Review: Taboo Special Forces Original Lancero

nozero

Alpha Silverback
Cigar: Taboo Special Forces Original Lancero
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Size: 7.5 X 40

Appearance/Construction: The semi-shiny Costa Rican Maduro Wrapper is a bit rough in appearance with a few small and medium sized veins in the length. Mmmm, Ligero filler. This stick is quite a bit skinnier than I'm use to smoking.

Where: On the patio, 84° but with 63% humidity it feels like 88° or more there are ocaisional winds from the SSE at 12 mph with gusts up to 22 mph.

Drink: Ozarka bottled water

Prelight Aroma Draw and Taste: Scent from the length is every so slightly barnyardy, from the foot it's what I know as that distinctive Special Forces aroma, rich tobacco and spice. It has another natural aroma to is that I can't put my finger on. The draw after clipping the tail with the Palio was perfect.

Light: Tiger

First Impressions: You can feel it on your lips and at the back of your throat with a taste that is bold and promising.
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First third: This flavor and kick is intense enough to give a sensation at the roof of my mouth from just behind my front teeth all the way back to my uvula. There is a flavor present that I didn't notice in the larger SFOs and didn't pick up on in the SFO BC that I smoked at Rob's shop yesterday. I think it stems from the natural aroma I could not ID in the prelight taste. The main tastes I got in the first third are those of bold rich tobacco and spice, with an underlying note of sweetness. First ash dropped at just under an inch and a quarter when the oscilating fan caught it. Yes, there are winds, but most lighter ones are significantly weakened by the garage and privacy fence.
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Second third: The intensity of flavor has increased noticeably. There is good spicy note with some pepper, a sweet earthyness, with leathery tastes and a woody note now and then. There is also a light tangyness in the finish. I'm still not sure what the other taste is, but I like it. About half way through the second third, the flavor seems to balance and mellow out some, but it still has a bite that I can sense just inside my lips and on my tongue. The woody taste has shifted to a taste more specifically like that of cedar.
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Final third: For me, this is where this cigar found it's strong spot. All the flavors seem to have merged into one grand and powerful taste.
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Nubbed it!
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Ash/Burn: Color ranged from white to gray to charcoal, held to a little over an inch and fairly flaky.

Final Comments: A very good strong smoke. I'd love to have one of these with six months to a year on it. I bet it would be fantastic. I'd rate this smoke a solid 9 of 10.

Price: $4.99

Burn Time: Lit 12:40 PM laid to rest 1:47 PM 6/10/2008.
:tu
 
Nice review Michael! I have a bundle of the Boot Camps (milder version) coming. Looking forward to smoking those.
 
Thanks for the kind words folks. I'm enjoying SFO Robusto, right now. Had some moving the lawn sprinkler related burn issues, but all is well now.

:ss
 
Great review. I have a few that just arrived and this will tempt me to try them very soon.

I prefer to punch cut my taboos. They punch beautifully and that makes them last a little longer.

:ss
 
Nice review... I'll have to try one of these!:ss

So that's what that thing (uvula) is called!! Thanks! :tu
 
Finally tried the Lancero. Very good smoke! Agree fully with your review! Great draw and smoke volume for a long thin cigar. Good strong full bodied cigar.

Only problem was having to keep on it so it would not go out. Only have a few weeks in the humi at 65% so I think after awhile it will burn better.
 
Smoked the SFO lancero last night and was trully amazed at the ease of draw and flavors. The regular and boot camp SF's are my favorite of the taboo's and for me the lancero was the best of all the sizes I've tried. Will definitely be getting more of these!
 
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