Had the pleasure of smoking a few samples of La Riqueza cigars, a new brand from the makers of Tatuaje. I had two sizes, the torpedo (No.2) and the petit corona (No. 5). They are box-pressed, easy drawing and have an underlying sweetness reminiscent of the Padilla Signature 1932 when Pepin Garcia was making them. If you are looking for the spicy core and strong, savory subset flavors found in Tatuaje cigars, then you will be disappointed. La Riqueza is not a doppelganger blend of Tatuaje and seems to have an altogether different flavor mission. Nevertheless, it is a lovely smoke using Connecticut broadleaf wrapper that burns perfectly. For those who can relate to abstract flavor descriptions, they register deep and dark on the palate, but not with carpet-bombing power. Looking forward to smoking more. Has this cigar made it to anyone's retailers yet?
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Gregory Mottola,
Originally posted by Gregory Mottola: Had the pleasure of smoking a few samples of La Riqueza cigars, a new brand from the makers of Tatuaje. I had two sizes, the torpedo (No.2) and the petit corona (No. 5). They are box-pressed, easy drawing and have an underlying sweetness reminiscent of the Padilla Signature 1932 when Pepin Garcia was making them. If you are looking for the spicy core and strong, savory subset flavors found in Tatuaje cigars, then you will be disappointed. La Riqueza is not a doppelganger blend of Tatuaje and seems to have an altogether different flavor mission. Nevertheless, it is a lovely smoke using Connecticut broadleaf wrapper that burns perfectly. For those who can relate to abstract flavor descriptions, they register deep and dark on the palate, but not with carpet-bombing power. Looking forward to smoking more. Has this cigar made it to anyone's retailers yet?
Thanks for the update Gregory. I've been waiting for them to come to market.
Do they share any characteristics of Cabiguan or Series JJ?
"Lord, please let me be the person my dog thinks I am"
Posts: 419 | Location: Lost in Space | Registered: June 17, 2006
I would say no on both accounts. The wrappers on this cigar are very dark and flavors certainly reflect the hue. A richer smoke than the normal Cabaiguan line, but if you are referring to the Guapos line (Guapos, Junior, 46 and RX), La Riqueza doesn't have, in my opinion, the immediate bite of these cigars. The last Don Pepin Garcia Serie JJ cigars I smoked were the maduro variety, which would probably be a better comparison than the regular line. I find the JJ to be spicier than La Riqueza. A unique brand to the porfolio.
Originally posted by signalhill323: Got an email from New Havana tonight with a bunch in. Nice five cigar sampler for $44:
No.1 - 6 1/2 x 42 Cervantes/Lonsdale No.2 - 5 1/2 x 52 Belicoso No.3 - 5 5/8 x 46 Corona Gorda No.4 - 5 x 48 Robusto/Hermoso No.4 No.5 - 4 3/8 x 42 Minutos/Petit Corona
Update: Silly me tried to order a sampler only to find them sold out. They have boxes available though...
You should have ordered them anyway. I ordered the sampler yesterday and got an email notification saying they shipped today...hopefully I'll have them by Friday.
Originally posted by signalhill323: Got an email from New Havana tonight with a bunch in. Nice five cigar sampler for $44:
No.1 - 6 1/2 x 42 Cervantes/Lonsdale No.2 - 5 1/2 x 52 Belicoso No.3 - 5 5/8 x 46 Corona Gorda No.4 - 5 x 48 Robusto/Hermoso No.4 No.5 - 4 3/8 x 42 Minutos/Petit Corona
Update: Silly me tried to order a sampler only to find them sold out. They have boxes available though...
You should have ordered them anyway. I ordered the sampler yesterday and got an email notification saying they shipped today...hopefully I'll have them by Friday.
OK, I couldn't hold out any longer...I smoked the No. 5 (petit corona) last night. The wrapper was perfect and the constuction was very good. The burn was excellent. It did have that spicy Tatuaje kick at the beginning but that faded into an set of flavors that I am having a hard time describing. The best way I can describe it is maybe a cross between a Cabiguan and a Padron 64-ish/26-ish hybrid...yeh, that sounds strange but I tasted elements of those cigars in the La Riqueza. It had nice, thick gray smoke that was lush but not overpowering. It could have used a little more aging but it was still a very enjoyable smoke. I will definitely smoke more of these but will have to stock up in order to get some humi time on them.
i agree with hokie, when i smoked this the B&M had only received them a few days ago, so they were still "fresh". it started off spicy but mellowed out nicely. i agree with the 64ish taste but i like this cigar much more then the cabiguan because it is closer to the regular tatuaje line. i smoked it to a very small nub and will be picking up some more for sure. i look forward to how it will smoke after a week, month and year!
Smoked the #3 a few days ago followed by the #1 last night. I found the flavor profile to be completely different than Tatuaje. Definitely not as in your face w/ the strength and a bit more refined then most of the Pepin-blended stuff that's come out lately. I really like the sizes in this line as well as the box press. All in all one of the better smokes I've had in recent memory.
I bought a #5- Petit Corona at the B&M this afternoon after lunch and smoked it on the way back to the office. It damn near kicked my butt. Maybe I smoked it to fast, but I found it delightfully strong. Started off spicy like cinnamon and red pepper. Got a little milder as I smoked it. The comparison of it to a PAM64 is close, but definetely different than a Tat or Cabiaguan. Maybe more like if a DPG JJ and a PAM64 had a baby.
Posts: 325 | Location: Dixie | Registered: November 07, 2006
Good looking wrapper, great appearance, smooth chocolate brown color. Slight box press like Cuban cigars, not a square cornered cigar. Started off with a little spice like others have said, but that goes away within a couple puffs as the flavors start to develop. Very smooth medium/full bodied smoke. Earthy & leather taste. It has a great nose of wonderful tobacco aroma, smells great. This is going to be one of my favorite NC smokes. A must try!
Finally got to smoke some of these over the weekend. I love the packaging and the presentation -- Old School Cuban right down to the slight box press and sizes.
I really enjoy these so far but I don't find them exceptionally complex, just tasty and pleasant. I think that's kind of the point, though. There are no big double coronas or toros in the line. These are meant to be like tasty little snacks. Even the No. 2 smokes down for me in less than 50 minutes.
The only downside is that I end up smoking two back to back. I'll have to reserve these for a quick lunchtime smoke from now on, where they'll be about perfect and very satisfying.
The store I hang out at got six boxes in and sold through four over the weekend. These were a huge hit among guys who don't mind paying for quality, not quantity. The 6x60 crowd stayed away in droves.
I smoked the second of my sampler, the No. 1...I still stand behind what I said in earlier posts and would like to add that I think these cigars are going to be OUTSTANDING with more humi time...
