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Oh the pain!!! Hello all, been awhile. More life and times according to Mr. Piggy. If you have 20 minutes to burn, light up a Chicos and join me! -Piggy

No, this is a departure from the Pig's now standardized video review. I figured I would just make it simple... The recent thread on the Boli Gold Medal more or less motivated me to pull out a box and smoke one. I did buy some of the original CW release, but just like today, I have not been much to be stabbed by 'limited' cigars and even at the 'group buy' price, I figured that they were more expensive than what they were worth. As their interest began to wane, I bought more of the re-release and I am glad that I did. My cigar was firm and really well packed. It was dried sufficiently so that I could remove the foil and bands without tearing them. You might say that they had become a nice, dry 9 year old cigar. It was a brisk 90F on Isla Pigfish, and I was wondering how well I might take the adverse climate! ... the soldiers weapons aligned, I went to battle! The cigar opened with dry oats and shredded wheat. A hint of sweet followed and I thought that this was somewhat mild from what I remembered these to be. Within an inch or so these flavors developed and became more robust as they added various spices including nutmeg and some cinnamon. The cigar gracefully conveyed me though this nominally robust and lighthearted medley for some period. It bobbed and weaved removing and adding variances to the melody until about halfway through the smoke. It then appeared that the opening band was left over from the 'home for the aged' festival... and I had arrived early to the 'tribute to heavy metal' festival... And it began. The more graceful cigar came to a rather abrupt halt. As I have had a rather annoying cough for the past two weeks and have been off cigars since my last review, I began to wheeze a little and began to get some tingle from my throat, not previously hurting, but hurting now... I was slammed with straight tobacco, pepper and smoked paprika. The lovely essence was gone, the brute force of untamed tobacco had begun. In better condition, I would have likely enjoyed the cigar more, but being somewhat sick (still) I was bowled over by the torrent. Don't get me wrong, the cigar was good. It was very interesting, as far a ambushes go, but I was just not well suited for it that day... While super strong cigars are not really my forte, robust ones are. The cigar gets great points for making my interest and keeping it. It had huge constitution, and a lot of character to boot. In the right health and frame of mind I might have really been impressed, but in my case I felt more 'assaulted.' This of course was not the cigar's fault, but mine alone. Eventually I had to leave a good 2 inches in the ashtray... I just could no longer take it! If you are ready for a boorish cigar, a bully in lambs wool, pull one of these out and give it a try. Me, my throat is now sore as hell, and I am hacking like a sputtering lawnmower with water in the fuel. It is not the cigars fault, but my own. I look forward to taking one of his siblings to task another day, a day when I am done dressing my own wounds!!! -LOL Let the healing begin! -Piggy

This cigar was a gift from our generous host. I have had the cigar for years, since the RTDA show in 2006. Lets just say, it is not exactly right off the truck! Nor was it a graceful Lanceros... Enjoy the story and the review me amigos!!! -Piggy

So this one is from a few days ago. You may need a hit of nicotine to keep you awake through it... or perhaps a little 'crank' in yo' coffee! Diplomaticos Exclusivo Países Bajos.... Jesus, I challenge you to say that five times fast! I cannot even pronounce it... Well, you will see in the video! Thanks again Chris @ChanceSchmerr for this rare opportunity for me to smoke a Macanudo, ahhh... I mean this fine exclusive cigar! Love ya' man!!! -the Pig (take your alarm clock)

Another video review from the Isle of PigFish. If you don't like it, blame our own @JohnS. He made me do it!!! You know me, I am not exactly concise. Best to take this one in with a Coronas and a strong drink!!! Or, not at all!!! -LOL Enjoy! -Piggy

Video currently ripping. Hold on to your socks! Just waiting on YouTube now...! Stop your grinn'n and pull up your linen... -the Pig

I am sat here on my lonesome in an east London pub with an amazing smoking area puffing away on the aforementioned cigar. The bench is very uncomfortable, I miss my wife and baby back in Somerset but right now I'm almost in heaven. There's s few French birds smoking cigs next to me. The crowd is a bit hipsterish . The wine is Tooma River Shiraz (£22.50) This cigar is bloody amazing.

