“I’ve Got My Victory Cigar!”
—Tyson Fury
What Makes This Vintage and Special?
Broncano Cigar Co. was established in 2022 by Martin Smith, a Gulf War veteran who served in the Marine Corps. Currently, Martin is the president of a consulting agency in the auto industry. Driven by his passion for cigars and dedication to curating the finest, most complex tobaccos, Martin founded Broncano Cigars to offer a premium smoking experience.
When this cigar landed in my hand, I immediately knew it was a very special cigar, especially since the tobacco inside the cigar has been well-aged for twenty years.
“Named in honor of Martin’s great grandfather, Arturo Gonzales Broncano, who hailed from Spain. Our brand is a testament to a rich heritage and love for exceptional craftsmanship. Arturo Gonzales Broncano was not only a revered name in our family, but also a huge boxing fan, his legacy continues to inspire our pursuit of excellence. Every Broncano cigar embodies this heritage, blending tradition with innovation to provide a superior smoking experience.” ~ Martin Smith
Visual / Pre-light Draw
On this medium milk-chocolate-colored San Andres wrapper, there is visual evidence of small speckled plume that feels like running your fingers over braille. This is definitely due to the age of the tobacco, and can only mean one thing — amazing flavor! The tobacco is tightly packed and its construction is hard, with strong-looking veins on the wrapper. I can tell just by looking at this cigar that I am in for a real treat.
The simple but elegant looking black, gold, and maroon-colored band displays ‘Broncano Cigar Company’ over a center coin, containing the brand’s logo. Broncano owner Martin Smith explained the band very thoroughly:
“The brand’s logo crown denotes premium standards, the tobacco leaf highlights superior ingredients, and the vintage design reflects the brand’s rich heritage and traditional craftsmanship. There are three additional side band coins as well. The Lion coin represents the cigar’s lasting strength and high quality, showing it has aged well. The Falcon coin represents the brand’s careful craftsmanship and commitment to excellence. The Tobacco Leaf coin emphasizes the brand’s tradition, expertise, and the superior quality of the tobacco they use. My inspiration for the band comes from a boxing championship belt.”
There are thick bold notes of aged wet hay on the side sniff. Very distinct and bold mint chocolate on the dry foot odor. There is no spice on the palate when prepping it for my all-time favorite Colibri V-cut. Then, very fruity-like bold notes of raisin bran cereal on dry draw.
We have our victory cigar without a doubt!
First Third
An appropriate slow and proper soft-flame lighting of this well-aged cigar initially produced a light chocolate foot smoke odor that eventually transitioned to dark-roasted coffee notes. Then bold leathery and charred vanilla notes immediately hit the palate. The cigar starts off very mild, with a near perfect draw, burn, and white ash. Then a slight hint of citrus hits the palate, followed by more notes of sweeter vanilla. The retro-hale is full of leather-infused dark chocolate coffee and spice throughout. Very impressive!
Second Third
That lengthy white ash is holding strong. The draw opens up to perfection, we get creamier notes of vanilla, with spiced and charred vanilla wafers on the retro-hale. Absolutely delicious and enjoyable! There is a very unique leathery and salty tanginess to each puff, followed by dark European chocolate on the finish. The cigar has my palate salivating, more than any cigar I’ve smoked, and I’ve smoked plenty.
Final Third
That white ash is still going strong. Now we get a perfect creamy balance of sweet and salty vanilla that coats the entire palate. Ahhh, there it finally goes: the lengthy ash just fell off gently, with dignity. Everything slows and just comes together perfectly in this final third, with a nice lingering leathery chocolate-infused coffee note on the finish.The retro hale remains perfectly spiced and leathery, with beautifully-roasted coffee notes on the finish. I am fully relaxed, at peace, and enjoying the perfect balance, as well as the delivery, of the delicious dessert flavors of this very aged blend of tobacco, from La Aurora and Broncano Cigars. This is truly one of the best cigars I’ve smoked, making me feel like “the king of my own land,” perched confidently yet contently on his throne.
Excellent job Martin and congratulations to the entire team at Broncano Cigar Co.!
Photography by: James Archie
