As time presses on and the years go by, I notice a pattern when I look back at the chronicling of my life. Often times when certain doors would be slammed closed, others would open up. Then in the future when looking back it's clear that the negative experience had to happen in order to have the positive one. Knowing this pattern though doesn't make it much easier in the middle of the negative situation. What else can you do though but to drive forward and make something out of the rubble? The yin & yang, finding the silver lining, the glass being half full, taking the good with the bad and all that stuff. Perhaps these tropes can be annoying at times, but the fact remains that's reality.
The overall idea of finding something good from something bad is the backstory for Luciano Cigars new line, Y Panda. Luciano Meirelles collaborated with friend and company man Linxu "Panda" Yan to come up with the blend and was the inspiration behind the cigar's vibe.
“I have always found that life is best lived when we embrace its contradictions." - Luciano Meirellles
The Deets
Cigar: Luciano Y Panda Corona Gorda
Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: Luciano Tabacos SA
Size: 5 5/8 x 46
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Corojo 98
Binder: Brazillian Arapiraca / Ecuadorian Sumatra
Filler: Jalapa Viso, Estelí Seco
Appearance 10/10
This cigar hits all the marks. Super snug seams, heavily diminished veins, perfect uniformity, clean cap, dense fill, traces of oils on the smooth yet strong wrapper, and a cool band that isn't oversized and applied well. Everything about this cigar is exactly what I would want to see.
Draw 9/10
With dense cigars I always go full straight cut. The draw had plenty of resistance that forced a long & slow pull, but it does manage to provide the output. Once warmed up I gave it a couple no-removal pokes and the draw improved a tiny bit. I just accepted the lengthy pulls and it was still quite enjoyable.
Burn/Construction 9/10
During the 1st third I gave it a couple of quick touch ups to help keep it in line and then it stayed in its lane the rest of the session. No flakes, or cracks, or swelling, or any nonsense. Proper ash with a solid performance.
Taste 8.5/10
1/3 - Kicking things off with clean hay, dry biscuit, and some sweet cedar retro. Moving inward a strange mix of subtle floral and chili powder show up. Odd combos but they seem to work well together. The finish is a soft and long lasting white pepper. Light to medium body.
2/3 - Cedar, floral, and chili powder take control of the profile. Body is a hearty medium with a chewiness to it. A dash of sweetness has been added to the white pepper finish.
3/3 - Floral has tapered off a lot with cedar trailing behind it. Chili powder is closing out the bar with some mild bitters. Balance and complexity have waned, but remains enjoyable.
Overall 9.1/10
I was certainly impressed with the look and quality of Y Panda and the flavor profile is something unique. This cigar stands out from the rest of the ho-hum. In fact, many of the lines from Luciano have been very different and stray from the beaten path. Mas Igneus and Maria Lucia also have flavor profiles that will certainly have you saying "....ok, now that is something I'm not used to..". All in a good way though!
**Number of cigars smoked for the review: 1
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