Lancero cigars are a product that’s going against the trend (at least, at the time of this writing). While the market’s appetite for a fat cigar with full, intense flavor continues unabated, the Lancero cigar is the opposite type of experience. It’s long and narrow – and perhaps a bit more refined than the heavy ring gauges that are making waves as cigar companies continue to blend up exciting new releases.
A Lancero cigar might seem like a bit of a throwback, but it doesn’t go back as far as you might imagine. It’s a product that only appeared on shelves sometime in the 1960s as a Cuban export. Lanceros measure around 7 to 7.5 inches long, although some cigars are shorter and some are longer. There’s no hard and fast rules in the cigar industry when it comes to size and shape, and manufacturers generally will label cigars how they like, even if they don’t fit into traditional dimensions. A Lancero ring gauge is usually right around 38. But there too you might find a bit of diameter added for certain blends.
The goal is a great cigar smoking experience, and that means variation (especially in the draw) when a particular tobacco product calls for it.
A number of leading premium cigar brands produce Lancero cigars, including Oliva (the Serie V Lancero is quite nice), Herrera Esteli, Plasencia (with a skinny Alma del Fuego blend), Arturo Fuente (a company that puts out quite a few different Lancero cigars), 5 Vegas, Foundation, Tatuaje (Lanceros are the heart of the Skinny Monsters series, paying homage to classic movie monsters), My Father, and more. Most top-selling cigar brands will issue at least one blend in the Lancero format, but not all. It’s not a cash cow, by any means. It’s more of an offering for a certain diehard fanbase that enjoys what Lanceros deliver.
The smoking experience varies quite a bit from smoker to smoker. Some people really suck down their cigars and nub out Lanceros in a bit over an hour, but most seem to land closer to 1:45 or thereabouts if they’re kicking back, taking their time, and enjoying a premium cigar. Lanceros tend to be shaped in a way that leads to a concentrated pull, which brings flavors right to the center of the tongue, as opposed to an aerated and “fuller” draw.
In polite cigar smoking company, or situations where you don’t want to get down and dirty with a properly stinky stogie, the Lancero is a nice choice.
Please browse our selection of Lancero cigars at your leisure.
