Not sure if it was rated a 100 in my book but is was dayum good IMHO.
Smoked this on about a month ago.
This is the 3rd cigar in the Goldie series, and is limited to 1,000 boxes
Cigar: La Palina Goldie
Size: 7 x 40 (Lancero)
Wrapper: Ecuador Habano
Binder: Ecuador
Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua
Strength: Medium-Full
Number Smoked: 2
Appearance & Construction: I double dare anyone to find a more exquisitely rolled cigar on the market today. The La Palina Goldie is a work of art. The golden brown wrapper is rolled to perfection right down to the fan cap. Having watched Marie Sierra personally roll this specific cigar at El Titan de Bronze I almost feel hesitant to clip the cap on this beautiful stick.
Flavor & Notes: It is with great sadness that I took the double blade cutter to this cigar and the cold draw served up notes of earthy and a fruity like sweetness, while the foot of the cigar has a nose that reminds one of a barnyard. The initial light has a slight burst of pepper that I would assume is from the medio tiempo which is at the top of a tobacco plant.
In the first third of the cigar there is a complexity of notes that include honey, earth, fruit, and nuts. While the earth seems to be dominant early on they all jockey for position with the nuts winning most of the battle.
In the second third of the cigar, there is a sweetness that dominates this incredible cigar. It almost seems like a tropical fruit that reminds me a bit of mango especially on the finish. There is some continued pepper through the retrohale, that exists only the retrohale.
The final third of the cigar is where the strength really begins to kick in, it creeps up on you with some of the same sweetness mixed in with some spice and the nutty finish of the cigar becomes longer than the short finish on the previous two-thirds. I’m sad to see this cigar end and I am fighting putting it down burning my fingers a little to smoke it way longer then a cigar is meant to be smoked.
Smoking Characteristics: Rolled by a 95 rated Level 9 roller there was no doubt that this cigar would burn perfect. The draw, smoke production, burn line, and ash were all iconic. This is simply put one of the best rolled cigars I have ever smoked, and it is true with each of the limited edition Goldie cigars.
Overall: In smoking this cigar, the debate for Cigar of the Year was bounced around in my mind. Would I dare rate a limited edition cigar the best, or will I need to create a second category for the LE smokes. Regardless, this cigar is a candidate for the cigar of the year and perhaps the best cigar I have ever smoked. With that said it is only the second cigar I have ever given a perfect rating to, and there was no second guessing of that.
Price: $16.00
Score: 100
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