TX Duo Review - Warped El Oso Mama Lancero (2022)

[Çnote]

@Capn_Jackson likes his lanceros, so whenever I see rarities I pick them up.

Cedar, flan, double cream. Nutmeg, lemon curd. Rich but sour.

Lancero finicky. Overtoasted spices, burnt cinnamon. Burning slow and no cone, but flavors are all hot and unpleasant. Flaky ash everywhere. Sour and bitter become the key flavors.

I give up with an inch to go.

Can't win them all.

[Capn_Jackson]

Rough-looking wrapper on the El Oso Mama. Not in quality, just in texture. Bumpy. Ruddy brown color. There’s a very nice barnyard scent coming off the wrapper, and the foot. Cold draw is Hershey’s chocolate up front, and then a little sweet buttered corn. Light-up puff is a little peppery in the nose, with some typical Warped sweet cherry behind that. A little bright citrus melded with muddy coffee on the finish. Going on through the opening third, not so much sweet cherry as earthy prunes with chili spice on top. Here even in the early stages, though, the finish has a slight bitterness that keeps me wary. It’s a shame, because I’m loving that spiced prune on the front. Syrupy texture, great smoke output. Strength seems to be around medium so far. Wow, that bitter bite on the finish is really jumping up and trying to claim ownership of this cigar. The prune starts to fade quicker and quicker after every puff.  

Going further in, I’m not noticing the bitterness as much, but the earthy prune also diminishes slowly but surely. It’s still there, blended with something like salted molasses. Mushroom is just faintly there, too, trying to ease its way around the corner and into the fray. Luckily the bitterness on the finish has all but disappeared, and there is some citrus taking its place. A bit like lemon-lime.

Patience pays as prune makes a comeback to start the second act. This is unique among the Warped cigars I’ve had. It bears some similarities to the Guardian of the Farm Apollo Selection de Warped, I think, but the prune flavor is becoming all-powerful, and I’m here for it. Thankfully there is no more bitterness at this point, or very little at most. Instead, the finish oscillates between citrus and leather, with some dark honey connecting them.

Around the midpoint, the prune evolves into a stewed elder, or currant jam, making for a lovely little transition. Finish becomes all leather and toasted nuts. I’m thinking Cody probably hated this cigar, but I might be wrong, as I’m sitting here floating in a heaven of stone fruit, leather, and herbs. Nice wash of Cointreau, over the top of everything.

In the last act, this beautiful thing goes more savory, and a little bittersweet. Still earthy and leather washed over everything, still a tiny bit of stone fruit here and there, but now I’m getting some horehound (fun to say) sweetened with molasses or syrup. The mouthfeel has switched from syrupy to creamy, and the strength I think is probably a few notches over medium now. At the nub there is big molasses flavor, and also a mix of dark, undetermined herbs. I’ve been thinking of Malört off and on with this cigar, and wish I had a shot of it to finish this off. 

Forgive me, but I gotta say it, this cigar was Oso good! Thanks, @Çnote!

[Capn_Jackson]

I don’t think we could’ve had any more of a contrasting experience with this stick 😆

[Çnote]

1 hour ago, Capn_Jackson said:

I don’t think we could’ve had any more of a contrasting experience with this stick 😆

I was expecting better and I'm glad you got the good one of the two I found.

[Hoosh]

Hard to believe this was rolled at ETdB. I honestly haven’t had anything suspect rolled there out of at least ~75 different cigars, starting with a box of LP Goldie No. 2s…