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Frank Llaneza 1961

rzamanrzaman Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 2,604

Frank Llaneza was a cigar icon who came from Cuba and re-created many Cuban brands. Wall Street Journal once described him as "the last grand old man of the cigar business carried over from Cuba. He was the president of Villazon & Co. cigar which was started by his father in Tampa. He was trained by Angel Oliva how to select wrapper. He along with Angel Oliva who first came down to Central America growing Cuban seeds in Honduras. He started working with General cigar when they purchased Villazon. Later with Altadis USA and retired. All of those brands are owned by Scandinavians tobacco group who also own cigar International Inc. and some other famous online stores.


Besides 1961, his another popular brand is El Rey del Mundo. He also made non-cuban Hoyo, Punch, excalibur and many other blends. He devoted his entire life for the cigar industry. He took long time to create a cigar in his name. Finally, again the Oliva family provided him this extraordinary wrapper to create Frank Llaneza 1961.


Wrapper - Ecuadorian hybreed(with Sumatra) Criollo 98

Binder - Nicaraguan

Fillers - Dominican and Nicaraguan

After fire up, it starts with very smooth, cedar, mild leathery, earthy aroma. 1/3 mark, it releases mild spice tone with peppery flavor. All the way very balanced, smooth with long finish. At 2/3 mark, release sweet chocolate aroma with mild creamy espresso under tone. The smoke is thick with velvety texture. Perfect burning with equal release. Finaly, the cigar declares it's consistency and complexity with mixture of above all the aroma and flavor. This is a very enjoyable smoke and represent Frank's extraordinary blending skills. The $9 price tag is completely justifiable.


Sadly, this cigar legend passed away last year with a huge void in the entire cigar industry.
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Comments

  • RCY CigarsRCY Cigars Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 5,346
    Thanks Rzaman, I never had that one before. Sounds good enough to explore though. Sweet chocolate and espresso, ummm....

  • danielzreyesdanielzreyes Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,739
    Nice review rzaman.
  • jj20030jj20030 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 5,448
    sounds great, been wanting to try those
  • gmill880gmill880 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 5,947
    Same here ... I need to slow down working and pick up playing/cigar time !
  • rzamanrzaman Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 2,604

    This cigar is amazingly smooth, falvorful and tasty. In fact, the only cigar Frank Llaneza put his name on it though he blended many brands in his life. few online stores offer this cigar. If you can't find it pm me. This cigar comes with six shapes but I like the Pyramid shape the best.

    The fermentation of this wrapper has been secret but the wrapper went through triple fermentation process. Cuban Cohiba and Boliver use it. triple fermentation process is a difficult task. In a nutshell, after curing the tobacco leaves have all their potential locked inside. then the tobacco leaves are placed into a groups of 20-30 leaves called MANOS. The MANOS are stacked in large piles called PILONES. Inside the PILONES the temperature reached upto 120-125 degrees. This way, the inner leaves in PILONES generates most of the heat. They move them around to distribute the heat equally. These are all hand made process and the master blender use his judgements with instinct. basically, triple fermentation means rotates certain temperature three different times. I saw the process in Nicaragua. A minor misjudgment can kill the entire process.
  • big chunksbig chunks Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,607
    Great info and nice review bro
  • denniskingdennisking Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 3,681
    I just stumbled on this review. I didn't know that Rip wrote one about this fantastic stick. Well boys, this post is a year and a half old and I just stumbled upon 5 of these fantastic sticks at my B&M. Llaneza was a businessman and he understood that he didn't have to like everything he blended and everything he did didn't have to taste the way he wanted it to taste. With that said, when he put his own name on something, you knew it was going to be fantastic. This stick is truly great. I can't say it enough. If you get a chance, try one.
  • PAtoNHPAtoNH Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 430
    Years ago, when they were first released, I smoked many Flor de Llaneza cigars, both the EMS and the Maduro. They were excellent smokes then although I haven't had one in quite a while. The El Rey del Mundo Oscuro line is a staple in my humi, both the Ronco (6x60) and Robusto (5x54). I'll keep an eye open for the 1961 cigar!
  • blurrblurr Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 962
    They're still carried at a few online smaller retailers, guys well have a b&m but operate online thru call ins our a few Web sites. I've been debating ordering a few, but if anyone needs help and wants some I can point a finger that will get you a few clicks within shipment inbound.
  • BigshizzaBigshizza Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 10,949
    Miss Rip's reviews and pictures.... :(
  • MartelMartel Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 2,423
    Bigshizza:
    Miss Rip's reviews and pictures.... :(
    Agreed.
  • Amos UmwhatAmos Umwhat Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 2,523
    I've only had one. It was marvelous, just as you described. Really sorry to hear that he's passed, the man created some wonderful cigars.
  • ToombesToombes Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,451
    Bigshizza:
    Miss Rip's reviews and pictures.... :(

    Absolutely, Jim.
    I had the opportunity to smoke one of these glorious cigars and it was great. Rip's review is spot on with the experience I had. I'd really like to find some more but the B&M I use is pretty mainstream and doesn't stock a lot of more obscure smokes.
  • BigshizzaBigshizza Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 10,949
    Toombes:
    Bigshizza:
    Miss Rip's reviews and pictures.... :(

    Absolutely, Jim.
    I had the opportunity to smoke one of these glorious cigars and it was great. Rip's review is spot on with the experience I had. I'd really like to find some more but the B&M I use is pretty mainstream and doesn't stock a lot of more obscure smokes.
    Yep.. But when Rip disappears for a period of time... I worry for him as a person..
  • BigshizzaBigshizza Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 10,949
  • Lee.mcglynnLee.mcglynn Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 5,228
    Martel:
    Bigshizza:
    Miss Rip's reviews and pictures.... :(
    Agreed.
    yup where has he been??
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