Sancho Panza Sancho

[Guest rob]

It was a very warm, light breezed, Sunday afternoon here, 2pm... and I was just about to sit and watch the second innings of an Australia vs South Africa cricket match. The 1st innings had promise of Australia posting a huge score - but it was a mild let down to say the least. Hopefully they would bowl and field a lot better than they batted.

I had prepared for this moment earlier in the week by selecting a '97 vintage Sancho Panza Sancho (47 x 91/4, Gran Corona) from my long term aging humidor.

Below is photo with a RASS and a Magnum 50 included for size comparison.

Two boxes of these elegant looking and mild chocolate scented have been in my humidor for a number of years now.... they've been beckoning me... calling out to be cremated. But every time I think of having one I am distracted for one reason or another.

I really try and select a cigar that fits my mood, the weather and the time I have available... and unfortunately the Sancho never made the cut - until now.

The aroma unlit was beautiful sweet milk chocolate. This was high end chocolate... not a supermarket Mars Bar.

I felt along the length looking for hard or soft spots. being 9 1/4 inches, I was worried that if this bugger was even mildly plugged I'd have no hope of enjoying it. Fortunately, there was nothing of the sort.

I did notice the wrapper was overly brittle though. Even though this has been stored in ideal conditions for the last 10 years... I did notice it suffered from what I call RREDWS (Ramon Allones Estupendos Delicate Wrapper Syndrome). Hopefully it wouldn't be an issue... but the fragility of this wrapper was evident early.

Removed the cap and took my first draw. Phew... slightly restricted air passed through it and I breathed my first sigh of relief. Perfect draw!

The taste at cold was sweet, albeit muted, wood.

I used a soft flame to light and took my time. I'll normally light my cigars with a jet lighter... but today I wanted to get back to basics and used a soft flame and evenly lit the foot. After a minute or so this thing was ready to go.

Initial first tastes were of vintage mellowed quality tobacco. It straight up tasted like what it was - an aged Habano that had overly rounded edges and lacking in "oompff" factor.

So far so good. Normally, I can get a good idea about the smoke from its early tastes when lit.... but I was still unsure about this would develop. There seemed to be something not quite right about it. Slight charred wood tastes if anything. But I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Where are thos damn tasting wheels when you need them.

It wasn't long till the wrapper started to do what I expected. I did try and wet it and tap it down a touch... but to no avail. It was only cosmetic at this point and I was pretty sure it wasn't affecting the tasting.

About half way in, I had pretty much made my mind up - I wasn't loving this at all. Yes, it was a OK experience, but I could happily put this down and not have another puff. In fact, there were some points during it's length where it was just downright flat.

For a while now I had heard of some people referring to a "salty" taste in their cigars. I thought they were crazy to describe certain cigars that way... but now I can see what they were talking about. This cigar was a mildly salty, savory tasting, cigar. Wood was the overall taste... but salt was the flavour sprinkled over the top.

To top it off I got regular charred notes.

No thanks!

The flavours didn't go anywhere after this. They stayed pretty much the same right to the end. Occasionally, I'd take a draw and have the slightest hint that I was just to about to get hit with a complex change... but no. This thing didn't move.

It tasted like the blend was wrong. Or just not to my taste. Either way I was disappointed.

I have to say that overall I was pretty disappointing with this experience. It had so much promise and had such a reputation that I felt a little let down.

Ironic, because it mirrored Dave Warner's time at the crease for the Aussies.

This cigar was like Uma Thurman for me.

At initial glance, my first impressions were like "WOW!... but upon closer inspection and more thorough examination I end up feeling let down... wondering what the hell I saw in it in the first place.

But like Uma has done for years, I'm certain the Sancho will again one day command my attention - I just hope that it doesn't end up letting me down again.

80 points.

[Colt45]

How unfortunate you spent so much time on what was for you a lackluster experience.

Thanks for taking one for the team.

[El Presidente]

Thanks for the great review Rob.

I generally prefer this Sancho Panza over the Montecristo A. I also prefer it fresh (under 3 years). I just find that in a 2 1/2 hr cigar I want/need/demand some intensity and I can't get it in an aged example. I just get bored. If it were a Corona Gorda...no problem but in an "A" format my mind wanders without engagement. I am a barbarian

[Ken Gargett]

Thanks for the great review Rob.

I generally prefer this Sancho Panza over the Montecristo A. I also prefer it fresh (under 3 years). I just find that in a 2 1/2 hr cigar I want/need/demand some intensity and I can't get it in an aged example. I just get bored. If it were a Corona Gorda...no problem but in an "A" format my mind wanders without engagement. I am a barbarian

time is the enemy of these smokes. tht said, i agree with rob in that i have generally preferred the sancho over the monte but have not had either for several yeas. perhaps the perfect superbowl smoke.

i must also leap to the defence of ms thurman. as somone who once had the opportunity to stand next to her (in the hotel naccional in havana) and observe closely from near, i assure you that ms thurman scrubs up something wicked. she is absolutely stunning and came across as completely natural. you can keep your scarletts and blanchetts and their ilk. ms thurman leaves them for dead.

[El Presidente]

time is the enemy of these smokes. tht said, i agree with rob in that i have generally preferred the sancho over the monte but have not had either for several yeas. perhaps the perfect superbowl smoke.

i must also leap to the defence of ms thurman. as somone who once had the opportunity to stand next to her (in the hotel naccional in havana) and observe closely from near, i assure you that ms thurman scrubs up something wicked. she is absolutely stunning and came across as completely natural. you can keep your scarletts and blanchetts and their ilk. ms thurman leaves them for dead.

I remember that. White top...no bra..shiny white teeth. Class act all the way

[Ken Gargett]

I remember that. White top...no bra..shiny white teeth. Class act all the way

it was reasonably early in the evening so one would have hoped you had not as yet drunk as much as you obviously had. dignity weeps again.

[Habanos2000]

I felt along the length looking for hard or soft spots. being 9 1/4 inches, I was worried that if this bugger was even mildly plugged I'd have no hope of enjoying it.

Rob,

I feel your pain. I too had a SPS from 2000 at least sitting in my humidor waiting for the right time. Well I figured New Years Day would be the right time. I was looking forward to it but alas, the damn thing was plugged and I untimately gave up on the bastard after about 20 minutes of dragging like hell on it. How disappointing. Oh well, such is life.

[Rogers72]

That had to be disappointing but great review anyway. I do love Uma though.

[Hugomarink]

That's disappointing to hear. I have a Sancho from about that same time period that's been sitting in my humidor for many years. Maybe I'll break mine out and see how it does. I also have a Monte A from the same period. A comparison would be interesting. The problem is I so rarely have the time to smoke even big cigars, let alone huge cigars!

[Fatshotbud]

Thanks for your time getting this review - may need to burn some inventory myself.

[Guibou]

I generally prefer this Sancho Panza over the Montecristo A.

In my experience, the funny thing is that the Sancho is delivering 'everything' he has in the first half, while the Monte A does it in the final half....

The final of Monte A was always a very nice time for me... but it takes to wait for the first half to be finished

[jamesward]

Nice review. I was hoping for the happy ending, but it wasn't to be. Better luck next time. I have a box of the Sancho Sancho 1999 vintage and I vowed that this would be the year that I smoke the first of the lot. Hope it is better than your experience.

[Guest rob]

I'll try and get some time to smoke another one in the next few weeks or so. At least that way I'll know if it was a one-off disenchantment or not.

I'm still holding out on a good result.