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Thought to share a glimpse of this unique and rare piece from 2017, limited to 30 pieces only. It was out of this world. The smell of each cigar was incredible. Sold to a collector and most likely only to be seen at auctions in the future.

Ramon Allones Club Allones - Edición Limitada 2015 (AUM Jul 2015) Vitola: Club Allones (47 ring gauge x 135 mm or 5.3 inches) Introduction: Just like the Partagas Seleccion Privada 2014, I've been meaning to visit this cigar for some time now, again as much as 12 months. Again, you rated it highly. A recent thread below discussed the two best Limited Editions of the past three years and the Ramon Allones Club Allones got many of your votes. Alas, unlike the Partagas Seleccion Privada, the Club Allones has enjoyed a 'longer life' than most Limited Editions by being available for acquisition well into 2017 (well, it didn't come out until 2016 though, didn't it?). In the annual FoH Top 25 Cigars for 2016 poll, you voted it 9th overall . El Pres requested your thoughts on the Ramon Allones Club Allones when it first came out and the consensus was positive... A quick note on the wrapper, the Ramon Allones Club Allones has been noted for its dark wrapper, although these aren't Cuban Maduro wrappers, which are a different thing altogether . I find Ramon Allones, as a marca overall, tends to attract a higher proportion of Colorado Maduro (and darker) wrappers than other marcas, and this has been true of the Ramon Allones Club Allones, like Limited Editions cigars in general. A poll in 2014 indicated that FoH members prefer Colorado Maduro shaded wrappers to other wrappers, is this one of the reasons for the popularity of the Club Allones? This Limited Edition cigar has enjoyed multiple reviews on our forum, and I must admit that in writing this review I find that I would struggle to say anything new that hasn't been said before. Perhaps I can add what Habanos S.A. wrote about this cigar on their website when it was released... Ramón Allones Club Allones (47 ring gauge x 135 mm length) is the other 2015 Edición Limitada. This vitola is unique within the range of sizes of the brand and it is characterized by an intense and complex flavour. Club Allones is an opportunity for those smokers who enjoy full flavours Habanos and who now can taste them with the particular characteristics of the Ediciones Limitadas. Aroma and Cold Draw: Again, as is typical of Limited Edition releases, the aroma was refined yet strong. The wrapper was a distinctive Maduro wrapper shade that is common with this cigar (although please note, they aren't maduro-leafed wrappers). The cold draw exhibited characteristics of strength, with a earthy and tobacco combination, yet the draw was very good and construction was excellent. First Third: The first few puffs gave me a nice smooth taste of a combination of espresso and dark cocoa flavours. A few more draws and the 'Ramon Allones stewed fruit' profile came to the fore, giving this cigar a nice balance between it pleasant sweetness and its strength. There was excellent smoke per draw. Second Third: The strength picked up, this is definitely a medium-full bodied cigar, and it remained that way. The combination of espresso and rich, dark cocoa and stewed fruit is similarly intensified. A highly enjoyable cigar! . Final Third: Normally the final third is where your cigar is most intense, flavours drop off and acridity or bitterness can build up forcing you to extinguish it early. This was not the case today. I had no issue whatsoever with drawing this down to the nub, and although the flavours that I enjoyed in the first two-thirds weren't anywhere near as evident, the wonderfully strong toasted tobacco richness in the final third more than compensated. Conclusion: Why this is a great Limited Edition cigar ultimately comes down to a number of factors in my opinion. Firstly, I think the vitola is just right, it would be prefect if it was a 42 ring gauge, in my view, yet the fact that it's not over 50 ring gauge is just ideal, as is its length. At 135 mm in length it is about halfway between the length of a Petit Corona (129 mm) and a Corona (142 mm), which again I consider ideal. Simon Chase wrote an in-depth article for Cigar Journal last December lamenting the steady decline of Ramon Allones as a marca, yet praising Habanos S.A. for encouraging Regional distributors the freedom to nominate their own marcas and vitolas for their annual Regional releases. Simon stated in his article that around one-third of Regional Editions have been Ramon Allones cigars, thus, amongst aficionados and the public in general, Ramon Allones still courts favour. Finally, what about comparing this Limited Edition to the LCDH Superiores from 2010? The Superiores is a Corona Gorda at 46 ring gauge x 143 mm (or 5.6 inches) in length and is similarly popular. I find the Superiores a milder smoke, with more elements of lighter cocoa and a sweeter fruit profile. Ultimately, I think there's a place for both the Superiores and Club Allones in your humidor. Below are some other reviews and discussions on this cigar for your perusement. The Ramon Allones Club Allones is an outstanding cigar, get it today if you haven't done so already.

