Eights days to go before we ring in 2019 and another year of cigars reviews, lounge visits, lifestyle, and news. Before we do that we first have to announce what we feel were the best boutique cigars smoked here at Stogie Press. Today I present the next 6 candidates for the Stogie Press Top 25 Boutique Cigars of 2018. In this installment of candidates I will be highlighting a few lanceros. As I noted earlier in the year, there were quite a number of lancero line extensions this year and some I found to be spectacular.
We have done our best to keep this list as boutique as possible, since last year we got some feedback that we took to task. Of course not everyone’s definition of “boutique” is the same so we will leave it at that and I will take comments as I always do.
Rock A Feller Cigars Vintage Nicaragua Maduro Lancero
The Rock-A-Feller Cigars Vintage Nicaragua Maduro Lancero was better than I expected for a lancero. It had an outstanding burn and offered flavors that would please the most discerning palate. The ash held longer than most lanceros I have smoked and like the best rolled cigars it even stayed lit when resting for a few minutes.
Southern Draw Cigars Jacobs Ladder Lancero
The Southern Draw Jacobs Ladder lancero was another fine example of a lancero. The burn was excellent from foot to nub and never needed to be touched up. It did require to be re-lit once. The flavors were close to the other vitolas in the line with an added citrus component in the middle and a bit more chocolate.
Jeremy Jack JJ14 Lancero
Jeremy Jack hit the market hard and heavy back in 2017 with a plethora of introductions. This year the company introduced a line extension to their JJ14 blend. The Jeremy Jack JJ14 Lancero was even better in my view, than the Corona Gorda. I felt the flavors were more balanced with a core of natural sweetness and the burn was spot on.
El Artista Cimarron Maduro Robusto
If you are looking for an economical flavor filled smoking experience, the El Artista Cimarron Maduro may well be one to add to your rotation. This cigar offers a complex flavor experience that will have your taste buds hitting on all cylinders.
Caldwell Long Live The King Mad MF Corona
The Caldwell Long Live The King Mad MF Corona is chocked full of flavor from foot to nub and had an ever shifting array of aromas that filed the air. The aging on this cigar is clearly evident. Construction wise it was pretty solid, though it did have a mild run in the burn.
Gran Habano Blue in Green Churchill
The Gran Habano Blue in Green had better than average flavors for a Connecticut blend which I attribute to the vintage filler leaf used in its creation. Although the burn was jagged and wavy through most of the first half this is still a terrific blend especially if you like flavorful Connecticut wrapped cigars.