Right out of the gate, I was treated to a spice blast with the La Palina El Diario KB.  I classified this spice as a cross between cedar and pepper.  It ranked up there with some of the deeper spice blasts I have gotten from a cigar. There was no doubt that the KB had more spice than the original El Diario.  In the background I could detect some notes of coffee as well as some sweet notes.  The sweet notes seemed to be a cross between berry and grapefruit.  There was definitely a more citric component to this sweetness when compared to the original El Diario.  There were also times in the first third where I could detect hints of chocolate as well.

The second third of the KB really is where this cigar hit its stride.   While the pepper notes did not diminish, the grapefruit/berry sweetness moved into the forefront with the spice.  As the KB reached the last third, the sweetness did finally diminish.  I could still pick up some coffee and the occasional chocolate note, but it was the spice that was clearly out in the forefront..   I would categorize the finish as spicy.  There were a few harsh notes at the end, but this was when I reached the nub .  The nub was not only firm to the touch and cool in temperature, but it was quite a finger burner (i.e. small).

One reason why Cigar Coop selected La Palina El Diario as the 2011 Cigar of the Year was because of some intangible qualities on the flavor profile – namely the cigar had an “old school” feel to it.  The KB continues very much in this tradition as well. 

Read more here… 

This was really a terrific robusto, and I loved the flavor profile. This cigar definitely showed some characteristics that you see with a Graycliff cigar, and that is a positive aspect. The cigar delivered a plethora of complex flavors throughout, performed wonderfully in terms of construction, and provided a solid amount of strength as well. It really is a great line, and I always save these for special occasions. With the release of the El Diario line, La Palina has really announced itself as a company that makes everyday cigar and special occasion cigars, and both lines are fabulous. If you had to make me choose, I would struggle, but I think I would choose this line more often than not. I find the line to be just as flavorful, though different than the El Diario line, but less rich and more of a cigar that I could smoke more of in one day. I give this cigar 95 points, and it was nice to smoke one of these beauties again. It had been some time, and even though it was not a special occasion it is good to splurge from time to time.

Read the entire review here.

Check out this great article about the comeback cigar bars are making at luxury resorts across the world:

Following worldwide bans on smoking in public places, cigar bars have become something of an endangered species. But we’ve spotted a few of the clubby, usually dimly lit dens making appearances once more—this time ensconced in luxury hotels. And in some of the new iterations, they’ve got technology on their side—advanced air filtration systems make spending time in one a breath of fresh air. Here are a few of the best cigar lounges around the globe.

Click here for more…