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Motivated by @HoyoFan's thread on NC alternatives that the CC smoker might find palatable, I decided to order an assortment of the sticks recommended here and elsewhere and see what I like. Looking at all these sticks, I realize this will quickly get out of hand and I need a way to keep track of my thoughts on each to help me figure out what to try in the future. Motivated by @JohnS's smoking diaries, I will try posting my notes in this thread. These aren't full reviews. Instead they are a summary of my impressions and a rating using the system below. - No thank you. Wouldn't smoke it again. + Decent, but don't need to smoke it again. ++ Great. Would smoke it again. +++ Wow! A superlative experience in some way List of (+++) rankings so far: Buffalo Ten CT Perdomo Habano Bourbon Barrel-Aged (BBA) CT Gordo Perdomo Double Aged Vintage Connecticut Robusto (very similar to the BBA CT) Warped Maestro del Tiempo 5205 Atabey Divinos (reminiscent of HdM Epi. 2) Atabey Spiritus (also reminiscent of HdM Epi. 2) Illusione Fume D'Amour Lagunas Rojas KSG Lonsdale (reminiscent of Monte No. 1) Caldwell Pacific Standard Double Robusto Caldwell Savages Toro Casdagil D'Boiss DB-52 Casdagli Club Maerva Spalato II El Rey del Mundo Rectangulares Natural MOFOH Spada Gorda Freud Superego Lonsdale CAO BX3 Robusto (retrohale is reminiscent of Bolivar and SCdlH) La Flor Dominicana Lancero Cameroon RoMa Craft Intemperance BA XXI Vanity RoMa Craft Intemperance BA XXI Intrigue Cavalier Geneve Viso Jalapa Lancero Quesada 1974 Robusto Quesada 1974 Corona Oliva Master Blends 3 Robusto Rocky Patel Vintage 2006 Churchill Puro Desnudo N1 Lancero Puro Desnudo Pyrimide N2 Puro Desnudo N7 Ninfas Black Label Trading Co. Royalty Corona Arturo Fuente Gran Reserva Rothschild Natural Arturo Fuente Rosado Sungrown Magnum R 44 Dapper Desvalido Dilsa Lonsdale Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Sonata Maestro Torpedo EP Carillo La Historia Parientes Patoro Gran Anejo Reserva No.1 Churchill Black Works Studio Killer Bee Petite Corona Vega Fina Master 2012 Tatuaje Escasos E

This cigar was in my father's humidor for quite a while and the only information I had about it is that he got it around 2018 and on the cellophane there was a sticker saying Churchill. Anyway, here is the review: This cigar feels firm and wrapper is smooth but not oily. no imperfections. Cold draw: The best that I can describe it is light maybe a little nutty but somewhere in the distance. 1st third: Right after lighting a cedar humidor aroma rises from the cigar. Just like cold draw the best that I can describe the flavor is light. there is a note of something in the background but I cannot really tell what it is as its to far and dim. further into this third creamy flavour moves closer to the front stage and begins to shine. Creamy flavour and aroma develop further through this third remaining at the front stage. 2nd third: I can feel nut flavour dancing somewhere in the background but it's not nearly enough to understand. Further in this third nuttiness remains in the background and light chocolaty hay flavor rapidly comes to the front. Going even further into the third I noticed odd flavors developing that reminded me of wet cardboard. I checked the cigar and as I guessed it started to overheat. After letting it cool down it smoked right away and odd flavour faded. However, cooling the cigar also took away the chocolaty hay flavour. Now the cigar is one dimensional and simply creamy which is not bad but it's not as enjoyable. As a pleasant surprise towards the end of this third nutty flavour developed more taking the front stage with creaminess. Last third: Nutty flavour becomes most prominent and creaminess backs off a bit. Retrohale remains pleasant Smoking time 1 hour 27 minutes Personally I would rate this cigar at 87 points because although the flavour was lacking through the first two thirds, the last third finished off very well. The construction of the cigar was good, I had to correct the burn only once, and there was no problem with the draw. Overall pleasant experience but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy this cigar, as there are much better options available for a similar price.

