2012 By Oscar Barberpole Lancero uses a Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan & Honduran filler but the intriguing aspect of this cigar is the barberpole San Andres Maduro & Candela wrapper – two leaves I could not have imagined intertwined. Small pigtail. You know my position on those things. Shallow V-cut it.

The opening flavors include an unusual sweetness and spice like something from a jar of barbecue sauce. That melds into a mild spice along with cedar, toasted bread, mild pepper, and mixed nuts – heavy on peanuts and hints of the candela notes of grass, hay, vegetal, tea and earth.

Coffee, cocoa and a creaminess emerge later during the first third. During the second third, there were occasional puffs of citrus, dried fruit and licorice. There’s also an additional sweet spice that jumps in – not quite cinnamon, maybe nutmeg and a caramel-vanilla taste. That may also be the candela at work. By the second third, the mixed nuts are now peanuts and cashews. The 2012 is medium strength and medium bodied gaining to medium-full by the finish.

Give it an A-plus for construction. I often have erratic burn lines and relights with Lanceros. Neither were a problem with this stick. The draw was near perfect and the ash held quite well.

2012 by Oscar Barberpole Lancero is a solid everyday affordable smoke. I’m all in on unique taste in cigars. This one fills the bill. Oscar Valladeras makes some good cigars…which reminds me it’s time to fire up a Leaf by Oscar and a Super Fly again soon.

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