As the La Palina El Diario cigar proves, the legacy of a premium cigar doesn't have to begin with the story of a poor torcedor fleeing from Cuba with his family to the wilds of Nicaragua or Honduras. The original La Palina cigar was blended and sold in Chicago in 1896 by Sam Paley, a Ukranian immigrant who started his Congress Cigar Company after learning the ropes as a lector reading for the rollers at a nearby factory. The Congress Cigar Company closed in 1926 ending the production of La Palina until Bill Paley, great-grandson of old Sam, resurrected it. The El Diario blend is an offshoot of the original La Palina line which uses a Honduran Rosado wrapper to expertly cloak a blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan Criollo and Corojo tobaccos.

Beneath the band bearing the image of La Palina's namesake, Sam's wife Goldey Drell Paley, the wrapper is smooth and red-hued and wafts a pleasing scent of dusty animal hide with attractive veining surprisingly not felt beneath the silky touch. The body of the cigar is soft without being spongy, providing an easy pre-light draw which hints of minerals on the palate. After lighting, the waves of white smoke offer a savory sourness backed by smokey cedar. The Corojo 99 wrapper begins to offer characteristic spice as the cigar approaches the halfway mark, but this is tempered by a complimentary yeasty bread-like flavor likely supplied by the dual Criollo binders. Primarily a medium-bodied cigar, near the nub the body begins to approach the fuller side of the spectrum but soon enough the cigar is finished and the smoker ready to continue his day without feeling overwhelmed.

The name El Diario which means 'The Daily,' and this cigar is meant for daily enjoyment. While the price of the premier La Palina lines may be high for some to smoke daily, it is easy to imagine wanting  an El Diario whenever the urge hits. A tall glass of iced-tea is a fine compliment to this cigar, and smokers who also enjoy La Aurora Corojo and Vegas Cubanas will find much to like about the La Palina El Diario.