If you’re looking for a cigar that offers a unique and satisfying smoking experience, you might want to try a lancero. A lancero is a type of cigar that is long and thin, resembling a pencil or a spear. It is a variation of the panatela, which is a general term for a skinny cigar. But not all panatelas are lanceros, and not all lanceros are the same. In this article, we’ll explore the history, the price, and the joy of the lancero, and why it is a special cigar for many enthusiasts.
The Tale of the Lancero
The lancero has a fascinating origin story that dates back to the 1960s in Cuba. The lancero was born in a small and exclusive cigar factory called El Laguito, which means “the little lake”. The factory was located in a former mansion in Havana, and it was dedicated to producing cigars for Fidel Castro and his guests. The factory workers were mostly women, who were handpicked for their skills and loyalty.
The lancero was the first cigar that was made in El Laguito, and it was originally called the El Laguito No. 1. It was a long and lean cigar, measuring 7 ½ inches with a 38 ring gauge. The name lancero came from the Spanish word for lancer, a type of soldier who used a long spear as a weapon. The lancero resembled a spear, and it also evoked the image of Don Quixote, the famous character from the novel by Cervantes, who was a lancer and a dreamer.
The lancero was made exclusively for Castro and his guests, and it was not available to the public. Castro’s favorite cigar brand was Cohiba, which was also created in El Laguito.
Cohiba was the most prestigious and expensive Cuban cigar brand, and it still is today. The lancero became the flagship size of Cohiba, and it was also known as the Cohiba Lancero.
After Cohiba, the second cigar brand that adopted the lancero size was Davidoff, which was also a Cuban brand at the time. Davidoff was founded by Zino Davidoff, a Swiss businessman and cigar aficionado, who had a close relationship with the Cuban cigar industry. Davidoff created the Davidoff No. 1, which was a lancero that was similar to the Cohiba Lancero, but with a different blend of tobacco.
In 1989, Davidoff moved from Cuba to the Dominican Republic, due to political and quality issues. Davidoff continued to produce lanceros in the Dominican Republic, and it was one of the few non-Cuban cigar brands that offered a lancero in its portfolio. Davidoff lanceros are still highly regarded and sought after by cigar lovers today.
The Price of the Lancero
You may wonder why lanceros are so expensive, even though they are smaller than most cigars. Well, there are some good reasons for that, and they have to do with the production and the quality of the lancero.
First of all, it takes a master roller to make a lancero properly. Rolling a lancero is harder than rolling a thicker cigar, because it requires more precision and skill. A lancero has to be filled and wrapped evenly, without any gaps or bumps, to ensure a smooth draw and a consistent burn. A lancero also has to be firm but not tight, to avoid cracking or plugging. Only the most experienced and talented rollers can achieve this level of perfection.
Secondly, lanceros need large and flawless wrapper leaves, which are the most expensive part of a cigar. The wrapper is the outermost layer of a cigar, and it gives it its color, aroma, and flavor. The wrapper is also the most visible part of a cigar, and it has to be smooth, shiny, and free of any defects. A lancero needs a large wrapper leaf to cover its entire length, and it has to be of the highest quality to match its prestige. Wrapper leaves are scarce and costly, and they account for a big part of the price of a lancero.
Thirdly, the cost per inch of a lancero can be higher than that of a thicker cigar of the same length. This is because a lancero has a higher wrapper-to-filler ratio, which means that it has more wrapper and less filler tobacco. As we mentioned before, the wrapper is the most expensive part of a cigar, and the filler is the cheapest. Therefore, a lancero has a higher proportion of the expensive component and a lower proportion of the cheap component, which makes it more costly overall.
The Joy of the Lancero
The lancero is a special cigar for many reasons, but the main one is that it lets you enjoy the full flavor of the wrapper leaf. The wrapper is the most important part of a cigar, because it gives it its character and aroma. The wrapper is also the most flavorful part of a cigar, because it is exposed to more sunlight and fermentation than the filler and the binder. The lancero has a high wrapper-to-filler ratio, which means that you get more wrapper taste in every puff.
The lancero is the closest thing to what the cigar blenders smoke when they choose the wrappers for their creations. Cigar blenders are the experts who design and craft the cigars, and they use a technique called “purito” to test the wrappers. A purito is a thin and simple cigar that is made only with one type of tobacco, usually the wrapper. By smoking a purito, the blender can evaluate the flavor, strength, and quality of the wrapper, without any interference from the filler or the binder.
The lancero is similar to a purito, but with a more refined and balanced blend. The lancero has a small amount of filler and binder, which add some complexity and nuance to the wrapper. The lancero also has a more elegant and sophisticated appearance, which adds to its appeal and prestige. The lancero is a cigar that showcases the wrapper in its purest and most expressive form, and it is a cigar that reveals the true skill and artistry of the blender and the roller.
Lanceros are a delight for all levels of cigar lovers, from beginners to aficionados. They are not too strong or too mild, but they are full of flavor and aroma. They are not too short or too long, but they offer a satisfying and enjoyable smoking time. They are not too common or too rare, but they are special and exclusive. Lanceros are a treat for the senses and the soul, and they are a cigar that every smoker should try at least once in their life.
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