The lancero, or panetela vitola of the Don Pepin Garcia Original by My Father Cigars is its own yin and yang. 

Based upon appearances, it is a very slender and long-looking thing. It reminds me of something you might see Captain James T. Hook or Cruella Deville smoking in a particular cut scene.

But dive into this premium cigar blend's deeply fermented flavor attributes and aromatics, and you will realize that it is just as round and meaty as a stuffed crust sausage lover's pizza pie. 

However, like many modern-day cigar smokers, I prefer the toro vitola, or better yet, a robusto or belicoso. I have smoked a few dozen panetela cigars over the years, and every time I feel a bit goofy wielding something like a 7½-inch long lancero. 

So if that's the case, then why am I so eager to fire up another one of these skinny-ass cigars? Because I enjoy the flavor of good pizza. And also due to the fact that I adore a zesty corojo cigar.  

[Buy 5-Pack]

Unlit Impressions  

A 38 ring-gauge may look small, but in the hand, this stick feels right on. This is surely thanks to the weight provided by that lengthy barrel, and the fact that the cigar is generously loaded with long-filler leaf. Unwieldy as it may look and feel at first, one cannot deny the fact that this large lancero is finely crafted and properly filled.

A visual scan shows a nice bit of tooth to the cigar wrapper, along with some rugged, leathery looks to the leaf. To the best of my knowledge, this is an oscuro-grade of Corojo '99, which is a rarity due to the fact that this strain of tobacco struggles under lengthier fermentation times. 

Cooked low and slow, this blend is a bold, meaty-smelling stick, with lots of red and black pepper, cedar, and corojo tang to the nose. The foot has a sweeter, darker smell, with an oregano, bready sweetness that is similar to freshly cooked marinara sauce. 

Initial Smoke     

Corojo pepper pops of flavor, a little bit of cedar sawdust dryness, and then the whole pepperoni side of the pie comes alive. Meaty and umami to the core, with little bits of oak chip tossed around, there's a lot of full flavor approaching you from every side.

1st Half     

Smoke a few inches down the barrel, and darker, tangy tastes of stewed Roma tomatoes and savory garden herbs start their song and dance. Light touches of heat still flicker about, but there's a cooldown period here that is more round and fulfilling than before.

Tack on some sweet, dark balsamic notes, a little more raw pizza dough, and a slight salinity, and things get even more interesting. As the meatiness of the cigar increases, toward the center of the cigar, body, and strength build to the upper side of medium, while flavor is almost full. 

2nd Half      

Funky, heavily aged sharp cheese draws you in for a second slice after the first hour or so. Did I mention that this cigar burns extremely slowly? Well, it does.

That nutty, cheese-like taste twists the tangy notes to the palate's advantage and simultaneously mellows out some of the corojo spice. The deeper into the pie you go, the richer and chewier the smoke gets. It's not as herbal as before, nor as tomato-oriented, but that's fine. I enjoy white pizza too.

Parting Puffs      

Darker than ever, yet still smooth and clean tasting as can be, the final moments of this cigar are a reminder that an oscuro leaf encases this premium cigar blend. Heat may become an issue at this point, along with bitter off-flavors, so keep that in mind if you decide to nub this one up.

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw 

Tremendous. Everything about this cigar's performance is tremendous. 

Alright, so its smaller circumference does not make it conducive to smoking outdoors in windy weather. and yes, I did drop ash everywhere I went while smoking this lancero. But that's about all that can be said about this blend in a negative fashion. Huzzah.

Final Thoughts  

If you have 2–3 hours to spare, and like the flavor of a meaty pizza pie, you must try this cigar on for size. It may not fit into your regular wheelhouse of preferred cigar vitolas, but that might be a good thing. I hear that 9 out of 10 therapists prescribe stepping out of your comfort zone on occasion to help with personal growth and to keep shit interesting. 

Now if you will pardon me. My Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoons are coming on and I need to get ready. Cowabunga ya'll, and I'll check ya later.

Flavor, Aroma & Transitions

Depth & Complexity

Construction, Burn & Physical Appeal

Backstory & Branding

Balance & Repeatability

Bonus Points for Originality

Overall Rating

Stogie Specs