L’Atelier SEC (6 x 50)

Video review HERE.

The L'Atelier SEC is a box-pressed cigar from L’Atelier Imports available at only 20 retailers in the Southeast. 

The L’Atelier SEC is a 6 x 50 box-pressed cigar. While it is based on the original L’Atelier blend, the Sancti Spiritus wrapper on the SEC comes from a higher priming than original line.

There will be 500 fifteen count boxes total that will be divided among the 20 retailers. I picked this cigar up at one of those limited retailers; The Cigar Box on Main Street in Columbia, SC. Justin White, the manager of the shop, told me that anyone calling to order some of these cigars and mentioning my name or that you saw this on the blog or video would receive 10% off your purchase! Their contact info is:

Cigar Box

Justin White, Manager

1639 Main St

Columbia, South Carolina

(803) 252-0084

The name SEC is a play to the retailers located in the Southeast U.S., but also has ties to the wine industry. SEC is a French term that is used to indicate the level of sweetness of a wine.  L’Atelier has incorporated a wine these most recently in its La Mission du L’Atelier cigar.

Blend Profile:

Wrapper: Sancti Spiritus

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Country or Origin: Nicaragua

Vitolas Available:

The L’Atelier SEC is available in one size – a 6 x 50. Pricing is $9.00 per cigar or $135.00 per 15 count box.

The cigar is very dark and box pressed. It has a nice feel in the hand.

The cap is finished with a pigtail.

The test draw after cutting the cap was very good. The initial flavors were espresso, boysenberry and light citrus notes, cream, and black pepper rated at an 8. The cigar is medium to full bodied already.

About 1 inch in the flavors  have changed to a sweet orange citrus, cream, light buttery notes, milk chocolate and espresso. The pepper is still very good. The finish is a cream with light citrus notes and some lingering black pepper. The cigar is medium to full bodied.

Close to the band with about 3 inches remaining the orange citrus is much sweeter. There are some buttery notes on the cream. The milk chocolate combines nicely with the citrus. The espresso notes are unchanged. The finish is a cream with dry wood notes and lingering pepper. I am surprised but the cigar is still medium to full bodied. I thought it would have risen to full bodied but it has not.

As the cigar ended I noted that the black pepper increased nicely on both ends. It ended at 8.5 in intensity. The citrus notes also increased and had some tangy notes. I noticed some dry wood on the front end in the final third. The cigar never reached higher than medium to full bodied. This cigar had nice sweet notes of citrus and milk chocolate. I also enjoyed the pepper and the espresso notes. Contact Justin White at The Cigar Box and try these for yourself. Remember, mention me and get 10% off!

Score: 92