Retailer exclusives are nothing new in the cigar industry, nor are exclusives to groups of retailers, such as the Tobacconists’ Association of America. Yet sometimes there are cigars released to a group of retailers that aren’t part of a particular group or organization, but rather are simply some of a brand’s best accounts. Such is the case with this cigar.

In 2022, Lampert Cigars created a new program for its top retailers, who they referred to as Lampert Gold Retailers. In addition to the designation, those retailers had access to two exclusive cigars.

The first is this one, the Lampert Limitada Salomones, a 7 1/2 x 58 double perfecto, while the other is the Lampert Limitada A is a 9 1/4 x 48 giant corona. The cigars feature the same blend, using a three-year-old Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper over an undisclosed binder that has five years of age on it and a filler of undisclosed origin that has seven years of age.

  • Lampert Limitada Salomones (7 1/2 x 58) — 5,000 Total Cigars
  • Lampert Limitada A (9 1/4 x 48) — 1,000 Total Cigars

Both cigars are limited in production, with 5,000 Salomones and 1,000 As produced in this first batch, and priced at $30 and $45, respectively. There will be two releases for the 2022 batch, the first of which is slated for July, while the second is scheduled for December. The cigars are made at Tabacos de Costa Rica and receive over a year of rest after being rolled, according to a press release.

  • Cigar Reviewed: Lampert Limitada Salomones
  • Country of Origin: Costa Rica
  • Factory: Tabacos de Costa Rica
  • Wrapper: Ecuador (Connecticut)
  • Binder: Undisclosed
  • Filler: Undisclosed
  • Length: 7 1/2 Inches
  • Ring Gauge: 58
  • Vitola: Salomones
  • MSRP: $30 (Box of 10, $300)
  • Release Date: January 2022
  • Number of Cigars Released: 500 Boxes of 10 Cigars (5,000 Total Cigars)
  • Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

The cigar is a reminder of how beautiful the salomon vitola can be; the tapered ends of the double perfecto and the tapered body provide a unique shape for the eyes to take in and one that is refreshing to see amidst a slew of parejos. The wrapper’s light, golden color makes it easy to see the seams, as well as the small network of veins and some color variations that don’t quite merit the term mottling. It’s rolled very well from a visual perspective, while from a tactile perspective it is rolled fairly firmly, though there are some spots that feel just slightly softer than other spots. While there’s not a lot of sheen to the leaf, there is a bit of either an oily or waxy feel to the leaf. The small, nipple foot doesn’t provide much tobacco to smell, but the wrapper offers an aroma of plain corn flakes with a bit of oiliness or butter. The cold draw is a bit firm but not concerning; what is most interesting is how the relative weight of the foot creates a unique feeling of balance than other vitolas. The flavor is quite neutral, offering a soft, white bread flavor and a bit of sweet creaminess but no pepper across the three samples.

The Lampert Limitada Salomones starts off with a mellow profile highlighted by a bit of cream and white pepper, while smoke production seems to reflect the small amount of tobacco that is burning at the moment. Given the small amount of smoke production, it’s tempting to want to cut more of the head off or really torch up the foot, but patience is the best practice here. As the burn line gets into the bulbous part of the foot, the flavor gets more complex, adding a light woodiness and a light glaze of cooking oil, a change that seems to minimize the role of the pepper but not eliminate it. There are some bread notes here as well, though they range from a warm, soft white roll to a sourdough with a bit more bite. Also varying is the pepper; while present in all three samples, its amount and intensity fluctuate, as does the ratio in the mix of white and black pepper. There is also a sudden change in both the volume and flavor of smoke, one you’re likely to notice much like the first part of a plane’s initial descent. The ash builds up quite impressively, holding on at seemingly every point where I thought it would break off. After finally tapping it off in the first sample, the flavor and aroma both pick up more pepper and the first suggestion of some earthy terroir that is light but stimulating to the senses. There’s also a bit of peppery, almost smoked raspberry in the aroma, as well as a more general smokiness coming into the aroma. Construction and combustion are both very good thus far, while flavor spends most of this third at medium-minus, body is medium, and strength is mild.

