Back in August of 2010, I reviewed a custom Lancero from Reynaldo Gonzáles Jimenez that was rolled at the La Casa del Habano at Hotel Conde Villanueva. Amongst custom rolls, it’s largely hit or miss. A year and a half ago, when I first reviewed the Reynaldo Lancero, it was a definite hit. As such, I wondered what it would be like with the extra age.


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Here is what I had to say in the original review:

To say I was impressed with this cigar is like saying the Death Star was a “big base.” I can’t help but think that the combination of complex flavors that changed constantly throughout the cigar and the perfect construction, burn and draw make this the epitome of the Cuban cigar experience. This is what I am looking for when I smoke Edición Regional after monotonous Edición Limitada, and honestly — there are very few, non-aged Cubans, that have come close to being this good in my humble opinion. Hopefully, this is the first of many great cigars in this series, and not the best example first.


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But enough of that, let’s get down to business, shall we?

  • Cigar Reviewed: Reynaldo Lancero (2010)
  • Country of Origin: Cuba
  • Factory: La Casa del Habano Hotel Conde Villanueva
  • Wrapper: Cuba
  • Binder: Cuba
  • Filler: Cuba
  • Size: 7 1/2 Inches
  • Ring Gauge: 38
  • Vitola: Lancero
  • Est. Price: n/a
  • Date Released: 2010
  • Number of Cigars Released: n/a
  • Number of Cigars Smoked For Redux: 1


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The Reynaldo Lancero starts out quite creamy on the palate with some vanilla sweetness and just a touch of white pepper on the retrohale. There are also flavors of wood and hay, but they are faint to begin with. In the first half, there is almost no spice, which is surprising given I remember there being quite a bit the last time I smoked it. It does pick up in the second half, but never more than a background note. However, after about the first third, the flavors start to really come at me, with notes of sweet chocolate, earth, creamy cedar and a great sweet floral note that at times is quite strong. A wonderful conglomeration of flavors that really works well together. Although the burn rate was a little fast at just under an hour, it never got hot, and I am easily able to nub it.

Reynaldo Lancero.jpg


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The Bottom Line: This is a prime example of how good a custom rolled Cuban CAN be with amazing complexity, great construction and enough strength to notice, but not knock you over. Aging-wise, this has not changed much from the first time I smoked it. Although there was less spice in the first half than I remember, I am so happy with the profile it really does not bother me. Just an amazing smoke, one that I should have purchased more of when I had the chance.




Original Score: 93

Redux Score: 93

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Brooks Whittington

I have been smoking cigars for over eight years. A documentary wedding photographer by trade, I spent seven years as a photojournalist for the Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star Telegram. I started the cigar blog SmokingStogie in 2008 after realizing that there was a need for a cigar blog with better photographs and more in-depth information about each release. SmokingStogie quickly became one of the more influential cigar blogs on the internet, known for reviewing preproduction, prerelease, rare, extremely hard-to-find and expensive cigars. I am a co-founder of halfwheel and now serve as an editor for halfwheel.