Y Panda Sublime

Every year brings new releases from various legacy brands that have been around for decades—think manufacturers like Arturo Fuente, La Flor Dominicana, My Father and Padrón—and there are always new people entering the industry, bringing new ideas and creations.

Linxu “Panda” Yan is one of those people. After leaving China at the age of 16, Yan ended up in the United States where he worked at a retail shop in Memphis. Eventually, he made his way to Estelí, Nicaragua, where he contacted Luciano Cigars, looking to pursue a career in the premium cigar industry.

According to a press release, the Y Panda line was co-blended by Yan and Luciano Meirelles, founder of Luciano Cigars, and is made with an Ecuadorian corojo 98 wrapper covering a double binder of Brazilian arapiraca and Ecuadorian Sumatra tobaccos. In addition, the filler incorporates tobacco grown in Nicaragua, specifically viso from Jalapa and seco from Estelí, a combination that the company says operates as the yin and yang, offering “edgy sweetness, mild flavors brought to life with slight strength to the seasoned palate.”

“I have always found that life is best lived when we embrace its contradictions,” said Meirelles, in a press release. “From his own identity, to moments in life where he’s been blessed even when most struggling, this cigar is Panda’s attempt at expressing a new realization. Y Panda is about finding the good in the bad, the opportunity when things go wrong, and some of life’s answers even when overwhelmed with questions and uncertainty.”

The Y Panda debuted in four different vitolas, all packaged in 20-count boxes:

• Y Panda Corona Gorda (5 5/8 x 46) — $10.20 (Box of 20, $204)
• Y Panda Robusto (5 x 50) — $11.70 (Box of 20, $234)
• Y Panda Toro (6 x 52) — $12.70 (Box of 20, $254)
• Y Panda Sublime (6 1/2 x 54) — $13.70 (Box of 20, $274)

All of the Y Panda cigars are being produced at the Luciano Tabacos S.A., in Esteli, Nicaragua and boxes started shipping to retailers in July 2023.

• Cigar Reviewed: Y Panda Sublime
• Country of Origin: Nicaragua
• Factory: Luciano Tabacos S.A.
• Wrapper: Ecuador (Corojo 98)
• Binder: Brazil (Mata Fina) & Ecuador (Sumatra)
• Filler: Nicaragua (Estelí Seco & Jalapa Viso)
• Length: 6 1/2 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 54
• Vitola: Sublime
• MSRP: $13.70 (Box of 20, $274)
• Release Date: July 2023
• Number of Cigars Released: Regular Production
• Number of Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

From a visual perspective, the Y Pandas are covered in attractive, dark brown wrappers that feature a small amount of mottling along with just a touch of oil. In fact, those wrappers are almost supple to the touch with virtually no tooth at all that I can discern, but all three cigars have a large soft spot in the same general area about an inch above their feet. When I hold all three in my hand, two of the cigars feel quite a bit lighter than the third one. Aromas from the wrappers include strong, sweet cloves, creamy woodiness, earth, barnyard and leather tack, along with some light dark chocolate. However, scents from the feet of all three cigars feature stronger cedar—albeit with the sweet cloves not far behind—as well as hay, brewed coffee, faint nuttiness and some vanilla bean sweetness. Finally, after straight cuts, a very distinct bitter dark chocolate flavor is at the forefront, followed by gritty earth, move cloves, leather tack, nutmeg, bready sweetness and a light vegetal note.

A combination of cloves—albeit not as sweet as I noted on the aroma and cold draws—and spice greets me as I light the feet of the Y Panda Sublime, and while the cloves stays on as a main flavor in the profile, the spice begins to dissipate almost immediately. Powdery cocoa nibs join the cloves at the top of the profile after a short time, followed by additional flavors of earth, leather, brewed black coffee, sourdough bread, creamy cedar and light citrus peel. In addition, there is some aggressive red pepper on the retrohale, though it seems to fade a bit as the first third burns down, but I can still make out some marshmallow sweetness as well. The flavor starts off at medium-plus while the body is at a solid medium and the strength hits a point just over the medium made by the end of the first third. When it comes to the construction there are no issues whatsoever.

The combination of cloves and cocoa nibs continues to dominate the profile of the cigars during the second third, but new secondary flavors of dried tea leaves and anise emerge, joining the already existing creamy cedar, leather, brewed black coffee and sourdough bread. While the amount of red pepper present on the retrohale has not changed, the marshmallow sweetness increases slightly. Flavor bumps up to medium-full, body remains at a solid medium and the strength increases enough to hit medium-plus. In terms of construction, the draws and smoke production continue to impress, but two of the three cigars run into enough problems that I need to touch them up with my lighter two times each.

The by now familiar flavors of cloves and cocoa nibs remain on top of the profile until the end of each cigar, followed by secondary notes of charred meat, gritty earth, coffee beans, anise and very light citrus peel that fades in and out. The combination of red pepper and marshmallow sweetness does not budge from the retrohale, but by the end of the cigars, there is noticeably more sweetness than when they began. The flavor increases to end cigar at full, body reaches medium and strength increases to a point just over medium-full. Finally, the construction reverts back to what was present in the first third, meaning I had no issues at all with the amount of smoke, the burn lines or the draws until I put the nubs down with about an inch remaining.

Final Notes

• Meirelles told halfwheel in July that Yan had been an intern at the company’s factory and farms for 14 months, but now his affiliation is more focused on being a brand ambassador for the Y Panda brand.
• Interestingly, during the 2023 PCA Convention & Trade Show, I had multiple people come up to me and tell me I had to try this cigar.

• These cigars are listed at 6 1/2 x 54. We have been measuring and weighing every cigar we have reviewed on halfwheel for more than a year, and when compared to cigars of similar size, two of the Y Pandas were noticeably lighter by about three grams.
• The burns on the three cigars that I smoked for this review were almost never razor sharp, and there were a couple of times when things almost got too out of control. Having said that, I only had to touch up the burns two times on two separate cigars.
• I love the band that was chosen for these cigars: the logo is simplistic but memorable, and the gold embossing is exceptionally well done.
• The cigars smoked for this review were purchased by halfwheel.
• Final smoking time for all three cigars averaged out to one hour and 53 minutes.