Providencia Cigars Maduro Lancero Pre-Release Cigar Review

You have most likely seen my posts and reviews on Providencia Cigars, a small boutique cigar company with farming and production capacity in Honduras. Their most recent release, the Providencia Trinitas got a raving review from Stogie Press and was a testament to how well, the company’s owner, Jim Faber’s blending skills and palate have grown over the years. Now Jim and his partner Ray are at it again but this time they have created some new blends that will take their craft to an even higher plane. I recently received some pre-release samples of these blends to review and give feedback on, and today I want to provide a review of what I hope will be a full  production line for the company – the Providencia Cigars Maduro Lancero.

To start with, we all know that a lancero is one of, if not the hardest, cigar to roll while providing a fine smoking experience in both burn and flavor. When it is done to perfection, the lancero vitola is a most pleasurable cigar to smoke. Providencia nailed it! The company has continued to use the farms and production facilities of Javier Mendoza in Honduras to manufacture this cigar.

The Providencia Cigars pre-release lancero is yet to be given a proper name but I hear whispers it may be called the “La Misón giving tribute to Jim Fabor’s missionary work in Honduras. We do know, it measures 7.5 x 38 and has a blend described as:

• Wrapper – Habano Maduro
• Binder – Indonesian
• Filler – Honduran and Nicaraguan

The MSRP has not been set for this.

Read on, as I break down this Providencia Cigars pre-release lancero.

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Pre-Light Examination

The Providencia Maduro Lancero is a work of art for sure. It has a beautiful dark brown, lightly marbled, wrapper which is light on veins. The wrapper has a decent oily sheen to it that glistens in the light of day. The seams are tight and nearly invisible as you roll  the cigar between your fingers. An expertly applied triple cap with a simple twist finishes the presentation.

Since this is a pre-release sample there is no band on it but I am told it will be quite impressive and should help make it pop on the humidor shelf.

As far as pre-light aromas, I quickly picked up a sweet and pungent aroma along the barrel.

I normally would just gentle nip off the head of a lancero, but this one was so well produced that I went with a double  blade cutter to slice the cap, leaving the triple cap band in place. The cold draw had just the right restriction and delivered an earthy and peppery set of notes to get the journey started.

 

Well here we go, let’s fire it up and see what Jim, Ray, and Javier will be offering.

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Cigar Review Notes

• Thick smoke with what I like to call “smoke ring texture” is immediately delivered on the first puffs 
• Pepper, cocoa powder, and caramel sweetness grace the palate
• The white ash was solid and rested on a perfect;y straight medium char line
• After about an inch the ash fell revealing a centered burn cone that had a well-formed burn cone
• Sweetness builds nicely through the first third 
• There is a light sea salt in resting in the background 
• Earth notes followed by a gentle spice that fills out the profile
• Stays lit all the time – amazing (I actually put this down for about 5 minutes to do something for my wife and it was still lit when I picked up)
• Barrel has a springy  feel to it, as it moves through the second third 
• Strength begins to ratchet up in midway
• Toasted Caramel aroma wafts off the foot
• Earth and spice build on the palate
• Sweetness re-enters starting in the final third
• Spice continues with a nuance of dry cocoa powder
• It completes with an earthy and cocoa finish 
• Medium to Full  in strength
• Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 40 minutes

Overall, the Providencia Maduro Lancero is one that will be thoroughly enjoyed by those lanceros lovers out there. Even if you are not fond of this vitola, I highly recommend checking this one out when it hits the shelves this coming summer. I was  told this cigar is still young and I can only imagine how it will  taste with more aging on it. The burn was spectacular for any vitola and absolutely stupendous for a lancero. The flavors were balanced and enticing from  the foot to the nub. Yes guys, this is a winner and like I said earlier, this small company is getting better with every new blend they release. I have 3 other blends I am checking out and will be posting reviews of them over the next month or so.