With the second third of the Lampert Limitada Salomones underway, it’s the softness and relative delicateness of the first third that I’m thinking about. The flavors of cream and bread really set the tone, and seem to be a launchpad for the cigar to develop from, or possibly the makings of a fairly subdued profile that will take a significant amount of time to burn all the way through. There are some touches of white pepper in the retrohale, and the more of this cigar that I smoke, the more the importance of retrohaling is noted as it is the only way to get the full spectrum of what is being offered. The changes through the first part of this section are subtle; the flavor of the fluffy part of a soft, white bread roll turns more towards the crust. But once that change takes place, things really start progressing. The further into the second third I get, the more the body of the smoke builds and the flavor’s intensity increases. Right around the midway point, the cigar takes an immediately noticeable step forward in both areas that catch my attention. While the second third doesn’t see the cigar give up the profile it established earlier, it certainly is pushing it towards one that has more pepper, and elicits more of a reaction from the taste buds. There’s a very light earthiness, coming in and with it a dryness that hits both the tongue and throat, though it’s not what I would call an irritant. There’s also an increasingly pronounced smokiness in one sample, somewhere between a campfire and a charcoal grill. Flavor steps up to either medium or medium-plus depending on the sample, body is medium-plus, and strength is medium. Each of the three samples continues to burn very well.

The Lampert Limitada Salomones has an interesting duality to it as the burn line reaches the final third; the underlying flavors seem soft, subdued and fairly mild, while the more upfront pepper is still quite vibrant and now a bit smokier than it had been earlier. There’s black pepper beginning to emerge in a bit more pronounced fashion, and as it does, it elicits another layer of physical sensation on the tongue. There is some difference in the final third, as the stronger the pepper is to this point, the harsher the final third gets, whereas in the milder expressions of the blend, it’s more of a sourdough bread flavor. The final inches consistently bring on a bit of a funky taste, almost sourdough toast but with a bit more bite to it, something that stands out more as it seems the creaminess of the cigar is fading. There’s also a bit of saltiness entering the profile, a distinctive taste that grabs my attention for its flavor as well as the physical reaction it elicits. Flavor is now medium-full, body is medium-plus, and strength is medium. Construction and combustion remain fantastic, and I haven’t had to think about my lighter since I put it down a couple of hours ago.

Final Notes

  • I can’t say enough good things about the ash on the Lampert Limitada Salomones. It’s about as solid as any I can recall in recent memory.
  • While we don’t give points for consistency from sample to sample, it is something that we pay attention to, and I will say that there was just enough variance between some samples to have me unsure of what experience someone might have if lighting up one of these cigars. The biggest difference is the pepper and light smokiness versus cream and bread in the first third. Each option sets the cigar down paths that are just different enough from each other to affect the overall impression.
  • I’m intrigued by the primary band design, but I’d be remiss to wonder if an opportunity was missed in not putting the Lampert name on the cigar. I’ve fallen victim to buying a cigar and putting it in my humidor for another time, only to then go to my humidor, find said cigar, and wonder just what in the world I was looking at.
  • The Lampert Limitada Salomones doesn’t offer a lot of strength, or really any strength in one of the samples.
  • The cigars for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
  • Final smoking time was three hours on average.
88 Overall Score

From a construction standpoint, the Lampert Limitada Salomones is an impressive cigar from start to finish. From a flavor standpoint, the Lampert Limitada Salomones is an enjoyable cigar, at least for two thirds of its 7 1/2 inch length and three hour smoking times. The flavor is generally subtle, mellow and approachable, and while not the most complex or nuanced cigar, offers little to stand in the way of an enjoyable experience. As noted above, while not a consistent detour, the final third of each of the three samples gets the flavor profile out of its lane and onto the proverbial rumble strip. This is an instance where I don’t know if time will right things, and while we don’t take price into consideration when it comes to the score, there is something challenging about recommending any cigar where one third is consistently worrisome, let alone one at this price point. If you’re willing to pay the price for a very enjoyable first two thirds, the Lampert Limitada Salomones is a solid cigar; just be mindful that the final third may leave you a bit less than impressed.

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.