Panacea Red Carrona

[Pipe Smoker]

I had really high hopes for this cigar. I really like this size and I really like everything I have tried from Panacea, but this one let me down.

I had some time after dinner this evening, so I poured myself a glass of a new bourbon (that was also somewhat disappointing, but that's another thread). I brought my laptop outside so I could listen to the Yankee game and set the stage for a very enjoyable evening.

I punched the cap with the medium punch on my Swiss Army knife (which I picked up after reading some of Kingantz's reviews) The pre-light draw was nice. Not too loose not too tight and yielded a very nice pure tobacco flavor. I toasted the foot and the cigar lit very nicely.

1/3 right off the bat I got a very acrid chemical taste. As I smoked through the first inch or so I almost gave up on the cigar. It was very very acidic. I didn't get any traditional flavoring at all and it made my whole mouth tingle.

2/3 the taste was still very chemical-ish but I started to get some notes of leather and tobacco. Still not good, but good enough that I decided to muscle through.

3/3 the cigar finally started to taste like an actual cigar. The chemical taste was still present but that nutty, chocolate, leather flavor started to take center stage.

I finished the cigar, but I certainly didn't love it. I have four more waiting, but I think I'll let them sit for a while longer. I'm hoping this was just a fluke and the rest will smoke better. Honestly, if I didn't have such a high opinion of everything else I have smoked from Panacea I don't think I would bother. Sorry I didn't take an pictures. I wasn't planning on reviewing this little guy.

 

[b.dawgson]

Maybe try dry boxing the next one for a few hours prior to smoking. Sometimes too much humidity can cause an acrid cigar.

 

[Pipe Smoker]

I'll give it a try, but my guess is that wasn't the issue. My cooler is pretty consistent right at 66% rh, but even so, that chemical taste was immediate upon lighting the cigar. It didn't build as the the cigar got hotter, if anything it actually got a little better as the cigar went on. If it were a moister issue I would think it would take a little time for that acidic flavor to take over, no?

 

[j0z3r]

Maybe they just need a few months of the old cedar treatment? How long have you had them?

 

[Aussie Shaun]

Thats a damn pity because from what I have read they normally a nice smoke. Hope some age makes them better.

 

[Pipe Smoker]

I have only had them about a month now. I'm actually hoping its not an age thing because the cigar was so off-putting. I'm hoping it was just a case of a bad cigar that was accidentally contaminated with something. I have four more so I think I will actually smoke one more and age the other three, to see if it really is an age thing or something else.

 

[Pipe Smoker]

Well its been about a month so I grabbed another one of these on Saturday and had a much different experience. There was no chemically taste whatsoever. I can only guess that the last cigar was just a bad stick, or maybe I ate something funny that day that screwed with my tastes. This was actually a very enjoyable smoke. Now, if they would only offer some of their other lines in a corona size I would be a very happy man.

As a side note, I have been smoking the White Lable Corojo Bolts a lot lately and they are mighty fine little smokes.

 

[lherzolite]

As a side note, I have been smoking the White Lable Corojo Bolts a lot lately and they are mighty fine little smokes.

I would love to see the white label in a corona (though I wonder if it would be possible to achieve a similar blend in a smaller ring gauge).

Edited for bad grammar.

 

[Joebunaga]

After trying the White label I was debating ordering a sampler pack, except none of the samplers they list contain the Whites. Did you try the Green and Blacks?

 

[Pipe Smoker]

Yeah, I initially started off with the 660 four pack (Red, Green, Black Nat., Black Mad). Then I got 4 packs of the Coronas and Bolts. I really like the greens actually. I considered getting a box, but didn't actually pull the trigger. I hear there is a new blue label in the works and I think I saw an email saying that they are including samples in orders placed until the 26th - but don't quote me on that.

 

[4cbln3]

I'm curious now as to what these newer white labels smoke like, think it's time to visit the Flat Bed Cigar Co. website. I've liked their red labels over the blacks, previously. Maybe my tastes have changed some since then.