Fonseca Delicias

Overall Score

1 review for Fonseca Delicias

  1. Avatar photo

    C**** I********

    Fonseca Delicias

    FonsecaOrigin : Cuba
    Format : Petit Corona
    Size : 4.8 (123 mm) x 40
    Smoking time : 35 min
    Hand-Made
    Price : ~$3 each

    After my surprising experience with a Regional Edition Fonseca, I thought that I really should check what else the brand has to offer. Not much can stop me when I’m about to visit my local cigar shop, so quickly enough I purchased a fiver of Fonseca Delicias, which are 4.8 x 40 petit coronas. Given the price (~3 bucks each) and the fact that they are short-filler, I wasn’t expecting a lot from these. Let’s see how they fared.

    Appearance : [rating:3/5]
    The wrapper of this cigar is rough and bumpy, with several long and thick veins. It has a lot of water spots and for some reason the cap is darker than the rest of the wrapper. In fact, these were machine-made until 2002 and are now hecho a mano, but something tells me that the Delicias are not done by the most skilled torcedores. I couldn’t detect many flavors pre-light, just a bit of pepper on the foot.

    Fonseca Delicias

    Construction : [rating:2.5/5]
    The pre-draw was really tight, and so was the draw in the beginning. Fortunately, after the first third it opened up a little and I was able to enjoy the smoke. The ash was flaky and didn’t hold for longer than one inch, but this was to be expected. The burn, on the other hand, was pretty good throughout the cigar.

    Flavor : [rating:3/5]
    The pre-draw doesn’t bring anything more than simple mild tobacco. The first puffs do not really make me want to pursue the experience – the smoke is rare, bland, with sugary and syrupy notes. Needless to say, the cigar is very mild at this point. Overall, I’d give the first third a 1 out of 5. Fortunately, things get really better later on. First, some wood is added to the bouquet. Next (at the half-mark approximately), I am detecting pleasant espresso notes while the sweetness decreases. At the same time, the smoke becomes thicker and the cigar is almost medium-bodied. A distinguishable pepper background appears. As I enter the last third, flavors are getting more and more intense. Leather, black pepper, I find myself really enjoying the finish.

    Value : [rating:3.5/5]
    A box of these can be found for anywhere between $50 and $80. At this price point, the Fonseca Delicias is one of the cheapest Cuban cigars and even though it’s far from perfect, I can’t complain about the value.

    Overall Rating : [rating:3/5]
    It doesn’t come as a surprise, Fonseca Delicias is far behind the No. 4 Benelux Regional on all counts. My plan to discover a top-notch underrated cigar didn’t work out this time. Instead, I found a decent Cuban cheap smoke which was damn good in the second half. Probably not box-worthy for my taste, but at least worth trying.

    Helpful?
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    • Avatar photo

      I********

      Tim, from what I noticed there is no real consistency in terms of wrapper color when it comes to Cuban cigars. I’ve had Montes No. 2 from the same box with different shades of brown. I think you’re safe to smoke the delicias you have.

    • T**

      Hello, i was just about to light up one of these for the first time, and went here just to check up what to expect (also to compare what i feel about this cigar).

      Straight up i noticed that the one i got at a local cigar shop is quite different. The wrapper is almost going on Maduro dark.

      Is it possible they changed sth recently?

      I can email the pre-light photo.

    • S****

      @Inspector: Jesse’s El Principe review is spot on.

      Definitely check out the BPCs. They are right up there with the Siglo I/IIs and Reyes as one of the best PCs/Minutos that Cuba has to offer. Yep, good time a year to sample through the small format cigars.

    • j****

      The Fonseca Delicias is THE most uninteresting, flavorless Habano I’ve tried. Hate to run the little guy down, yet I am glad to read these reviews and see I’m not alone in my view. Sorry, Delicias…I can see why I got a special from one of the other cigar shops that gave 2 free packs for every single pack purchased!

    • Avatar photo

      I********

      @Steve
      Thanks for the suggestions! SCDLH El Principe has been recently reviewed by Jesse:
      http://www.cigarinspector.com/san-cristobal/san-cristobal-de-la-habana-el-principe
      I’ll buy some Bolivar PCs for review, sounds like a good smoke given the weather…

    • S****

      Inspector: If you’re looking for a relatively cheap but fantastic small format CC, check out the SCDLH El Principes or the Bolivar PCs, neither of which you have reviewed. They are not as cheap as the Fonsecas — more in the $120/box range. But there’s a lot of value there for the price of both cigars. The SCDLH El Principes are definitely an under the radar awesome smoke.

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Cigar Region Cuba
Filler Cuban
Wrapper Cuba
Binder Cuba
Length 4 7/8
Ring Gauge 40
Vitola Standard
Construction Hand Made