La Hoja Edición Crema 1962 No.1 Robusto | Cigar Review

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan
Size: 5.25 x 52 “Robusto-No.1”
Body: Medium
Price: $11.00 MSRP (Can be had for $2 less if you look around)

Today we take a look at the La Hoja Edición Crema 1962 No.1 Robusto
Many thanks to Carlos Gomez, co-owner of La Hoja Cigar Co., for the samples.

BACKGROUND:
Debuted at the 2015 IPCPR trade show.
Factory: Tamboril DBL S.A. Dominican Republic
Regular production
“Hoja” is Spanish for “leaf.”

I reviewed the La Hoja Edición Clasica 1962 last month. And I reviewed the La Hoja Edición Maduro 1962 No. 1 Robusto last week. Both cigars blew me away. Now I’m conflicted on what my desert island cigar will be.

From the La Hoja Cigar Co. press release (7-12-2015):
“At next week’s IPCPR Convention & Trade Show, La Hoja Cigar Co. will be introducing its third core line. It’s called the La Hoja Edición Crema 1962 and as the name implies, it’s supposed to be creamy. To achieve that, the company is using an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Dominican binder and Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers. It will be offered in the same sizes as the company’s La Hoja Edición Clasica 1962 and La Hoja Edición Maduro 1962. That means four sizes: No.1 (5 1/4 x 52), No.2 (5 1/2 x 54), No.6 (6 x 60) and No.9 (5 3/4 x 56). Pricing is set between $11-13.50 and the cigars will come in boxes of 20. La Hoja was previously known as La Hoja de Flores, but had to rebrand itself as La Hoja Cigar Co. 1962 last year. The company’s cigars are made by Tamboril DBL S.A in the Dominican Republic. In addition to those lines, the company has a more limited line known as the La Hoja Reserva Limitada 1962, which is offered in a single size.”

DESCRIPTION:
A bit on the rustic side. Some seams are not tight. Very few veins. Nicely applied triple cap. The wrapper is an oily, caramel brown color.
One cap is round and the other is flat. Odd.

The sticks are solid. And like all La Hoja cigars, the presentation is gorgeous with a white, gold and red cigar band and a gold ribbon footer.

SIZES AND PRICING:
Same sizes as the La Hoja Edición Clasica 1962 and La Hoja Edición Maduro 1962.
No.1 Robusto 5.25 x 52 $11.00 MSRP
No.2 Belicoso 5.5 x 54 $11.50 MSRP
No.6 Toro Gordo 6 x 60 $13.50 MSRP
No.9 Toro 5.75 x 56 $12.50
Cigars will come in boxes of 20.

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I smell honey, spice, golden raisins, chocolate, coffee with cream, and cedar.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell huge amounts of cinnamon, floral notes, spice, nutmeg, allspice, chocolate, cedar, and coffee.
The cold draw presents flavors of more of that potent cinnamon, creaminess, nutmeg, allspice, chocolate, floral notes, cedar, and coffee.

FIRST THIRD:
After that Aroma Fest, I can’t wait to light ‘er up.
The draw is perfect.

And large clouds of smoke surround my head like Custer’s last stand. And I’m Custer.
Big fat flavors of milk chocolate, a spice bomb, honey, cinnamon, creaminess, cedar, a variety of nuts, and baking spices.
Wow.

The only mild/medium cigar I like is the AJ Fernandez New World Connecticut. While the La Hoja Edición Crema 1962 No.1 Robusto does not have a Connecticut wrapper; nor any similar leaf ingredients, its profile is similar in that the blender has taken a dog leg to the left and removed preconceptions about what a mild/medium cigar should taste like. It is booming with large, interesting flavors and early transitions pulling the experienced cigar smoker in forcing him to pay attention with Moe slap to the face.
No construction issues. Perfect char line.

Strength is mild/medium.
Transitions galore. Complexity rolls in early. The balance is spot on. And the finish is 2 klicks long.

The exact same thing is happening as the La Hoja Edición Maduro 1962 No. 1 Robusto I reviewed a week ago. The blend is so fantastic; a Robusto is not enough time. Go with the Toro or Belicoso.
The La Hoja Edición Crema 1962 No.1 Robusto is worth every shekel of whatever it costs. La Hoja Cigar Company is a major player. Its only competition is Ezra Zion for the best boutique blends ever. Before La Hoja came into my life, EZ was my go to cigar on a desert island. Now I’m very conflicted.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 20 minutes.
The ash hung on the entire first third. Construction is a dream. Clearly, La Hoja uses only the best rollers. This is more than I can say for 90% of other manufacturers. They think they can get away with mass producing as fast as they can using subpar rollers but it shows as soon as you light your cigar…the dreaded run. The wavy char line that turns into something worse. The constant touch ups. I hate that. And I lose respect for the manufacturer for cutting corners.

