Tag Archives: Plasencia

by Craig Vanderslice | March 23, 2025 · 10:18 am

Alec Bradley, El Mago, Bentley, and Plasencia Cigars

I spent some time this week smoking cigars that I got on my two trips to Florida this month. Three of them came from the outstanding Cigar Circus opening party, and one I picked up at Smoke Inn. Some I liked better than others, but they were all pretty good. I’ve been really trying to limit my consumption of sucky cigars. Anyway, I started with the Alec Bradley Post Embargo Blend Code B15. I remember picking up some Post Embargos nine years ago, might still have one somewhere, and them not really being up my alley. I misidentified this as Blend Code 815, upon closer inspection it’s a B. I thought it took them 815 tries to get to this, I would have given up well before 500. They have a large “Post Embargo” band covering the high priming Trojes Honduran wrapper, with a Honduran binder and fillers from Honduras and Nicaragua. This stares with a little hint of Mesquite wood, and it struggled with some minor tunneling. The second half redeemed itself, with some nice, medium milk chocolate and nuts. Not a bad smoke, interesting flavors. I think this came out since the STG purchase of the brand.

A cigar I picked up when I visited the Smoke Inn shop in West Palm a few weeks back was the El Mago Miami Disco. I have been hearing a lot about the brand, great story behind it, and the packaging is pretty spectacular. The Disco reached out to me, maybe it’s one of the brand’s newest offerings, or that the tube was quite nice. I like that the cigars are in cellophane and the tube skips the cedar sheet, that’s an expensive and unnecessary feature and adds nothing for me. This is a 6″ x 60 cigar with a dark Habano Oscuro wrapper, Criollo binder and Nicaraguan fillers. These are made at the MGE Cigars Factory in Esteli, one which I haven’t heard of previously. Upon lighting this I instantly regretted only buying one, and for a moment considered shelling out for a box, even though this is near the upper limit of my price comfort zone. The cigar started with a delicious Cayenne dark chocolate kind of thing, it really got my attention. This was my star of the week, it was a delicious cigar to the end. The Cayenne dropped off and it was pure dark chocolate til the end. Yummy cigar, and I need to try some of the other cigars in the line. I think Wooden Indian might have some, I owe them a visit anyway!

The Bentley Green toro was my Saturday afternoon watching hockey cigar. This was in the cigars from Cigar Circus, while Jon Carney, who owns the US distribution of the brand, was there with Hooten Young cigars. The Bentley line is owned by the Schusters, who are big cigar distributors in Germany, and made at Joya de Nicaragua. I like a lot of the cigas made at JdN. The 6″ x 52 toro has an Ecuador Rosado wrapper, and fillers from the Jalapa Valley in Nicaragua. Flavorwise, his one gave me the feeling of dry cocoa powder, in a medium bodied package. It was a good cigar, maybe not my favorite if the week, but that bar was set high. I’d give it another go. I was a little surprised that the green was provided instead of the White, I thought the White might have a broader appeal, although I haven’t tried it yet.

Finally, one more cigar that was in the Circus pack was the Plasencia Reserva 1898 robusto. This is a cigar I had never seen before, although it looks like its a line that they have had for a very long time, and may have been for the international market. Is it a reprise? Would they put a discontinued cigar in a retailers swag bag? I’m confused. From what I can put together, this 4¾” x 54 robusto is a Nicaraguan Puro, maybe. Some sources list a Honduran binder. I’m really confused. I see this available at both domestic and international retailers, but it’s not on the Plasencia website. Nothing surprises me with cigar makers websites, El Mago has a search function and “Disco” had no results, yet it’s on the page. I digress. This cigar was pretty darned good! It was dark and rich, and quite strong I think. I noted espresso and cocoa, but a savory as opposed to sweet sensation. I had a sneezing fit in the final third, not sure what that was all about! From what I can gather this is a sub $10 cigar, and was very good.

That’s about all I have for today, until the next time,

CigarCraig

😃+

Flatbed Cigar VLI, Don Pepin Garcia and Plasencia Cigars

I’m working on plans to get to the TPE (Total Products Expo) in Vegas at the end of the month, it’ll either be a one day, quick in and out, or the whole three days. It’s an interesting show, as I’ve chronicled before here, I’m not sure what comes out of it, but I hope to see some old friends. If you’re going, let me know, I’ll tell you where to find me. Anyway, I’ve been rummaging for new things to smoke, there’s some stuff in the pipeline, and I came up with a few for today. First up is the Flatbed Cigar Co. VLI from their Homestead series. Flatbed Cigar Co. makes their cigars in the Dominican Republic, the factory is a closely held secret. I’ve been quite impressed by the majority of their offerings, especially their value. Please note their Daily Deal on the left sidebar, always something good at a great price. It was one of these daily deals where I ended up with the VLI. The VLI, and I can’t seem to find out what that stands for, is a 5½ x 52 with a Pennsylvania wrapper (presumably broadleaf), Dominican binder and Pennsylvania and Nicaragua fillers. Let me tell you, this is right up my alley. This is a bold cigar, with rich, dark flavors, along with some spice, but not overwhelmingly so. There’s a dry cocoa component, and it’s perfectly constructed. I really enjoyed this and I recommend it highly. Check out this small, boutique company based right here in PA., the cigars are very good.

