Quick Take
The Los Regalos Quetzal is a spice-forward medium to medium-full smoke with a gorgeous Ecuadorian Habano wrapper and near-perfect construction. Expect leather on the cold draw, creaminess up front, and then a spice wave in the second third that’ll have you wiping your eyes — in a good way. I’d buy it again without hesitation, and at around $10, you really don’t have much reason not to.
Initial Thoughts
Are you ready for part two of #EmilioCigarWeek ? We kicked it off yesterday with the Emilio Series H. Today I’m taking a look at the Los Regalos Quetzal. This cigar caught my eye the most out of all the cigars that were sent to me by Gary Griffith. After doing a little digging and checking around.This cigar has a nice little backstory to it.
Los Regalos Quetzal
“Los Regalos” is spanish for “the gifts”. According to Gary Griffith’s blog there will be four blends in the Los Regalos series. They are also using an entirely different factory in Esteli, Nicaragua for the production of these cigars. I’ve seen some other reviews online for this and I’m excited to hop into this one and see where it takes me.
Don’t forget about the contest at the bottom of the review!
Looks
As I said above out of the six that were sent to me this Los Regalos Quetzal stood out to me the most. The band is different than most and I think that’s why it stood out to me so much. It has a nice dark maroon background color. All the writing is in white with a nice little drop shadow. On the back of the band there are two leaves that come together to form an X. This appears to be the same leaf that is in the Emilio cigars logo.
Los Regalos Quetzal – Foot
The wrapper leaf on this cigar is a beautiful Ecuadorian Habano. A nice Colorado brown wrapper,there are minimal veins visible through the wrapper. It’s shaped in the classic parejo shape. There is a gorgeous oily sheen on this wrapper. It looks like a silky smooth chocolate bar. I would love a chocolate bar right now by the way so if anyone has one, go ahead and send it over. Mmmkay thanks.
I’m still trying to figure out exactly why this cigar stands out so much to me. The packaging is not exquisite, or over the top. Maybe it’s the fact that it is fairly simple, yet well done.
Function
Onward! To the pinch test! This Los Regalos Quetzal appears to be flawless in construction. Rolling it through my fingers it feels nice and firm. the wrapper is placed perfectly and I can’t even notice a seam running down the barrel. To cover the head a triple cap is used and applied beautifully.
Los Regalos Quetzal – Head
It’s time to nip the cap and test the cold draw. I actually had to take two chunks off the head. The first one didn’t allow enough air to be pull down through the barrel. Whew, I tell you what, after the 2nd cut I had no issues drawing on this one though! It was like someone put a snorkel in my mouth and said breathe. Instead of that nasty plastic taste and smell that you usually get through a snorkel, I got a wonderful aroma of cigar and tobacco! Mmm, that’s a lot better. I was still seeing fish swimming around me though. Maybe that’s just the pain killers from my root canal earlier in the day. Who knows.
I think it’s about time to light up this Los Regalos Quetzal, who’s with me?
Smoking
Ok, so in yesterday’s review I mentioned that I wanted to go back to using matches some instead of my Xikar Stratosphere so much. That’s exactly what I did! I found some matches, that I got at a local B&M here in Nashville. They are kind of crazy matches though. They are painted black with a purple tip. Well they lit up and burned just like any other match would.
It’s nearly impossible to toast the foot of a cigar when using matches. So instead I made sure to rotate this Los Regalos Quetzal nice and slow like a rotisserie chicken. Mmm, now that sounds better than a candy bar. If you can’t tell I’m incredibly hungry right now while writing this. The flame on this cigar took off faster Usain Bolt in the olympics. In no time I was puffing away and clouds of smoke were rolling around my head.
Check out the picture of the first third of this cigar. Look of those beautiful burn lip curls, they’re better than any lip curls Elvis could do. You know which cigar this burn reminds of the most? That’s right, the Headley Grange! Emilio said they are using a new factor, so maybe it’s the same one? Either way this cigar is rolled to perfection and the burn shows it!
Los Regalos Quetzal – First Third
The second third on this Los Regalos Quetzal burned just as well as the first third did. The draw is absolutely incredible and the ash holds on for a good inch+. Of course the ash broke off in my lap before I could get a picture of it at it’s longest length. These burn qualities carried themselves all the way through the final third as well. What a great burning cigar. The ash, the burn line, the draw. Just a incredibly easy cigar to enjoy and smoke! Well done sirs.
Los Regalos Quetzal – Nice Burn
Flavor
Now I’m sure you all want to know how the Los Regalos Quetzal tastes, don’t you?
Los Regalos Quetzal – 1st Third
During the pre game inspection I was able to pick up a lot sweetness on the foot of the cigar. A slight hint of cocoa and molasses. I tend to find this a lot on the foot most cigars. They always smell sweet and let you put your guard down then they hit you in the face with spice and power!
While testing the cold draw on, I was able to pick up some notes that reminded me of leather. Obviously a sweet tobacco flavor was present as well.