Bought these cigars some time ago and they have enjoyed a nice rest in the Humidor. I am a big fan of the Ramon Allones marca and am already thinking that I will do three reviews this week for the contest. I smoked a couple of the Superiors when I first got the box but I don’t think that I gave them enough time to settle. With someone posting a review of a 2014 cigar, it only seemed appropriate to compare the 2012 version to the 2014. The construction is pretty spot on with minimal veins present. The o reminds me of a nice cup of milk chocolate. Not too dark and with still a nice oily sheen to it. The cold draw is sweet and a little cedar present. Now for the light. First, I should note that I use a punch cut and drinking a cup of coffee with this. As I take the first draws, I detect some cream and nice tobacco flavors right off the bat. I also detect fruit too which offers some contrast to the cream. Kind of like when I had fresh picked raspberries in heavy cream at Grandma’s house as a child. I would agree with the white pepper in the retrohale but nothing overwhelming. Nothing like a NC. The burn is good, pretty perfect actually so far. The cigar draws well too and is packed well with tobacco. Not too lose, not too tight. I would say this is a solid medium cigar. As I am in the middle of the first third, I just got a taste of peaches. Something that I have never noticed before. Not a lot of smoke but wonderful flavors. The burn remains perfect and the ash continues to hold and is very white in color. The fruit flavor evolves more to something closer to cherry and the creaminess continues but falls a little bit more in the background. There is a little salt in the finish which is complimenting the cream sensations. Buttery? Did I say Buttery? Had to take a call for work and the cigar went out but lit easily back up. As we get into the second third, the creaminess remains but a leather flavor starts to come out in front with some stewed fruit. The burn continues to be even and no touch ups are required. I really enjoy the salty finish while I smoke. Smoke production is a little stronger or maybe I am just enjoying this cigar too much and need to slow it down a little in between puffs. If I had to compare this cigar to what the previous review stated, I think that the creaminess is stronger in this “older” cigar and the salty finish is more predominant. Still a little white pepper in the retrohale but not really part of the flavor profile when you smoke it. I am enjoying the complexity of the cigar and finding it hard to continue work as I focus on the changing flavors that I am picking up. In the final third, the leather notes increase but not overwhelm. This is a wonderfully balanced cigar. The burn continues to be perfect and no issues with it going out either. I notice a little pepper finally but it could be as much the retrohale as the burn gets closer to the nub. I would agree with the other review that this is a great cigar. Complex, well constructed and considering the price point, a great value too. I would rather have a box of these almost any day over most of the other more expensive EL’s.

(Review of my first experience with the Superiores) Ramon Allones Superiores – 5.6 x 46 This cigar is a “limited edition” (although they keep coming it seems) Cuban from Ramon Allones. An estimated 5000 boxes (boxed of ten only) were made. Most responses are positive for this series and many call it a high quality medium bodied cigar that stays true to the Ramon Allones DNA. I’m somewhat skeptical of that since most limited editions take on a very different profile vs. the norm except maybe Montecristo. Most limited edition cigars provide a chocolate profile regardless of the brand so we shall see what this brings. Look & Feel This cigar looks nice medium brown wrapper with an ever so slight red hue to it. The veins are tiny and there are only a few of moderate size. The seams are invisible and the wrapper has a slightly oily/waxy look and feel to it. The pre-lit draw offers good resistance and give a slight leather and woody note. The aroma of the cigar brings leathery and a slight earth smell. This is a beautiful looking cigar and I can’t wait to get started. Foot Third To start, leather with some earth and a general nuttiness. Medium body and very smooth, no spice to speak of. The retrohale was really smooth with a slight white pepper. The draw is perfect and the burn is sharp and a tight long ash. The flavors add an apricot and fruitcake flavor to the leather and earth. Late in this third you get a cream added as well. The finish remains leather and earth and is fairly long and the smoke is plentiful but moderate in thickness. Very enjoyable in every way, what a great start. Body Third The body starts with all of those fruit flavors with the leather and slight earth. The retrohale provides a nice white pepper with occasional sweet spices. Construction is great and you find yourself enjoying and looking for all of the flavors. Midway the flavors shift to a leather and deeper earth with an earthy finish with white and light black pepper. Creamy and occasional floral notes come and go which are nice hints throughout this third. The complexity so far is pretty high. Head Third This third started to move back to the apricot and fruit cake with sweet spices on the draw with leather as the binding flavor. Earth has really moved to the finish and the retrohale is smooth and white and black pepper are your main flavors. Towards the end of this third you add citrus notes with the apricot flavors, orange rind is the flavor and gives you a very nice switch. (Others had woody notes but I did not detect those) This cigar was not hot at all until the burn was at my fingers! The enjoyable flavors lasted until my fingers blistered. Summary This cigar was a great cigar even at 18 months of age. Being a special edition, I was surprised it had a similar profile to the actual brand as many Cuban LE cigars don’t. (most are chocolate and espresso profiles) The construction was great and the flavors were just as good. The value on this cigar is also good. At nearly ten dollars per stick when purchased by the box, it is hard to say they are not worth the money. Flavors of leather, apricot, fruitcake, earth, cream, white pepper, black pepper, sweet spices, and orange rind are all present at different times. Well-balanced, well-blended, well-constructed, and well-priced, what else could you ask for? Great job to Habanos on these cigars! L&F-92 Construction-95 Flavor-97 Value-97 Overall- 96