I was looking for something new and interesting and came across a Don Pepin Garcia cigar I hadn’t seen before. It turns out it’s a TAA exclusive, for now, called the Don Pepin Garcia E.R.H., comes in three sizes (robusto, toro and gordo) and is priced in the $8-9 range. I had to grab a 6″ x 52 Toro to try. E.R.H. refers to José Garcia’s first factory in Little Havana, El Rey de los Habanos. This has a striking red band and foot ribbon, I was surprised to see this, and didn’t realize it was a TAA cigar until I looked it up. It has a Sumatra Oscuro wrapper, over Nicaraguan binder and fillers. It was a really nice looking cigar. I got some sweet woody kinds of flavors, and I really enjoyed it. It’s an oasis in a desert of $15 TAA cigars, it’s quite a good value and one I wouldn’t hesitate to buy again.

I had heard some good things about the Plasencia Cosecha 151 recently and decided since the DPG was so affordable I would pop for the more expensive Plasencia. This is one of the more reasonably priced cigars in their offering, running around $16. The 151 refers to the Plasencia family’s 151st harvest,dating back to 1865. So when the US was wrapping up the Civil War, a Plasencia was planting tobacco in Cuba. Wild! This is another Toro, called the La Tradicion, and is listed at 5.9″ x 54. This has a Honduran wrapper, binder and fillers. This was a very good cigar. It had some woody, nutty, coffee flavors and while not 100% my flavor preference, it was very nice, nothing objectionable. I found that the strength crept up on me, and I put it down probably where most people put cigars down, instead of smoking it under an inch like I do with most cigars. I liked it, glad I tried it, given the choice between this and the Don Pepin, I’d probably get two of the DPGs. While pricey, I’ve generally had good experiences with Plasencia cigars.

That’s all for today, until the next time,

CigarCraig

4 Comments

Filed under Review

Tagged as cigar, cigars, Cosecha 151, Don Pepin Garcia, E.R.H., Flatbed Cigar Co., Panacea, Plasencia, TAA, VLI

by Craig Vanderslice | June 20, 2023 · 7:00 am

Oracle Toro Cigar a Cigars.com Exclusive

I was talking with some folks representing Cigars.com (and JR.com, but we’ll keep the focus on Cigars.com for this exercise), and they suggested I try out their Oracle brand of cigars. Being generally bored, and open to such things, I agreed, and there are not a whole lot of Placencia made cigars that aren’t good. So I’ve smoked a handful of these 6″ x 50 Toros and I think they are really quite good. First, let’s examine the bend: It has a really pretty Nicaraguan Habano wrapper, which is a café con leche color. The binder and fillers are also Nicaraguan, specifically from Estelí, Ometepe, Jalapa and Condega. That covers most of the growing regions in that country. As far as the smoking goes, every one I’ve smoked has burned perfectly, with just the right draw, and a firm, light grey ash. These definitely smoke above their price level. The flavors are smooth, but rich tobaccos, with some sweetness and coffee, as well as a little spice. I’m not sure how one makes a Nicaraguan cigar without a little spice! The packaging is nice, to the point that my wife immediately put dibs on the box and all the bands. Not sure what craft plans she has in mind for them, but I’m sure it’ll be cool. So, for around $8, these are a really good cigar, and I’m enjoying them and might have to keep some on hand. These are available at Cigars.com (don’ t forget the “s”, it makes a difference!).

For a limited time Cigars.com is offering a 10% discount if you use the code CCRAIG10 at checkout!

That’s all for today, until the next time,

CigarCraig

1 Comment

Filed under Review

Tagged as cigar, cigars, CIgars.com, Oracle, Plasencia

by Craig Vanderslice | November 19, 2021 · 10:50 am

News: Plasencia Ships Cosecha 149 Cigar

Here’s some news from the folks at Plasencia Cigars. I’ve enjoyed the Plasencia branded cigars and this one looks interesting.

Plasencia Cigars, a world-leading premium tobacco grower, established in 1865, announces that the much-anticipated Plasencia Cosecha 149 cigar brand is now shipping to retailers across the nation. The blend first appeared at the 2021 PCA (Premium Cigar Association) which took place this past July in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Spanish word “cosecha” translates to harvest. The Plasencia Cosecha 149 commemorates the Plasencia family’s 149th yearly tobacco harvest which took place in 2014. The Plasencia family felt that the aged tobacco from the 149th harvest had reached perfection this year, and thus the Plasencia Cosecha 149 was created.

The Plasencia Cosecha 149 is a Box-Pressed Honduran puro using tobacco from the Plasencia family’s various Honduran farms. This medium to full-bodied blend features plenty of spice and toasty crispness (which is unique to Honduran tobacco). The smoking experience changes to a smoother, balanced middle finish. Housed in 10-count boxes the Cosecha 149 boasts a beautifully designed copper foil band.

