L'Atelier LAT Lancero 7 1/2 x 38

Video review HERE.

This cigar is directly from this year's IPCPR in Las Vegas. L'Atelier is the creation from Pete Johnson, his brother, and some friends and is made in the My Father factory in Esteli, Nicaragua.

Vitola: LAT Lancero

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Length: 7 1/2"

Ring Gauge: 38

Wrapper: Sancti Spíritus Ecuador

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Box Count: 15

This cigar is a dark brown and feels dense in the hand. It reminds me of a large pencil!

The cap is finished with a pigtail

The test draw after cutting the cap was firm but workable. The initial flavors at light up were a sweet orange citrus, nutmeg, and dry wood. The black pepper was very strong and rated at an 8 1/2. 

About one inch the flavors are just like I initially described. The orange citrus is very sweet while the nutmeg is a dry nutmeg and you also have dry wood. The black pepper is very intense. The finish is a sweet pudding-like cream with a lot of lingering black pepper.

2 1/2 inches in the nutmeg notes are very prominent. The citrus notes are secondary. There is a brown sugar sweetness now to go along with the dry wood notes. The black pepper continues to be very strong. The cigar is medium to full bodied at this point. The cigar is burning evenly. 

With about 2 1/2 inches remaining the wood notes have now changed over to black coffee. The nutmeg and citrus notes are still in play and the black pepper is still very good, although it has toned down just a bit to an 8. The finish is now a toasted cream with some sweetness, along with the lingering black pepper. The cigar is on the upper edges of medium to full bodied.

With about 1 1/2 inches remaining the nutmeg note have gone away. The citrus notes are still around but not that intense. The dry wood notes are back to go along with the black coffee. The black pepper remains very good and the finish is the same. The cigar is now full bodied.

This cigar has taken much longer to smoke than I thought. For me, the first half of the cigar was much better than the second half. I enjoyed the sweet orange citrus and nutmeg with dry wood notes. You lost a lot of those in the second half. The cigar did, however, achieve full bodied status. Don't mistake what I'm saying; I did enjoy the cigar but if it had stayed just as it was in the first half it would have achieved a much higher rating. As it is it's a very good cigar and on shelves now.

Score: 92