La Palina Family Series Miami Pasha Cigar Review – It’s all about the family!

The year was 2009 when William “Bill” Paley resurrected his Grandfathers cigar line “La Palina Cigars” with the introduction of the Family Series cigar line. You may have read the interview we did with Bill back at the 2015 IPCPR in New Orleans where he described his story.  At that show he was featuring the rebirth and re-blended family series cigar that he launched the company with back in 2009. The original line was made at the Graycliff cigar factory in the Bahamas, but this time he turned back to the United States and selected the El Titan de Bronze factory in Miami to make the new blend. The factory is also known for the production of his Goldie line of cigars that were quite successful. The new line would be known as the La Palina Family Series Miami and would be available 3 vitolas, each named after a beloved family member:

• Pasha (named for his Father) – 7  x 50 Churchill (MSRP $18.50)
• Babe (named for his mother Barbara “Babe” Paley) – 5.25  x 50 Robusto (MSRP $16.50)
• Allison (named for his wife Allison) – 6 x 52 Torpedo (MSRP $18.00)

The new blend is described as:

• Wrapper– Ecuadorian Corojo ’98
• Binder – Ecuadorian Habano
• Filler – Nicaraguan (Jalapa, Esteli)

Each size comes packaged in 10-count boxes and the Pasha is also available in a 20-count box of individual coffins.

Since the introduction back in 2015, the line has been revered and received outstanding reviews. My good friend and Stogie Press associate Alton Otto gifted me a La Palina Family Series Miami Pasha in the individual coffin which is the topic of today’s review. Before I get into the review, I would like to thank Bill Paley for sitting with me many years ago and teaching me the art of interviewing cigar brand owners, a lesson I have taken seriously to this day.

Now let’s discuss the La Palina Family Series Miami Pasha.

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Pre-Light Examination

The first observation is obviously the coffin that this cigar is contained in. It is a cherry wood brown coffin with the gold La Palina logo and the word Pasha emblazoned on the slide top. The side of the coffin declares this as the Family Series Miami. Once you slide the top off you are presented with a beautiful cigar specimen wrapped in a cedar sleeve. Taking the sleeve off, you quickly notice the shag foot that has about a half-inch of exposed filler.

The cigar itself has a smooth dark tan wrapper with a few veins and is finished with a expertly applied triple cap. There is a decent weight to the cigar and it is solid along the barrel.

The band that adorns the cigar is the standard La Palina band that features an image of Bills grandmother in the center.

As I ran the Pasha along the nose, I picked up an obvious cedar aroma from the outer sleeve along with an aromatic hay and curing barn sweetness off the foot.

I sliced the cap just above the first line of the triple cap and rolled it about my lips as the cold draw was nicely restricted and offered notes of spice and fruit. The more I cold puffed it, there was a growing pepper on the lips and tongue. 

Like all good cigars, it was time to turn this to ash so I chose to use a slice of the cedar sleeve to ignite the shaggy foot, which took to the flame like a champ.  And so the  Pasha journey begins.

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Cigar Review Notes

• Light pepper off the shag
• Once it hits past shag there is a cedar component that enters
• Smoke is rich and creamy to start
• Solid white ash develops
• Sweetness coats the lips followed by a cinnamon background 
• Ash fell gently after an inch or so of pristine burn
• Cinnamon moves to the front of the profile by the end of the first third 
• Nutty aroma
• Fruit adds to the already tasty profile
• Well balanced into the second third 
• Very clean and smooth on the palate 
• Light caramel sweetness near midway 
• Flat burn cone as the ash falls once again
• Spice enters near end of second third 
• Light citrus starts to linger on the palate 
• Vanilla bean enters in final third 
• Medium Strength
• Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 40 minutes

Overall, the La Palina Family Series Miami Pasha was an amazingly delicious cigar with a core of natural sweetness and notes of cinnamon spice, nut, and fruit all delivered through a pristine burn and a full creamy smoke. The price is high but this is one that is worth the cost in my mind.