La Riqueza No. 1

Brand: La Riqueza
Cigar: No. 1
Shape: Lonsdale
Size: 6.5" x 42
Wrapper: Connecticut
Filler: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Price: $9.50

Appearance: 8
Construction: 9
Taste: 9
Value: 8
Overall: 9

The La Riqueza line is yet another collaboration between Pete Johnson and Jose "Pepin" Garcia. The No. 1 is a lonsdale featuring a traditional Cuban-style box press and is made up of Nicaraguan tobaccos wrapped in a dark Connecticut broadleaf.

The No. 1 is a great looking cigar with the nice veining and rough texture one expects to find in a sungrown variety. Construction was excellent and was highlighted by a nice uniform wrapper, a solid triple cap, and the cigar had plenty of give without feeling too soft in any one spot.

I lit the lonsdale using my no-name torch lighter and it fired right up with a nice cherry ember. The cigar required no relights or touch-ups throughout the entire length of the smoke which was a real wonder considering that I was smoking it outside during a driving rain. The burn line was razor sharp and the ash was a nice light gray. I haven't smoked a cigar that required so little TLC in quite some time.

The initial flavor upon lighting up was a serious hit of the classic Pepin spice. This peppery blast remained the predominant flavor throughout the first third of the cigar and left a tingling sensation on the lips and tongue like a good Thai meal.

For the second third the La Riqueza mellowed out a bit and some nice earthy flavors emerged from all the spice. There were even some hints of cocoa which one seldom finds outside of maduros.

During the final third the spice fell off a bit more and a subtle floral flavor came to the fore. As the nub started burning my fingers a little pepper kicked in to give the cigar a final send-off.

The La Riqueza No. 1 had one of the most complex flavor profiles I've yet encountered and the changing tastes made for a great cigar that never lost my interest. It was almost like three cigars in one and I didn't want it to end.

I'm a big Pepin fan and this cigar only further reinforced that high opinion. The La Riqueza No. 1 is a stellar, medium-bodied cigar featuring classic looks and an amazing abundance of flavors. The only thing left to do is go buy a box.