The Pink Telephone Booth Lancero by J.London Exclusive for LACC
BRAND/CO: J. London
CIGAR: Pink Telephone Booth
VITOLA: Lancero - 6.75" x 42
STRENGTH: Medium - Full
WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Habano, Maduro
BINDER: Dominican Republic (Olor)
FILLER: Dominican Republic
ORIGIN: Dominican Republic, Undisclosed
APPEARANCE & CONSTRUCTION: Average
The Habano wrapper is super dark, has good oiliness and a lot of mottling. There's an interesting dichotomy of a "crispiness" to the wrapper while still being so oily you feel the residue on your fingers. It is definitely not dry though, the HumidiMeter checked in at 62%. It is a bit rustic though. Lumpy, slightly curved, a couple thick veins with some lift at the seams. The pigtail accentuates the rustic vibe. But I really dig the teal and pink color combo.
DRAW & BURN: Good / Good
Draw is on the open side but good. The burn is uneven tough the first inch, but staying controlled enough to avoid canoeing. I always find these smaller ring gauges are tougher to burn evenly. The ash is a very light gray that develops dark, deep grooves between draws. By the end of the first third, the char settles in to a nice, even line. The ash barely holds on through the first third, but no surprises there. Stacking ash isn't a strong suit of the small ring gang.
FLAVOR PROFILE: Excellent
Immediate flavors are musty earth, light pepper and citrusy sweetness. I'm getting espresso and light chocolate as well. I get a little bit of salt from the wrapper when my tongue touches where the wrapper was resting on my lips. This blend is off to a great start. There's some charred woodiness, but it adds a smokey quality to the earth. The sweetness is interesting, there's a bit of zest, but I'm getting a very savory, butter like flavor to it. The pepper increases with the smoke, approaching pepper bomb status. This is a very robust set of flavors as well as a strong cigar for its size. But it's a straight shooter, no real changes from start to finish, just increasing intensity and a delightful blend of flavors. The savory, buttery flavor, espresso, spice and musty earth, all with a creamy finish just dominate.
OVERALL EXPERIENCE: Great
A great and enjoyable blend, but I'm still not sold on Lanceros. The biggest issue is now a I want it in a Toro vitola that just doesn't exist. And now I'm also very interested in the other Telephone Booth blends. The pursuit of new and interesting cigars never ends! Check this one out if you can.
Purchase Singles or by the Bundle HERE
Written by Sean McCloskey of the Collective.