The Reserva Original by Plasencia

BRAND / CO:  Plasencia

CIGAR:  Reserva Original
VITOLA:  Robusto - 4.75" x 52
STRENGTH:  Mellow - Medium
WRAPPER:  Nicaraguan, Natural (Aged 5-Yrs)
BINDER:  Nicaragua (Aged 5-Yrs)
FILLER:  Nicaragua (Aged 5-Yrs)
ORIGIN:  Nicaragua, Plasencia Cigars S.A.

APPEARANCE & CONSTRUCTION:   Good
For a little cigar, this bad boy is dense and weighty.  It's a nice light brown with a mild sheen and a little bit of mottling.  This has the leathery look of old tobacco. There's a number of veins but they're thin.  The seams are tight and the triple cap is perfect.

DRAW & BURN:   Good / Great
The draw is perfect and the burn is beautiful.  It starts and holds dead even the entire smoke.  The ash is a light gray with even striations that holds well.  The ash makes it to almost the halfway point before falling.  This creates a lovely thick white smoke too.

FLAVOR PROFILE:   Great
Baking spice, light pepper, breadiness, cedar and caramel sweet right out the door.   I'm getting nutmeg and cinnamon in that baking spice mix and a hint of vanilla.  The sweet is mild and darker, kind of caramel to brown sugar but then you get moments of fruity sweetness too.  That breadiness is getting toasty and with cinnamon and with the bits of fruity sweetness, I'm thinking of toasted cinnamon raisin bread because there's a slight buttery savoriness that's wrapped to in a great creamy finish.  There's occasional hints of almond nuttiness, cocoa and coffee, which you would expect with a Nicaraguan puro.  Overall, the flavors hold pretty constant for the duration of the smoke.

OVERALL EXPERIENCE:   Excellent
Milder cigars can be very hit or miss for me, but this one is fantastic and really hits the mark.  It's not the most complex or dynamic blend, but it's consistent, smooth and without a hint of harshness.  The aged tobacco really shines here and these are among the most affordable of the Plasencia line.  That's a win all around.  I'm curious if a longer vitola would offer more transition, but this is a fantastic and relatively quick smoke that's a perfect way to start the day.

Purchase Singles or by the Box HERE

Reviewed by Sean McCloskey of The Collective