Top tobacco leaf primings are prized for a plethora of different reasons. Not only are they reserved for the very last harvest of the season, but these upper leaves also contain the most sunshine. This results in a product that is just as equal parts flavorful and intense, as it is limited in quantity. Like most plants, tobacco tends to produce fewer leaves toward the top than at the bottom, and they often tend to be smaller in size. So for many cigar smokers, the upper primings are the most prized part of the plant.

So when Luciano Cigars rolled out a blend in 2021 that sported an Ecuador-grown Sumatran wrapper that was a top-priming specimen, everyone took notice. Now here was a bold move by a boutique cigar brand that showed immense promise. Not just because the very best leaf on the whole damn plant was being utilized on each cigar rolled, but because the blend came loaded with long-filler from the regions of Jalapa and Pueblo Nuevo, as well as the volcanic island of Ometepe down in Nicaragua.

The cigar is called Fiat Lux by Luciano Cigars, and it is a blend that has singlehandedly swept up one 90+ point rating after another over the past three years. So, what do we think about this bold, but elegant-looking cigar? Well, let me tell you... 

[Buy 5-Pack]

Unlit Impressions 

Mottling and soft spots seem to be the only visual and physical issues with these cigars.  Oh, and on two of the three cigars, the footband has a hastily placed piece of tape holding it on. The barrel feels nice though, the cap is clean, and it smells of mixed black teas, exotic herbs and spices, suede, and dark honey. Feet on all three cigars rewarded my massive nostrils with the same scents each time: Dried apricots and figs, black and herb teas, and sweet cinnamon toast.

The banding and branding are clean and classy, with an Art Deco vibe that produces images of The Great Gatsby, sparking one of these corona gordas at an opulent dinner party. A dash dry and cinnamon-centric, with lots of cedar sitting shotgun, cold draws are clean but one-sided in their approach. The cigar also feels feathery in hand, with zero weight to be detected, even by corona vitola standards. 

Initial Smoke 

After a medium-grade peppery start, a mascarpone flavor forms, complemented by some mixed herbal notes, syrupy sweetness, and traces of vanilla. Think Celestial Seasonings "Bengal Spice" tea with a shot of honey and a touch of oat milk on top, served with a side of mascarpone. 

1st Half   

Stronger, yet somehow smoother, comes a much-anticipated venti pour of chai tea. Soon accompanied by his honorable lordship himself, Sir Fig Newton, mildly spiced sweetness and dried fruit flavors fill every draw within the first third with sheer smoking bliss. The finish is surprisingly long and extremely good, and as those signature Sumatran cigar flavor profiles form, out comes a variety of dark and light leather tones, as well as a hefty amount of sun-grown tobacco tastes.

Concentrated but never coarse, every corner of the Sumatran cigar flavor profile wheel spins to the rhythm of this blend's barrel and drum. It's damn near brilliant at its best, and extremely enjoyable at its worst. This is a shining example of what happens when all of the right fermented leaves fall into place. 

Medium in strength and body, and more medium-plus in flavor, the first half is a joy to behold, both on the palate and via retrohale. 

2nd Half 

As things slowly become grassier, and green tea-oriented, the wrapper's spice notes grow in strength and flavor. There's a full-on candied ginger taste to this blend that forms right in the center of the stick, and it's absolutely astounding. 

Spiced tea cake, complete with vanilla icing, caramelized sugars, and a slightly bitter orange peel note is the finishing touch to this smoke, and at its very worst is extremely good. Nutty, spicy, earthy, milky, and tasting a lot like toasted marshmallows at times, I relished every puff of the second of this stick.

Parting Puffs 

A milky nuttiness akin to toasted Brazil nuts builds in the last fifteen minutes of this corona gorda, and with it comes more dank soil, dark chai spice, and a bold cinnamon spice strength that goes well beyond the medium mark.

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

Almost all of the points that were deducted from this review were due to its piss-poor burn. Touch-ups, tunneling ash flakes, dirty ash color, and relights nearly ruined what could have been a top-rated cigar of 2024 for me. I did add a few points back on the board for the performance of the other two cigars, which burned a good bit better, but still required touch-ups and had an ugly ash.

Final Thoughts  

Perhaps it was the corona gorda vitola, or just poor luck of the draw, but I was left quite annoyed by the way that this blend burned. It may not have gotten hot on me, but everything else was off, with the review cigar seen here being a banana peel short of being considered a total dumpster fire.

The flavors and aromatics, as well as the aftertaste and finish, were fantastic though, and managed to keep this blend above the 4.0/5 star threshold we have in place for recommendable cigars here at Klaro. All but barely...

I would still suggest sampling this stick because it is a lovely little cigar with loads of character and depth. I just hope that you don't encounter as many issues as I did along the way to that very tasty, and somewhat strong finish.

Flavor, Aroma & Transitions

Depth & Complexity

Construction, Burn & Physical Appeal

Backstory & Branding

Overall Balance & Repeatability

Stogie Specs

Cigar	Luciano "Fiat Lux""
Wrapper	Sumatran (Ecuador)
Binder	Nicaragua
Filler	Nicaragua
Factory	Nicaragua
Size	46 x 5⅝" "Corona Gorda"
Strength	Medium-Full
Pairing Drink	Iced Chai Latte
Rating	4.3/5