Plasencia Year of the Tiger
📌 Brand: Plasencia
📌 Line: Year of the Tiger
📌 Size: Toro Extra (6 1/4" × 54)
📌 Weight: 20 g
📌 Age: 4 years
📌 Origin: Nicaragua
Tasting Notes
Cedar – Clean and elegant foundation
Cream – Smooth texture throughout
Baking Spice – Warm cinnamon and nutmeg notes
Toasted Nuts – Soft, lingering finish
First Impressions
The Year of the Tiger is a beautifully made cigar with an elegant wrapper, excellent construction, and a luxurious presentation worthy of the special release. Pre-light aroma offers cedar, cream, spice, and a touch of sweetness. The cold draw is ideal and promises a refined smoke.
Smoking Experience
First Third – Opens smooth and balanced with cedar and cream leading the profile. The draw and burn are flawless.
Second Third – Baking spice and toasted nuts emerge, giving the cigar more depth while keeping it elegant and easygoing.
Final Third – The cigar remains enjoyable and perfectly constructed, but it never quite develops beyond its core profile. The final third is pleasant, though it feels like it is missing a little more complexity and evolution.
Pairings
Alcohol – Calvados Hors d’Âge Domaine Dupont (France) - Rich apple, spice, and oak bring extra complexity and brightness to the cigar’s softer profile.
Tea – Taiwan Red Jade Tea (Ruby No. 18) - Notes of mint, cinnamon, and honey beautifully enhance the cigar’s cream and baking spice.
Music Pairing
“Manteca” – Dizzy Gillespie & Chano Pozo
Warm, rhythmic, and lively, helping bring more energy to the cigar’s refined but restrained profile.
Final Thoughts
Plasencia Year of the Tiger is a refined and beautifully made cigar with cream, cedar, and spice presented in a smooth and elegant way. However, it lacks just a little extra complexity and development to become truly memorable.
Final Score: 8/10
Why not a 10?
The cigar stays balanced and enjoyable, but it never develops enough complexity or evolution to stand out.a
Only cigars that deliver flawless draw, balance, flavour evolution, construction and satisfaction get a 10.