Price: $9.50

Size: 7 1/2″ x 40

Wrapper: Nicaraguan

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Smoking Time: 1.5 Hours

First Impression: This lancero is covered in the delicate and beautiful green Candela wrapper that is seldom seen in the cigar world. It has a rich velvety texture with a few large veins. There is not much aroma to it, but it has a grassy and floral odor. The cap cut decently, but there was a bit of a split. It is clear that this wrapper is delicate. Cold draw gives off some earthy spicy tones.

First Third: From the first draws the smoke is quite thick; surprisingly so considering the vitola. There is a burst of sweet grass and cinnamon on the inhale that finishes with an earthy hickory and pepper. I was expecting a more light bodied stick considering the Candela wrapper. Well, this Holy Lance is piercing through my expectations and delivering a full-bodied, medium-full strength performance so far. The burn is impeccable which I don’t find too often with Lanceros.

Second Third: As we get in to the second third, a sour citrus and floral taste start coming through in the mix. It adds a nice bit of complexity and again threw me for a loop as I wasn’t expecting such a complex stick. The sweetgrass and hay stay on my lips from the wrapper, but it is about this point that the wrapper starts to break up a bit. It did require a bit of careful touch up. The smoke is still as thick as ever and it has become even stronger.

Final Third: With each length of the cigar, it seems to build on a more complex profile of flavor. As I near the end of the stick, some slight vanilla and Oak get added to the already complex mix. By this time I am buzzing from the strength of the Holy Lance, and switched from water which is my norm to Coke as I needed the sugar. The cigar smoked well until the very end, and never got acrid.

Conclusion: I’ve yet to have an Illusione that is not complex and full of flavor. This was certainly no exception. The entire time I smoked the holy lance, I felt like I was smoking Spring in the form of a lancero. Deep earth, hickory and oak, florals, cinnamon and sweet spices, with citrus and pepper to boot. On paper I don’t even imagine those flavors going together, but it was so well balanced in its complexity. Besides the flavors, the draw was just perfect, the smoke was delightfully thick, and except for one spot there was almost no touching up to be done which is a rare attribute for a lancero. The delicate wrapper is one of this cigar’s few weaknesses as storing it safely can be a chore, but that is easy to overlook for how enjoyable this cigar was. It was all I could have asked for as I thought about my friend.

I give this cigar a 4.75 out of 5.



In Memorium: Mike Aversa June 1, 1985 – February 12, 2008

He lost his life during a patrol when he sustained a head injury. He was my friend. He was a son. He was loved. Feel free to post below if you have ever lost a friend or relative to the tide of combat. May they rest in peace. Thank you to all of the men and women who serve in the armed forces. If you would like to donate cigars to our troops please find out how you can by clicking here.

Notes: hay, hickory, earth, cinnamon, florals, pepper, vanilla, oak, and sour citrus