Los Regalos Quetzal – 2nd Third
All that changed as soon as it was set aflame. There was a nice creaminess to the smoke a well balanced flavor that came out through the smoke as I swirled it around my mouth. During the first third, I retrohaled a couple of times and I was instantly hit with spice. After letting smoke leave my sinuses I again picked up on some floral notes. They weren’t nearly as strong as the Series H Maduro, but they were still present. Instead this Los Regalos Quetzal hit me with quite a bit of spice, and not one ounce of sweetness in the retrohale.
To be honest, I expected a little change in the 2nd third. Well I got some change, it wasn’t a change in flavor, no, it was a change in intensity! The second third really picked up the spice. I was nearly brought to tears from the spice. Now that may not sound inviting or appealing to most of you. I don’t mean to scare you, but it was a good spice. It was full of flavor and complexity. I could sense a few different spices in there, but I was too busy wiping my eyes to be able to really pull the exact flavors out.
Los Regalos Quetzal – Nice Burn
Thankfully, the Los Regalos Quetzal calmed down some in the final third. It returned to it’s original state from the first third. Still the spice was dominant, but the intensity wasn’t there like it was in the 2nd third. This final third also brought some sweetness to my lips to help ease the burn.
Overall, I would say this is medium cigar in regards to strength. Even though the spice was stout, it didn’t leave me feeling too much of a nicotine buzz. I would have to say it was medium-full in regards to flavor. There was a lot of spice, I would have liked to be able to pick up on some more flavors on the retrohale. I liked the change of intensity, but I would have like a change in flavors notes just as much.
Would I Buy It Again?
I sure would! In fact I’d like to buy a 4 pack of the Los Regalos once they all hit shelves.
Is It an Every Day Smoke?
I think it could be for sure. Even though there was a good amount of spice I still believe you could handle this everyday.
Would I Buy a Box?
As I’ve said before, I’m not really a box buying guy. I could definitely see this as being box worthy. Especially for the fact that it’s part of a collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
How strong is the Los Regalos Quetzal?
I’d call it medium in strength — the spice gets pretty stout in the second third, but it never really laid me out with a heavy nicotine buzz. Flavor-wise though, it’s medium-full.
What are the flavor notes of the Los Regalos Quetzal?
You’re getting leather on the cold draw, a creamy and balanced smoke up front, and then spice takes over — lots of it, especially in the middle third. There are some floral notes in the retrohale and a touch of sweetness comes back on the lips in the final third.
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Where can I buy the Los Regalos Quetzal?
The review doesn’t point to a specific retailer, but your best bet is checking with a local B&M or searching online cigar shops that carry the Emilio/Los Regalos line.
How much does the Los Regalos Quetzal cost?
The Los Regalos Quetzal runs around $10 a stick, which honestly makes it an easy buy — especially given the construction and flavor you’re getting for that price.
What bourbon pairs well with the Los Regalos Quetzal?
Eric doesn’t mention a specific bourbon pairing in this review, but check the pairing notes below for some suggestions that make sense given the cigar’s spice-forward profile.
Where to Buy Los Regalos Quetzal
Average retail: ~$10 per stick. Prices vary by retailer.
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Best Bourbon Pairings for the Los Regalos Quetzal
As a full-bodied, high-strength Nicaraguan torpedo, the Cojonu 2006 demands a bourbon with presence. Here are our top three pairings based on complementary flavor profiles.
#1 — Russell’s Reserve
Russell’s Reserve’s softer, oak-driven sweetness should give your palate a little breather between the Quetzal’s spice waves without fighting the cigar for attention.
Buffalo Trace’s caramel and vanilla sweetness plays nicely off the floral notes and the touch of lip sweetness that shows up in the Quetzal’s final third.
Pairing suggestions based on the Stogies on the Rocks flavor profile scoring system. Browse all bourbon reviews →
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Conclusion
Another release, another fantastic cigar! Emilio lives by their mantra “The Tobacco Drives the Process”. There is some great tobacco used for this Los Regalos Quetzal thats for sure. Construction was perfect which allowed for a great burn and an incredible overall smoking experience. The flavor was great, tons of spice and a few hints of some floral notes in there made it for a exciting smoke. I wish I would have been able to pull out a few more complexities other than the spice. Overall, a great cigar that I’d gladly smoke anytime.
Los Regalos Quetzal – Nub
Contest: Ok so I’m giving away a 5 pack of everything I smoke this week for #EmilioCigarWeek!
How do you enter? Simple. Leave a comment below on each post. Every comment left is an entry to the contest (Limit 1 per day)! Super easy, now go do it.
About This Review
Eric “Siz” Scism is a Louisville, KY-based cigar and bourbon enthusiast and the founder of Stogies on the Rocks. With over 20 years of marketing experience and direct access to Kentucky’s bourbon country, Eric brings genuine expertise and a discerning palate to every review. He is also the founder of Cream of Kentucky bourbon, giving him a unique insider’s perspective on American whiskey. All cigar and bourbon reviews on this site are based on personal, unsponsored tasting experiences.
