Sancho Panza Belicoso SML Feb 07

[broozer]

oh, now you have my mouth watering from those pics rob. i was just about to go light up an ERDM and now i think i have changed my mind. i'm reaching for an SP beli from '02 (from a 50 cab) now.

bruce

[shrink]

» oh, now you have my mouth watering from those pics rob. i was just about

» to go light up an ERDM and now i think i have changed my mind. i'm

» reaching for an SP beli from '02 (from a 50 cab) now.

»

» bruce

Bruce, I knew you would be the first to discover and respond to this thread! Sounds good, eh? Hey, that's a beautifully applied triple cap on that baby.

[broozer]

»

» Bruce, I knew you would be the first to discover and respond to this

» thread! Sounds good, eh? Hey, that's a beautifully applied triple cap on

» that baby.

yeah, i was just checking out a couple of boxes of '07's that larry had the other night. it made me realize that i need to get some newer production of these cigars. all mine are '02's and '03's and the '03's are down for a nap for another 3-4 years at least.

bruce

[shrink]

This review reminds me that 2006 and 07 regular production are (for the most part) unusually good, with such exceptionally flavorful and strong tobacco, that...

Even marcas that I have had previously tried and dismissed as 'not to my tastes' are surprising me. The hobby has never been more adventurous, and satisfying (not to mention expensive!).

[Gryphon]

Thank You for the review.

[jdbrown]

» This review reminds me that 2006 and 07 regular production are (for the

» most part) unusually good, with such exceptionally flavorful and strong

» tobacco, that...

»

» Even marcas that I have had previously tried and dismissed as 'not to my

» tastes' are surprising me. The hobby has never been more adventurous, and

» satisfying (not to mention expensive!).

Bob,

You are right on with that statement! The superb quality of 2006/2007 tobacco has put a unusally large dent in the pocket book and an unprecedented amount of stock in the cabinet!

[Colt45]

Thanks for another fine review - this one sounds like a miss.

[effinwill]

i've found mine smoke particularly well after garlic-heavy fare.

[El Presidente]

Sancho Panza Belicoso SML Feb 07

I was requested to review a Sancho Panza from 2007 in order to assess whether they had returned to their former glory. I tried to think back to the last great period of Sancho Paza Belicoso's? I remember some superb 1999's and 2001's. I reviewed not long ago a NOV 05 Sancho Beli which was excellent so I was looking forward to reviewing its 07 brother now that Lisa is back to relieve me from the exhilarating word of PC processing (staff are also relieved...as no doubt are you ;-) )

Good looking cigar. Well rolled, nicely bunched, aroma at cold of black tea, leather, dry pasture.

Angle cut the well formed cap. Draw perfect with dry grass stalks and light tobacco. Torched the foot and SBeli took easily to flame. Medium full start, not much pepper through the nose but nice weight on the palate. Fullest SBeli I have had for a while, burning well, plumes of white smoke, destinctive saltiness and wood noticeable.

Settling now back into a medium bodied palate. Still excellent weight on the palate. I keep thinking how much the profile of this cigar reminds me of the Beach. Saltiness is the predominant "rounding flavour" surrounding nuances of wood, tea and a slight elelment of cream.

SBeli changed nought during the entire second third. Same salty flavour profile. Woodiness perhaps more apparent at the expense of the now almost absent cream. Long dry grass stalks identifiable on the palate. Nice ash, burning beautifully with a complete absence of harshness or youth.

Salty wood dominates the last third of the cigar. Still clean medium bodied profile. If you picked up a piece of dry aged driftwood from the shore you could imaging the flavour...not that I smoke dry aged driftwood from the shore

I am in two minds. I appreciate the flavour delivery, the sense of personality, the honest portrayal of what a Sancho Panza Belicoso blend should be. I am also a little bored. I want a little more complexity and a touch wild side. Yet, it is an infant of a cigar and it has the core ingredients to improve. Would I but a box.....maybe. Would I put half a dozen singles aside....definatey. This is the type of cigar I bundle half a dozen singles and tie a yellow ribbon around the bunch while marking on the ribbon the box date. I revisit them every couple of years to check on developement. If I find a dramatic improvement within 36 months I locate a box of that vintage. With cigars like the SP Beli it is normally not hard to do.

Right now an 88/100 4/6 Smokerings