Cigar Review: Revere Lancero by 262 Cigars

Lancero, 7” x 38 ring gauge / $8.80, Silo Cigars

I knew this cigar would work. I know…I know…don’t talk about yourself in a review. I try not to…except that a cigar review is “one man’s opinion” so in that way these words are all about me. Anyway…last November, Clint Aaron (President of 262 Cigars) had an event at the CBC/Burns location in Cleveland. I got there early and was helping him bring in a couple things from his car (that 944 was the bomb!). One of the items was a pre-release box of Revere Lonsdales. I had already had the Robusto (liked it) and the Corona (loved it), but the Lonsdale took it to a whole new level. Too bad they would be destined to only see one cigar shop in the country…no offense to Clint’s important customers, but I wanted to have unfettered access to those tasty stogies, too! So the Lonsdale was killer and I told Clint, “You really should make this in a Lancero.” He smiled, then produced a NDA, made me cut my finger and sign it in my own blood. Clint might actually remember that last part a little differently, but the point is, the small ring-gauge format seemed a complete natural for the Revere blend and Clint knew it right from the start. Savvy business people don’t lay all their cards on the table at the outset, so he made us wait…the Lancero officially debuted at the 2013 IPCPR show, and I finally saw it “in the wild” at Silo Cigars in early November, where I bought a couple. I smoked one in the shop that day and saved the other for this review. In case you are joining us late, the Revere is a Nicaraguan puro, the first of its kind from 262 Cigars.

The band is still the cool modern/throwback mix that has worked so well for the past year. To be honest, 262’s band and box designs are always excellent. I’ve heard some people opine that “It doesn’t matter because you don’t smoke the band or box.” But it really does matter, and here’s why: a great salesman can sell his own cigars all day long while he’s standing in a B&M’s humidor. Once he leaves, though, they have to sell themselves; without a good marketing effort in the way of professional-looking bands, boxes, shelf-talkers, etc. those cigars will simply have a very hard time moving off the shelves and into enthusiasts’ humidors. Suffice to say, I think Clint and the crew do well in this area. The cigar itself was a milk chocolate brown with fairly pronounced veins and a beautiful oily sheen. Giving the wrapper a whiff, I got earth and leather notes, while the foot had mostly a pungent earthiness. I cut with my trusty Xikar Xi and got a great draw; the cold flavor had notes of cocoa powder and black coffee, as well as a mild sweetness.

After lighting the Revere Lancero, I got a lot more pepper spice than I can ever remember getting on any other Revere vitola. It was a black pepper on the palate, and a hot red pepper on the nose. I also picked up a strong earthiness and notes of espresso bean on the tongue, as well as more minor hints of cedar and anise. Nearing the end of the first third, the flavors hadn’t changed much, but what I noted was the body. While the other vitolas of Revere had been medium to full by the end, this Lancero started off there and was into the full-bodied range by the end of the first third. It was much more substantial and powerful…more “Nicaraguan” perhaps…than the other sizes.

As I cruised through the second third, the burn line of the Revere Lancero was straight and true, the ash was solid up to a half inch or so and the draw was perfect. I continued to get a deep earthiness, notes of coffee and a pleasant sweetness on the palate. The pepper had become a low burn on my tongue and had diminished a bit on the nose.

In the end, the Revere Lancero was everything I hoped it would be: earthy and peppery with lots of cocoa powder and coffee, along with touches of sweetness to balance it all out. The best of a great line of cigars? Absolutely. In a year where everything seems to be coming up Broadleaf for me, this cigar truly stands out as one of the best. Hmm…wonder what would happen if Clint put a Broadleaf wrapper on this beast?

Body: 8/10
Strength: 7/10
Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale

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