San lotano Oval
Tuesday, June 5th, 2012The San Lotano Oval is a product from AJ Fernandez. This cigar has been on my radar for months. A lot of people suggested I try it. Due to lack of availability, I just didn’t have the chance. Until now. I found some at La Habana Cigar Shop recently. Let’s see if the San Lotano Oval lives up to the hype. I paired this cigar with water as always…
Wrapper: Habano 2000
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua and Honduras
Size: Corona 5 x 44
Price: Around $7.00
Pre-Smoke & Construction:
The wrapper was velvety smooth and almost seamless looking. It had a sweet earthy smell, as did the foot. The cigar was evenly packed, and slightly spongy. The draw was a little snug, but within my tolerances. The pre-light flavor was earthy and sweet.
The burn required two minor corrections, and the ash held for about 3/4 of an inch.
Flavor:
The first third had an interesting medley of peppery spices. It wasn’t a traditional black pepper with that associated burning sensation. This was much more refined, and I lack the palate and vocabulary to describe it. After about 10 minutes, a note of dry cocoa joined the flavor profile.
The cocoa becomes more noticeable in the second third. Behind that was the medley of spices I mentioned before. There was also a slight earthy component, with very subtle floral notes. Towards the end of this third, the flavors mixed together more evenly. That floral note ended up going away entirely.
The last third kept the trend I spoke of in the end of the second third. The flavors mixed together and nothing really stood out over the other. The aftertaste was tingly and stuck to the mouth for some time.
Conclusion:
This was a very good medium bodied cigar. While the flavors were fairly common, the delivery was above average and well refined. Construction was good, as was the ash. There isn’t really anything bad to say. I will be smoking more of these.
