Size: 7 1/2″ x 38
Vitola: Long Panetela
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Origin: USA or Nicaragua
Age: Fresh off the truck (0 months)
Some of you may have heard of this cigar. Those that heven’t, and have been living under a rock, check out this blurb I wrote earlier this week.
This is a very well made cigar, it’s triple cap with a pigtail and easy pre-light draw let me know this cigar was made well (although I will say some others at Empire Cigars that tried it had some construction issues).
With its dark brown rustic looking wrapper and ample ligero visible from the punch hole, it is no surprise this starts off kinda strong and peppery. This is not the good kind of strong. The El Triunfador shows some youth, the strength is probably the presence of some ammonia that gives it a slight metallic taste and sourness in the back of the mouth. This does fade after the first inch and fades away as I smoke it further.
After the cigar gets going, I get a strong tobacco flavor and this lancero has a long finish. There is some earthiness that lingers, but is overwhelmed by the tobacco flavor.
Midway through this long stick, the El Triunfador really mellows out. This is slightly surprising but is kinda neat, as this shows some complexity (which better be present in a 7 1/2″ cigar). There is some nose spice in the exhale, but the tobacco flavor really mellows out and the earthiness comes to the foreground.
This is a fairly strong cigar, but the strength/spice is different than in most Don Pepin/Pete Johnson cigars. Usually I expect an outright Cayenne pepper spiciness and some bitter notes, but this is something different. I’ve been trying to think of a way to describe this, but I am having problems. This strength/spice is similar to what I get from the Tobacos Baez. Its almost a woody spiciness, like a piece of hickory laced with Tobasco. For right now I’ll refer to this as the TBF (Tobacos Baez Factor).
A third of the way through, the cigar really picks up again. I am begining to enjoy this evolving, complex cigar. The tobacco flavor somes back to the front but brings a friend, a nice bit of anise/licorice.
Towards the end this cigar is going full-bore, rich with roasted coffee beans and a dusting of cocoa powder. This is finishing off fantastically!
This cigar may have been rushed to be released, due to some trademark rules, but I think this will be a really good cigar with some age. It’s a solid “B”, but in 6 months or so this could be an “A” cigar for sure!
Rating: 89 (B+)