Woah woah woah So I didn't know what I was in for - New years day normalcy Jan 2, I had the stick lying around for maybe 5 months of so and I was like, "oh well, I think it's aged enough, let's light 'er up" in Chiang Mai, with a beautiful mountain backdrop. Few observations I read on the forum : 1. If you smoke them too fast - they taste different, it's a sipper not a chugger 2. The price, taste, value for money is amazing - simply impressed Onto the tasting notes: First Third are earthy tones such as moss or compost, which are typical of medium-bodied cigars. No spiciness, perhaps hints of cinnamon, setting the stage for a complex flavor profile. The second third, the flavors intertwine. I detected woody notes like cedar accompanied by a nuttiness reminiscent of walnuts. I tasted sweeter elements hints of vanilla or caramel, adding a delightful contrast to the earthy notes. In the final third of the cigar, I found sweetness evolving into a darker profile, hints of molasses. The earthy notes might evolved into a more leathery quality with fruity undertones and hint of citrus, adding a fresh dimension to the experience. I would age further to 1 yr for the rest I have in the stash - my own 2 cents , that's my subjective take to myself , wonder how they taste in 2 or 3 yrs if anyone has experience, let me know.

2022 box code for this Petit Robusto Cold Draw - Good resistance but not much flavor. 1st /3 - Strong "twang" right away, enjoyable. Hints of molasses richness behind a sweety flavor and retrohail is grassy. 2nd /3 - More hay and barnyard flavors come out and the sweetness is reduced. 3rd/3 - Sweetness returns, hay is gone. The flavor reminds me of almonds or herbal notes at times but always sweet. The aroma in the room from the smoke is great. Score: 91/100 Summary: Started with a strong note and alternated through a varying amounts of sweetness while rotating different flavors. Keeps it interesting!

Background: I've smoked NCs on and off for decades. I think approx. 85% of those I have tried weren't very good. With a few exceptions, even the ones that are good, aren't that good (I'm looking at you Padron!). So when Rob & team started flouting their NC cigars that could compare and compete with CCs, I concluded right away that they were full of sh*t. After all, Rob is a salesman (a good one), and salesmen will tell you anything to get you out the door with their product. "Step right up! We've got this one ligament for all your ailments! We've got a car that will drive itself! We've got NC cigars that are better than anything you've had! Steeeeeyp right up!" As a result of all of that, I had been planning to skip these releases altogether. However @HoyoFan arranged a split of a bundle of the petite corona and so I ended up with a 5-pack. Pre-light: No band. Evenly packed. Deep chocolate color. Smells of slight barnyard with a big chocolate note and a definite mustiness reminiscent of aged tobacco. The cold draw has no issues. First Third: Cigar opens under-medium. The chocolate note is at the front and is delicious. A secondary note of fresh ground coffee -- not the drink itself, but the smell you get after grinding beans. A great combination! The retrohale is mostly smooth and enhances the experience. A tiny bit of pepper at the very end of the retro. Underneath the coffee and chocolate notes is a core flavor that I couldn't place while I was smoking. Later when I was reading more about the cigar, I saw the phrase "burnt edge of a cookie." That is exactly it! It was like smoking well-done cookies. Amazing, I've never experienced anything like that in a cigar. Second Third: Fantastic smoke output. It is so satisfying when the smoke pours out this heavily. At this point the chocolate has faded and the core flavor is that of cappuccino cream (actual coffee, the drink, flavor this time) with just a hint of those cookies. There is also some amount of fruit notes popping up in the background. I can't place what fruit this might be. Final Third: The cigar is a solid medium at this point. The creaminess has faded. The coffee flavor persists and a deep caramel flavor joins. At the 3/4 inch point it got hot and I put it down. Burn and draw were perfect for the entire duration. Overall Thoughts & Rating: This is a fantastic cigar. It is catapulted to the top 5% of NCs that I have smoked (that's my rating based on a single cigar). It reminded me a lot of a AB Tempus Corona Natural at its core (a cigar that I enjoy), but with heaps of extra flavor and grace piled on. Kudos to the entire team and tasting panel on this. I officially apologize for assuming you were all full of sh*t. After smoking this cigar, I am left scratching my head and a little angry. If it has always been possible to produce cigars with this much flavor and class from NC tobacco, WHY HASN'T ANYONE ELSE BEEN DOING IT OVER THE PAST 60 YEARS!?!?!? 😡