The Plasencia Cosecha 149 blend comes in 10 count boxes and is expressed in three vitolas:

Santa Fe: a Box-Pressed Gordito 4.875 X 60. MSRP $12.00

La Vega: a Box-Pressed Robusto 5 X 52 MSRP $13.00

Azuacualpa: a Box-Pressed Toro 6 X 52 MSRP $14.50

Plasencia Cigars CEO Nestor Andres Plasencia said: “The Plasencia Cosecha 149 is an exciting project for us. Honduran tobacco is incredibly unique. We strongly felt that to commemorate our 149th harvest the cigar needed to set itself apart.”

For more information, visit: www.plasenciacigars.com, and follow @PlasenciaCigars on social media.

ABOUT PLASENCIA CIGARS

Plasencia Cigars is one of the world’s leading growers of first-class tobacco. The Plasencia family has been pioneering the industry since 1865 when Don Eduardo Plasencia began growing tobacco in Cuba, and five generations of the Plasencia family have continued the legacy. Today, Plasencia Cigars produces more than 35 million handmade cigars per year, and harvests tobacco on more than 3,000 acres across several countries in Central America, including Nicaragua,

Comments Off on News: Plasencia Ships Cosecha 149 Cigar

Filed under News

Tagged as cigar, cigars, Plasencia, Plasencia Cosecha 149

by Craig Vanderslice | July 4, 2021 · 10:07 am

A Plasencia Cigars Sampler and the LouLiga Lounge Grand Opening

At the end of last year when everyone was posting their top ten cigars of the year, I, being the rebel, posted my top cigars I hadn’t smoked yet. A little bit of me did it to test Halfwheel’s Consensus process, to see how closely they paid attention, and it appears they either do, or I’m just that far under the radar any more, I have made appearances on the consensus in the past though when I’ve done a list. Anyway, I had said that I hadn’t smoked any of the Plasencia Alma series last year, so I ordered a nice sampler from my friends at Fox Cigars, and smoked them this passed week. I had smoked the AlmaFuerte Sixto II not long ago and was thrilled to get my hands on another one. Somehow getting one as a part of a sampler felt better than buying one at

the store for $22, and I don’t see the sampler listed anymore, and I forget what I paid for it. It was five cigars, the Alma Fuerte in Robustus I and Sixto II, Alma Del Fuego in Concepciòn Toro and Candente Robusto, and an Alma Del Campo Tribu Robusto. I always joke that these are named after my grandmother, Alma Vanderslice, but I’m sure that’s not the case. I quite enjoyed the flavors in all of these, although I thought the Alma Fuego was just too darned strong for me, that is to say I became tired of it being so strong by the end. The Del Campo seemed to be to more medium bodied to me, and all three were excellent examples of Nicaraguan cigars. They all had rich dark tobacco flavors, with the Fuerte especially having a slight sweetness on the lips pre-light. The weird thing was that, and it might have been the weather or something unrelated, but I got migraines each night after I smoked one of these. Probably a coincidence, as I’ve smoked plenty of Nicaraguan puros before without issue, and gotten plenty of migraines before without having smoked Plasencia cigars! Anyway, Thumbs up on both Plasencia cigars and Fox Cigars for exceptional customer service!

Yesterday I took a drive into the Fishtown section of Philadelphia to visit the grand opening of the LouLiga Cigar Lounge. If you follow cigars on social media, I’m not sure how you could avoid having heard about this place, or at least it’s owner, Luis Rodriguez. Luis has been a long time cigar ambassador, and had realized his dream with this new lounge in a very cool area in the city. It’s in the same block of buildings as The Fillmore, which is a music venue, The Punch Line comedy club, and Philadelphia Distilling, with the Rivers Casino and Convention Center more or less across the street. When I arrived, the place was packed. To be honest, if I hadn’t seen my old friend Antonio Lam (Reinado Cigars, watch for his new cigar, the Grand Apex), I probably would have bought a handful of cigars, snapped some pics and gone home. However, I lit up a Stolen Throne Crook of the Crown Toro and hung out with Antonio and his fiancé for a few hours.

The Lounge is nice. The air handlers work well, it has an industrial feel which is consistent with the building. The furniture is comfortable, there’s plenty of TVs and the humidor is huge. While the humidor shelves were fairly sparsely stocked, what was there was very high quality and fairly pried for a city location. Luis knows his stuff and is very in tune with the boutique brands. I’m not sure how this will relate to the casual, fresh out of the concert, distillery, comedy club, etc, patron who is stopping in for a cigar and know Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta and Cohiba and that’s about it, but it’s going to be a great place for cigar geeks. Luis was an excellent host, greeting everyone who came in warmly. When I got home I tried one of Luis’ own cigars, from an undisclosed, yet prominent, factory. It was quite good, a robusto with some spice in the beginning, and some floral near the end. It’s certainly a place to visit if you find yourself in Philadelphia.

That’s all for today. It’s the Fourth of July, so, as with every year, it’s also my wedding anniversary (34), so I’ll be finding something good to smoke. Be careful out there! Until the next time,

CigarCraig