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Well normally I'm always smoking something other than the requested weekend review so luckily for me I happen to break out a new Hoyo for me. I've recently slowly being converted to Hoyo as I'm normally a Bolivar / Partagas / RA type of guy, the fuller bodied cigars but the last couple of Hoyo's I've had have been excellent. This prompted me to pick up one of the Hoyo Elegantes LCDH from my local cigar lounge, apologies I forgot to note the box code but assume its from 2016 when these were released. Wrapper was decent, light sheen to it and taco roll, similar to the Partagas presidente but a lot nicer wrapper than my box of presidentes. I've started V-cutting my torpedos and always find the draw to be excellent but in this case the draw seems quite tight but not overly so on the cold draw, really light notes of cedar on the cold draw. I light it up and try my first few puffs, were light and creamy and pleasant taste but i know it's going to be a struggle to smoke, the draw has got really tight. Luckily I have my perfect draw (Not sponsored) and use it deep into the cigar, maybe a little too much exuberance as I manage to crack the wrapper a little but once it's done the cigar has been saved, the draw is great and I can get a decent amount of smoke from it. The first third flavours are sweet and hints of caramel and slight nutty profile, would say definitely light to medium. Second third the sweetness has gone and turned into a much more nutty profile with the occasional pepper notes and the burn is perfect, great ash as you can see from the photo. More of a medium profile now. Final third it has moved to be a fuller medium with that nut profile dominant and some leather notes at the end. Had great smoke output and good burn all the way through. Would rate it 88/100 and think I'll pick up a box and see how they develop after a few more years.

Because I’m gluten for punishment and seem to get some perverse enjoyment in torturing myself, I decided to pick up some Hoyo Du Prince recently knowing full-well that it had been deleted by Habanos. I was perusing the website of my local store and noticed that they still had some boxes and singles for sale and decided to pick up a single to, at least, know what I’m missing out on once they permanently disappear. Classic mistake. First 1/3rd: The draw is much tighter than I would define as enjoyable. The cold draw has a nice fruity aroma, almost berry like. I light the cigar and away we go. The taste is quite underwhelming with few definable notes. The smoke is lighter than I enjoy. I’m actually quite disappointed in the cigar, which coincidentally I’m super stoked to dislike since I’ll never feel that familiar twinge of regret for not buying more every time they’re mentioned on the forum. Second 1/3rd: The cigar is burning well. It feels nice and natural in the hand. The taste is still underwhelming and the draw still much too tight. It feels slightly…Wait! What is that? Suddenly the cigar exploded into life. The flavors are bold and commanding. The smoke more full and pleasant. The draw has completely corrected itself and now nothing short of perfect. I literally can’t believe what I’m experiencing and may or may not have let out an audible gasp. Final 1/3rd: The only word I can use is: perfect. The fruity, berry flavors are there. Maybe there was some cream. I have no idea. I quit analyzing it and just sat back and soaked in everything it had to offer. It was absolutely sublime. I smoked it down to the nub and offered up the health of my fingertips as a sacrificial offering at the throne of the Du Prince. Within less than an hour of finishing the smoke, I ordered the last box they had in store. If they’re even half as good as this one, I might try to track down some more boxes before they’re completely extinct. Sometimes I hate myself for getting hooked on things I can’t have. Thanks for reading! Now I’m off to nurse my aching fingertips.

Aroma/Color: Good looking light colorado wrapper with some sheen. Pre-light is predominantly barnyard, cedar, and milk chocolate. This cigar has a great draw and decent firmness ( a bit underpacked) 1/3: The cigar started out pretty well. Initial third had a distinct creamy note with a bit of cocoa and cedar. Body is definitely medium. The cigar is burning just okay (not razor sharp by any means). 2/3:The intensity of the cocoa and cream have picked up and some leather notes and bitter chocolate are being thrown in the mix. There's a slight marzipan/praline note as well. Picking up some EL richness and complexity surprisingly. The burn has corrected itself and it's smoking razor sharp now. 3/3: The cigar smoked well through the last third with notes of leather and coffee being more pronounced now. I've also noticed a dried dark fruit note. I'm very pleased with how a cigar this young has performed. Overall impression: Very enjoyable smoke that I love to always have on-hand. I believe this is one of the better-performing sticks coming out of Cuba at the moment–and it’s probably one of the most consistent robustos on the market. If I had to pick between young "budget" robustos, I'd opt for these, the Partagas Serie D No.4, or the Juan Lopez No.2. Verdict: 92/100 points