Partagas Seleccion Privada - Edición Limitada 2014 (OPG Dic 2014) Vitola: Magnum 50 (50 ring gauge x 160 mm or 6.3 inches) Introduction: I've been meaning to visit this cigar for some time now, perhaps as much as 12 months. So why did I put it off for so long, and why has this Limited Edition cigar flown 'under-the-radar' lately? Certainly you rated it highly. A recent thread below discussed the two best Limited Editions of the past three years and the Partagas Seleccion Privada got many of your votes. Heck, it even got my vote! (Okay, I've sampled the H.Upmann Magnum 56 since then and so it's hard to just choose two.) Aroma and Cold Draw: Typical of Limited Edition releases, the aroma was refined yet strong. The wrapper was a distinctive rosado 'red'. My cold draw instantly told me that this was going to be flavoursome, I could detect pepper even before I lit the cigar. First Third: The very first puff indicated Partagas DNA, oh boy, this was full of flavour. Coffee, sourdough, some leather and pepper, this was like a mild-medium Partagas Serie D No.4 with about 3 or 4 years of age on it. There was also good pepper through the nose and excellent amounts of smoke per puff. Second Third: This was by far the most enjoyable part of the cigar, this is where I want the cigar to be in the next two to three years throughout its length. By now the pepper had died off, retrohaling was more smooth, and the coffee and sourdough spine one gets from a quality Partagas Lusitania was what I savoured. Final Third: During the final third, I encountered the standard dominant 'toasted tobacco' one finds in a cigar that shows obvious signs that it's still peaking. Still, I had no problem smoking it down, but it wasn't as brilliant as the first two-thirds. Conclusion: If you have a box of this 2014 Limited Edition cigar resting, now is the time to start sampling it in my view. It's incredible to find Ken and Rob's views on this cigar in December 2014 are simply so 'spot-on' two-and-a-half years later! The 'Christmas cake' richness, the Partagas marca characteristics, the exhortation to re-visit these sometime in 2017. As for me, I have a box resting away which I desire to peak further, perhaps I'll visit in another year or two, sampling one per six months. In the meantime, I think I'll sample my other single in my home humidor sometime in 2018. Below are some links to some other excellent reviews on this fine cigar...

I found this picture on social media. The counterfeiters appear to have really high quality (if not authentic) Cohiba and the Edicion Limitada bands. However they overlooked the fact that Cohiba EL in 2014 was the Robustos Supremos, the Piramides format was last offered in 2006 and both came in 10 count boxes. I tried to tell the owner that these were fakes and he replied that he had purchased them at a Mexican LCDH. Which could explain what appears to be authentic bands, but opens up a whole other ugly can of worms. I have heard rumors of fakes at LCDH's but has anyone actually stumbled across any or is it just cigar forum urban legend?

