Cigar Review: Regius Red Lancero Extra

Hello Cigar Smokers,
Today on the Official Cigar Blog of the Woodside area I'm reviewing a cigar that I really like, The Regius Red Lancero Extra. I'm a big fan of the Lancero Extra size, it's the ring gauge of a Corona, but the length of a Churchill. The exact dimensions of this cigar are 7 1/2" by a 42 ring gauge. Many Lancero's are typically a little thinner than a Corona with a ring gauge 38-40, but this is blended with a leaf of Ometepe tobacco in it, which has an earthy, sweet and mouth watering quality to it. The Ometepe tobacco needs to be balanced with a little extra filler so it doesn't overwhelm the blend. This line of cigars are different than the mainline Black Regius, which debuted in the UK market where Cuban cigars are #1. Regius Black is blended for people used to the taste of Cuban tobacco, and it's the number #1 selling Nicaraguan cigar in the UK.  Regius Red is blended and distributed exclusively for the US market. There is a second band on the cigar that reads "Exclusivo USA." The owner of Regius, Akhil, who I got to meet recently, described his philosophy in having USA exclusive cigars. He described to me how the typical UK smoker differs from the typical US smoker, in that Cuban cigars tend to get stronger as they progress, while many US smokers prefer cigars that start with their full flavor and mellow out towards the finish. So instead of trying to cater to both markets with the same product, he created a separate line that would resonate better with the US smoker.

Regius Red is a Nicaraguan Puro that is medium to full in flavor, if you are a fan of Nicaraguan cigars this will fit right in with what your palate is used to. It is not as strong as some other Nicaraguan puros on the market, especially the Maduros, but this is no weak cigar. These Lanceros are beautiful and uniform, the wrappers come unblemished and the second band makes the cigars stand out of the box. The Lancero size, if rolled well, results in one of the most pleasing smoking experiences. The smaller ring gauge brings a lot of flavor out of the wrapper because there is less filler to taste. From the initial light up this cigar gives a stronger, more concentrated flavor than the Regius Red Fat Perfecto, with a tighter draw. The flavor changes about each third of the cigar, it rounds out more from the initial concentrated flavor and when it finishes it brings back the flavor that you start with. The smoke is full in flavor and has an earthy, leather like quality to it as it progresses. The smoke is rich and fills your mouth, leaving different impressions on the tongue and palate. As the leather like quality fills your mouth, a peppery undertone develops in the back of the palate. I would attribute the leather-like quality of the smoke to the Ometepe tobacco, which is really prominent in the middle section of the cigar, which also has an interesting sweetness to it along with the earthy, leather like quality. The finish brings more of the peppery quality back, and the smoke is calmer and less mouth watering.

I recommend this cigar to people who prefer Nicaraguan cigars, fans of the Lancero size or people who want a less mouth drying cigar blend. It is definitely an interesting blend and size that brings a lot of flavor from a thin cigar. I notice similarities between this cigar and the AVO Syncro. They have a similar sweetness and earthiness to them, although the AVO is milder and the Regius Red Lancero brings more flavor over the course of the cigar. I think Regius Red is a good segue into Nicaraguan puros to a smoker that sticks generally with Dominican Tobacco. This blend has a good balance of strength and flavor without being too much, and it won't dry your mouth out like some fuller bodied cigars will.

Fuente Fuente Opus X

Hello cigar smokers,
Today I have something that's sure to make connoisseurs and Dominican cigar enthusiasts alike drool, the Fuente Fuente Opus X. These elusive cigars are marked as "the first Dominican Puro" and have been loved since their debut. Every leaf of tobacco in this cigar is grown by the Fuente family on their farm, Chateau de la Fuente, and is rolled in their rolling facility in the Dominican Republic. These cigars are subject to frequent shortages, due to limited numbers and high demand. But here at 801 Woodside Road, we are proud to have 3 facings of the Fuente Fuente Opus X, subject to availability.

The 3 sizes we stock are the Perfexion no 5, which is a decent sized corona, measuring at 4 7/8 with a 40 ring gauge. Then there is the Perfexion no 5 which measures at 5 3/16 by 43, which makes it a slightly oversized corona. And finally the Belicoso XXX which measures at 4 5/8 by 49. The sizes these cigars are rolled in are kind of odd, but it makes these cigars stand out more. Each of the 3 sizes we stock come in boxes of 42. The bix boxes with the backdrop of Carlos Fuente Jr. and Sr. look outstanding on the shelf and I think, tie together our Fuente collection very nicely. 

When you light up an Opus X cigar you are greeted with spice and flavor that is uncharacteristic of a Dominican Cigar. The wrappers are very thick and oily, and produce more flavor as the cigar progresses.

The draw of these cigars is perfect all the way through, I have never smoked an Opus X that has problems with uneven burns or plugged up draws. The wrappers are consistent and evenly colored throughout the box. When we receive a box I look through them to find any inconsistencies or damaged wrappers and I've yet to be disappointed by an Opus X, these all leave Chateau de la Fuente in perfect condition to be enjoyed.

These cigars are a 4/5 on our strength rating system. These cigars pack a serious punch, but I don't think they're as strong as some cigars with maduro wrappers, specifically some of the Nicaraguan varieties. a 4.5/5 may be a more accurate rating, but I like to stick to round numbers. This cigar is definitely one of the strongest Dominican cigars out on the market.

These cigars are definitely priced at a premium, and limited supply is a driving factor in bringing the price up, but to the Opus X enthusiast you'll find we are more generous than other stores when it comes to pricing Opus X cigars. These are well worth the money to the cigar enthusiast and aficionado, and I recommend that smokers on the fence treat themselves to an Opus X at least once on a great occasion.

Cigar Review: AVO Syncro Toro

Hello Cigar Smokers,

Today I'm smoking the newest addition to the AVO brand, the Syncro in the Toro size. This cigar is a couple of firsts for AVO. This is their first blend using a Nicaraguan wrapper leaf and this is the first box pressed AVO cigar. The motto for this blend is "Nicaraguan Fire. Dominican Flair. A World of stories." This cigar's release follows a trend of typically Dominican cigars starting to utilize Nicaraguan tobaccos as the US market is trending towards more Nicaraguan cigars. Montecristo, Romeo Y Julieta and Davidoff have all introduced Nicaraguan blends in recent years, and AVO, a subsidiary of Davidoff follows suit this year with the Syncro. This band features the familiar AVO branding, but it has an extra section on the bottom that reads "Nicaragua."

This cigar is has all the indications of quality that I expect from AVO. No ugly wrappers, they're all of uniform construction and the box pressing is consistent. From the first light up it has the pepper like quality and strength that is typical of Nicaraguan tobacco. As the cigar progresses the Dominican filler tobaccos even out the blend. Overall this cigar is not as strong as many Nicaraguan blended cigars, but it fits the bill for AVO, it's smooth and has a decent array of flavors as the cigar progresses. Many Nicaraguan cigars I would not describe as smooth, so when I do find a Nicaraguan wrapper that is smooth I make a point of describing it as such. I recommend this cigar to fans of the AVO brand, a smoker that wants to reach out and try stronger cigars, or somebody who is interested in trying more Nicaraguan cigars.