Cigar Review: Mega Legend Dorado Series Lancero – Rated 96 – Stogiepress

Jonathan Bateman, a relatively new entrepreneur in the premium cigar business was introduced to me a few weeks ago at an event in Georgia. He gave me a couple of samples to try during my time there that he describes as his Signature Blend Dorado Series. Interestingly, for a new cigar brand he chose to enter the market with two of the more difficult vitolas – a Lancero and a Gordo. They are really two opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to bunching and rolling. One thing I immediately noticed, is the hefty aroma of coffee and hazelnut as soon as I brought it near my nose. Jonathan stated that that is not infused but rather wat he calls “Aromatised“, a word he coined for the special process he uses to bring a unique aroma to the leaf. He also noted that they are hand crafted at factory high in the mountains of Costa Rica.

The blend for the Dorado Series is described as:

• Wrapper – Ecuadorian
• Binder – Ecuadorian
• Filler – Dominican, Nicaraguan, Peruvian

As noted, they are expressed in two introductory vitolas, each packaged in 20-count boxes:

• Lancero (7.5 x 42) – MSRP $13.00
• Gordo (6 x 60) – MSRP $15.00

For this review, I sampled three of the Mega Legend Dorado Series Lanceros, which I received from Jonathan for the purpose of reviewing on Stogie Press.

Pre-Light Examination

The Mega Legend Dorado Series Lancero is draped in a silky smooth, dark brown wrapper that is pretty much devoid of veins. The packing was firm with just the right give between the fingers. It is finished with a well applied cap.

A single band adorns the cigar. It uses a purple, gold and white motif and presents the company’s logo in the center along with a die cut golden crown on top. The band also includes a long vertical part that extends down and describes tis as the Dorado Series.

Running the lance along the nose, I immediately pick up a bright coffee and hazelnut aroma both on both the barrel and foot.

Not infused but certainly can taste the hazelnut coffee once I clipped the cap and gave it some cold draw puffs. But it is not pasty like I find with other infused cigars. Tobacco leaf is so sensitive. There is also a buttery note with a sprinkle of pepper, as you give it few more cold puffs.

Using my single flame torch, I warmed the foot to an even orange glow as I drew in the first puffs of pepper, sweetness and coffee. Follow along as I burn this beauty to ash.

Cigar Review Notes

• Initial light offers pepper, sweetness, and coffee notes to start the journey
• There is a distinct hazelnut aroma right off the first lit puff, much like the pre-light aroma
• A solid white ash forms on top of a crisp even burn line
• Sweetness continues as the pepper pulled back quickly and an added chocolate note enters
• The inch plus ash dropped revealing a nicely defined burn cone
• Coffee cream notes enter in the second half
• Spice notes join the mix
• Fruit notes join in the final down to the nub
• Medium in Strength
• Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 50 minutes

Final Analysis

The Mega Legend Dorado Series Lancero journey commences with a symphony of peppery nuances, delightful sweetness, and a hint of invigorating coffee. As the first few puffs are taken, a distinctive hazelnut aroma immediately fills the room with aromatic smoke. While the pepper subsides gracefully, the sweetness persists and intertwines with an emerging chocolate essence, enhancing the overall flavor profile. Entering the second half of the journey, delicate notes of creamy coffee dance upon the palate, adding to the sensory experience. Moving through the journey, a subtle yet tantalizing spice note joins the ensemble, adding a layer of complexity and depth to the flavor composition. With almost 2 hours of smoking down to the nub, the final stages offer fruit notes, creating a crescendo of flavors that persist until the very end. Buy a box of these. I rate this a 96.

Point Deductions: NONE

Bonus Points: (+1) Pleasurable and balanced across Mutiple samples; (+1) Buy a Box