The Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte Pamplona

TweetIt’s time for the second installment of my guest cigar reviews. Thanks again to Stinkie for the cigars and the opportunity to make a mess on his blog.

For this review I smoked two Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte Pamplonas (the designated name for the robusto size in this line of cigars). I’m combing my notes for these two smokes together with my recent experience smoking the Madrid (or toro) size a few weeks ago. The majority of the pictures in this post are from the second cigar.

Cigar Stats:
Size: 4 1/2 x 50 (Robusto)
Wrapper: Honduras
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua
Price: $2.75 (Buy Now)
Smoking time: 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes

The Pre-Smoke
In my initial inspection, I noticed some cosmetic variations in these cigars. The first one I smoked was very smooth. You could see the veins in the wrapper, but they were absolutely flush with the leaf. As you might be able to see in the image above, the veins were actually considerably lighter in color than the rest of the wrapper, giving it an interesting decorated effect. It was a very attractive cigar. The second cigar wasn’t quite as refined looking. It had prominent veins running down its sides that were both visually apparent and noticeable to the touch. I’m not saying the cigar was ugly, it’s just hard to match the appearance of the first.

The first cigar also had the slight oily sheen you would expect from a cigar like this. Again, the second cigar just didn’t match up in the cosmetic department. It appeared dry both visually and to the touch.

Both cigars were nicely packed with tobacco and firm when pinched. One cigar had a softer spot toward the foot, but it wasn’t so soft that I was concerned about burn problems.

Both cigars clipped nicely and I detected notes dark chocolate notes in the smell and in the cold taste. There was also the faintest flavor of black licorice or anise in those pre-burn draws that I found pretty intriguing.

The Burn
I was very pleased with the burn of these cigars. Both started out a little uneven, but settled into a perfectly straight burn until well into the final third. I was right to not be concerned about the softer spot in the first cigar, it never became an issue. With both cigars, shortly after they began burning erratically in the final third it became clear the cigar was finished. The interesting thing is this “I’m done now” point came much later in the second cigar than in the first. (Which, as you’ll see in the flavor section, was ideal.)

One thing I really like observe when I’m smoking is how long an ash will get before it drops into the ashtray. (Or on my shirt. Or the floor. My wife really loves that! ) Longer ashes are a pretty good indicator of well constructed cigars. Well, I was amazed by the construction of the second cigar. It ashed only once! And it did that at well over two inches. The final ash never dropped, even though I smoked it until my fingers started smoldering. (My fingers aren’t that great of a smoke, it turns out.) That more than makes up for a weird final burn line.

The Flavor
This is the interesting part. My flavor reads on these cigars are so different that I have to wonder if Stinkie didn’t pull a fast one on me, slipping me an Oliva cigar in Sancho Panza clothing or something. (If you did, I admire your duplicity! But I caught you!) Of course, as I learned the hard way a single cigar is not a box. It’s also possible that my drink pairing with the second cigar was responsible for the vastly different taste experience.

The first cigar was cigar I smoked with water as my beverage. This smoking experience happens to most resemble my previous experience with the Madrid Extra Fuerte. The cigar began with a dark chocolate flavor and quickly became peppery with a somewhat harsh burnt wood flavor. Around the beginning of the second third, I detected a faint sweetness that grew more pronounced before transitioning into a spicy, peppery finish. I found this cigar a little harsh both at the very beginning and again at the end.

Based on previous experience with the Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte, I decided to make the second smoking experience more interesting by pairing a good hoppy or bitter beer with it. I decided to go with a long time favorite of mine, Bridgeport ESB (Extra Special Bitter). And I gotta say, I nailed it. The combination of the ESB and this cigar was magic. This second cigar was a pleasure to smoke.

None of the harshness I experienced in the previous cigars was noticeable this time around. It began with a strong toasted nut flavor and a sharp cedar taste. The spiciness picked up as it moved into the second third and that sweetness appeared. This time instead of transitioning into a potent peppery finish, it continued to fluctuate between a tasty raisiny sweetness and cinnamon spice, until I finally, reluctantly, put it down.

The Price
I have nothing but good things to say about these cigars in terms of price. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of these guys going for more than $3 a cigar, which makes it a great candidate for anybody’s everyday cigar. It’s hard to beat the Sancho Panza when it comes to value for money!

The Verdict
Even before this review, Sancho Panza had won me over with the Double Maduro. Like the Extra Fuerte, it’s very reasonably priced, and very full of flavor. When it comes to the Extra Fuerte, I have mixed feelings. The first Pamplona was enjoyable, but a bit too harsh for my palate at points. It could be a one-off, but it was consistent with my experience with the Madrid size, so that seems unlikely.

On the other hand, the second Pamplona was absolute smoking bliss, foot to head. Leading me to believe that this cigar is makes a fantastic part of a duo. A good hoppy or bitter beer is the Robin to the Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte’s Batman. And that makes sense. The Sancho Panza is an everyman’s cigar, and that means it should be enjoyed with friends at the pub while taking pulls of your favorite ale. And for that I raise my tankard to this cigar!

Liked It: YES
Buy It Again: YES (I already have!)
Recommend It: YES (At this price everyone should try it!)

What Other People Are Saying

• Jerry over at The Stogie Reviews both the Extra Fuerte and the Double Maduro – Yep, all in a single review. “This cigar really knocked me on my ass when I first smoked it…”
• The Pamplona reviewed on CigarFan – A lot of good background information and a positive review: “A reliable everyday kind of smoke.”
• The Fall 2004 Smoke Magazine panelists – A very recommended smoke!
• A Bunch of user reviews at CigarWorld of the Barcelona size

Smoking the Pamplona
Here’s a collection of pictures taken while smoking the second Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte Pamplona.

My Other Reviews
If you like my review style, you may be interested in reading some of my other reviews on my home blog, Brian’s Random Thoughts. To see a full list of my cigar reviews, visit the cigar review index.