Don Julio’s Paca.

Corporation Cigar Export (CCE) used the 2013 event to launch their new Dominican Puro, Don Julio Punta Espada (sword point). All of the tobacco used in this brand is grown in the Reyes family’s fields in the Cibao Valley of the Dominican Republic and they named the cigar after the leader of third generation of the Reyes family, Don Julio. The current generation is the sixth and represents a long history of commitment and experience to the industry. The Don Julio brand is aimed at connoisseurs and I believe it is right on target. I had the first one while I was strolling around the 2013 IPCPR and its flavor and quality was exceptional. CCE gave me a Paca (5 x 58) to formally review. Wikipedia informs me that the Paca is a large tailless rodent common in Central and South America.

Don Julio’s Punta Espada series uses a corojo unico binder, corojo mejorado wrapper and a blend of ligeros as filler. The ligero leaf is found at the top of the tobacco plant and is the slowest to mature and be picked, giving it a coarse texture and generally spicy, complex taste. Don Julio successfully blended these tobaccos in the Paca. The cigar is box pressed , firm, dark and well-constructed. The draw and the creamy smoke output were good. The taste was spicy with sweet undertones but more medium bodied than full in strength and the aftertaste was mild. Along with spice was oak and about halfway through I tasted nuts. The ash confirmed the quality construction and I smoked it for 1 hour.

Don Julio is available only in brick and mortar stores and the SRP for the Paca is $13.95. This cigar is above average but the price is high enough for me to lower the overall rating from 4.5 to 4 out of 5.