Origin : Cuba
Format : Robusto Extra
Size : 155 x 22 mm (6.1 x 50)
Release year : 2011
Hand-Made
Price : ~150 EUR for a box of 10
More info about purchasing Sancho Panza cigars...

Today's guest review is written by Stephen Griffiths, a UK-based aficionado who blogs about cigars and beer at SteveGriff.com. Check out his blog for more great reviews like this one!

Tonight’s Cigar is the Sancho Panza Escuderos, a special release for Germany as part of the Regional Edition series. The Sancho Panza brand doesn’t get that much publicity, mainly due to the lack of different vitolas within the range and no real superstars within it either. You can argue that in many circles, the Sancho Panza Belicosos is known as a great insider’s Cigar. However there’s not enough people singing its praises to solidly give it that title on a wider scale.

For that reason, it’s great to see that 5th Avenue, the Cuban Cigar distributor in Germany have decided to release a Cigar under the Sancho Panza brand and under the Regional Edition Series.

I’ve always been skeptical regarding the whole Regional Edition series. Every year there are over twenty releases for a whole host of countries including Canada, the Middle East, Israel and Asia Pacific amongst others. Some of the releases are hit, but for most part, they just don’t climb the heights I would expect Cuban Cigars of this price point. I’ve had many Edicion Limitadas in the past that were a decent one off smoke, but I would not buy again. Would the Sancho Panza Escuderos be the same? There’s only one way to find out...

Online, there isn’t really that much information regarding the Escuderos anywhere. Unlike the United Kingdom Regional Editions for example, there’s no fanfare, no launch, and therefore these somewhat get released under the radar. Because of this, I have no real comparison to anyone else’s notes regarding this Cigar. Maybe it’s a good thing. How many times you have read a review regarding a Cigar that you want to try; flavour x and y, however, when it comes to the time you smoke it yourself, those flavours and aromas described to you are not what you’re detecting at that moment.

Read the full review of Sancho Panza Escuderos (Germany Regional Edition)...

Origin : Cuba
Format : Corona Extra
Size : 5 (127 mm) x 48
Release : 2010
Hand-Made
Price : 215 € for a box of 25
More info about purchasing Fonseca cigars...

Many thanks to Frédéric from La Casa del Habano Knokke (Belgium) for sending me these cigars for review! Check out the shop for a nice selection of Cubans.

Fonseca is a discreet Cuban brand that only has four sizes in the current production. I haven't had a chance to try many of their offerings, I just remember being unimpressed with their smaller cigar, the KDT Cadetes that I bought a fiver of two years ago. Not enough body, not enough flavor, and I quickly lost interest in the brand. In 2010, the very first Fonseca regional edition was released, a corona extra for Benelux. The Fonseca No. 4, as this release is called, is what we have for review today.

Read the full review of Fonseca No. 4 (Benelux Regional Edition)...

Origin : Cuba
Format : Pyramide
Size : 156 x 21 mm (6.1 x 52)
Release : 2009
Hand-Made
Price : ~$450 for a box of 25
More info about purchasing Por Larranaga cigars...

While I was in Geneva this spring, I thought I’d take advantage of this special opportunity to try the Por Larranaga Valiosos Regional Edition Switzerland. The cigar cost me $22.00. I thought that it would be well worth it to try this cigar out for everyone who can’t take advantage of this release. The Valiosos was produced as a limited edition regional cigar; only 2400 boxes were distributed for sale in Switzerland.

Read the full review of Por Larranaga Valiosos (Regional Edition Switzerland)...

Origin : Cuba
Format : Petit Edmundo
Size : 110 x 21 mm (4.3 x 52)
Release : 2009
Hand-Made
Price : ~$15 each
More info about purchasing Vegas Robaina cigars...

We've got a guest cigar review from Jdawg today. Enjoy!

The Vegas Robaina Petit Robaina is a regional edition for Canada released in 2009. I have become more fascinated with regionals as of late. This particular cigar with its stubby size and stout ring gauge appealed to me when I first saw it. I have smoked a couple other Canadian regionals recently and found them not to my tastes, so I was hoping for something more appealing here.

Read the full review of Vegas Robaina Petit Robaina (Canada Regional Edition)...

Origin : Cuba
Format : Short Robusto
Size : 4 x 50
Hand-Made
Price : ~$15+ each
More info about purchasing Trinidad cigars...

After getting a couple of reminders from readers, I guess it's about time to start reviewing the new 2010 Cuban limited editions. What have we got here? A Montecristo Grand Edmundo (5.9 x 52), a Partagas Serie D Especial (5.6 x 50) and a Trinidad Short Robusto T (4 x 50). Notice the ring gauges... The Monte sounds plain boring, Partagas is not really a favorite brand of mine, so the choice of the first cigar to test was fairly quick - Trinidad Robusto T was my favorite cigar in 2009 and I couldn't help thinking that there would be other similarities between these two besides the name.

Read the full review of Trinidad Short Robusto T 2010 Limited Edition...

Origin : Cuba
Format : Petit Robusto
Size : 102 x 20 mm (4 x 50)
Ring : 50
Release : 2009
Hand-Made
Price : ~$12 each
More info about purchasing Punch cigars...

As a complete marketing victim, I just can't refrain myself from buying a Cuban cigar with a second band, regardless of its color. This time it was a red one. Whereas some of the regional editions I tried were rather disappointing because of the lack of personality, others turned out to be outstanding. Bottom line - I don't mind trying my luck with REs. This is why I bought a couple of Punch Small Club when I was in Paris in April.

Read the full review of Punch Small Club (France Regional Edition)...

Origin : Cuba
Format : Belicoso
Size : 140 x 21 mm (5.5 x 52)
Release : 2008
Hand-Made
Price : ~$409 for a box of 25
More info about purchasing Por Larranaga cigars...

I would like to thank FinestCubanCigars.com for providing these cigars for review. For over 10 years they ship Cuban cigars from Hong Kong at competitive prices.

This is the third review in my series of Asia Pacific RE smokes and, let me be honest from the very beginning, Por Larranaga Belicosos Extra is my favorite one. Although both the strong and very typical Bolivar Short and the slightly unbalanced Por Larranaga Robusto both scored good marks, this little belicoso outranks them in terms of flavors. Let's see how.

Read the full review of Por Larranaga Belicosos Extra (RE Asia Pacific)...

Origin : Cuba
Format : Maestro
Size : 165 x 20 mm
Ring : 50
Release : 2007
Hand-Made
Price : ~$13 each
More info about purchasing Vegas Robaina cigars...

Vegas Robaina Maestros is the first regional edition for Spain, released in 2007 and distributed by Altadis SA. It is slightly longer than your regular robusto, at 5.6 x 50. This cigar was my main target when I visited the cigar shops in Madrid. I found it without much trouble at approximately $13 each. I smoked one straight away but it was almost plugged. The remaining 2 cigars for this review have been resting 2 weeks in the humidor.

Read the full review of Vegas Robaina Maestro (Spain Regional Edition)...