Let me preface this by saying that I feel as though this particular cigar is the gold standard for new world robustos. When it comes to price, flavor, reliability, and most importantly, aging potential, very few cigars come close. Between 3 to 4 years of age, they become my second favorite cigar in the entire Padron line. My local shop hardly sells any, so it's like they're preaged just for me . About twice a month, I pop in and grab one while I wait for my current boxes to reach their full potential. They store at 70/70, so I chucked it into my dry box for five days, and she's ready. Punched, torched, paired with ice water. Soundtrack is Coheed and Cambria - Good Apollo Pre-light - I don't normally talk about pre-light at all, but these tend to have a spectacular aroma. The wrapper is a 50% dark chocolate, and off the foot is malted milk chocolate First Third - Opening is pretty typical for a Nicaraguan puro with leather, wood, and pepper, fairly bold and spicy. Past the first quarter inch or so, these flavors settle down a bit. Molasses emerges, joined by either dried fig or raisin since these flavors are hard for me to differentiate in a cigar. Every now and then, the blend hits a perfect stride and I get what can only be described as a burned cotton candy flavor. Body is medium full Second Third - Leather, wood, less pepper than before (still kills through the nose), and sweetness continue. Chocolate enters the party, as well as roasted nuts, and a distinct saltiness on my lips. After a sip of water, the finish is pure chocolate and nuts. Burn line has been immaculate up until now, it goes a little bit wonky and that's easily remedied. Body is full now Final Third - After a purge, the sweetness is now front and center. Same flavors as mentioned in the second third, but more intense. Molasses makes a roaring comeback, and is joined by dark roast coffee. Body at this point is full+. Thank God it's only for the last third, I'm not sure my tongue could take it for longer than that 93/100 - This is a multiple box purchase cigar for me. With 3-4 years down they are all going to be 92-94 pointers, at 5-6 they're 94-95+. I don't have any experience after that, but I've heard stories of the 10 year old God level cigars, though those stories tend to be the maduro version. It's never going to win a beauty contest (wouldn't even get an honorable mention), but I could not care less when it serves up this much enjoyment. My singular gripe is that Padron tend to roll wind tunnels. I hardly use a punch, but I had to bust out the 7mm as it's basically the only way to have any sort of resistance. The bright side is that I don't think I've ever had a plugged Padron

Bought this from 24:24 as a 1/4 box so I have no memory of the factory code but I believe the month was February. Giving this batch another go after a bit of a nap since I was woefully unimpressed with the first. Straight cut, torched, paired with ice water. Bit of a snug draw but that's not a real issue yet. First 3rd - Dark cherries, creaminess, but deep down there's some orange. Finish is lightly chocolate. Burn is perfect, but I wish there was a higher smoke output, so I go at it with the perfecdraw and she opens up nicely. Body is medium light Second 3rd - Still very much a dark cherry and chocolate party, with the orange and cream falling away, adding light oak and a little green peppercorn through the nose. Just the faintest touch of sweetness is there as well, and a bit of bitterness on the long finish. The body has gained momentum, settling firmly into medium. Final 3rd - Cherry has gotten lighter, chocolate has gotten stronger, and the orange has come back slightly. Finish at this point is something I can't exactly get down but the closest thing is cumin, something I hardly get out of anything besides a young Boli Pc. Body never really creeps above medium 6.7/10 - I don't see these going much higher than this. They might get as high as 7.5 but not much hope for them past that. Something about this blend doesn't do much for me in this size, although I really enjoy the JL1. Orange and chocolate is a profile I've never jived with. Still an above average cigar (5 is average on my scale), but I think it's low for a Cuban that is so highly regarded on the forum. Will probably revisit in about a year

Picked this up in Zurich last month. This is my first time smoking it. Cold Draw - Open draw, light sweet grassy flavor. 1st /3 - Very sweet and malty flavors to start. The retrohail reminds me of hay and earth. 2nd /3 - Still sweet but not as intense a flavor. Earth starts to come out too, a bit minerally. Small amount of twang 3rd/3 - Sweetness is gone, general flavor way down. The last third is very light and smooth. Just a hint of an earth remains. Score: 87/100 Summary: Started great but really lessened over time. Nothing unpleasant and I much rather have a light than a harsh last third. Just couldn't keep the good times rolling.

