Plasencia Reserva Organica Limited Edition 2001 Torpedo

[Don Fernando]

Plasencia is a very big influence in the cigar industry, the company is now in it’s 5th generation and is one of the biggest tobacco growers in both Nicaragua and Honduras and has factories in both Nicaragua and Honduras. Only a few months ago they came out on the American market with cigars of their own, instead of just making private labels for everybody that wanted private labels done (they make cigars for Alec Bradley, Casa Magna is made by Plasencia but also different other smaller boutique brands like Wilson & Adams and many many more). Jonathan Drew calls them ‘the octopus’ in an endearing way, as everybody has got something to do with the Plasencia family. In Europe however they’ve been on the market with cigars produced under the Plasencia label for a while now and one of the two lines they had out was the Reserva Organica, the brain child of Nestor Andres Plasencia who wanted to make a cigar the way his ancesters did so without chemicals for pest control and no artificial fertilizer, 100% organic tobacco and so the Reserva Organica was born.

When the company I worked for started to distribute Plasencia cigars we got them with the beige ring, as pictured above. When I parted ways with my employer last june I had the time to catalog my huge stash of cigars, sort them out and put them in my online humidor at stogierate.com and much to my surprise I found 2 very old Plasencia Reserva Organica Edicion Limitada 2001. Now don’t ask me how I got them because I wasn’t even a cigar smoker back in 2001. The ring is completely different and the wrapper is darker than the current production. It’s like a nice medium roasted coffee bean. The cigar is 6 1/4 inch long with a 52 ring. The cigar has 2 rings, one simple black band with a bright yellow ring and white lettering saying “edicion limitada 2001’ and the a bigger yellow ring, slightly darker than the yellow used on the bottom ring, with the Plasencia Reserva Organica name written in curly letters and 3 drawings, the vulcanos, the sun and the sea and I think that is ment to represent Nicaragua, since this cigar is 100% Nicaraguan.

The construction feels good, no soft spots noticeble upon touch, there is very little aroma coming from the cigar and it makes me wonder if there is any flavor left since the blend is mild and the cigar is 15 years old, it could be way passed its prime. But I guess I’ll find out quick enough. Because of the shape I can’t punch so I have to cut. The cold draw is perfect but I don’t taste much.

I light the cigar with my Ronson varaflame and I taste a mild coffee flavor and a charcoal flavor. I also taste a little bit of sugar. The coffee and sugar disappear and I’m stuck with the mild charcoal flavor. After a third I taste a dry bark. Halfway the flavor changes to cedar but with a bitter yet mild creamy sensation on the tip of my tongue. Slowly but surely the cigar gets more bitter and it’s really unpleasant.

The draw is perfect and the smoke is medium thick and medium in volume, I’m not to impressed with it. The ash is beautiful, white, layered and firm. The burn is beautiful too, straight as an arrow. The cigar is mild bodied and mild to medium flavored. The smoke time is little over 90 minutes.

Would I buy this cigar again? No, I love the idea of an organic cigar, less workers exposed to chemicals and less chemicals being smoked is nice, but the cigar was way passed its prime. And I hate giving such a low rating, I love the Plasencias, had great cigars from their factories so it sucks rating one of their cigars so low.

Score: 77

Review including pictures https://cigarguideorg.wordpress.com/...-2001-torpedo/

[borndead1]

I went through box after box of these until they were gone. They weren't selling at retail ($150/box of 15), so Famous started throwing them on their auction site and I was snagging them for $70-$90/box.

I smoked my last one probably 4-5 years ago. To this day, they remain one of my all-time favorite cigars and I was sad when they were gone.

Thanks for the review.

[Don Fernando]

Originally Posted by borndead1

I went through box after box of these until they were gone. They weren't selling at retail ($150/box of 15), so Famous started throwing them on their auction site and I was snagging them for $70-$90/box.

I smoked my last one probably 4-5 years ago. To this day, they remain one of my all-time favorite cigars and I was sad when they were gone.

Thanks for the review.

They are still selling them in Europe (the regular ones, not the LE) and Plasencia is back on the American market so they might pop up again

[Tio Gato]

Famous has a box of petite coronas on Cigar Auctioneer starting at $42 and a box of pyramids starting at $83 if you're interested.

[borndead1]

Originally Posted by Tio Gato

Famous has a box of petite coronas on Cigar Auctioneer starting at $42 and a box of pyramids starting at $83 if you're interested.

Those are the regular Reserva Organica line. The EL 2001 were a one-batch release. The regular ones are great too, but these were special.

[Don Fernando]

Originally Posted by borndead1

Those are the regular Reserva Organica line. The EL 2001 were a one-batch release. The regular ones are great too, but these were special.

If I had any I'd ship 'em your way. But I don't

[Greentud]

FWIW they have selling cigars under the Plasencia name for many many years in the US.