Today’s review comes courtesy of TriMarkC, one of the regulars readers of acigarsmoker.com as well as a follower on Twitter.  He recently contacted me asking if I could post a guest review from him, and I agreed. His guest review of the Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte pretty much fits my own thoughts on the cigar.

Cigar: Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte
Size: 6.25 x 54 (Toro/Madrid)
Origin: Honduras
Wrapper:Honduras
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Honduras & Nicaragua

Sancho Panza cigars have this image for me as designed for “experienced smokers only”.  A few months ago I purchased a “90+ Sampler” box of four Sancho Panzas to give this brand a try, and today I’m having the Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte Madrid. It is a 91-rated cigar, and right out of the box it looks like it might live up to its rating. While a larger, darker cigar than I generally would buy, its a beautiful cigar – dark reddish-brown wrapper, hardly any veins, and a smooth, velvety feel to it. Pre-light, it has an earthy smell, different than any cigar I’ve had before.

With two inches to go, say about an inch of smoking left, the peppery spice is back again. I’m also picking up some leathery tones on the backside, too. The volume of smoke has reduced, while the draw is a little tighter now.

At the finish, the Madrid was becoming acrid, and once again, one side had gone out. So I let it die out with about 1 1/2 inches left.

The Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte Madrid is definitely a medium-to-full bodied cigar, with a lot of variety in flavor as you progress through the cigar.  The inconsistent burn was an issue, and the constant relighting might have added to some of the bitterness I tasted at the end.

Overall, I would still give this cigar another try, but, as I noted before, with an adult beverage to smooth it out a bit.

Rating: 87
Price: 52.99 @ Famous Cigars (Box of 20)

Thank you Mark for a great review, your contribution is appreciated!