Little delayed celebration for my Lakers getting into the WCF First 3rd - Roasted nuts, light wood, unripe apricot, small amount of vanilla, touch of sweetness. Excellent smoke output at this point, hope it can maintain Second 3rd - Roasted macadamia nuts, slightly charred wood, chocolate, little bit more sweetness, and creaminess close to butter. Final 3rd - Added a bit of salt to the nuts, wood has combined with leather, creaminess is closer to a whole milk now, and everything else has maintained 8.75/10 - This one was great, but I've had a couple of exemplary Mag 46 (9.25+), and those tend to be around 5+ years old. I've got a few singles left kicking around from various years, but I very well might not touch my 2022 box at all until 2026 or even later. I think these and Epi No 2 might be my favorite regular production cigars that are easy to find

H. Upmann Magnum 50 This was in a fantastic selection of pay-it-forward from @Chibearsv. Cold Draw - Snug but good draw. Mild hay flavor. 1st /3 - The flavor of hay continues but a sour twang is added. Back note of earth is in the mix too. 2nd /3 - Hay, earth and barnyard but a sweetness is added and the sour goes away. 3rd/3 - All the flavors stay but amps up. Normally the last 3rd is my least favorite in a cigar but it is starting to show its stuff and I am enjoying it. Score: 88/100 Summary: A direct line of flavor that builds and edges around. Not complex but it knows what it is and delivers on it by the end.

Let's get this out of the way, I am a Foundation fanboy. I think Nick Melillos is a genius when it comes to blending a cigar and weaving a story into his sticks. As many of you know, him and Steve Saka were the driving force behind the Liga Privada line when it was first introduced, and are probably my #1 and #2 in terms of who I'd love to see blend cuban tobacco. I wouldn't normally go for something this size, as I rarely go this wide, but Nick has stated that he blends to a toro, and from what I've sampled, it's the best size. Sorry for only one picture, I actually get lost smoking these and forgot to snap extras. Double punch, soft flame toasted, paired with ice water. Cold draw / aroma / appearance - The wrapper is flawless, and has just a little touch of tooth. Fragrance of hay, chocolate, roasted nuts, and espresso comes off the foot. Cold draw is more of the same. My only complaint is that it is a box press, which I'm not a big fan of. First Third - Immediate flavoring of black and white pepper, love the floral like flavor of the white. Roasted walnuts, leather, oak, are all bold, with a subtle hint of sweetness that is distinctly raisins. Maybe just a touch of bread. Finish is smoked chocolate. Second Third - Black pepper persists, but is now complimented by green pepper, bringing earthiness. The walnuts are roasted deeper, the leather fades back while the oak becomes charred, and bread is still hanging around. The raisin sweetness has gone caramel, and the chocolate is still present. Finish adds an espresso flavor. Final Third - Too many flavors to give brief descriptions, so I'm just going to list them since basically everything came back and some. Black pepper, white pepper, green pepper, roasted walnuts, charred oak, leather, hints of citrus peel, caramel, bread, espresso, raisin, graham cracker, sourdough, chocolate. If you've ever had one of those bonkers Nicuraguan espressos, then you can see the picture I'm painting. One thing I didn't mention earlier on is the smoke. It has been steadily building, starting as a fairly dry smoke gaining creaminess, until it felt almost like syrup. 9.5/10 - This is my favorite new world cigar and I think everyone should own at least one box in either wrapper (or both like me!). The heavier Foundation Cigars all improve with age, so I can see this in maybe 3-5 years being a serious competitor for a perfect score. I know I mentioned pepper a few times, but it's nowhere near the pepper bombs that you'll see Tatuaje, Warped, LFD, and to a lesser extent, Plasencia pumping out. I also know that we don't usually talk about price point, as it shouldn't influence a review, but I belive there's nothing on this planet at $13 usd a stick that comes close. This is a perfect example of 90 minutes well spent.

