Info:
As I mentioned earlier, La Palina is a brand that existed at the turn of the 20th when it’s creator, Sam Paley, retired in 1925. Keeping with the family tradition, Bill Paley has brought it back and seems to be doing quite well. Most releases I see get rave reviews, including the Maduro line.
The Maduro line was released in 2012. It was the first maduro release from the company. They offer five vitolas: the 56 (7×56), 60 (6×60), 50 (6×50), 40 (6×40), and 52 (5×52). They come in boxes of 20.
Looks:
The La Palina Maduro is a beautiful cigar. It has a dark chocolate, almost black, wrapper. While there are a few veins and a couple of lumps, the seams are almost invisible. It looks oily and rich. It appears to be well packed too.
A beautiful cigar like this deserves a matching band. Such is the case with this one. The band is light gray with a black and white portrait in the center. It has lots of gold and white designs as well as black lines around the back. It looks like a true work of art.
Function:
As it looked, the La Palina Maduro feels oily, yet silky. Though it is pretty firm, there is a bit of give when squeezed. I do find a soft spot and a few lumps, but nothing that concerns me.
I am interested to see what aromas I get from this beauty. The foot offers cocoa and molasses/ raisins. The barrel is cocoa and hay/grass. Very nice!
I clip the clean triple cap and test the draw. The airflow is pretty good, just a hair tight. I pick up some molasses, earth and a slight bitterness.
Smoking:
Time to light this baby up! The La Palina Maduro is a little difficult to light. I end up burning a tiny bit of the wrapper doing so. Once it gets going, it burns pretty evenly at first. It gets a little wavy further into the first third. I have to relight and purge it in the second third. It also needs a little touch up in the final third. I attribute most of this to the oiliness of the wrapper.
The draw started out a bit on the tight side. Thankfully, it opens up around the halfway point and allows for more rich smoke on each puff.
With such a dark wrapper, I was hoping for a bright white ash. Unfortunately, it was mostly gray and black with only a touch of white. The first ash lasts one inch and is pretty solid. The ash after that is pretty flaky.
Flavor:
I am ready to see what is on the menu for this La Palina Maduro 50. Will it be as robust as it appears? Only one way to find out!
The first third begins with a very earthy wood flavor that is sprinkled with black pepper. This transitions into some savory, leathery notes with a hint of licorice. The further it goes, the spicier it gets. By the end of this section, the pepper is almost overwhelming.
Thankfully, the second third sees the pepper starting to mellow out a bit. This allows the leather, wood, earth, savory/tangy and licorice notes to resurface. The cigar is really hitting the spot right now! I do have to relight it at one point, and when I do, the finish seems to get creamier. Near the end of this section, the profile is more savory and spicy.
The final third sees the pepper die down just a bit again. Underneath are notes of nuts, cream, savoriness, wood and slight licorice on the finish. Wood and earth become the dominant flavors as it nears the end. The flavor is very robust all the way through.
The La Palina Maduro 50 is full in both flavor and strength. It coats the palate with loads of rich flavor. At times the pepper is a bit overpowering, but it always dials back just in time to let the other notes shine through. Smoke time was just under 1 hour 40 minutes.
Would I Buy It Again?
Absolutely!
Is It An Everyday Smoke?
This would have to be one I reserve for after a heavy meal or a few times a month.
Would I Buy a Box?
It’s just a bit out of my price range, but if I had the funds, then certainly!
Conclusion
I have had one other La Palina Maduro (the 40) before and really enjoyed it. This one was no different. In fact, I think this one might have been a little better, which is surprising. I usually prefer smaller ring gauges. The only complaint I have is the burn, which I’m sure is because of how oily it is, and the occasional overwhelming pepper flavor. Even so, this is a definite recommendation for anyone looking for a hefty, premium cigar to celebrate or just reward yourself for any reason you can think of. Go get one today!
