Today we take a look at the latest line extension to the Villiger Cigars La Flor De Ynclan, The lancero vitola was introduced at this years IPCPR and I will say it is a powerhouse cigar.
Today’s review features a new Stogie Press panelist, Mike Bruce. I met Mike and his beautiful wife Kim while my wife and I were on vacation in Ireland earlier this year. Being a whiskey guy, Mike and hit it off immediately and then I learned he was a cigar lover too, which sealed the friendship. We spent a couple of evenings together enjoying some of my select stash and enjoying some fine Irish whiskeys. As we smoked a few cigars I recognized his palate was spot on, especially since he and his wife Kim are foodies. He knows his flavors. I asked if he would like to help me write some reviews and, without an arm twist, he happily agreed.
Mike Bruce
Having received a two count sample box of the Villiger Cigars La Flor De Ynclan from the company a month before the IPCPR, I kept my promise to Mike and sent him the new La Flor De Ynclan lancero along with a few other cigars I wanted to have his input on. So today was the day, as we scheduled a call to sample the Villiger La Flor De Ynclan lancero. I enjoyed one of these at the IPCPR so I already knew what I was in for but wanted to take a relaxing moment to truly enjoy it with a friend.
Follow along with Mike and I, as we break down the Villiger LA Flor De Ynclan lancero. As I noted in the original review of the La Flor De Ynclan, which ranked 12 in our top 25 of the 2017, it was a story of friendship. So here I am with a new friend, bonded over cigars and whiskey, to review it. I truly love the cigar lifestyle.
The Villiger La Flor De Ynclan Lancero Especial
As mentioned in the original La Flor De Ynclan review, the blend was deemed not ready for production and pulled from the market over a decade ago. The tobacco was set aside and aged, while master blender Jose Matias Maragoto meticulously tweaked the amount of the Indonesian, Dominican, and Nicaraguan tobacco within its Ecuadorian wrapper.
Villiger La Flor De Ynclan Lancero Especial
In the Villiger Cigars La Flor De Ynclan Lancero press release, the company noted:
A cigar- years in the making, Heinrich Villiger and Master Blender Matias Maragoto felt that the best version of the Villiger La Flor De Ynclan had yet to be released. The new Lancero Especial size is described as providing a more intense smoking experience in both flavor and smoke.
Like the rest of the line, the lancero blend is described as:
- Wrapper -Ecuadorian
- Binder -True Indonesian
- Filler – Choice Nicaraguan and Dominican tobacco
With the addition of the lancero, the La Flor De Ynclan line now includes 4 vitolas:
- Robusto – 5 x 50 (MSRP $11.00)
- Torpedo – 6 x 52 (MSRP $12.00)
- Churchill – 7 x 48 (MSRP $12.00)
- Lancero – 6.75 x 43 (MSRP $11.00) Production limited to 500, 25-count boxes yearly
Pre-Light Examination
The La Flor De Ynclan Lancero is an expertly crafted lancero with its medium milk chocolate-brown colored wrapper that is minimal on veins and finished with a well applied twist cap in old school tradition. The cigar has a decent weight to it and feels solid along the barrel.
The band is the same as the rest of the line using a black, blue, black, silver and red motif. Having never seen this cigar before, Mike described the band as flashy but elegant. It is certainly eye-catching on a shelf.
We proceeded to check out the pre-light aromas and we both agreed the wrapper had a sweet fermented leaf note, while the foot exuded a delicate sweetness.
The next step was opening the cap and taking some cold draw puffs. We both used double blade cutter to slice the cap, I was thinking about just nipping it off with my teeth but chose the cutter approach for the review. The draw had a perfect restriction to it and offered sweetness and spice and touch of citrus. Mike actually further described the citrus as lemon /mandarin flavor. Wow, that is a good palate – I have to agree.
Well it was time to take a journey among friends as we fired up the La Flor De Ynclan Lancero. Mike used a double torch lighter to start the ignition while I chose to use a cedar spill to warm the foot and get things going.
Cigar Review Notes
Villiger La Flor De Ynclan Lancero Especial
Villiger La Flor De Ynclan Lancero Especial
Villiger La Flor De Ynclan Lancero Especial
Villiger La Flor De Ynclan Lancero Especial
Villiger La Flor De Ynclan Lancero Especial
Villiger La Flor De Ynclan Lancero Especial
Villiger La Flor De Ynclan Lancero Especial
Villiger La Flor De Ynclan Lancero Especial
Villiger La Flor De Ynclan Lancero Especial
- First puffs offered a delicate peppery spice that’s easy on the nasal
- Earthy sweetness quickly follows
- Smoke volume is full right from the start
- Mike noted he had a slight off burn from the lighter, but the burn quickly found itself
- Light grey ash develops on a thin char line
- Mike noted the smoke was quite cool
- Spice builds a bit but is very enjoyable
- Nice oiling on wrapper above the burn
- Streams of blue smoke rise off the foot (blue smoke is indicative of decent oils in the wrapper)
- Very smooth on the retro
- Cedar nuances appear now and then during the early burn
- Butter (Jimmie)
- Excellent ash growing well into the two-inch mark
- Mike talks a lot and puffs slower and the cigar stays ignited
- Spicy aroma develops
- Medium strength so far – after two inches
- Flavors have stayed consistent – Creamy, earthy, and wood (Mike)
- Ash falls after two inches revealing a perfect burn cone
- We both agreed the barrel got squishy at this point
- The pre-light lemon/mandarin citrus picks back up as primary flavor
- Hint of cocoa in the background (Jimmie)
- Getting into the third quarter of the cigar the strength ratchets up to full – Yes, this is strong now!
- We both had to lay it to rest for a while!
- Once re-ignited, the flavor continued with a touch of salted butter
- Spice continued to fill the nasals and there was a hint of citrus
- I took this down to the nub in 1 hour and 50 minutes
Overall, the Villiger La Flor De Ynclan lancero offered a far greater strength then the original vitolas in the line and offered a more pronounced citrus in the way of lemon and mandarin as Mike so aptly pointed out. The flavors were consistent throughout with pleasing nuances of cocoa, butter and salt through the journey. It burned perfectly from foot to nub and it makes me want to grab another to start the journey all over again. This is an excellent cigar and a spectacular lancero. The $11.00 price is worth every penny and if you like strong cigars then this is one you should certainly pick up to add to your rotation.
The only point subtraction I did was the squish in the barrel in the second half (-1) but it picks up two bonus points for the long ash and because I would buy a box of these. So we rate this as solid 97!
Villiger La Flor De Ynclan Lancero Especial
About Mike Bruce
Mike is our latest panelist here on Stogie Press. Mike has been smoking cigars since he was 18, One of his first “Real” cigars was just before his high school graduation which he shared with his 3 best friends. Mikes appreciation for cigars grew as his oldest brother shared his love of them and would take him to events at a local shop.
Mike has been a member of The Beaver County Cigar Club (https://www.facebook.com/BeaverCountyCigarClub/) for several years.
Mike is also a certified primal health coach, and he believes cigars can be part of a healthy lifestyle. He notes:
“Shy of meditation, nothing makes a group of people stop life for an hour, be present, and focus at what is at hand (or in hand…. literally)
Mike married his high school sweet heart and together they love traveling and seeing/being in new cultures. Both Mike and his wife Kim are passionate about food and how it can change who we are from a cellular level clear up to who we are mentally. He notes he is a bible believing christian.