Bought a six pack of these in September of 2022 from 24:24 and am finally trying one out. First one I've had from 2022, the last couple I had were 2018s that had originally scared me off this cigar, as I was thoroughly unimpressed. I should point out that this is a little thicker than a typical robusto. Straight cut, toasted with a jet flame, paired with ice water. 1st Third - Floral sweetness, lightly charred oak, orange zest, a mushroom umami, and white pepper only appearing on the retrohale. The finish has chocolate and additional sweetness close to a 30% cacao. The burn line has gotten wonky, and I'm 100% sure it is my fault for lighting it unevenly. This thing is wide open, and smoke pours from the foot. Body is medium, if not a touch under. 2nd Third - The floral flavor has been swapped with vegetal notes, orange is now closer to half juice and half zest from added sweetness, the umami has faded slightly, with the overall sweetness going creamy. Oak has been replaced by roasted almond skin, something that I can pinpoint because I would peel almonds as a child to eat them in their purest form (I still do this on occasion). Chocolate has grown stronger on the finish and with the added sweetness has taken the cacao to a 20%. After a sip of water, bright vanilla shines through and rounds out the whole thing. Body is firmly medium as this point. Final 3rd - The veg now has a mineral aspect added to it, paired with the mushroom umami, it's a delicious forest floor. Just over toasted whole wheat bread, leather, steady creaminess, the almonds are more full nuts instead of just skins, orange comes in and out. This finish is now chocolate and caramel. The occasional drag yields a flavor of high quality boutique unsalted butter. During one of my pulls I accidently inhale maybe a quarter of the smoke and I gotta say, it wasn't all that bad. The last two draws deliver me pure pencil shavings, so I decide its time for it to die. Finished slightly over medium. The 2018s I had were duds, but this was a hit. An elegant snickers bar in leaf format. Cuba has been putting out nothing but quality for the last three years, and we can only hope to see this carry on for the next twenty. 8.34 / 10 - Potential to get up to 9 with some age, maybe even higher with significant age. This is worth snagging a tenner of, not necessarily a box, but it's damn close.

H.Upmann Half Corona - TOA MAY 22 Paired with: Nespresso Bianco Doppio w/ Milk & Sweet Cream Let me preface this review. This is my second smoked CC (first one = Monte 4), and my first review/writeup, so here it goes.. Construction Notes/ First Draw: Good, smooth, round construction. It peeves me a little when cigars look wonked or pressed to oblivion and lose their symmetry. Looking down the barrel, the leaf looks well distributed and no signs of veins or hard pack. Went with a Vee cut on this one, thinking the size of this cigar would lend well. Draw seemed easy, little resistance, and I picked up something a hay/grass like quality mixed with milk chocolate and hazelnut. Was very excited to get this thing lit. Experience/ Tasting Notes: Being a shorter stick, what I liked and enjoyed was some complexity and evolution with a shorter timed smoking experience. White pepper, cedar front during the beginning light and first couple of draws, opened up and settled into a pleasant granola. Also, is this the Cuban twang, I think, I've been enlightened to? NICE. Unsweetened tea, gingerbread notes (but without the spice) through the first and into the second third. I DO feel that nice nicotine buzz beginning to build up strong in this tight little punch. Shortbread breads and walnut dances around as things start to smooth out through the second third. I am getting baking cacao throughout, though subtle, adding some nice layering and making a thoroughly enjoyable mid smoke. Getting "in the pocket", the cacao ramps up and a slight raisin-y and syrupy texture pulls through and lingers on the finish. I hope I can get this thing down to the nub. Unfortunately, as the cap beings to unravel and cigar begins to burn offsides (likely due to the wind conditions), this thing slowly burns out. Final Impressions/ Rating - 6.3 / 10: Due to a slow start, touch ups along the way and eventual unraveling of the cap, I have to pull my grade down a little, though, with no disappointment. I think the uneven burn contributed to my eventual frustration and eventually the cigar going out before getting to the end. I was left with a few REALLY GOOD draws and a long, lingering satisfaction on my palate. I think I will give these some time to settle more, and revisit another in another 6 months or so...

