At the start of 2022, I penned a review of the Lavida Habana (LH) Premium Cigars Maduro Lancero which I found to be quite the pleasant experience. I chose that vitola because it is one of the hardest to blend, bunch, and roll. I found that owner Nick Syris did a great job with his team at Tabacos de Costa Rica. Today I am revisiting LH Premium Cigars and focusing again on the maduro blend but on a thicker side of the spectrum the Petit Gordo (4 x 62).
Like the Lancero and the other 6 sizes in the line, it has blend described as:
- Wrapper – Ecuadorian Criollo 98
- Binder – Nicaragua
- Filler – Nicaragua, Peru, and Brazil
I sampled just one of these which I think was gifted to me by my BOTL Lou Piscitelli.
Pre-Light Examination
The Lavida Habana (LH) Premium Cigars Maduro Petit Gordo is stout, dark chocolate brown cigar that has a silky feel and is solidly packed from head to foot. The wrapper is pretty much void of veins and exhibits a fine oily sheen. It is finished with a well applied double cap and a closed foot.
Like its thinner sibling, it is branded with a single band that uses a red, gold, black and white motif. The Company’s logo is boldly presented in the center along with the name “LAVIDA HABANA” on top and “PREMIUM CIGARS” on the bottom.
Running the fatty along the nose I did not pick up much aroma on the barrel but the foot did tickle the nostrils with peppery notes and a hint of floral.
I used my new CigarMedics “The Baller” cutter to open it up. It did require two cuts to get it right. As I gave it some cold draw puffs I found the restriction to be spot on and my palate was treated to earthy and peppery notes.
With the pre-light exam out of the way, I toasted the foot with my triple flame torch. The closed foot took to the flame right away and warmed the foot to an even orange glow as I drew in the first puffs of black pepper and floral. Follow along as I burn this one to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- The journey starts with a decent pepper burst and a touch of floral
- A white ash forms on top of a thick jagged burn line
- Floral notes grow and take front and center of the profile
- Slight off-burn but does not require a touch up
- Hint of dark chocolate graces the palate
- Ash fell in a solid chunk revealing a flat and a bit off-centered cone
- Nutty nuance enters midway
- Ash gets a tad flaky
- Leather notes add to the mix in the second half
- Pepper re-enters and takes it through the end
- Medium-full in strength
- Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 20 minutes
Final Analysis
If I was to compare the Lavida Habana (LH) Premium Cigars Maduro Petit Gordo to the lancero, I give the edge to the lancero. The Petit Gordo was more pronounced in pepper and floral notes with a few companion nuances through the burn. It is a cigar that an experienced palate might enjoy as it is fun to discern those nuances and with that I would recommend picking up a fiver. It exhibited a wavy burn through most of the journey along with a slight off burn. I rate this an 89.
Point Deductions: (-1) Wavy Burn; (-1) Off Burn; (-1) Flat Burn Cone; (-1) Off Centered Burn Cone; (-1) Flaky Ash
