Illusione "~hl~" Holy Lance
Size: Lancero (7.5x40)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan Corojo '99 and Criollo '98
Price: $9.50 B&M Purchase
Appearance: The first thing to come to mind when looking at the HL up close are rustic and recognizably hand made. From the color, to the overall finish..the Holy Lance just looks "rough." - That fits the cigar very well, though, and is appealing in this particular vitola. The wrapper itself is a light to medium brown with darker marbling on the surface. There are numerous veins, and the texture of the leaf is somewhat bumpy. The cigar is not perfectly straight - and the pig tail caps everything off.
Pre-Light
Aroma: A pleasant, soothing wet soil. Very earthy, it is actually a rather relaxing and comfortable smell. The foot offers up some hints of floral sweetness mixed in with the earthy aroma.
Cold Draw: There is a little bit of resistance in the draw, but with this being a Lancero it plays out well. The flavor of the cold draw presents as the same earthy tones provided by the smell, though not as strong.
1st: I was expecting a blast of pepper to begin, but it started out fairly mild and smooth. There are hints of a lasting spice, but they blend very well with a leathery flavor. Near the back of your throat, hints of that floral sweetness can be tasted. Cedar comes into play a little farther into the first. The retrohale offers some hints of cinnamon at a mild level. This is blended with the leather and cedar nicely. Burn performing well, but the ash falls rather quickly. Cigar smells wonderful when at rest.
2nd: The leather has grown stronger here. Some cedar and spice play together as secondary flavors. While the leather is stronger, it is still in a nice balance with the rest of flavors. The spice is becoming more of a standard pepper present in Nicaraguan cigars. It can be picked up more heavily through the retrohale.
3rd: Cedar kicks up stronger here, taking on the same strength as the leather flavors that have been prominent in the cigar. Some spice is present here, blending with earth tones. The retrohale offers up a full strength pepper bite, backed by that relaxing soil aroma present on the wrapper. - Near and into the nub, the floral notes from early in the cigar come back in. The blend wonderfully with the cedar, offering up some sweetness. It made the last bit of the cigar come back to life, really ending it on a great note.
Impressions: I think this is a delicious cigar, all in all. Despite its rough, rustic look..it is a well constructed cigar. The burn performed wonderfully, and the slight tightness in the draw helped from getting the cigar too hot. There are some subtle flavors that may take a bit to pick up. The floral notes are easy to miss in some of the heavier flavors, as they come and go rather quickly. However, if you are able to pick them up they really make the cigar stand out on a different level.
Size: Lancero (7.5x40)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan Corojo '99 and Criollo '98
Price: $9.50 B&M Purchase
Appearance: The first thing to come to mind when looking at the HL up close are rustic and recognizably hand made. From the color, to the overall finish..the Holy Lance just looks "rough." - That fits the cigar very well, though, and is appealing in this particular vitola. The wrapper itself is a light to medium brown with darker marbling on the surface. There are numerous veins, and the texture of the leaf is somewhat bumpy. The cigar is not perfectly straight - and the pig tail caps everything off.
Pre-Light
Aroma: A pleasant, soothing wet soil. Very earthy, it is actually a rather relaxing and comfortable smell. The foot offers up some hints of floral sweetness mixed in with the earthy aroma.
Cold Draw: There is a little bit of resistance in the draw, but with this being a Lancero it plays out well. The flavor of the cold draw presents as the same earthy tones provided by the smell, though not as strong.
1st: I was expecting a blast of pepper to begin, but it started out fairly mild and smooth. There are hints of a lasting spice, but they blend very well with a leathery flavor. Near the back of your throat, hints of that floral sweetness can be tasted. Cedar comes into play a little farther into the first. The retrohale offers some hints of cinnamon at a mild level. This is blended with the leather and cedar nicely. Burn performing well, but the ash falls rather quickly. Cigar smells wonderful when at rest.
2nd: The leather has grown stronger here. Some cedar and spice play together as secondary flavors. While the leather is stronger, it is still in a nice balance with the rest of flavors. The spice is becoming more of a standard pepper present in Nicaraguan cigars. It can be picked up more heavily through the retrohale.
3rd: Cedar kicks up stronger here, taking on the same strength as the leather flavors that have been prominent in the cigar. Some spice is present here, blending with earth tones. The retrohale offers up a full strength pepper bite, backed by that relaxing soil aroma present on the wrapper. - Near and into the nub, the floral notes from early in the cigar come back in. The blend wonderfully with the cedar, offering up some sweetness. It made the last bit of the cigar come back to life, really ending it on a great note.
Impressions: I think this is a delicious cigar, all in all. Despite its rough, rustic look..it is a well constructed cigar. The burn performed wonderfully, and the slight tightness in the draw helped from getting the cigar too hot. There are some subtle flavors that may take a bit to pick up. The floral notes are easy to miss in some of the heavier flavors, as they come and go rather quickly. However, if you are able to pick them up they really make the cigar stand out on a different level.
