Juan López Selección Superba (ER Gran Bretaña 2016)

Juan López Selección Superba (ER Gran Bretaña 2016). For Great Britain’s most recent Edición Regional release, the distributor Hunters & Frankau turned to a cigar released in 2009 for its inspiration, the Juan López Selección Suprema, and while it may not be completely appropriate to call this a follow-up, it’s certainly not challenging to see the similarities.

The Selección Superba is a bit shorter and fatter than its predecessor, measuring 5 7/8 x 54, and comes bearing a secondary band indicating it is Exclusivo Gran Bretaña, or exclusive to Great Britain.

The two cigars share the same design on the primary band, and while it looks similar to those found on the regular production sizes, it’s the inclusion of the size’s name that makes it unique, as well as some extra embossing, both of which date back to before the Cuban revolution.

It’s classified as a local brand and only has three sizes in regular production, the Petit Corona (5 1/12 x 42), the Selección No.1 (5 5/8 x 46) and the Selección No.2 (4 7/8 x 50). That leaves a wide selection of sizes for distributors to pick from when requesting an Edición Regional release, as the program is designed to merge the non-global brands with existing vitolas in the Habanos S.A. portfolio that don’t appear in the particular marca being used for an ER release.

Juan Lopez Seleccion Superba UK Regional Edition 2016

As soon as I look at the Juan López Selección Superba, I can’t help but think of all the comments that I have read about Habanos S.A. embracing larger ring gauges. It’s just a touch shorter and a tick thicker than the standard 6 x 52 that seems to be the most common cigar size in the U.S., or at least what has become the de facto size of single vitola releases.

The wrapper is particularly attractive, with a bit of oily sheen and a slight hint of red, making the capa almost dark auburn in appearance.
It also has a certain hue that makes me think of lighter-colored jerky with a bit of glaze. It’s a slightly firm, well-rolled and perfectly capped cylinder of tobacco, with flat seams and an intricate network of small veins.

The foot conveys notes of both sweetness and pepper, the former cool and complex with hints of molasses, butterscotch and teriyaki glaze; the latter a bit coy and shy but certainly not overly timid.

The cold draw is incredibly complex, slightly smoky and with notes of tree bark, woods and very subtle damp earth from which a subtle sweetness emanates. There’s also a side of this flavor that makes me think that I’ve tasted this before in a dish, though I can’t quite place it.
Juan López Selección Superba (ER Gran Bretaña 2016)

Gran Bretaña Regional Edition 2016 cigars

While the first puffs feel a bit muted, there is still plenty going on between the pepper in the nose and on the tongue, which gets complemented by a robust earth note that is slightly rough on the palate but far from off-putting.

The pepper begins turning harsh on the senses before the burn line records its first inch, hitting notes of both red chili and jalapeño depending on the sample, both aggressive and making the cigar become a bit more off-putting.
Thankfully it settles down fairly quickly, and the cigar moves on to show its more restrained pepper-driven profile, with slight hints at toffee and butterscotch, and even a bit of caramel latte. Some combustion issues close out the first sample, as the cigar begins to feel a bit damp.