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Unlit Impressions

It may not be the prettiest stick on the shelf, but there's a certain timeless vibe to the original Sancho Panza band, as well as the box-pressed build they have long been known for producing. Veiny and mottled in places, with a clear difference in color from one section of the wrapper to the next, that Cuban-seed outer leaf has looks that are just as mixed as the aromatics it offers.

Dried hardwood sitting on the woodpile, medium-grade suede and light leather, a pinch of tree sap, and the smell of a wool sweater pulled from a cedar-lined wardrobe all hit the nose just right. The foot smells strongly of black tea and dried cherries, with sweet molasses, potting soil, and spelt bread circling behind. Perhaps it is the vintage of the cigar itself, but I cannot detect any spiciness anywhere, which is surprising, considering the amount of ligero that is supposedly inside. 

Cold draws start with wet wood and a mixture of barnyard flora and fauna, before settling into a sticky mixture of chewy granola bars that have been dusted with brown sugar and cinnamon. It isn't a very sweet taste, though, but more of a series of flavors. I also detect a touch of spiciness, along with the bitterness of black tea and the tannins contained inside each leaf. On my review cigar, I detect a strange candle wax off-note after each pull, which I pray does not evolve into a smoking profile once the cigar is lit.

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Initial Smoke

Salted butter sitting atop a piping hot slice of toast attempts to claim first base, but is quickly squashed by an intense ligero kick and that black tea taste, which pushes deep into retrohales along with more dried cherry. Sweet licks of black licorice and molasses, along with a scoop of wet sawdust and leather lounge about, making for a very rich start to the cigar. 

1st Half

Spicy and distinctly peppery, the heavily aged sun-grown insides of this cigar force the wrapper into forming its own intense attributes, which are a mixture of cedar, soil, and roasted chilis. Full-flavored already, the first third sticks with the licorice for as long as possible, before burying the olfactory senses in a wave of milky, nutty intensity.

Although the specific type of nuttiness is hard to distinguish amidst all that ligero leatheriness, it does a fine job of smoothing out the spicier sides of the smoke, and in a way, aids in a build-up of body. The cigar is medium-full at the moment, and moving toward a lengthier finish with each exhale. Each draw feels perfect, smoke formation is fluid, and the overall temperature of the cigar is ideal, even though the leaning ash looks a bit on the inebriated side.

2nd Half

Leather refusing to back down, the blend turns toward dried paprika powder in the start to the second half, before hitting the nostrils with a surprise dose of floral arrangements plucked straight from the garden. Perfume-like in a way, the smell of rose water smooths out retrohales in a major way, leaving behind a semi-dry finish that is very satisfying. 

Still very much a Honduran puro, the underlying flavors are soil strong, but not nearly as leathery as before. As the final third encourages the nuttier notes in the cigar to finally expose their true identity, which in this case is that of raw walnuts, a surprise addition to the cigar flavor profile jumps forth. There is a palm taste to the smoke, which manages to turn that dry finish into something a bit oilier.

However, all of that ligero leaf has grown rather spicy and a touch sharp in its own way. So I am relieved to find that the roasty richness of the smoke has allowed both cedar and leather to lean back in, as parting puffs appear to be filled with fireworks.

Parting Puffs

Walnuts slowly roasting over an open fire of dried cedar staves, balanced by medium-dry scoops of soil and a last lick of molasses, turn the remaining puffs of this box-pressed Churchill into a full-flavored experience, and dammit if it isn't downright delicious. Smooth and clean, strong and surefooted, every puff brings pleasure to the senses with full-bodied, full-strength focus. What a wonderful way to wrap up an already excellent smoking session.

Ash / Burn / Smoke / Draw

An ash that liked to lean heavily to one side may have been unsightly, but it did not ruin the first third. However, the uneven burn in the final third that led to a tunneling issue was far more disconcerting, as ultimately it did cause a touch-up. But beyond these two issues, there were no other combustion concerns with my review cigar. The sample stick I smoked burned perfectly, save for a touch-up at the very beginning, and the draw on both sticks was pure perfection. 

Final Thoughts

While some may favor the new version of Extra Fuerte by Sancho Panza, I still find myself harkening back to the old blend. The original recipe's mixture of dark and light tastes and textures, controlled doses of spiciness and strength, and surprisingly delicate floral touches all take the senses for quite the ride. That is partially due to the fact that the earthiness of the smoke is a supporting secondary note, and not a complete soil bomb of a cigar flavor profile.

This is a slow burn sort of stick too, and no, I'm not just talking about the length of that "Barcelona" Churchill vitola. I am referring to the gradual increase of the strength within the cigar, which, even after all these years, is still sizable. Those double doses of ligero inside really do pack a wallop, but it isn't all at once, and when it does finally arrive, you and your palate have had plenty of time to prepare. 

Now, as for flavor, I feel that strong cigar smokers will likely find their toes curling when they discover the layers that await in the final third, and the equally unique tastes found in parting puffs. Almost everything about the blend works well everywhere else, too. Even when things get a bit chaotic in the midsection, and tastes and aromas seem like they are growing obtuse, the stick straightens itself out in swift fashion. This is a vintage cigar that is in its prime right now, and I am pleased to see it burning so damn well after all these years.

Does that mean I would suggest smoking this original blend over the new one? Sure, why not? There can only be so many sticks of the original left by now, so you might as well puff the original before sampling the remix. Just be sure to have a sizable beverage nearby when you do, because I get the feeling you are going to need it.

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