La Mirada, is a new cigar line brought to you by a new boutique cigar company Bahama Mamas, LLC. The company is is headquartered in Charlotte, NC with offices also in Las Vegas NV. They are part of the Potomac Tobacco Group, the owners of Bahama Mamas cigars. Now while the namesake of the company, Bahama Mama, is an infused, flavored cigar, the La Mirada is the company’s premium blend for the classic cigar smoker. La Mirada is the result of a joint effort between Bahama Mamas and Tabacalera Palma to relaunch these cigars.
The blend uses a 13 year aged USA Connecticut wrapper with a double binder and a bold set of fillers. The full blend is described as:
- Wrapper – True Connecticut USA
- Binder – Capote Cubano, Criollo 98
- Filler – Viso Piloto Cubano, Pedaso Criollo Canela, Criollo 98
The La Mirada is expressed in 4 popular vitolas and come packaged in 20-count boxes:
- Corona Gorda (5 5/8 x 46) – MSRP $7.80
- Robusto Deseo (5 x 50) – MSRP $8.00
- Toro Reserva (5 x 52) – MSRP $8.40
- Gordo Magnifico (6 x 60) – MSRP $8.60
For this review, I sampled two of the La Mirada Toro Reserva cigars which I received from the company for the purpose of reviewing in Stogie Press.
Pre-Light Examination
Right of the the cello, the La Mirada is a beautiful looking cigar with a golden tan and smooth wrapper. There are just a few veins in the wrapper and it is solid to the touch with just the right give to handle the filler expansion when ingited. I note that, because the wrapper is quite thin and fragile. There is a mild oily sheen and a light tooth to the wrapper also. The cigar is finished with a simple cap.
A single band adorns the cigar with the name La Mirada proudly printed in white on a black background along with the vitola type printed below. Since the phrase La Mirada translates to “The Look” in English, there is an all seeing eye with red, white, and black lines radiating out of it along a golden semi circle.
As I ran the barrel along the nose, I picked up sweet and spicy notes along with a mild nut aroma off the foot.
I used my double blade cutter to slice the cap straight across the shoulder and proceeded to give it some cold puffs that was quite fine and offered notes of growing peppery spice with a hint of earth and a touch of natural sweetness.
With the pre-light exam intriguing my senses, it was time to fire up the La Mirada and see where it takes me. I went with a lit cedar spill to warm the foot so as not to damage the delicate wrapper and once it had an even orange glow, I drew in the first creamy puffs of smoke. Follow along as I burn the La Mirada cigar to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- Initial bitter-sweet notes and a hint of cedar start the journey
- Light grey ash forms on top of a medium char line
- Citrus notes join the mix after a half inch of burn
- The citrus begins to morph into a fine fruit note
- Ash is solid
- Mild wave in the burn but does not require a touch up
- Dry leather notes take me into the second third
- Ash falls revealing a pointed and off-centered burn cone
- Sweetness is trying to move in midway but still cloaked with a touch of bitterness
- The pre-light nut finds its way in deep in the second third
- Cocoa notes enter in the final third bringing me down to the nub
- Mild in strength
- Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 30 minutes
Final Analysis
The La Mirada Toro Reserva was a classic Dominican cigar that had a finely balanced array of flavor, nuances, and aromas from foot to nub. Though mild in strength, it was medium in body and complexity. There was a characteristic Connecticut bitterness that was toned down a notch with notes of citrus, fruit, and sweetness. The construction was fairly solid with a mild wave and an off-centered burn cone. It did carry a decent ash before falling. This is one that is worth grabbing a fiver of and I rate this a 91.
Point Deductions: (-1) Mild Wave; (-1) Off Centered Burn Cone; (-1) Slight Bitterness
