Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The lighter and higher real estate wrapper on the Joya de Nicaragua Joya Cabinetta Lancero is medium tan with some areas of green and carries some knotty veins. The darker wrapper near the head is medium brown with some darker marbling and one decent sized vein. The seams are a bit raised and the head is finished with a twist. The band covers the junction of wrappers and is cream, gold and bronze and denotes the brand, line and factory. The aroma from the lighter wrapper is wood, earth and light smokiness. The darker wrapper carries a heavier smokiness and the foot brings a combination of cedar and peat smoke. The pre-light draw brings slightly sweet tea and cedar.
Seth: The Joya de Nicaragua Joya Cabinetta Lancero is a beautiful cigar. The lancero is rolled well and it is firm throughout. The band really makes the Criollo wrapper portion pop, so does the Connecticut portion, but even the Connecticut portion has a nice light golden hay coloring to it. There are small veins throughout this portion, and it is silky with aromas of cream, hay and tobacco. The Criollo has this maduro coloring with medium sized veins.
John: The Joya de Nicaragua Joya Cabinetta Lancero came in cellophane and had a UPC sticker with the cigar information and an integrated tear space to remain intact when opened. For artisanal complications, the cigar has a shortened fuse cap and two shades of wrapper, with one being a Connecticut shade about 80% of the cigar, and the other a darker Criollo wrapper covering the remaining 20%. I weighed the cigar at 9.3 grams and measured the humidity at 60.6% with the HumidiMeter Pro. Aromas from the wrapper included barnyard and tobacco from the Connecticut, I could not get anything distinct from the Criollo portion. Out of the foot, I was getting notes of faint, sweet tobacco, hay and barnyard.

Joya de Nicaragua Joya Cabinetta Lancero

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with a heavy dose of toasted cedar, black pepper, meatiness and smokiness. At three quarters of an inch in, the overall profile mellows a bit. At an inch in, the black pepper and meatiness have mellowed significantly, and some earth and creaminess join in. The retrohale is toasted cedar, earth and light black pepper. At an inch and three quarters some coffee joins in and pairs up with the creaminess. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is just ahead of the earth, with creamy coffee a bit behind and smokiness and black pepper in the background. The strength was right at medium.
Seth: The first third starts out with your classic Joya Connecticut qualities. I am getting some cream, cedar and hay, but there is some body to the cigar as well. Nice earth and tobacco notes with balanced spice. Not over the top with pepper, but the cigar has some depth. Overall, a medium strength and body cigar.
John: The first third gets going with chocolate, coffee, wood and earth to follow with a musty earth settling into the post draw. The retrohale consists of creamy wood at this point, with green wood in the center. The post draw wood takes on some sharp tannins as the first third progresses. A light plus bitterness joins the finish some time later. The sharp wood and bitterness softens to a background note on the post draw as the cigar reached the halfway point.

Joya de Nicaragua Joya Cabinetta Lancero

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the black pepper is barely holding on. At three quarters of an inch in, the creamy coffee is now very mellow. The retrohale remains toasted cedar, earth and light black pepper. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar remains just ahead of the earth with light amounts of black pepper, smokiness and creamy coffee in the background. The strength bumped up to slightly above medium.
Seth: The second third delivers a lot of continuing qualities, but I would say the cigar is getting a little bit fuller. Somewhat stronger. Earth and tobacco notes are on the rise. Nice damp wood qualities are present as well. I would classify the cigar as being medium in strength and body.
John: I’m greeted by creamy chocolate, earth and wood, and then earth on the finish. A delayed, tannic wood comes into the post draw and then a delayed bitterness that joins it. The retrohale has a woody center much like the first third. As the cigar continues towards the halfway point, the retrohale is light musty chocolate.

Joya de Nicaragua Joya Cabinetta Lancero

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the earth becomes even with the toasted cedar up front. As the burn hits the darker wrapper, the earth becomes richer and there’s a slight wood bitterness present. The retrohale is now rich earth, toasted cedar and light black pepper. At an inch and a quarter, the rich earth now has a slight lead in the profile. As the cigar wraps up, the rich earth is slightly ahead of the toasted cedar, with wood bitterness in the middle and light amounts of black pepper, creamy coffee and smokiness in the background. The strength remained at slightly above medium.
Seth: The final third is really divided into thirds as well. The first portion is the tail end of the Connecticut covering, but it is picking up with body and strength. The Criollo tobacco is coming alive! Earthier, woody and leather. Some pepper notes on the finish. Still touches of hay and wood, but very little cream. Coffee notes present as well. From medium to medium-full.
John: Sweet tobacco starts the last third with wood to follow. The retrohale is comprised of chocolate with a wood center. Creaminess leads off the draw as the last third settles, a mild tannic and bitter wood returns to the finish. The bitterness on the post draw moves up towards medium strength as the last third continues. As the cigar continues to the halfway point, the bitterness drops off the post draw and is replaced by earth. As the cigar reaches the dark part of the wrapper, that earth increases. Suddenly, the bitterness returns to the post draw at medium-full strength, and then falls away to a light level.

Joya de Nicaragua Joya Cabinetta Lancero

Burn

Aaron: The burn was straight throughout and the ash held in in three quarter inch increments.
Seth: The burn was perfect throughout.
John: The burn was straight through the first and second thirds with the ash holding on in over one inch increments. The ash had some minor unevenness in the last third.

Joya de Nicaragua Joya Cabinetta Lancero

Draw

Aaron: The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.
Seth: The draw was perfect from start to finish.
John: The draw was at most 1/2 to 1 notch towards the resistant spectrum which puts it in the ideal range between open and resistant for an amazing draw score.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with a heavy dose of toasted cedar, black pepper, meatiness and smokiness. Some earth and creaminess joined a bit later and the some coffee a little further on. The second third saw the black pepper become very mellow. The final third saw the earth become rich from the darker wrapper and some wood bitterness joined in. The construction was absolutely perfect. The Joya de Nicaragua Joya Cabinetta Lancero started well, with a bold flavor delivery. Things dropped off a bit in the second third as some of the components mellowed quite a bit and maintained that level the rest of the way. I don’t see this vitola as one I’d want to come back to that frequently as some of the others have performed better for me.
Seth: The Joya de Nicaragua Joya Cabinetta Lancero has somewhat of a cheat code. In fact, all the Cabinetta’s have this strength. Finishing the cigar with that Nicaraguan Criollo really lights a spark plug in terms of flavors and strength after the Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper portion. The Connecticut portion is solid, with a nice bit of depth and strength, but when you put that darker and stronger wrapper on the cigar it sends it in a whole new direction, and it captures your attention in a good way. In some ways, you are waiting for that part of the cigar. From earthy, woody, tobacco and creamy to this rich earth and barnyard flavor with spices. Nice job.
John: The Joya de Nicaragua Joya Cabinetta Lancero was an enjoyable cigar to review, with the most engaging flavor combinations delivered in the first third for me. I can’t help but feel that although it was enjoyable, the blend is a bit dated compared to some of the more recent offerings that Joya has some out with. Both the draw and the burn were perfect. I would smoke a Joya Cabinetta Lancero again if I was in the mood for a Connecticut style cigar in the just over light plus strength level. The price point is attractive and the cigar is constructed well. Total smoking time was 1 hour and 51 minutes.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.10

Cost/Point

$1.63

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

6.82

Cost/Point

$1.46

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

6.10

Cost/Point

$1.63

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Joya de Nicaragua Joya Cabinetta Lancero