L'atelier Lat46 Selection Speciale Review

One of the most talked about releases of 2012 was the L'atelier line of cigars.  In early 2013, the line received any addition in the form of the Lat46 Selection Speciale.  Previously, the only difference in the L'atelier line was the sizes of the cigars.  However, the Lat46 SS has a difference other than size.  The wrapper is a darker, stronger, and a higher primed version of their standard Ecuadorian hybrid.  The wrapper is very smooth and very shiny.  When you light it up, some familiar deep earthy tones will greet your palate, and you can tell you are smoking a L'atelier cigar.  Some sharp cedar notes begin to develop on top of the earthy tones, while a subtle dark chocolate flavor peeks in underneath.   In the previous L'atelier flavor profile, there was a bitter citrus flavor.  With the deeper flavors from the wrapper, the bitterness is transformed into more of a creamy citrus sensation.  It is extremely subtle and is most noticeable about half way into the smoke.  The complexity of the Lat46 fits right in with the L'atelier line.  It is a little stronger than the others, but I think a lot of that boldness is due to more flavor and strength being packed in a smaller size.  The Lat46 SS is just over 5 1/2 inches in length with a 46 gauge ring.  In my personal opinion it is definitely an improvement to the line, and an evolution to the brand.  The draw was smooth, and the burn was a little wavy but mostly even.  Construction was top notch.  With an MSRP around $8.75 it is worth trying out whether you liked the original cigars in the L'atelier or not.