JRE's Aladino Corojo Reserva Robusto Size: 5 x 50 Wrapper: Honduran Corojo Binder / Filler: Honduras / Honduras Something I really enjoy with new world cigars are the family and small business stories. You can read the story of Julio R. Eiroa who is the patriarch of the family and tobacco grower for his joint business (JRE) with his oldest son Justo M. and his youngest son, Christian's separate business - CLE. Cold Draw - Pleasant herbal flavor that is a bit medicinal. 1st /3 - The flavor of medicinal herbs continues but earthy notes are added. On the retrohale it is very sweet but still herbal. 2nd /3 (+20min) - The sweetness starts to come forward. At first it reminds me of malt, like malted milk or malt balls, as it is more dull and mellow mixed with the earthiness. Quickly it intensifies and becomes more floral and fruity. 3rd /3 (+40min) - The sweetness fades and the herbal flavors move to mint and some licorice. Score: 93/100 Writers Note: Has anyone here had both original Cuban Corojo (<1997) and pure Honduran? If so, I would be interested to understand how they compare. I don't see myself getting my hands on any Cubans that old but it would be fun to compare.

Byron - Siglo XX (20th Century) - Londinenses SIZE: 5 1/2 x 54 WRAPPER: ECUADORIAN SHADE BINDER: UNDISCLOSED FILLER: UNDISCLOSED, DOMINICAN & PERUVIAN LIGERO My interest in Byron came from a local cigar lounge using it's name and branding. It was the only local spot I can remember seeing it and the others (Atabey and Bandolero) from Selected Tobacco. The company is run by Nelson Alfonso, famous for the design of Behike. He reminds me of the role Nathan Myhrvold has in gastronomy but for the cigar world or maybe just some sort of mad scientist of tobacco. My evidence - includes secret tobaccos harvested in 2010 made in small Costa Rican factories Nelson Alfonso takes over for his runs and then returns post roll stored with multiple types of cedar(Western, Spanish and Lebanese?) for their different properties put through temperature and humidity cycle changes during aging for 5 years This is an undertaking of someone with a lot of passion and ingenuity. Cold Draw - Rich flavor of hay 1st /3 - Chocolate and hazelnut flavors at the start. A bit of cubanesque twang. As it goes the flavor of clove joins the party. The retrohale is all citrus. 2nd /3 (+40min) - An orange rind joins the clove. The other flavors transition to barnyard and smoke. Not cigar smoke, the smoke from a BBQ. Not a propane grill, a real BBQ - offset smoker loaded with Post Oak from Texas. 3rd /3 (+80min) - Left with the wood smoke and almonds towards the end. Very smooth. Score: 91/100 Writers Note: Smoked this on Christmas Day encouraged by Rob's Festive Season Cigar Review to select something pricier ($35>). That may have set my expectations high as I was assuming a higher score given the labor to produce and age. In the past I have had other Byron & Atabey and recall liking them more than this one.

Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series - Principe Maduro 46 x 4 1/2 With a 46 ring guage I have blurred the lines (tip to Marvin) by 1 as nothing about it feels greater than medium sized. Selected in honor of CA 2022 #8 rating 1st /3 - Instant Padron flavor. Delicious! A full body wave of warm relaxation comes from lighting this one up. It tastes of dark chocolate and wood. Retrohale - Toasted Marshmallow is brought to nose/mind, they are the same. 2nd /3 (+18min) - Flavors switch to toasted coconut and almond. It reminds me of a rich orgeat syrup. If you don't have that in your bar stock up here (https://www.liberandcompany.com/products/almond-orgeat-syrup) for Summer (hemisphere choice is yours). The cigar is a smooth as can be. Relaxation continues. 3rd /3 (+40min) - Cedar and Earth is what I taste but the sweetness of the syrup is still hanging out in the background. Me starting to wish it was a bigger Exclusivo so I had more time. Score: 94/100 Writers Note: Didn't look at CA score prior to my own, just that it ranked on the list. Reading it afterwards... Cool that they also said 94! On the dot! Is it a Nicaraguan puro or is that wrapper San Andres? I am too much of a novice to know or understand.