Format: Robusto Dimensions: 58 ring gauge x 127 mm Date: Saturday 9th of July, 2016 Cold Draw: Chocolate, cocoa and vanilla bean and 'refined'* barnyard. (*refined barnyard, as in, a barnyard aroma that is easily scented, yet not pleasantly overwhelming, if you get what I mean!) Lit: 2:05 p.m. Initial Draw: Again, I used my 3-in-1 Credo Punch Cutter, using the largest 14 mm cut, to make another perfect punch. Like my recent H.Upmann Magnum 56 2015 Limited Edition review, this cigar is another jaw-breaker, with a 58 ring gauge this time! There's nice elements of light chocolate and Cohiba grass/hay, with a little leather. The best way to describe the initial draw is to liken it to a Cohiba Magicos on 'steroids'. At times the grass/hay element is extremely enjoyable and refined, whereas the strong leather element indicates, in my mind, that this cigar still requires more time to settle. First Third: Again, I've paired this with a nice black espresso, my usual beverage of choice. The construction is outstanding, the burn is even and smoke output is fine. I'm getting some more refined grass/hay intermingled with chocolate and leather on the aftertaste. In summary, this cigar is not as refined as I'd like it to be. I detect some spice/pepper through the nose now. Overall the cigar is medium to medium-full in strength. Second Third: I'm still getting some very pleasant Cohiba honey and grass, with that fuller-bodied leather. There's some more spice coming through. I'm smoking a little slower now, with less multiple draws, to savour the grass/hay on the initial puffs. The construction continues to be excellent and the burn is very even, with smoke output good too. Final Third: The cigar has become medium-full at this point, with chocolate and leather/'earthy' flavours dominating. There's still some tinges of refined grass/hay, but not as much as in the first two-thirds. There's even more spice than before, especially through the nose. The cigar is much less flavoursome though towards the end of the final third, a sure sign that this requires a re-visit down the track to see how it progresses with further resting. Completed: 3:40 p.m. Conclusion: If you approach this Limited Edition expecting a 'supremely' flavoured mild, Cohiba grass/hay, honey and vanilla cigar, prepare to be disappointed. Rather, I'd approach this as a 'Supreme' Cohiba Magicos instead. Coincidentally, having enjoyed an aged 8-year old Cohiba Magicos yesterday with Trevor Leask, I can attest how appealing the combination of chocolate, espresso and an underlying Cohiba grass/hay base can be. As for the Cohiba Robustos Supremos, even at 18 months old, it's a good cigar, but not a great cigar. I intend to re-visit this in another 18 months, and then another 18 to 24 months after that, as this could become a very, very good cigar, but it probably won't approach the same depth of class as the most recent Cohiba Limited Edition, the Cohiba 1966 LE (2011). If and/or when that leather and earthiness settles in the back half of the cigar, and it becomes more medium to medium-mild in strength, that is when I recommend enjoying this cigar. Until then, keep them safe in that beautifully varnished 10-count box.

Format: Double Robusto Dimensions: 56 ring gauge x 150 mm Date: Saturday 25th of June, 2016 Cold Draw: A lovely, quality barnyard and tobacco smell. The cold draw was good with cocoa, bean and barnyard flavour coming through. Lit: 1:00 p.m. Initial Draw: I used my 3-in-1 Credo Punch Cutter, using the largest 14 mm cut, to make a perfect punch. (After) The first few draws in and I could easily tell that this was quality cigar. It was medium to medium-full in body, but the smoke output was exceptional. Chocolate, Upmann Shortbread, perhaps licorice, and a hint of pleasant spice through the nose. First Third: I've paired this with a nice black espresso, my usual beverage of choice. I'm telling myself to slow down as I want to take multiple puffs, much like what Laurence Davis does in his Sautter Video Cigar Reviews when he enjoys a cigar. Thankfully for me, the burn is a little uneven, so this forces me to slow down and reflect/contemplate the cigar experience so far. (There's) Some nice, mild spice is detected now with each puff. As I see the burn start to correct itself (the sign of a quality cigar), I can make out the iconic H.Upmann toasted tobacco profile married with hints of pepper. (There's) Exceptional smoke still per draw. Second Third: The Upmann toasted tobacco and pepper is coming through stronger now, but is not overpowering the cigar to the point where you'd want to re-visit this in 3-6 months to get some flavour out it, as there's flavour to be had now! There's a little licorice to each puff, I'd describe it as being more than your standard chocolate flavour which you associate with recent Limited Edition releases. I am really enjoying the subtle spice and pepper on the aftertaste. The burn has corrected