Review of Plasencia Reserva Organica Cigars

By: Gary Manelski

I first reviewed Plasencia Organica cigars for About.com back in 2010. Since the review is no longer available on that website, it has been reprinted below. So why have I decided to resurrect this particular review? Because those cigars that were on the market before February 15, 2007, will not be subject to FDA testing and approval. Since the Plasencia Organica is one of those grandfathered cigars, we may never know how it compares to all of the other cigars that are not certified organic. Wouldn't you like to know if one of the only certified organic cigars on the market today is any healthier than all other cigars, at least in the eyes of the FDA?

Before republishing my original review here on CigarCzars.com, I smoked another Plasencia Organica Piramide cigar during January 2017, to see if my original observations relating to that particular vitola have changed. I would now consider the cigar to be mild-to-medium rather than medium bodied. Since there are now more stronger cigars on the market than during 2010, my fullness scale may have actually shifted more than the body of that particular cigar.

The Piramide had a very good draw right from the start, and an enjoyable sweet and woodsy flavor. However, the sweetness faded a bit after 15 minutes, and was not quite as satisfying thereafter, but was still good. It took me 55 minutes to smoke the cigar down to two inches remaining. During that time, the cigar held a long ash and had an even burn, and did not require any relights nor touch-ups. I did enjoy the Piramide vitola a bit more than the other sizes sampled in my original review, and now rate it with a solid 3.75 points on a 5-point scale (there were only half-star increments on About.com).

The prices for these cigars are about the same as they were back in 2010, making them less expensive in relation to other cigars now being sold during 2017. I also note that the Nesticos size (4 3/16 x 36) is also available, but the test flight sampler may no longer be offered. You can get the latest scoop at Famous-Smoke.com.

Original Review of Plasencia Organica Cigars
(Written During July 2010)

Plasencia Organica cigars are the original 100% certified organic cigars. These cigars are Nicaraguan puros, with all the tobacco grown on Nestor Plasencia's organic farms in Jalapa and Esteli. The cigars are available in a number of various shapes and sizes. I was fortunate enough to obtain a "test flight" containing five different sizes, from Gary Korb of the Famous Smoke Shop. All of the sample cigars provided had natural wrappers. Before writing this review, I smoked all of the Plasencia Organica cigars in the test flight, as follows:

Toro 6 x 50 – smoke time 60 minutes

Piramide* 6Ľ x 52 - smoke time 45 minutes

Robusto* 4ľ x 52 - smoke time 30 minutes

Corona* 6Ľ x 44 - smoke time 55 minutes

Churchill 7 x 48 - smoke time 70 minutes

* Packaged in a cedar tube.

Flavor

Plasencia Organica cigars are medium-bodied, and all began with an enjoyable toasty/woodsy flavor, with just a hint of natural tobacco sweetness. However, except for the Piramide, the flavors started to fade and become bland after about 15 to 20 minutes into each cigar. I would say that a near 4-star taste at the beginning declined to 3-stars by the end, for an average rating of 3˝ stars for each cigar, with the exception of the Piramide. Although the taste of the Piramide did not deteriorate like the other sizes, its initial taste was not quite as enjoyable as the others, and maintained an almost constant flavor of 3˝ stars throughout the duration of the smoke.

Draw and Construction

With the exception of the Toro, all cigars burned evenly and did not require any relights or touch-ups. For some reason, the Toro needed a touch-up light about every 10 minutes to even out the burn. In addition, the Piramide burned a little faster than the other sizes, and had a draw that was a little loose for the first 10 minutes or so. All of the other cigars had good draws, but the Corona did not deliver as generous a volume of smoke as the other sizes. All cigars held a medium-to-long ash and in general, were well constructed. I smoked all cigars down to around 2" to 2˝" remaining. My smoke time for each cigar is indicated in the above introduction.

Value

Since organic cigars are somewhat unique, and cost more to produce than other handmade cigars, expect to pay a premium price for the peace of mind derived from knowing that your cigars are free of residue from chemicals and pesticides. This is a similar choice to buying organic food, but since organic cigars still contain naturally toxic substances such as nicotine and tar, is it worth paying a premium for a product that can still be hazardous to your health? This is a personal choice, and only you can decide.

There is no such thing as a 100% certified healthy cigar, but there is still a measure of degree. For example, handmade cigars should be healthier than machine made cigars that contain preservatives, additives, and substances other than tobacco, while organic cigars should be healthier than handmade cigars containing tobacco that was grown with chemical fertilizers and/or sprayed with chemical pesticides.

With all that being said, the price of a "test flight" of 10 Plasencia Organica cigars is about $67. Two of each of the five cigar sizes mentioned in this review are included. I personally enjoyed the Piramide and Churchill just a little more than the other sizes. The price for a box of 20 in either of those two sizes is $143, or just over $7 per stick. For being certified organic cigars, $7 per stick is a great value. If being organic does not matter to you, then the value all depends on how much you like these particular cigars, as compared to other non-organic cigars in the same price range. If you don't want to take a chance on a buying an entire box, the Piramide's and Churchill's are also available in five-packs (now priced at $36.99).

Plasencia Organica Piramide

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