This was actually my first purchase from 24:24 in July, along with a couple tenners of PSD4. I've been holding off on smoking one of these since they already had a couple years and wanted to get to the magical 3rd before sampling. But I'm just getting over Covid, so it calls for celebration! Straight cut, soft flame, and paired with ice water. Cold draw and wrapper aroma are nothing to write home about, but hot damn its darker than most I've ever seen. My lighting doesn't do it justice, as it's closer to a Colorado maduro than the regular Colorado claro or even Colorado . Truly excited to see what lies underneath. Doing it in halves since she's a small one. First Half - Pure vanilla, toasted tobacco, hints of citrus peel, and cinnamon. Simply has all the flavors of things I love, nothing is overpowered or taking the lead. Might be my favorite texture of smoke I've ever experienced, pure creaminess on the palate with a flavor that doesn't overstay its welcome. I'd say body is light to medium at this point. Second Half - Vanilla is now riding shotgun with honey, citrus and cinnamon have lightened, a nice amount of cedar has been added as well as a small amount of chocolate. There's a trick that the flavors are playing on me though, this particular combination has reminded me of slightly burnt buttered popcorn. Somehow, the creaminess has also increased, with the body settling in medium, flirting with light medium. 8.75/10 - Potential for up to 9.25 with a real outside chance of a couple making it to 9.5. Construction was superb, requiring zero touchups, but I did have a bit of a runner (2nd picture) that corrected itself. Flavors were on point with nothing that was unpleasant. I would love for this thing to be about one inch longer as the 50 minute smoke time could've used another 15 minutes, and one more transition into a medium full smoke. The true star of the show was the texture. I would love to have that in every cigar I smoke for the rest of my life

The Quintero logo brings back memories of overpriced cigars in Caribbean resort humidors. Places that are self-respecting enough to not have a fake Cohiba but don't mind selling Volume Brands to tourists for $30 a stick, because they are Cuban. I never went for one. This is my first of the marca even though I have a box. Why? I think I purchased them to give out to curious cigar smokers who want to try a Cuban cigar or me cutting the lawn. This review is my excuse to give them a try and reap what late night wine soaked purchasing decisions(prior to me joining here, I can only go up) sow. Brand Notes "Quintero is a current pre-revolution brand, introduced circa 1924. The brand’s full name is Quintero y Hno (Quintero and brother). It is classified by Habanos S.A. as a Volume focused brand, and its range comprises cheap comparatively low quality cigars, handmade using short-filler tobacco from the Vuelta Abajo and Semi Vuelta regions. The Quintero line is generally medium strength." - CCW Quintero Panetelas Vitola de Galera: Vegueritos Length: 127 mm / 5" Ring Gauge: 37 Cold Draw - very little flavor, a bit of hay 1st /3 - a slight 'cuban' flavor that is wide in the mouth but fades fast. notes of hay/barnyard and light coco. the draw is tight. 2nd /3 (+15min) - the full mouth taste narrows quickly. more of a single note now, a blonde roasted coffee 3rd /3 (+30min) - coffee flavor darkens but also a bit more complex with some barnyard flavors Summary: This post is picture heavy because the Quintero didn't move me to long descriptions. It is what it is, not something you will reach for in your humidor but also not something off putting. If you're in the population reading this it could be a novelty to give away to someone who wants to just try a Cuban cigar because it does have that flavor on the start. Maybe that will be enough to catch the interest of the smoker to move on to something else. I am not sure when/if YOU should smoke one but I suspect my answer would be - a day when I have to do yard work & don't have a taste for anything & know I may need to put it down after 5 minutes & also don't want to give thought to the cigar. That is a lot of &s so even though it is a Volume stick the experience will be rare. Score: 60/100 Note: A serious question - Do people age short filler cigars? I am not familiar with box age being a thing for these but assume some age leads to some improvement.

