RA Celestiales Fino STA JUN 09

[asmith]

The latest release for the Asia Pacific Region from Cuba is the impressive looking Ramon Allones Celestiales Finos. This cigar looks interesting but carries a kick that will bring tears to your eyes.

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[PigFish]

Nice review guys. The last cigar to make me weak in the knees was another RA... the Belicosos. It is good to hear that some balls come with the two bands!!! Cheers. -Piggy

[android]

Rob has a slight sweat on the brow and I would guess some palpitations from the nicotine overload...have only had that once myself...BCE for breakfast with coffee = bad news!

[anacostiakat]

Wow! I love a throwback as I believe I am one. But not sure I want to lay down cigars for 15 years.

Like Rob said, I dont know if I got 15 more in me!

Great review guys!!!

[BobLobLaw]

At work, can't wait to get home and watch this. Both awesome and sad all at the same time huh?

[El Presidente]

I have now had 4-5 but have dryboxed the follow up for 2 days. Still a hammer in a velvet glove but richer flavour and more rounded.

If you haven't got the patience for 5 years....walk away

[canucks6024]

wow

great review

[Guest rob]

Regardless... I am still keen as hell to try these. The marque and vitola alone are enough to get me to try it.

[jaylax5]

Very nice review gents...but Rob, there are only 30 days in September...not 31...lol. I look forward to trying one as soon as they arrive. Cheers.

[asmith]

I've still got the shakes...

[asmith]

Very nice review gents...but Rob, there are only 30 days in September...not 31...lol. I look forward to trying one as soon as they arrive. Cheers.

And clearly Cronus is not going to be winning this prize.

[lutharthegreat]

Nice review guys, now go home and take a nap....

[Ginseng]

Excellent review! I like a cigar that kicks ass. I'm really looking forward to these.

Wilkey

[Jimmy2]

I think these will be smokable in 6 months to a year.But by your reveiw they will have a excellant aged flavor profile..When I sample one I am sure i will have a better idea..

[smll2]

Excellent review! I like a cigar that kicks ass. I'm really looking forward to these.

Wilkey

Thanks gents for the great review. I found a box laying around today. I'm not sure if I should smoke one or pick a fight. Sounds like these will be a good replacment for coffee should I find myself without in the early AM. I will give one a try in a month. Fingers and toes crossed.

Tom

[Colt45]

Thanks for the review, guys.

Just randomly thinking out loud...... The review reminds me a bit of my particular box of 2006 Cohiba Piramide EL. And while a more recent sampling

has shown the power has subsided quite a bit, it has not been replaced with much flavor or complexity.

Also, when I hear of such nicotine strength, it makes me think improperly processed tobacco, and I wonder if it has been done intentionally or not.

But generally I'm wary of a cigar which shows this kind of pronounced strength.

While I understand what Smithy means when he says no one particular flavor stands out from any other, from the sound of it, I can't imagine calling

such a cigar balanced in any way.

I fully realize it's a very young cigar, but I must say I'll need a little more convincing.

[Ginseng]

Agreed, Colt. When I get incredible strength, even some degree of harshness but coupled with dense texture, heavy mouthfeel, and intense but bound up flavors, then I associate this with good aging and development potential. For example, some 08 RASS have been absolute ball busters in the first third but tame down to a full-bodied delivery of extracted, pleasing, but unchanging flavors. This bodes well. However, raw strength without the density or legs to make the cigar worth fighting for signals a rough road. For me, some of the Monte Sublimes are this way. From day one, just kicks my ass from beginning to end but without the grinning. At least for the boxes I have...I don't hold much hope as they haven't changed much in the half year or so that I've been sampling. Every one a disappointment unlike the nearly as powerful Cuaba Piramides. The Bolivar Gold Medals have been a mixture, highly variable from box to box. Some great, some essentially unsmokable, but almost all fairly strong.

Wilkey

[tigger]

Nice, honest review guys!

[PigFish]

Thanks for the review, guys.

Just randomly thinking out loud...... The review reminds me a bit of my particular box of 2006 Cohiba Piramide EL. And while a more recent sampling

has shown the power has subsided quite a bit, it has not been replaced with much flavor or complexity.

Also, when I hear of such nicotine strength, it makes me think improperly processed tobacco, and I wonder if it has been done intentionally or not.

But generally I'm wary of a cigar which shows this kind of pronounced strength.

While I understand what Smithy means when he says no one particular flavor stands out from any other, from the sound of it, I can't imagine calling

such a cigar balanced in any way.

I fully realize it's a very young cigar, but I must say I'll need a little more convincing.

I am really glad someone brought this up... I was thinking the very same thing but with RA (not Ramon Allones!) describing me as truculent these days I did not want to bring it up and ruin the party.

Constitution, a robust character, and nicotine are two different things. Nicotine is endemic of improperly fermented tobacco. I too wonder if this is done intentionally or just a result of a days worth of rolling tobacco. It will be nice to see some reports from different boxes.

I still enjoyed the review! -P

[demiurgic]

As always, you guys are quick to laugh, honest and bursting with Joie De vivre.

Good one, I was entertained thoroughly and laughed along with you.

Aloha,

D

[Bartolomeo]

I did a search, I cant find the video for these reviews?

What am I doing wrong?

I will go hide now.........

Thanks

Bart

[aavkk]

Wow, I am actually very surprised and even more intrigued. With everything smoking great right off the table in 08 I wonder if the 2 you pulled were made with very ligero happy torcedors. If not and these were indeed blended and made as prescribed I wonder what the master blenders intentions were? It seems a cigar to age for decades exceptionally well would be my guess.

[Colt45]

I did a search, I cant find the video for these reviews?

What am I doing wrong?

I will go hide now.........

Thanks

Bart

Bart, if you can't see the embedded video in Smithy's post, my only guess is that you are browsing through some type of

firewall that does not allow the viewing of youtube videos.

You can't see any of the video reviews in the video review forum?

[Bartolomeo]

Bart, if you can't see the embedded video in Smithy's post, my only guess is that you are browsing through some type of

firewall that does not allow the viewing of youtube videos.

You can't see any of the video reviews in the video review forum?

That makes sense, on company LT right now

Found some on You Tube using home computer..............thanks!

Those guys are great!

Bart

[shrink]

More than anything else, your review reminds me of a young RyJ Cazadores even more than the RA Belicoso. At least the RAB was smokeable young, despite its strength and considerable tannins. The CF sounds like it isn't really smokeable or enjoyable young, but is loaded with all the raw essentials that will enable it to age well.

I expect that this was intentional on HSA's part; they wanted a cigar that ran contrary to the recent trend of approachable young cigars, and exhibited traits of the classical cigars of long ago; like the Cazadores or the Punch Super Seleccion No. 2. One to put down for many years.