It's time to take ya'll back. Waaaaaay back to where this whole premium long-filler tobacco-packed peregrination of mine first began.

Back to a time when I really didn't know shit about cigars, but knew just enough that I had some sort of sense of direction, and an acute interest in earthy Honduran cigar flavor profiles. 

An era when the internet still required some sort of dial-up connection, and mild and infused cigars were my go-to smoke 75% of the time.

A period of my life that even today seems like it was only yesterday, every time I fire up a Sancho Panza "Dulcinea" torpedo...

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Unlit Impressions

Box-pressed softly, yet torpedo-tipped aggressively, the "Dulcinea" vitola from Sancho Panza's Legacy Line, is about as vintage as it gets in my book. 

Its bland brown band, snazzy shade-grown USA Connecticut cigar tobacco wrapper, and classic cedar and nutmeg aromas are tasteful and traditional. A cigar that still looks and feels as well constructed as I remember, but with more substance than I recall.

Perhaps it's just the keg party-fueled nostalgia speaking, but dammit if this isn't one fun throwback stick of a smoke. 

Initial Smoke

Torpedo tip severed, the smoke that strikes the tongue is cedar-rich, grassy, and just sweet enough to be deemed salivating. There's a touch of earthiness from that Connecticut Broadleaf binder and triple-sourced filler, but for the most part, the first ten minutes are all USA shade-grown stars and stripes.

It's a zesty start, but only in flavor, as strength and body are mild and milky. The feels are strong, and they only seem to be building with each puff. 

1st Half

There isn't much of an evolution within the first half of this Sancho Panza premium cigar blend. It's more of a layering act than anything. 

All of those initial cigar flavor profiles remain, but are joined by a more earthen flavor, surely stemming from the Connecticut Broadleaf binder and triple-filler blend. Touches of vanilla here and there, a little bit of that nutmeg note from the unlit foot, and a sweetgrass smell all chime in.

Together, they make for a mellow, yet far more round mouthfeel, that causes the body and complexity of the cigar to escalate from mild to medium status. Strength, however, remains quite mild.

2nd Half

It is at the 50-yard line, that things truly begin to change a bit. A dark, walnut taste appears, followed by a flavor that reminds me of mulched leaves in autumn.

It's a very organic experience, that works well with the grassy, vibrant tones from that USA-grown wrapper. Mouthfeel and body remain a solid focal point and do not stray below or beyond medium.

Parting Puffs 

As the finish line approaches, flavor and body cement their position in the medium bracket, whereas strength vies for a spot in the mild-medium range.

There's a bit more of that nutmeg-like note to be had here, but only in passing. Flavors are primarily cedar and light leather, with a darker depth flowing from within. Smoother than silk sheets and soft-serve ice cream, parting puffs are just as pleasant as any other portion of the stick.

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

While the ash of the "Dulcinea" was primarily white and not too flakey, it didn't hold itself together very well and was prone to premature drops. The burn line also remained wavier than Prince's jheri curl, with the wrapper playing lead guitar.

Nevertheless, the cigar only required a single touch-up toward the end to fix a shoveling concern, and produced a perfect draw, even during its closing set. 

Final Thoughts

While it may not be winning any awards for complexity, packaging design, or originality, the "Dulcinea" by Sancho Panza has withstood the test of time. A product that has gone virtually unchanged for as long as many of us can remember, and for good reason.

It's an OG smoke. A cigar staple, intended to appeal to fledgling cigar enthusiasts and veteran stogie snobs alike. If it were a menu item, it would be the club sandwich of cigars. Loaded with made-in-America ingredients for additional flavor, and toting a familiar list of toppings to keep the purists appeased.

Personally, this is the sort of stick I could find myself reaching for any time a milder smoke is in order. Regardless of whether I encountered it for the first time a few weekends back, or well over two decades ago... 

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