Cigar: GPC 1502 Blue Sapphire
Size: Lancero
Smoke time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Appearance & Aroma
Global Premium Cigar’s 1502 Blue Sapphire is a Nicaraguan puro, and the blend is perfect for this elegant and slender size. The wrapper presents a slightly mottled, slightly bumpy, but lovely cappuccino-brown hue. The ornate, yet understated silver and blue band provides a nice contrast. While I often enjoy pairing my cigars with a fine libation, this is a cigar I always smoke by itself. I am smoking outside at home.
Light-Up & Draw
A simple straight cut with a double guillotine does the trick here. The cold draw offers up baking spice, which is a harbinger of flavor to follow. The draw is perfectly balanced between free and firm, which is precisely what I desire for a lancero—too open and one might be tempted to freight-train it, too firm and it feels like work. The cigar lights with utter ease. It requires no touch-ups or relights for the entirety of the smoke. A fair amount of beautiful blue smoke comes forth and produces a dirty white ash that holds together for an inch and a half.
Early Profile
It’s akin to walking into Grandma’s kitchen while she’s baking—cinnamon, clove, cardamom, and nutmeg all show up. An overtone of roasted nuts is present as well. A slow, thoughtful retrohale yields toasted bread. The aroma of the smoke emanating from the cap is sweet and savory. Zesty orange peel dances in and out.
Middle Profile & Burn
The burn is still almost perfectly even, and the draw is flawless. The ash, while turning a tad flaky, continues to hold on until I dismiss it. The flavor profile calms down a little and is decidedly more bready and woody. The sweeter spice notes give way to hints of light pepper and salt, which makes the mouth water. As the final third approaches, some mineral and flinty notes appear.
Late Profile
The mineral notes taper off. Unsweetened cocoa powder and raisin notes arrive, then settle into chicory, cream, and rich macadamia nut. The breadiness and pepper from earlier ramp back up. Even towards the end, it is a noticeably cool smoke, though admittedly, I am a much slower-than-average smoker, so no doubt that helps. The band comes off cleanly with little effort. All told, I ashed only four times, each time on my command.
Overall Impression
The 1502 Blue Sapphire has been on our shelf for years and remains a perennial favorite of mine. It is a highly approachable, medium-strength cigar that a novice could enjoy, but it is also perfect for cigar nerds/enthusiasts because it checks every box: depth and complexity of flavor, flawless construction, and user-friendliness. I simply love underrated cigars like this and would recommend them for the humidors of retailers and customers alike. Cheers!
– Review by Paul Banducci, tobacconist at The Racketeer Lounge in Post Falls, Idaho.
This story first appeared in PCA The Magazine, Volume 2, 2024. To receive a copy of this magazine you must be a current member of PCA. Join or renew today at premiumcigars.org/membership.