After centuries of sales and subsequent success, it's safe to say that cigar manufacturing can now be categorized into two primary tiers of long-established business ventures: Legacy Brands and Dynasties.  

Legacy-level cigar makers are the ones who have clawed their way to the top and turned a small to mid-size business that was oftentimes started by the generation that came before them into an all-out empire. These include major names like Padrón, Perdomo, EP Carrillo, and My Father Cigars but to name a few.

And then there are the Dynasty Cigar Brands, which have been family run for hundreds of years, and to this day remain in control of everything from seed to field, and onward to production facilities, fermentation, packaging, and promotion. Cigar manufacturers that grow their own crops the old-fashioned organic way, and insist upon taking their time to hold every last little bit of leaf to the highest standards.

Plasencia Cigars embodies everything that a Dynasty Brand stands for, plus so much more, which is precisely why we will be assessing and discussing the opulently rich Cosecha 149 today. A Honduran puro packing leaf pulled from a single harvest year, which in this case just so happened to be 2014. 

Unlit Impressions

This easily is the darkest Cosecha release from Plasencia that I have ever seen in person. It's not completely opaque like an oscuro, but it definitely is dark, oily, and veiny to the point of being almost leather-like. The color of the wrapper itself actually looks auburn red in the sunlight, and it comes covered on one end with a deep cap that teeters on being overkill. Nasal appraisal produces plenty of cedar and some dust-covered library books, followed by some faint sweetness and the roasted, slightly salty aromatic of sunflower seeds.

Nothing changes all that much down near the foot, as smells of all of the above are only enhanced by some dried raisins, a kiss of molasses sweetness, and a light sprinkle of baking spice. Well, that isn't nearly as intense or exciting as I was expecting. At least the banding is badass. Nobody does a triple band layout quite like Plasencia, and this Cosecha, with its burnished bronze/gold accents, simply shines. Literally.

Being that this is a Honduran puro, it comes as no surprise that soil settles on the tongue first once the cap is cut. Turbinado and a gritty mixed sugar taste slide in second, followed by cedar and musty paper in third. Despite its obvious dark terroir predetermined inclinations, the unlit tobacco tastes light and clean, and the draw is monumental. 

Initial Smoke

Spice and strong volcanic soil strike the larynx with a javelin of intensity and holy shit does it make for one intense ignition. Leather tack and a little bit of red licorice lessen the impact of this throat punch, but it isn't until the raw sugar and cedar swing in to save the day that things get truly balanced. Faint baking spices supported primarily by cinnamon send this medium-strength, full-bodied blend hurtling forth into the infinite chasm of space.

1st Half   

The first major transition does not waste any time in taking off right around the ten-minute mark. It's a mellow milkiness, and it is accompanied by a double shot of Earl Grey. Cinnamon still stands strong as the main spice note, followed by a red licorice and dehydrated dark fruit aftertaste that leads into an elongated finish. The smoke is oily and sumptuous, and as photos clearly showcase, it clings to everything. Full-bodied can't even come close to expressing the creaminess of this cigar's smoke, and the blend wastes no time in delivering it all to you at once.

Although the dark fruit leather cigar flavor profile sticks to the gums for longer than anything else, the next transition seems to be more of a smoothing effect than a shift. 

2nd Half 

As the cigar dries out a bit, a salinity starts to build and along comes some umami meatiness. Light roasted coffee and a longer baking spiced finish form much of the retrohale, which believe it or not isn't very spicy.

Up until the final third, flavor profiles have been fairly clean and easy to assess. But as the final third begins, Honduran soil boils over and a bunch of funk flies forth. Wet and heavily fermented flavors of heavily aged sun-grown tobacco sharpen the senses with a blunt blend of sticky molasses and cedar. Salty and stronger in cedar than ever, this final third is only lightened by the little bits of oak tannin that tumble about. 

Parting Puffs

Chewy granola makes the already rich smoke pouring forth feel like even more of a mouthful. Salty and cinnamon strong, yet still somehow under control, medium white and black pepper finally spice things up in a parting puffs that is all gas and no brakes. Full-bodied, full-flavored, and medium-full in strength, this last portion is both rock-ribbed and mouthwatering.

My only complaint here has to do with how the pepper spice spikes so sharply near that final band, and the chalky, bitter char that follows it. While the pepper punch was intense, I did not find it to be unpleasant, just a bit overbearing and late to arrive. However, the latter of which was not very tasty the deeper down I went, and more than likely had to do with the following section of analysis and criticism. 

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

Although I had a bit more success with my sample stick, I found that this Cosecha burned rather poorly at times. Touch-ups and tunneling, dropped ash and flakes a flutter all kept me reaching for that Klaro triple torch time and time again. This repeated action likely led to those char tastes in parting puffs, and the harshness that came with them.

Smoke production was a different story though, and in certain regards saved this blend from being labeled as a "sample again in a year" sort of smoke. For the life of me, I cannot recall reviewing a creamier mouthfeel and more beautiful body in a full cigar since I started at Klaro damn near three years back. This is supported by a fluid draw, wonderful aromatics, and zero issues with overheating. That said, I did find that this blend burned a little bit quickly, but perhaps that was due to my eagerness to taste it all over again every few seconds.

Final Thoughts 

Well, that certainly was intense. The Cosecha 149 has to be the biggest, fullest, most oily version of this annually harvested blend to hit yet. Complexity is both layered and also easily dissected much of the time, and I cannot get over how rich and creamy the smoke that fills the room.

Some of the transitions within the first half may not have been that exciting, but they tasted clean and suited what came prior. But considering the complexity of the entirety of the cigar from start to finish, it is impossible to complain much... until you factor in those combustion concerns. 

In fact, if it weren't for those burn problems and those imbalanced, charry parting puffs, this blend would have likely taken one of the highest scores ever at Klaro for a full-bodied cigar. Oh well, there's always the opportunity for a redux here in a year or two if there's any of this blend still languishing in Plasencia's cellars. Until then, it's on to reviewing the Cosecha 151, which apparently just landed a ton of awards, and is being heralded as one of the best cigars in the world. 

Flavor, Aroma & Transitions

Depth & Complexity

Construction, Burn & Physical Appeal

Backstory & Branding

Overall Balance & Repeatability

Stogie Specs