Vega Fina Lonsdale -- Buy it While You CanDec 09 '01 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Vega Fina -- a brand that will no longer be manufactured. Buy this cigar while it is still available.
During the past few of months, I've written a couple of essays on what to look for when choosing and buying Lonsdale cigars. Cigar Buying Guide: How To Choose Lonsdale Cigars http://www.epinions.com/content_2192482436 http://www.epinions.com/content_2252120196 As part of my ongoing series of this cigar style -- one of my favorite sizes -- I am writing a few words about a brand that has fallen victim to some of the consolidation that has taken place in the cigar industry and will no longer be manufactured. This review is just a "heads up" on a good cigar that is now being sold at a steep discount. Vega Fina Lonsdale: Don't confuse this cigar with the cheap, machine-made American cigar made by Garcia Vega. The Vega Fina Lonsdale is handmade in Honduras and was introduced on the market in 1998. This 6½-inch long Lonsdale-sized cigar has a fairly narrow ring gauge of 42 (42/64ths of an inch in diameter), similar in girth to a Corona-sized cigar. It features an attractive wrapper of Indonesian origin (natural, light brown color), binder leaf from Honduras, and filler tobaccos from Columbia, the Dominican Republic and Honduras. I smoked this cigar this evening and was very impressed by its construction and its mild-to-medium bodied flavor. This cigar had a smooth draw, was never hot or harsh, burned evenly and cleanly -- developing a soft yet solid white ash cylinder that indicates to me that the filler tobacco blend was properly aged and cured. The cigar finished mild on the palate and would pair wonderfully with a medium-bodied Merlot wine or even an oaky Chardonnay. Price and Availability: The Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price for this cigar was $68.75 per box of 25 cigars. J.R. Cigars -- jrcigars.com -- purchased all of the remaining stock of this now discontinued brand and is selling this cigar for only $29.95 (plus $5 shipping) for a box of 25 cigars. That's only about $1.40 per cigar -- an excellent value. (See J.R. catalog no. "VFL.") Recommendations: This cigar is value priced at $30 per box, and it is a shame that this brand's new owner -- the cigar marketing giant Altadis, USA -- is not going to continue production and development of the Vega Fina mark. If you can find this cigar, buy it while you can. It's an excellent value at under $1.40 per stick, it's well made, and a solid cigar for everyday smoking or for passing out to friends. I found this cigar to be more pleasurable than the slightly shorter Dunhill Montecruz No. 220 (a Corona-sized cigar) that I smoked last night. Verdict: 3½-stars. Recommended. A solid performer and a bargain.  |
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