Casa Magna Colorado Lancero (2023)

Last November, Quesada Cigars announced it was bringing back the Casa Magna Colorado Lancero as a limited edition release. The last version of a lancero-like vitola in that blend was the 8 1/4 x 40 Casa Magna Colorado Extra Long Lancero, which Quesada released in 2011.

The 2023 version is still 40 ring gauge, a touch thicker than the traditional 38-ring gauge used in the Cuban system, but In terms of blend, the newest incarnation of the Casa Magna Colorado Lancero is composed entirely of Nicaraguan tobacco, including a Cuban-seed, shade-grown wrapper from the Jalapa region. Each cigar has an MSRP of $14—meaning each box of seven is priced at $98—and the total production is limited to 1,000 boxes, or 7,000 cigars.

“Lancero is always a fun but challenging vitola to develop, and even more when blending a Casa Magna,” said Manuel “Manolo” Quesada Jr. in a press release. “Keeping its profile as intense as a regular shape is what made this cigar so special to make and bring to market.”

The Casa Magna Colorado Lanceros were rolled at Quesada’s Tabacos de Exportación factory located in the Dominican Republic, and boxes started shipping to retailers on Nov. 7, 2023.

• Cigar Reviewed: Casa Magna Colorado Lancero (2023)
• Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
• Factory: Tabacos de Exportación
• Wrapper: Nicaragua (Shade-grown Jalapa)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua
• Length: 7 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 40
• Vitola: Lancero
• MSRP: $14 (Box of 7, $98)
• Release Date: Nov. 7, 2023
• Number of Cigars Released: 1,000 Boxes of 7 Cigars (7,000 Total Cigars)
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

It has been a while since I reviewed a lancero, and after the past few large gauge cigar reviews, the Casa Magna Colorado Lancero feels almost comically long and light in my hand. The wrappers are a slightly mottled medium-brown color with a very obvious reddish undertone. There are plenty of small bumps all over each cigar and the wrappers are sandpaper rough to the touch. In addition, a small amount of oil is present, and all three cigars are nicely firm when squeezed. The aromas from the wrappers are relatively faint, but I can discern some powdery cocoa nibs, earthiness, sweet woodiness, and some generic nuts. However, when I bring the feet to my nose, the scents that greet me are more distinct, with creamy oak leading leather tack, gritty earth, baker’s spices, barnyard and sweet milk chocolate. After straight cuts, the colds bring flavors of nutmeg, toasted bread, black pepper, coffee beans, almonds and more milk chocolate sweetness.

Compared to my last review, the Casa Magna is a breeze to get lit, and within seconds, I taste notes of spice and an interesting floral flavor. Both of those quickly move the background as the main flavors of coffee beans and earth move to the top of the profile, followed by cinnamon, sourdough bread, dark chocolate, barnyard, black pepper and the aforementioned light floral note. In addition, there is an abundance of black pepper on the retrohale as well as a light bready sweetness that reminds me of King’s Hawaiian Rolls. Flavor ends the first third at medium-plus, while both the body and strength lag a bit behind at a solid medium. While smoke production and draws on all three cigars are excellent, the burn lines get wonky but not bad enough that I need to correct them.

The main flavors in the profile shift noticeably during the second third of the cigar, with a combination of charred meat and earth taking over the top spot. Secondary flavors include cocoa nibs, gritty earth, cinnamon, black pepper, lemongrass and leather, while the amount of both the black pepper and the Hawaiian Roll sweetness remains unchanged. Flavor bumps up to medium-full, and the strength increases slightly to land at a point just over the medium while the body stays at a solid medium. Construction-wise, all three cigars run into enough trouble to need minor burn corrections, but the draws and smoke production continue to give me no problems whatsoever.

While two of the cigars continue to be dominated by the same combination of earth and charred meat that I noted in the second third, my final cigar exhibits a distinct clove flavor that comes out of the left field. Additional flavors of lemongrass, sourdough bread, leather tack, black pepper and cocoa nibs show up at various points, while the last cigar also features new notes of cashews and dried tea leaves. All three cigars have about the same amount of black pepper on the retrohale as before, but the sweetness has changed: maple syrup replaces the Hawaiian Roll note for the first two cigars, while the last cigar has a graham cracker note. The flavor ends the first two cigars at a point just below the full mark—the last cigar easily passes into the full territory—while the strength ends at medium-plus and the body remains at a solid medium. Construction-wise, the burn lines on each of the three cigars even up nicely, while the smoke production and draws continue along their excellent paths until I put the nubs down with less than an inch remaining.

Final Notes

• Quesada celebrated the 15th anniversary of the Casa Magna line last year by releasing the Casa Magna XV Anniversary.
• Interestingly, there seems to be a “seven” theme in different aspects of this release: each cigar is  7 inches long, they are packaged in boxes of seven, and the $14 price tag can be reached by multiplying seven times two.
• The Casa Magna Colorado line was once made in Nicaragua by Plasencia but it is now made in the Dominican Republic by Quesada, meaning that not only is the cigar I smoked a different size, but it’s also made in a totally different country compared to the first Casa Magna Colorado Lancero.
• While there is plenty of black pepper in the profile and on the retrohale throughout the cigar, I noticed very little on the cold draw.
• Although it is not flaky, per se, the ash on this cigar does not hold on for more than half an inch at a time before falling, so be warned if you are smoking over a laptop or something else you don’t want ash on.
• The cigars smoked for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• Final smoking time for all three cigars averaged out to one hour and 41 minutes.
• If you would like to purchase any of the newest Casa Magna Colorado Lancero cigars, site sponsor Famous Smoke Shop has them in stock on its website.