blown away by how good this is for a cheap & cheerful cigar. Construction and draw remain good. 

Third third - As it came into the home stretch, this cigar picked up some slight sour and earthy notes to go along with the caramel. It made things a bit more interesting. There was something like a caramel-dipped graham cracker at points, particularly after retros. The last two inches had a little white pepper, but nothing overwhelming. I nubbed it once it started to burn my fingers badly. There was probably about an inch left, if that. 

I’m blown away by both the flavor and the construction on this cigar. After almost four years in the humidor, it’s reached the age where the caramel is really shining now. This is actually better than the Montecarlo I smoked the other day, which I think is pretty damn impressive to say about a short filler cigar. The pecan/praline flavor this developed was pretty delicious and unique, though to be fair it probably was influenced by the coffee I was drinking while I smoked.

I’m gonna miss these things when this last box is gone. Regardless of what certain misguided people may claim, Habanos actually does make some really bad moves sometimes (see pretty much any decision they have made regarding skinnies since around 2000), and IMO getting rid of this cigar was one. 

Thankfully, there are a good amount of NC panetela options that are really friggin good. I just ordered a bundle of the Carlota-sized Rosado Nudies, and I’m sincerely looking forward to trying them. I’m really glad Hamlet, Rob, and others are willing to fill the roughly 32-38 rg sized hole that Habanos has left in their line.

Score: 91/100

Total smoking time: 56 minutes

[NSXCIGAR]

3 hours ago, bishop532 said:

I guess I can see how it doesn’t fit with their marketing as an exclusive luxury product.

They can't justify it with that while they still make HU Coronas Junior. 

By the way, these were my cheap & cheerful of choice for many years. Without doubt they were the best value CC in production.

And yet they keep the RGPE which isn't nearly as good. Unbelievable. 

[jakebarnes]

Nice review! Definitely sad to see these go. 

Also great Door Co Coffee shoutout. We try to get up there for the half marathon usually and typically stay in Fish Creek or Sister Bay. Love it up there. 

[bishop532]

1 hour ago, jakebarnes said:

Nice review! Definitely sad to see these go. 

Also great Door Co Coffee shoutout. We try to get up there for the half marathon usually and typically stay in Fish Creek or Sister Bay. Love it up there. 

Thanks! Yeah they make really good coffee. Just got several bags of white Christmas, which is our (wife and I) favorite coffee. My parents go there every couple years and they brought some back once; been hooked since then.

Been wanting to ask - is your name from the Sun Also Rises? 

[jakebarnes]

6 minutes ago, bishop532 said:

Thanks! Yeah they make really good coffee. Just got several bags of white Christmas, which is our (wife and I) favorite coffee. My parents go there every couple years and they brought some back once; been hooked since then.

Been wanting to ask - is your name from the Sun Also Rises? 

100% on the nose! 

[bishop532]

5 minutes ago, jakebarnes said:

100% on the nose! 

Nice, that’s one of my favorites.

[Chucko8]

Nice review and pictures. I agree that these are fantastic early in the day with a coffee.

[Sir Diggamus]

Great review! I love these as well and find them complex and full of flavor for a short filler cigar. I do think it is strange they kept the Montecarlo and axed this one. 

[NSXCIGAR]

1 hour ago, Sir Diggamus said:

I do think it is strange they kept the Montecarlo and axed this one. 

MC is long filler so it's a step up but keeping the RGPE is baffling. I can't believe the MC is still in production at all. The fact that of all the cigars that have been cut this one survives is bizarre. I think if it was going to be cut it would have been long ago. The LGC MdOs being cut while the MC stays makes zero sense to me. 

[bishop532]

12 hours ago, NSXCIGAR said:

MC is long filler so it's a step up but keeping the RGPE is baffling. I can't believe the MC is still in production at all. The fact that of all the cigars that have been cut this one survives is bizarre. I think if it was going to be cut it would have been long ago. The LGC MdOs being cut while the MC stays makes zero sense to me. 

cuba’s decisions are so confusing sometimes. I do really like the MC. I was too late to Cubans to try any of the MdO line besides no. 4, but based on that one I can definitely see what you mean. I just wish they’d kept them all.