The Cookie Monster | Lost&Found

Yes, you read that right: aged 8 years! Let’s talk about the Lancero vitola for any new members. Lanceros are a popular vitola for our club so you will see them often. When a Lancero is good, it’s better than most sizes. It truly highlights the flavors of the wrapper leaf from the outside and concentrates all the flavors on the inside due to its small ring gauge and longer smoking experience. Things really build in this vitola. Now let’s talk about Lost & Found. Robert Caldwell owns the company. He scours premium cigar factories all over the globe looking for things that may have been forgotten about in their aging rooms. He then puts his own creative label on them and sends them to the US to sell. In the past, he rarely advertised the age on them-that is-until Privada came around. This cigar has a Habano wrapper. In my opinion, a Habano that is aged 8 years has reached its peak. Of course each blend is different, but I tend to believe if something is aged more than 5-6 years, it will not get much better with age. The binder is from Sumatra. The fillers are Dominican and Nicaraguan. Robert will not tell me what cigar this was in a past life but he did tell me it was around the $13 price range. He also told me that 8 years ago people did not look for Lancero vitolas, which is why it did not sell well, waiting for us in the aging room. In a time when cigars are taken so seriously, it sure is fun to see a cool band like this. It takes me back to a more innocent time of my childhood. It really provokes fun thoughts and makes me think the cigar will be delicious. Let’s find out.

Tasting Notes: On the body I smell fall leaves, butterscotch, milk chocolate and black tea. The foot smells of sweetened black tea and the cold draw reminds me of peach iced tea. The first third starts with an aged tobacco note, dark and bitter baking cocoa, heavy wood flavors, white pepper on the retrohale and a sort of apple cider vinegar on the tongue. The first inch of a very aged cigar can leave something to be desired but this certainly is packed with unique flavors. Graham cracker leads the way in the second third. There is a musty note of earth- like mushroom. I then get hit with florals and woods and the smoke itself gives me a cooling almost menthol sensation. It lends itself to remind me of mint chocolate at times. The final third transitions to spicier black pepper, wood remains dominant and I get salty, starchy notes like potato chips. It’s very savory. What an experience!
Pairing Notes: Pilsner beer, Hard Iced Tea. Peach Iced Tea. Snapple Raspberry Iced Tea. Bourbon. Jack Daniels. White Chocolate. Peach cobbler or peach anything. Pineapple soda. Shout out @lostandfoundcigars on the ‘gram people!