Cigar:            Sancho Panza Cabellero

Size:             45 x 6.25  (lonsdale)

Country:          Hon

Wrapper:          CT, E

Binder:           CTBL

Filler:           Hon/Nic/DR

Flavor Strength:  Medium

NicotineStength:  Mild

Date Received:    2004-07-15

Suspected Age:    7 months

Vendor/Price:     JRs / $2.10 (also received one as a gift from Uncle Grumpy.  Thanks Unc!)

Beverage(s):      Water, Gin & Tonic

Smoke time:       1:10

Date:             2005-02-03

Posted to ASC:    2005-02-16

Overall:    Construction, cut, and prelight all foretold a nice experience.  They lied, as the cigar was mostly a non-event.  Started with an initial blast of green bitter nut which quickly faded to a more roasted nut with a lightly sweet finish.  A third into it a bitter note arose that continued to build.  Roasted nut in the long finish was nice, but unfortunately you had to smoke the thing to get there.  Abandoned at 2".  I guess my palate and tastes have evolved.

Ambience:   After a dinner of grilled Ahi and prawns, steamed brussel sprouts, and grilled bok choy, we retired to the lanai for smoke, some reading, and needlepoint.  Again the Kihei, Maui weather was 75F with overcast and occasional rain.  Cardinals vocalized their territorial warfare. 

I first smoked one of these at Golden Gardens park in August a few weeks after receiving them.  It was my 27th different cigar since starting the vice 3 months before.  At the time I enjoyed it very much though I took no notes and did not review, so I am looking forward to a rematch. 

Construction:     Slight box press.  Nice even, barely veined, darker than milk chocolate colored wrapper with what appears to be a slight tooth.  Slightly yielding along its length with an old, sweet alfalfa aroma. 

Cut & Prelight:   Cut well.  Loose draw, but not annoyingly so.  A "round" sweet draw flavor, perhaps well roasted hazelnut. 

First third:      Green bitter nut!  Yuck.  Luckily it faded over the first 1/2" to a nuttiness with a wet lightly sweet finish.  Good smoke volume.  Fair burn.  Held a 1" ash.

Second third:     Kind of a non-event.  A bit more roasted nuttiness, with a vague sweetness in the finish as well as a bitter note.  A nice roasted nut in the long finish. 

Third third:      More of the same.  The bitterness has grown, though the long finish is nice.  Unfortunately you need to endure the bitterness to get to the long finish.  Abandoned at about 2".

I guess my palate has evolved.