start here

Construction: A nice rustic looking cigar.  A little lumpy and a tad veiny - both of which give the cigar a nice old school look.  The band is elegantly simple compared to the more intricate band found on their other cigars.  I did have some rather nasty wrapper issues with the sample I was given.  Three splits.  All of which the cigar burned through perfectly.  This sample was probably sitting in the rep's bag for a while or something.  Eh, it happens.

Pre-light Aroma and Draw: Leather and cocoa are the main notes I get from this uncellophaned torpedo.  Some grass and hay notes are also present.  The draw is just right. Not open or closed.

Light and Burn: Wrapper issues aside, the Classic burned perfectly from start to finish.

Tasting: The start of the La Palina Classic is  nice balance of leather and oak sweetness.  The first third opens by adding a roasted nutty quality and some black pepper too.  Overall a nice start.  The flavors increase about a half-inch in but not overpowering.  Medium bodied is where I would put it so far.  The woody and nutty qualities that Dominican tobacco gives to cigars is just terrific and easily spotted in this well balanced blend.

The middle third continues the same flavor profile.  I did note that the power increases a notch here as well but not so much that it pushes into the medium-full range.  The black pepper moves to the front a bit more as well.  Still well balanced and delicious. 

The final third continues the same balance of pepper and leather while smoothing things out considerably.

Value: At around $8.25, the Classic line is the value offering from La Palina.  Maybe not cheap or anything, but from a super-premium producing company that was pretty much the hottest name in the industry last year, you can't go wrong with the Classic line.

Final Thoughts: So maybe the classic line isn't the most complex cigar on earth....but it is still a worthy smoke from a terrific company with a rich history.  I could smoke the classics as an everyday smoke and be happy as a clam.  If you are a fan of super-premium cigars and are looking for an anytime cigar, the La Palina Classic is highly recommended.

Wrapper: Brazilian grown habano
Binder: Ecuadorian
Filler: Dominican and Nicaraguan

Strength: Medium

Size: 6.125 x 52