perfectly and smoke output is consistently outstanding. Final Third: At the beginning of the final third, and the question I ask myself is, "how do I slide off the band/s?" Experience tells me to slide off the 'El 2015' band forward, and use the heat of the cigar to attempt to slide off the other one later. The intensity is identical to the second third, again, another sign of the quality of this cigar. As I draw down I marvel at how smooth this is in comparison to the second third and I'm well-pleased that I have had the opportunity to review it at the 12-month stage. With very careful manipulation, I was able to slide off the large H.Upmann 56 band towards the head of the cigar. Completed: 2:30 p.m. Conclusion: I am indebted to my dear friend and brother-of-the-leaf Jimmy (jimsta10) for gifting me this superb cigar to review. I also struggled (mentally) with the concept of a 56 ring gauge cigar prior to lighting, I much prefer a standard ring gauge 42 mm Marevas or Corona/Corona Grande cigar. I'm not going to excuse the size though, it is a jaw-breaker. I compensated for this by 'sipping' from the 14mm punch cut all the way throughout smoking the cigar, at least the smoke output was able to compensate for small draws and maximum flavour/s! It's easy to understand why El Presidente has found it difficult to keep his hands off these so young, the fact is that this is brilliant. If you've haven't committed to getting a box or partaking in a split, the simple truth is, you've made a mistake. You simply must get your hands on this! My recommendation is to smoke one every 3 to 6 months, and patiently wait until they get to 3 to 5 years in age, when they will become exceptional in my opinion. In the meantime, I aim to re-visit the other recent Limited Editions (2015 Ramon Allones Club Allones, 2014 Cohiba Robusto Supremo, Bolivar Super Corona and Partagas Seleccion Privada) in the next coming weeks to compare.

Format: Grand Corona (Factory viola: Hermosos No.3) Dimensions: 48 ring gauge x 140 mm Date: Tuesday 12th of July, 2016 Cold Draw: Wonderfully refined barnyard with a hint of earthiness and mocha coffee. Lit: 1:45 p.m. Initial Draw: Again, I used my 3-in-1 Credo Punch Cutter, but this time I used the largest 10 mm cut, to make another perfect punch (The 10 mm punch cut is for cigars up to 48 ring gauge). I really like the size of this Limited Edition cigar, at 48 ring gauge by 140 mm, it's very close to my favoured corona-size, which I find ideal. The draw is excellent. The mocha and chocolate and espresso flavours make me look forward to how this cigar will progress. Through the nose I get a decent amount of spice, not too over-powering or too little, and the cigar is around medium in strength. First Third: As per usual, I've paired this with a nice black espresso. Spice has picked up through the middle of the first third. Combined with chocolate, these are the two flavours dominating. Construction is spot on for a Limited Edition. The burn is even and ash is a consistent grey/light-grey. Towards the end of the first third the spice has settled, both through the draw and the nose. Second Third: Still medium in strength, the flavour has changed somewhat. No longer chocolate-y and spicy, instead I'm picking up a dull earthiness, like mushroom, which comes through every draw. The spice is still there in the aftertaste. Construction and smoke output continues to excel. As the cigar progresses through to the middle of the second third, the spiciness re-appears, making this Bolivar EL, in my opinion, pleasantly complex (but not as complex as say, a H.Upmann Noella). Final Third: At the beginning of the final third, I'm still getting a combination of very mild earthy/leather and spicy flavour at medium strength. There's only a hint of chocolate per draw now. It's been a quality smoke so far, the only criticism I have is that I can't get the ash-length past half an inch (1.25 cm), but this is only a minor regret, as there are no signs of over-heating. Towards the end of the cigar, the spiciness comes back, I'd describe it like a Partagas Serie D No.4 without the sourdough/creamy edge to it. Completed: 3:05 p.m. Conclusion: If you are a Bolivar fan, I'd say you'd find this a little milder than what you're used to. My palate does not gravitate to 'earthy' cigars, so Bolivar is a marca I tend to look over, however, I'd even admit that this cigar was a quality smoke and a success as a Limited Edition release. If you like milder spice, chocolate and leather in your cigars, then this is the right cigar for you. It's a shame that Habanos S.A. could not release this in a 10-count box, otherwise I'd imagine they'd have been the 2014 equivalent of the Ramon Allones Club Allones in regards to popularity and appeal amongst Habanos enthusiasts. No matter, if you have a box, rest assured that these are smoking well now, and in my view, have the potential to age nicely at the 3 to 5 year mark.