Review: N3 Carlota (Ebony & Ivory)

[MossybackR]

Samples are from a bundle ofN3 Carlota “Ebony & Ivory” that I’ve had “resting” for nearly 30 days. I tried several ROTT, partly out of curiosity and partly because I have been enjoying NCs of this size lately. Both the Colorado and the Maduro have benefited from the rest since then. 

        The pre-light aroma of the Colorado (38 x 6) is of well-aged tobacco with a smooth, baking-spice core, a hint of sweetness, and floral tones. The long thin cigar has a smooth, flawless wrapper that is finished with a triple cap. 

        The taste of the first third echoes the pre-light promises: sweet tobacco taste with a backbone flavor of baking spices and a slight floral aftertaste. The bundle label proclaims, “Not Cuban. Not even a teeny little bit. Really.”; but if I were to sample this as a blind sample,  I may have identified it as Cuban.

        The second third develops a more complex profile that changes from a sweet profile that has a stronger backbone of black pepper, although there is still a sweet tobacco finish.

The final third builds up a little strength with a bit of tar and tannic flavors, masking the sweet overtones. The burn has been clean and even throughout, with a dark-grey ash.

Final: 88

 

 

The Maduro (38 x 6) also has a smooth, flawless wrapper. There is a rather wide variation in wrapper colors; and although the Colorado is easily different from the Maduro, they both could be described as the color of coffee with various amounts of added cream. The pre-light aroma is also of well-aged tobacco but without the promise of sweet spice. 

       The first third begins with the smooth flavors evidenced in the pre-light with the sweet finish that I’ve observed in aged maduros. The draw on this particular cigar is a bit more difficult at first but opens in the second third. The final third continues with smooth tobacco flavors and a hint of espresso, a bit of black pepper, and a slight tannic twang.

Final: 81

[Goodfortune]

Thanks for the reviews. I have some lanceros resting myself but have yet to dig into them.  Based on your descriptions and reading about your experience with them, I thought the scores would have been higher. What were the knocks for the scoring? Thanks! 

[Edicion]

I really enjoyed the Maduro, I thought it was excellent - should have bought more as they are good now. The final third will need some time and will shine through in a few years time but not a biggie.

The Colorado reminded me of a young R&J PC which needs a bit more time.

[MossybackR]

2 hours ago, Goodfortune said:

Based on your descriptions and reading about your experience with them, I thought the scores would have been higher. What were the knocks for the scoring? Thanks! 

My scoring is completely subjective and primarily based on other NC skinnies. It has been a *long* time since I’ve had my only LGC skinnie and that is still memorable (in the 90s, but my memory is fuzzy). I’ve primarily compared the N3 to the My Father “La Promesa”   lancero, which appears (to me) to combine the best of the Colorado and Maduro and push my scoring into the low 90s.

 

1 hour ago, Edicion said:

The final third will need some time and will shine through in a few years time but not a biggie.

The Colorado reminded me of a young R&J PC which needs a bit more time.

Yeah, I have a feeling that by the time I finish the bundle of 30, I’ll be kicking myself for not getting more.

[GVan]

The N1 Maduro Lancero's are still developing.  The first one ROTT started off smooth leather, almost no spice / pepper but turned a little bitter in the last half.  After 40 days my second was way better!  Really smooth, burned phenomenal, lite leather sort of a Boli PC flavor with our the malt, no flavor progression - pretty consistent - smoked well throughout the cigar.  No bitterness at all and stayed smooth.  I'm going to wait another 3 to 4 months before trying another.  Boli's are one of my favorites and the N1 Maduro Lancero reminds me a lot like a 3 year old Boli.   I have not even tried the N1 Lancero Colorado-Rosado yet or any of the N3's.  Going to give those some more time as well based on the earlier FOH reviews.  These have a lot of potential especially given their price-point.