Cigar Review: Red by La Barba

Vitola: Petite Lancero
Size: 6” x 38 ring gauge
Price $??
Purchased at Burns Tobacconist

Background

La Barba Cigars was founded in 2010 “after many different ideas, cigars and a few too many bourbons” as the story on the website goes. Tony Bellatto and Craig Rossi, friend from Ohio, teamed up to work on something they were passionate about: cigars. They settled on the name “La Barba” because they agreed they “needed something that expressed us”…La Barba is Spanish for “the beard.” I think these gentlemen might be right at home if they ever decided to make a visit to Chattanooga.

La Barba Red is the first line they produced, entering the marketplace in 2013, although not landing on the Burns shelves until after the 2014 IPCPR show. I have a feeling that came about because of introductions by one of the “friends of La Barba.” The cigar was originally going to be made at the Wynwood Factory under the direction of Robert Caldwell.

I had a couple questions regarding the where and how of these cigars, so I reached out to the source…Tony Bellatto…who was gracious enough to send me a prompt response which I’ll just quote from:

The country of origin for the “red” is Honduras. And the wrapper on the cigar is Julio Eiroa’s Corojo high priming. The binder is the same. The filler however is part of the same Honduran Corojo ligero as well as Nicaraguan habano and Nicaraguan Pele de oro. 

I am still working with Robert. Caldwell He and I have the impromptu brand together and he is also doing the fulfillment for La Barba. He is one of my best friends and we work really well together. I am currently making the La Barba “purple” in the Dominican Republic at Tabacalera William Ventura (same as Caldwell).

While the original release of “Red” was produced in Miami at the Wynwood Factory, the guys are currently working with Camacho/Davidoff to recreate the cigar in a different factory.

I smoked one or two of these Red Petite Lanceros before this review sample, which I purchased at Burns Tobacconist

Prelight

The La Barba logo is an immediate eye-catcher, with it’s hand-drawn, partially opened straight razor, rendered in white on a background of red. The artistic detail of the entire band is very nice, with plenty of filigree and ornamentation. Somehow this band is neither modern, nor classic, retro, throwback, deco, or whatever. It immediately made me think of Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street…about which I know almost nothing except the name is cool and the movie with Johnny Depp was fun in a “Doesn’t-Depp-Play-This-Character-In-Every-Movie” kind of way. The wrapper leaf was a cinnamon shade of brown with hints of red in it, showed a few larger veins, and smelled of a rich, sweet woodsy hay pile. On the foot, I got a little more earth and pepper.

I clipped the head and got a very good draw that had flavors of cedar and dried fruit on the cold puff.

Flavor

After lighting La Barba Red, the first flavor that jumped out was cedar, followed by red pepper. Underneath that was a good earthiness and more subtle sweet notes of raisin and semi-sweet chocolate. The finish and retrohale were nutty, and I also got a good amount of pepper spice on the nose.

Toward the end of the first third and into the second third, I got some distinctly cinnamon notes and the overall profile trended a bit sweeter, while losing just a touch of its pepper. The cinnamon came through more clearly as the third went along, mixing well with the cedar flavors.

In the last third, La Barba Red gave up more cedar, a little more cinnamon and yet more red pepper. Earthy and sweeter notes played crucial supporting roles in what proved to be a very well-balanced smoking experience.

Construction

This was a well-made cigar; I had a great draw (not always a given with a thin ring gauge), an even burn line, and a solid ash that held on for upwards of half an inch at a time.

Value

Absolutely a fair price for a stellar smoking experience.

Conclusions

From beginning to end, La Barba Red proved to be a full-bodied, medium-strength cigar that delighted the palate with its complexity and balance. I would mark this as a fantastic start in the industry for a couple guys who appear to just be doing this as a side-business, at least for the time being. I can’t think of any way to better express just how good this stick is than to give it the highest rating I can…and keep smoking it again and again.

By-The-Numbers

Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 10/10