Recluse Amadeus Habano Reserva Lancero Cigar Review

Iconic Leaf, you may know them as Recluse Cigars is led by J.R. Domínguez, a man whose attention to quality is second to none.  Ever since the 2012 IPCPR in Orlando, Florida, this now iconic cigar company has made waves in the industry. They started in 2012 with the release of their now famed Recluse OTG cigar which is now available in ten vitolas. The company furthered enhanced their portfolio with the addition of the Draconian and Amadeus lines. I personally met the team from Iconic Leaf at the 2013 IPCPR and have been a fan ever since.

The company’s website describes Mr. Domínguez as:

A maestro who has learned his craft from generations of tobacco knowledge before him. A man with vision and a meticulous passion for creating only the finest hand-made premium boutique cigars that can be found anywhere. That is what drives him. He refuses to allow anything to be produced that is not of the finest quality. He would rather walk away from a deal if it would require anything less.

This past year they expanded all their lines, getting the blends and vitolas in under the FDA deadline. Part of that expansion was the inclusion of Lancero Vitolas for the Amadeus line. You may have read the review we did on the Recluse Amadeus Ecuadorian Shade Lancero last month, which placed 8th in our top 25 Connectuct shade cigars of 2016. Today I will review the slightly darker variety of the Amadeus line, the Recluse Amadeus Habano Reserva Lancero.

I know you may be saying, but Boston, you already reviewed the Recluse Amadeus Habano Reserva. That is true, but not the lancero vitola. As much as a toro, torpedo, or gordo may be just fine, a lancero really shows me what the blender and roller can accomplish.

The Recluse Amadeus Habano Reserva Lancero blend is the same as the other vitolas in the line:

• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Grade “A”.
• Binder:Mexican San Andres.
• Fillers:
  • Dominican Ligero.
  • Dominican Viso.
  • Dominican Seco.
  • USA Pennsylvanian Broadleaf

The size is a classic 7 x 38 lancero with a nicely finished pigtail cap and are available in 24-count boxes with an MSRP of $8.95. They, like all Recluse Cigars, are manufactured at Tabacalera Leyendas Cubanas in the Dominican Republic.

Besides the lancero, there are 13 other vitolas available in the line, but let’s keep the focus on the lancero for now.

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Cigar Review Notes

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• Three bands, two primary classic red Recluse bands with the spider logo printed holographic ink and finished with a silver footer band. 
• Satin smooth, medium brown wrapper, light on veins, well packed, with tight seams
• Beautifully finished pig tail cap
• Sweet spicy barrel with a citrusy and sweet aroma on the foot
• Cold draw delivers pepper on the lips, earth on the tongue, with a light sweet background
• Pepper and citrus on first puffs
• The smoke smooths out after a few puffs and offers a creamy butter toast and coffee flavor
• Ash is medium grey and a touch flaky, but holds on for about an inch before falling
• Burn line is straight with a well centered burn cone
• The smoke continues to smooth nicely,  you can easily ingest it accidentally!
• Sweetness fills out the profile, firing up the back of my palate
• Citrus returns at the start of the second third
• Spice picks up with a creamy cocoa butter undertone
• The aroma is complex, spicy syrup, fruit, and floral
• Pepper enters on the nasal half way
• Spice continues through the final blended with notes of cedar and fruit
• Pepper continues to build on the nose
• Medium strength – Medium body
• Total Smoking Time was right around one hour

Overall, the Recluse Amadeus Habano Reserva Lancero was truly a pleasurable cigar. It delivered an ever tantalizing set of complex flavor notes through a rich and creamy body of smoke. Lanceros are one of the most difficult cigar vitolas to roll and blend and Iconic Leaf hit it just right. I will be hanging with the Recluse crew this coming Sunday as they host the Smoke Inn – Great Smoke brunch.