Cigar Review: La Riqueza Lancero by Tatuaje

Vitola: No. 6 (Lancero)
Size: 7.5” x 38 ring gauge
Price $9.99
Purchased at Burns Tobacconist

Background

I missed the Tatuaje Lancero Sampler when it came out earlier this year. It was a mixture of things…lack of funds at the exact time that they were available and lack of availability when I had the funds. Same old story that happens to everyone at one time or another. When the second wave of Samplers came around, I got sidetracked again…this time by a stick that was originally released as part of the Sampler.

La Riqueza is a brand that is both well-known and sometimes-overlooked. It is part of the Tatuaje family of cigars and has been available for a good number of years, but it tends to get a bit overshadowed by the Tat Brown Label, Black Label, and Monster releases. Experience has taught me, though, that this is not a cigar you should just pass by.

Like all other Tatuajes, this is made in Nicaragua at the My Father Cigar Company. It uses Nicaraguan filler and binder, along with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. What was that? Broadleaf? On a Lancero? Oh, baby…I’m there!

I smoked 2 or 3 of these before I got around to this review sample…I bought them all.

Prelight

The band of the La Riqueza is the traditional red background, white lettering and gold foil you’ll see on many old-school Cuban brands. It’s a look that evokes another time and establishes a link to the past, while not looking outdated thanks to the PJHC logo in the center. The Broadleaf wrapper was, as usual, exceedingly oily to the touch, a dark milk chocolate shade of brown, and had plenty of veinage showing. It smelled of sweet earth, an aroma that was pervasively strong on the foot as well. The prelight draw was very good and tasted of semi-sweet chocolate and rich earth.

Flavor

I fired up this La Riqueza Lancero on a mild, autumn evening, with the wind blowing enough to knock most of the remaining leaves off the trees right off my front porch. Immediately I got a rich chocolatey note, followed on by cedar and earthiness and red pepper that provided heat to both the palate and nose. Midway through the first third, I was in heaven…I always love the richness of a good CT Broadleaf wrapper, but with this blend and in this vitola, it was really something special…”The Riches” indeed!

In the second third the sweetness of the Broadleaf became predominant with notes of chocolate and citrus, while the pepper ebbed to a steady burn on my tongue. Earth and wood notes were underneath.

The last third had the earthiness and red pepper strengthening again with the sweetness diminishing at the same time.

Construction

Build quality for these cigars has been uniformly great in my experience…wonderful draw, straight-enough burn line and solid ash.

Value

The asking price of about $10 is pretty fair, really, being as the Lancero Sampler was about $100 for 10 sticks, so $10 each there (your prices may vary, of course). Of course, you can usually get a discount for buying a whole box, so there is that…

Conclusions

If you know me, you know I love the Broadleaf, so you probably know what’s coming…this was a great cigar, no doubt about it. And the fact that it’s available outside the Lancero Sampler makes it easy for everyone to get without spending money on blends that may not be up their alley. As with other La Riqueza vitolas, this was full-bodied and strong, but not overwhelmingly so. This takes its place up wither with the Noellas Reserva and Avion 13 Reserva among my favorite Tatuaje cigars and I will buy a box as soon as I get the chance.

By-The-Numbers

Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 10/10