So I watched my first professional soccer game (match?) a few nights ago. How could I not? World Cup fever has been spreading rapidly through the country like chlamydia at a gathering of the Juggalos. It seems like everybody and their mom is watching this damn thing. And then one night, as I settled down with a fine cigar and a wine glass full of something, it finally happened. There was absolutely no other sports on television so it was either the WNBA or Argentina vs Switzerland. Seeing as how my paternal grandmother was rumored to be a descendant of Swiss carnies, I turned on the quarter-final match to root on my blonde brothers. The whole team, and especially their super suave coach, looked nothing like carnival folk but still lost 3-1. And, shockingly, none of them were actually blonde! So the ad team over at Swiss Miss is clearly full of shit. I could sort of understand what was going on during the initial 90 minutes, but then the added time only added to my confusion. The enthusiastic announcers kept telling me that I was watching the greatest soccer match of all time so I’ll take them at their word but, truth be told, I was still far from being sold. On the opposite side of the coin, Plasencia Cigars is apparently all in on soccer. The company recognizes the global popularity of the World Cup and they’ve released, for the second tournament in a row, a cigar to celebrate it. José Luis Plasencia had this to say in a recent press release:
“Trinufal represents much more than a cigar. It reflects unity, resilience, and celebration—values that resonate deeply with our family’s heritage. We believe cigars are meant to accompany life’s most memorable moments, and Trinufal honors one of the most powerful shared celebrations inspired by the game that unites the world.”
THE CIGAR – TRIUNFAL by PLASENCIA CIGARS
Size: 6 1/4 x 54 (toro extra)
Wrapper: Honduras (Jamastrán Valley)
Binder: Honduras (Finca San Agustín from Olancho)
Filler: Honduras ((Finca La Tradición) & Nicaragua (Jalapa)
Price: $59.99 (Head on over to Famous Smoke Shop right now and use promo code TNCC20 to get $20 off your purchase of $100 or more!)
Plasencia calls the Triunfal a toro extra and the “extra” part is important as this is a very heavy cigar. Aromas of cedar chips and freshly-cut flowers pour off the dry Honduran wrapper. When sniffing the foot of the Triunfal directly, sweet honey and earth are detected in equal measures. The dense cigar has just the right amount of give when gently squeezed between two fingers. I briefly considered, in order to maintain the soccer theme, reviewing this cigar without ever using my hands but I kept dropping it due to my uncoordinated toes.
After experiencing a grassy/vegetal cold draw, it’s time to introduce flame to leaves. Bright white pepper crackles the nostrils immediately upon ignition, while a bold roasted coffee note announces its presence down below. The coffee is backed up by a bright, mild leather note. After a few puffs, a citrus sensation similar to orange zest begins to develop behind the retrohale’s white pepper. Around the 1” mark, a distinct cedar note joins the retro as well.
The triple threat of white pepper, citrus, and cedar is really working in the Triunfal’s favor here early on. And the draw’s coffee and bright leather centric profile is balancing things out very nicely. Construction-wise, I couldn’t ask more from the Triunfal. An effortless punch of the cap has resulted in a smooth draw bringing in plenty of smoke and the burn line is straight. As the cigar reaches its middle third, the Triunfal cranks up the orange zest a notch to the level where it’s now standing toe-to-toe with the pepper. Full flavor, medium strength, all aspects are highly enjoyable so far.
The solid, light grey ash is showing no signs of falling so I let her ride a bit longer. Danger is my middle name. As the Triunfal approaches the fifty yard line, a honey-roasted peanut flavor suddenly emerges underneath the draw’s coffee and leather. Remember the sweet honey aroma that I mentioned earlier? Those prelight aroma and flavor dots have now been connected which isn’t usually the case in my experience. The ash falls just as I rest the cigar down on my ashtray, sparing my lap and avoiding a dreaded red card. See, I was paying attention to the game!
The second half begins with a yellow cake note quickly arising and overtaking the cedar element through the nose. The white pepper and citrus combination remains the retrohale’s dominating notes but the accent notes are certainly keeping things interesting. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, is working in unison right now from the Triunfal’s expert construction to the impressive, multi-layered flavor profile.
The final third sees the addition of mineral to the retrohale’s growing list of fluctuating notes. The mineral compliments the white pepper and somehow doesn’t clash at all with the yellow cake. And if you think my identifying yellow cake as a flavor is suspect, I previously noted a “warm sugar cookie sensation” while reviewing the Plasencia’s Cosecha 151 La Musica last year. So either I’m crazy or Plasencia’s master blender formerly worked at a bakery or, possibly, none of the above are true. We’ll most likely never know… The Triunfal begins to burn a bit hot on my lips towards the nub but I soldier on. Because unlike that World Cup quarter-final match, I don’t want this cigar to ever end.
THE NUB
TNCC Final Score = 93
If you get your hands on a Triunfal, do yourself a favor and don’t smoke it with your buddies. Smoke the cigar alone, take your sweet time, and allow your mind to contemplate the experience. The Triunfal is a full bodied, full flavored, complex cigar featuring an array of enjoyable flavors that all work in near-perfect balance with one another. Add in excellent construction and a longer-than-average smoking duration* and I have almost no complaints with this fantastic cigar. And, yes, my one complaint is that I just cant see myself dropping $60 to smoke this cigar again. But as a “one and done” experience, I couldn’t ask for much more.
* Total Smoking Time: 85 minutes
** Plasencia submitted one sample cigar to the TNCC for review
