Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is a light golden brown and has some slightly raised veins that carrying a shade lighter color surrounding them. The seams are easily visible as they are slightly raised and the head is finished off with a very well applied quadruple cap. The band is the standard company band in white with some black and red lettering and artwork. The foot carries a black band with red borders and the line name in white. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of wood and hay while the foot brings more wood along with some white pepper. The pre-light draw brings a light and sweet hay along with a mild spiciness that is also detectable on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

Besides the cracks present in the wrapper, which I will not hold against the company, the cigar had a nice wrapper that was silky in texture with few veins. The veins present were quite small and the cigar was finished with a lovely triple cap. It was a silky wrapper, that had a nice light Natural coloring and there were some small Colorado aspects as well. The aroma on the wrapper was that of spices, rich earth and sweet tobacco while the foot was giving off aromas of rich earth, stone fruit and cocoa powder.

Pre-light Experience

The Jeremy Jack JJ14 Lancero has a white main band, with silver text and red accents. It also features a black foot band, with red accents indicating ‘JJ14’. The cigar wrapper is light brown, with firmly pressed veins. Nosing the cigar, I detected aromas of medium-minus leather, and barnyard, with aged wood underneath. In the foot there is faint earthiness and hay in the foot.

Pre-light Experience

The Jeremy Jack JJ14 Lancero has a Colorado Claro wrapper shade. I’m surprised it’s Equador Habano since it’s such a light colored wrapper. Construction and feel is good as veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even and head finished off with a well adhered triple cap. Aromas from the wrapper give rich cedar and white pepper. Aromas from the foot tell essentially the same. Cold draw gives white pepper, wood shavings and hay.

First Third

The cigar begins with a full profile of wood and black pepper while the spiciness on my lips from the pre-light draw is still quite noticeable. At a half inch in, the black pepper reduces intensity slightly as a light cream joins the profile. At an inch in, the profile has a nice mixture of wood, black pepper and cream. The retrohale is a similar profile with the black pepper just slightly fuller bringing in some kick. At an inch and a half, there is a slight honey sweetness detectable. As the third comes to a close, the wood and pepper are up front with the cream very faint in the background and some remaining honey sweetness. The strength in this third was right at medium.

First Third

The first third began by showing some sweet spices, nice bit of pepper and with that was some dry earth qualities. I was picking up some strong tobacco notes and the finish had some leather. I would classify the cigar as being medium-full in terms of strength and body and it was a nice start to the cigar.

First Third

On the initial draws, I get sweet, intense baking spices on the retrohale, with some cocoa present underneath. A few more puffs in, there is lingering pepper on the post draw at a medium-minus strength. At the 30 minute mark, the intense pepper is fading, being replaced with medium-minus sweetness and the baking spices.

First Third

The first third’s flavor profile consists of slight charred oak and fairly aggressive white pepper spice. Retrohaling brings out more of the white pepper spice doing a good job of clearing my nostrils. The finish is a combination of lightly charred oak and white pepper. Strength and body is medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the wood gains some char while the black pepper fades quite a bit. The cream and honey sweetness are no longer detectable. At an inch in, the char is now only very light while some cream has returned to the profile. At an inch and a half, the retrohale carries the slightly charred wood note. At two inches in, a hay note joins the profile. As the third comes to a close, the slightly charred wood and hay are up front while the black pepper and cream are in the background. The strength in this third remained at medium.

Second Third

The second third was somewhat similar to that of the first third and it was showing some peppery spice with some dry earth and rock like qualities. There was some leather and wood as well, and the finish had those sweet tobacco notes. As with the first third, I would classify the strength and body as being medium-full.

Second Third

I move into the second third at a leisurely 1 hour and 39 minutes. The profile remains largely unchanged, with mild earthiness joining the post draw. As the second third settles in, the chocolate has faded out almost completely. The retrohale consist of light-plus baking spices, with post draw earthiness picking up in strength.

Second Third

Second third picks up on the spice levels. Also, the strength moves from medium to medium-full (body still medium). Still the same lightly charred oak note persists.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the pepper and cream drop out as the slightly charred wood and hay remain while the profile is now a bit drying. At a half inch in, the char begins picking up which also brings some bitterness to the profile. At an inch in, a slight cream rejoins the profile knocking down some of the char and dryness. The retrohale carries the slightly charred wood and a very light cream note. The cigar finishes with the charred wood and slight cream note. The strength in this third remained at medium.

Final Third

The finish shows those sweet spice and pepper flavors that are paired with some stone fruit and rich earth. There was a hint of cocoa powder present and it had a nice sweet tobacco and leathery finish. Very enjoyable. Like the first two thirds, medium-full in strength and body.

Final Third

The baking spices are fading going into the last third, with the earthiness down to light levels.

Final Third

Surprisingly, the last third’s flavor profile gives greater depth as coffee beans and a slight nuttiness forms. Other than that, the white pepper spice and lightly charred oak is still there. Strength and body finishes medium-full and medium, respectively.

Burn

The burn was perfect the whole way and the ash held on in one inch increments.

Burn

From start to finish the cigar had a lovely burn line with a nice charcoal ash on the end. The ash held on fairly well, but did drop from time to time.

Burn

The burn is straight through the entire smoking experience. Ash holds on firmly at 3/4″ increments and then drops off.

Burn

Perfect burn performance. Even, consistent, good smoke output and solid ashes.

Draw

The draw was slightly tighter than I prefer but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.

Overall

The cigar began with a nice mixture of wood, black pepper and cream. It was showing off some honey sweetness as well. Getting into the second third, things became less complex as it was primarily wood that gained some char along with some hay. The final third was charred wood and a light cream. Construction was great and the strength was right at medium the whole way. This lancero version of the JJ14 is a nice addition to the line and I could see smoking this as the go to for the line. Lancero fans will have something to look forward to and would be a great introduction for those not familiar with the brand. The price point is fairly attractive for the vitola as well.

Draw

The draw had a slight snug quality which I enjoyed and helped in concentrating the smoke being produced. While not a true lancero, a well rolled small ring gauge offering.

Overall

While this is not a true lancero, and it is classified as a lancero, it was an enjoyable super corona. The flavors were fairly consistent from start to finish, but it was a nice flavor profile that had depth. The Jeremy Jack JJ14 Lancero was rich and spicy with the wonderful qualities of AGANORSA tobacco.

Draw

The draw is perfect, with just the right amount of resistance.

Overall

The Jeremy Jack JJ14 Lancero is enjoyable, but lacks the complexity of the Corona Gorda, Robusto or Toro. The flavor profile is similar to the other sizes of JJ14 consisting of rich baking spices and notes of cocoa. The JJ14 Lancero would be a good choice for anyone looking for a less intense flavor experience than the other offerings, and Lancero enthusiasts.

Draw

Perfect, with the ideal resistance.

Overall

I think this is the first Jeremy Jack review cigar I did not enjoy. For the vast majority of the time, the cigar just showed charred oak and white pepper. Although the last third showed a wider array of flavors (addition of coffee beans and slight nuttiness), it wasn’t enough to be an enjoyable experience for the 2 hours of smoking time.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.67

Cost/Point

$1.35

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

7.63

Cost/Point

$1.18

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

6.82

Cost/Point

$1.32

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.10

Cost/Point

$1.48

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Jeremy Jack JJ14 Lancero