Vitola: Dalia- 6.75” x 43 ring gauge
- ~$21.00
- Purchased at Burns Tobacconist
Background
The Goldie was created by the La Palina Cigar Company in 2012 as an annual special release. Each year would share a common blend, but be made in a different vitola. Each cigar is made in the Titan de Bronze factory in Miami, Florida, and rolled by Maria Serra, a category 9 roller who was trained by Eduardo Rivera Irizarri (Fidel Castro’s personal roller) and Avelino Lara (creator of the Cuban Cohiba blend) . Being made in Miami, the price on these sticks was always steep, but this year the price increased past the $20 mark for the first time. Sadly, the new FDA regulations coming into effect in the next month or so will most likely have the effect of increasing prices of this type of special release cigar even more.
I have smoked at least one of almost every previous Goldie release. I had a couple of the original Petite Lancero size (though I don’t recall reviewing it); I smoked and reviewed the second “Laguito No. 5” release, giving the 54 ring gauge cigar a 9.5/10; and I absolutely loved the 2014 Laguito Especial release, giving it a 10/10 and declaring it to be the best thing I had ever had from the La Palina brand or the Titan de Bronze factory. For 2015, I elected to not even smoke the Goldie, arguing to myself that since I loved the Laguito Especial so much, I might as well just smoke that if I got the urge to burn one (since we still have some at the shop). I have burned about a box worth (10 sticks) of the 2014 release to this point and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every one.
So 2016 rolls around, the Goldie is released again in a small ring gauge (it seems to be a tick-tock/small ring-large ring type of release schedule), we’re running very low on 2014s at the shop and I’m very curious about this year’s cigar. I decided to buy one, review it, then contemplate buying a bunch more when I get some actual money.
The blend remains the same as previous years: filler leaves are from Nicaraguan and the Dominican Republic, the binder is Ecuadorian and the wrapper is an Ecuadorian Habano, finished in a tiny fan cap. The vitola is called the Dalia this year…which made me think that if they ever produced a Maduro version, it could be the Black Dalia…but I digress.
Prelight
The presentation of the Goldie line is fantastic. Each cigar is fitted into a plastic mold pressed into the flat, wide box. Each stick looks great, beaming out at the consumer. The band is the same one La Palina has used as the primary band on almost all their cigars since the re-incorporation of the company 6 or 7 years ago. The wrapper leaf is a light caramel shade, almost light enough to be confused for an Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade. The reality is that Ecuadorian Habano can be quite light to very dark in color depending on growth practices, priming, and processing…but the leaves selected for Goldie are stunning in their flawless beauty, fantastic aroma of hay and molasses and slightly oily feel under my fingertips.
Sniffing the foot of the stick, I picked up mostly cedar, with some underlying earth and grassy notes. The prelight draw was excellent and tasted of cedar with a touch of molasses.
Flavor
Lighting up the Goldie Dalia was quick and easy. Soon it was producing clouds of aromatic cigar smoke, fairly thick and oily, tasting of earth and cedar and dark molasses. Secondary vegetal and bell pepper notes came through after a few puffs, while the retrohale had plenty of roasted nuttiness and blasts of red pepper. Continuing on through the first third, I got more wood notes in the form of a light cinnamon, more earth, and an excellent balancing sweetness.
The rougher edges of the Goldie Dalia tapered off in the second third, revealing a more creamy smoke that had a touch less pepper, but every bit of the elegance and refinement that was present initially. I continued to get notes of cedar, along with earth, cinnamon, and molasses notes, while the pepper remained as a slight undercurrent of burn.
The last third had wood notes in front again, but less distinctively cedar in flavor. Earthiness continued underneath with touches of molasses and graham sweetness continued to pop up from time to time.
Construction
I can honestly say that I’ve never had a La Palina Goldie that has had anything short of fantastic construction. This had a great draw, very even burn line, and an ash that held on for half an inch or more every time.
Value
Expensive…but worth every penny.
Conclusions
The La Palina Goldie Dalia is truly a worthy addition to the Goldie lineup. It is an elegant, refined and wonderfully flavorful cigar with plenty of complexity. Notes of earth and cedar, spice and sweetness, continually play on the palate and nose from beginning to end, all in a medium-plus bodied, but thick and rich, smoke. If you liked the Goldie Laguito Especial, you’ll also like this one just as much.
By-The-Numbers
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 10/10
Glad to hear they are great smokes…I’ll be adding a box to my complete Goldie collection!
10/10, must be good. I have enjoyed the few La Palina that I have smoked, the Mr. Sam being one of my favorites.
I just FOUND a box of these cigars in a dumpster outside the local smoke shop. There were 9 in there. I attempted to smoke two because I don’t smoke anything (besides copious amounts of cannabis as a dumb kid). I found the experience exhilarating at first. Second one today, not so much. There’s chem trail spraying all over the skies where I live and I feel there’s already enough toxins in the air enough so I don’t start up a cigar habit I couldn’t afford anyway.