The spiciness is on the wane. Too bad. Because it took most of that wonderful cinnamon with it. But what remains is magical: Milk chocolate, nuts, creaminess, baking spices, red pepper, honey, coffee, lots of malt, caramel, and cedar.
Strength remains at mild/medium.

Each puff takes me on a magical carpet ride..(Take it Steppenwolf):
“I like to dream yes, yes, right between my cigar machine.
On a cloud of sound I drift in the night.
Any place it goes is right.
Goes far, flies near, to the stars away from here.”

I have one more. I plan to smoke it today.
The spiciness returns. Moves right up the list.
Sweet Spot 2.0. Dazzling…impressive, remarkable, extraordinary, outstanding, and exceptional. That was the name of my second band in 1966.
Now I’m overdue to fawn over a cigar and I found my baby.

At the halfway point. Smoke time is 30 minutes. You ever notice that when you are having a jolly good time, that time flies by way too fast? Sure, the La Hoja Edición Crema 1962 No.1 Robusto will last an hour….but time has entered a black hole where time has no meaning and the only thing left is gravity.

Sweet spot 3.0. The complexity is going nuts. The finish won’t go away. It’s stuck to my teeth.
The only La Hoja Cigar Co. blend I have left to review is the La Hoja Reserva Limitada 1962 Gran Toro (6.5 x 54). And it’s a big’un so it should be totally satisfying as far as cigar-experience-time goes.

Strength hits a solid medium body.
Experienced cigar smokers will love this blend. Even those that only smoke full bodied sticks. It is such a wonderful flavor bomb that you just can’t turn your back on this cigar.

I check around. CI carries three of the blends but not the La Hoja Edición Crema 1962 yet. Famous Smoke does carry them and you can snag them for a couple bucks less per stick than MSRP. Which means, dear readers, it might end up on Cigar Monster and it will be a steal. Keep your eyes open.

Atlantic Cigars carries 3 sizes but stock is all backordered. And they want only a dollar less than MSRP. So Famous Smoke is your best chance besides your local B & M. I did find one online store that carries them but they want a couple bucks OVER MSRP. Thieves.
The burn line needs its first minor touch up. No biggie.

I’m dying to try the La Hoja Reserva Limitada 1962 Gran Toro. Carlos sent me two. Like the others. But I need them for review.
I’m totally enamored with the La Hoja Edición Crema 1962 No.1 Robusto. The La Hoja Edición Maduro 1962 No. 1 Robusto did the same thing to me. Has Carlos signed a pact with Beezelbub?

Not a single flavor component has changed; either in strength or in order on the list of flavors. I take that back. The spiciness has diminished quite a bit. Hopefully, it returns in the last third.

Man, we got hit with a big storm yesterday and it continues today. Flooded our basement.

I got the Humi-Care EH Plus Electric Humidifier yesterday. I also have a Cigar Oasis electric humidifier. Once you’ve gone electric, it’s hard to go back to Boveda. It is the most trouble free system of humidifying your cigars there is. A reader sent me a gift card for Stogie Boys and when I saw the Humi-Care, I knew I had to have it. As usual, I forgot to write down who sent me the gift. I’m slipping into darkness.

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is 50 minutes.
I was right. The last third explodes. I love that in a cigar. Too many lie down and die in the last third. Not with the La Hoja line. They stick their tongue out at you and smile.

“This is the end, beautiful friend
This is the end, my only friend, the end
Of our elaborate plans, the end
Of everything that stands, the end
No safety or surprise, the end
I’ll never look into your eyes, again”
Thank you Jim Morrison.

Oh no. What are the odds? Just as I type the lyrics, a Doors song comes on. LOL.
I saw The Doors in concert. Great concert. Must have been 1969. A wall of amplifiers. And Morrison was so drunk; he had a cardboard box he carried while he sang so he could throw up into it. Yeah, those were the days.

Man oh man…I highly recommend this cigar to newbies and experienced smokers alike.
Yeah I know it ain’t no $6 cigar. But those days are gone. Gone, baby, gone.

These days, a $10 or $11 cigar is inexpensive. At least the good ones. And remember, La Hoja Cigar Co. is a small company. They can’t compete with the price points of the really Big Guys. Yet, lately, even the Big Guys are pumping out $15 sticks. None of them worth it.
At least with the La Hoja line, you get what you pay for plus some.

I plan to adopt Carlos Gomez. And you will have your Bar Mitzvah.

As predicted, the spiciness returns with a vengeance. The La Hoja Edición Crema 1962 No.1 Robusto is a mamma jamma of a blend.
Famous Smoke carries every blend and accessory that La Hoja Cigar Co. has put out. Lots of choices.

RATING: 92