Vitola: Robusto- 4.75” x 52 ring gauge
- ~$8.50
- Provided by Plasencia Cigars
Background
Today I present the third of four reviews looking at the new offerings from the Plasencia Cigar Company, one of the largest producers of cigars and growers of tobacco in Central America. I gave a brief history of the family and their business in my early review of the Alma Fuerte and I have also reviewed the Alma del Campo.
Reserva Original is another Nicaraguan puro from Plasencia. This blend is meant to invoke “the very same taste that captivated the Europeans more than five centuries ago, when they arrived in the New World.” To do so, they have crafted a medium-bodied cigar that also happens to be “Certified Organic,” if not a first in the business, then definitely a rarity. Maybe Whole Foods will start carrying this blend…or maybe not since most left-leaning people and companies tend to look at tobacco as one of the only truly evil things in the world.
This review is based on my first smoking of this blend and it was given to me by Plasencia’s Sales Director when he visited Burns a few weeks ago.
Prelight
The Reserva Original has some of the same rich style that the Alma line had, with 3 bands…a small upper with just the “P” logo on it, a larger main band with the name of the blend and some artwork, and finally a foot band with the blend name repeated. It’s a good way to tie this lower-priced line to the upper-price Alma line. The box presentation is nice, as well, without being as ostentatious as the higher-priced Plasencias.
The wrapper was a milk chocolate brown with a bit of mottling on it and a rich, pungent earthy aroma. The foot had a lot less aroma, which is odd in my experience. What I did pick up there was mostly a light cedar note with just a whiff of earth. After cutting the head, the draw was excellent and tasted of cocoa powder, earth and cedar.
Flavor
The Plasencia Reserva Original started off with solid Nicaraguan earthy flavors underpinning a spicy profile that included both cinnamon and red pepper. Subsequent puffs brought out some baker’s cocoa and espresso bean notes, along with a subtle sweetness that helped provide some early balance to the blend. As I got further into the first third, the blend really came together nicely with light cinnamon and cedar, earth and coffee, semi-sweet chocolate and black pepper.
More sweet notes came out in the second third, with a light caramel joining the semi-sweet chocolate and roasted nuts coming through more prominently on both the palate and retrohale. Earth and cedar still formed a solid undercurrent and pepper spice was still present on the finish.
The last third of the Reserva Original was creamy with continued sweetness and a sharp red pepper coming back into focus.
Construction
I had a great draw, very even burn line and solid ash.
Value
The price point on this cigar is very reasonable and it delivers a great experience.
Conclusions
I honestly didn’t know what to expect from the Reserva Original. The Alma series was incredibly refined and tasty that it was hard to know what I would get from a cigar that retails for roughly half the price. In short, it was an excellent cigar that I enjoyed more than Alma del Campo, though not as much as Alma Fuerte. Reserva Original is a complex cigar that shows the sweeter side of Nicaraguan tobacco while not abandoning the earthy and spicy notes you expect from that country’s leaf.
By-The-Numbers
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10
David, I always enjoy your reviews. As a left-leaning cigar lover, I can tell you we definitely aren’t all anti-tobacco. In fact, I’ve been surprised by how many cigar lovers on forums and at some of my local B n Ms are quite liberal. Also highly depends on which stores I frequent, and, as I don’t enjoy talking politics while smoking at all, I avoid some stores if I plan to stay and smoke.