Review: Taboo Special Forces Original Lancero

[nozero]

Cigar: Taboo Special Forces Original Lancero


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.


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.


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.


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.


Nubbed it!


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.

[cigarlvr]

Looks very tasty!!!!

[bobarian]

Very nice review and pics. I cant wait for mine to arrive. Hopefully Friday!

[longknocker]

Nice review! One of my favorite Taboos!

[SmokeyNL]

great review, thanks for sharing

[SMcGregor]

Very good review! Thanks for the great detail and the pictures!

Shawn

[gnukfu]

Nice review Michael! I have a bundle of the Boot Camps (milder version) coming. Looking forward to smoking those.

[nozero]

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.

[MarkinCA]

[SIZE=3]Excellent review and great looking photo's Michael...[/SIZE]

[ca21455]

Thanks for the nice review! Have a few of these coming, can't wait to give it a try.

[oldforge]

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.

[Mr.Maduro]

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

So that's what that thing (uvula) is called!! Thanks!

[Coz77]

Nice review Mike....love the pics

[Bruzee]

Nice review, great pics and best of all, a convincing arguement for me to smoke one today! Thanks

[renton20]

Originally Posted by ca21455

Thanks for the nice review! Have a few of these coming, can't wait to give it a try.