Video review HERE.
(Description taken from Cigar-Coop.com website)
At the 2017 IPCPR Trade Show, Emilio Cigars debuted a cigar known as the Emilio LJZ. It’s a cigar that pays homage to company owner Scott Zucca’s family and employees.
“LJZ is a cigar that has been 70 years in the making. In 1947, my family started LJ Zucca from my grandfather’s front porch and it’s grown into the regional distribution company it is today. The LJZ cigar is a tribute not only to them and its many employees, but also to the hard work, character, and entrepreneurial spirit that makes this country great. I believe it’s our best Emilio cigar release yet,” said Scott Zucca of Emilio Cigars and LJ Zucca in a press release.
The cigar will be produced at James Brown’s Fabrica Oveja Negra factory. It is the second Emilio cigar to come out of that factory following last years’ Emilio Cavatina.
Emilio Cigars are distributed by Boutiques Unified.
Blend Profile
Wrapper: Ecuador Habano
Binder: Ecuador Habano Seco
Filler: Nicaragua
Country of Origin: Nicaragua (Fabrica Oveja Negra)
Vitolas Available
The Emilio LJZ will be available in two sizes. Each will be packaged in 20-count boxes.
Robusto: 5 x 52 (SRP $9.00) REVIEWED TODAY
Toro: 6 x 50 (SRP $11.00)
The cigar is very well made and is a medium brown in color. It has a very dense feel in the hand and has a nice weight.
The test draw after cutting the cap was very good. The initial flavors were sweet, pink grapefruit, brown sugar, cinnamon, and an earthy black coffee. There were quite a bit of the coffee notes, actually. There was a nice amount of black pepper which I rated at a 7 1/2. The cigar starts out as medium bodied.
1 1/2 inches in (25 minutes) the heavy black coffee notes have decreased. There are now nutmeg notes. There are still citrus notes but I would not necessarily call them pink grapefruit any longer. There are still brown sugar and cinnamon notes. The finish is a cream with minor amounts of influence from citrus and a little lingering black pepper. The cigar is a low grade medium to full bodied. The nutmeg notes are holding down the sweetness but not to a large negative degree. 
At the midpoint (37 minutes) the ash is still intact. That's always impressive. There were still grapefruit like notes, brown sugar, and nutmeg. The cinnamon notes are quite light. But, now you also have a grapefruit peel flavor of bitterness. That's not a good thing. There is still a black coffee base and it's light. The finish is a buttery cream. I'm not sure where the butter comes from because it's not on the front end. There is still sweetness but it's sort of overshadowed by the bitter notes. There is not enough bitterness to kill the cigar but it's not something you want in a cigar. The cigar is still a low grade medium to full bodied. 
With about 2 inches remaining (52 minutes) the bitterness is gone! Good! You now have the grapefruit citrus, brown sugar, a little cinnamon nutmeg, and a black coffee base. The finish is now a toasted cream. The cigar is about where it was before the bitterness began. The nutmeg notes are again quite noticeable. 
The cigar lasted 1 hour 15 minutes. The heavy nutmeg notes have just about gone entirely. I got back to the grapefruit citrus (not so much pink but still a sweet grapefruit), brown sugar, cinnamon, and black coffee. The black pepper remained very good. The cigar is an actual medium to full bodied now. There was a nice, thick sweet cream finish with a good amount of lingering black pepper. This has been a good cigar overall but it had highs and lows. The low point would definitely be the midpoint with those bitter notes. It started off great with the sweet pink grapefruit notes. I really enjoyed the cigar the most in the first third. If I were to score the cigar in 3 segments; beginning, midpoint, and end it would go 92 beginning, 88 midpoint, and 91 at the end. As an overall score I am giving this cigar a 90. I feel these cigars may be better with some humidor time. But, I am not a fan of aging cigars to make them better. When I purchase a cigar I expect it to be ready to smoke NOW, not in a year. Aging is fine if you purchase a box or 2 and don't get around to smoking them all for a year but the first one out of the box should be ready to go. 
Score: 90
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