This cigar was gifted to me in 2019, so I'm not entirely sure of the year or factory. I recently asked the man who gave it to me how old it was, and he said it was at least an 18, but as old as 2016. I'm smoking this with my best friend, but he's never had a Cuban before, so I laid out a small spread of approachable cigars for him, QdO 50, Cuaba Divinos, PLPC, and Monte 4. Asked him if he preferred honey, peanut butter, caramel, or milk chocolate. He answered milk chocolate so a 2019 Monte 4 is what I prescribed. Not much to get off the Mag 46 wrapper or cold draw, just pure Cuban barnyard. Straight cut, soft flame, paired with ice water. First 3rd - Roasted macadamia nuts that definitely need salt, graham cracker, wood, an unidentifiable stone fruit somewhere between dark cherry and unripe apricot, with a little bit of vanilla sweetness. Smoke output is exactly where I want it, almost a chimney, and the burn is excellent. Body is medium full. My friend is enjoying his smoke, and the conversation is more of an interview as he asks me questions about sizes, flavors, storage, and all that jazz pertaining to Cubans. second 3rd - The roasted macadamia nuts are the clear star, wood has become a little charred, chocolate has replaced the fruit, and the sweetness has ramped up. It tastes like a chocolate croissant that has been burned ever so slightly. A small amount of a metallic aftertaste has found its way into the finish. This thing is an absolute treat. The friend isn't getting the milk chocolate I described earlier, so I teach him how to retrohale. He gets it now, so I let him try mine (yes I know its a faux pas, but we've known each other since we were 6 years old, so who cares), and is blown away by the flavor. It looks like he's seen God. Final 3rd - The nuts have added a little salt and its all the better for it. The wood has now added a leather characteristic, and the chocolate has maintained. A surprising creaminess has crept into the fold, playing into the over baked croissant even further. In my experience, It's not often that cream can show up this late into a smoke, but I suppose that's one of the benefits of age. This is the fourth friend that I've introduced to Cuban tobacco, and without fail, every one has said something to the effect of "Goddamn you, now I've got to buy some." 9/10 - Potential for a 9.25 to 9.5. This was an exemplary smoke, finding its way into my top five for easy to find regular production, and with maybe one more flavor (coffee please) it would be contending for number one. I bought a 6 sampler a couple months ago from 24:24 that have been resting as a trail run for a box, and I think this has convinced me to fully commit. 99% of my 21-22 cigars I've had have been smoking beautifully, so I can only imagine what a 22 box with 5 years on it will do.

This was a great idea for a review weekend. Nice to see faces to put with names. Finished snow blowing the foot of snow we got Saturday night, cooled down, and decided I deserved my favorite for a job well done. Reached for an un-opened box of Esplendidos. All of the cigars in the box have perfectly uniform appearance including wrappers, size, and band locations and orientation. I love it when a new box looks perfect. On to the cigar, construction appears flawless, no hard knots, beautiful golden brown wrapper. Aroma at cold is pure barnyard wet straw, just what I expect. Opens medium body smooth and tangy, light citrus, very slight white pepper, slightly sweet, and undried straw. If you've ever been in a horse barn and smell a straw bale when it's busted open, that's what I'm getting here. Mid-point is much of the same but sweetness comes forward, slight lemon citrus, pepper almost disappears, and that barnyard twang is still very prevalent. The combination of barnyard and sweet gives that sensation of honey that I've heard and seen described by others. Maybe just over medium in body with lots of white smoke. Cigar finishes without much additional evolution but that's kind of the way Esplendidos roll. They just start out great and stay that way for 2 hours. Needed one re-light with a third to go but no other burn issues at all. Nubbed it of course. Solid A+ If the cigar apocalypse happens, I will be hoarding these. Pretty pictures first ?

There are certain cigars that just work. They give us a sense that this is what cigars were made for. They draw effortlessly, they billow with volumous clouds of smoke and make our palate sing with every puff. This is the experience I have when I smoke the last of these gorgeous Royal Robustos from a box of UPE NOV 12. At first sight, I knew these had potential when I bought them three years ago and laid eyes on the dark, oily wrappers. But it wasn't until I lit up the first sample that I realized what I was holding. The first third starts out with an immediate note of nuts and shortbread. Not just notes mind you, but deep roasted nuts. Sprinkled with a touch of cocoa. There's a hint of pepper in the background that lingers for maybe ten minutes, before settling off for the night. The flavor is rich and just a touch over medium. The nuts become pure hazelnut in the second third with cream and a little salt thrown in for good measure. Its time like these that I remember why smoking a cigar shouldn't be accompanied by your phone or a book or even another person. You have all you need right there in front of you. Take the moment for what it is, because you won't have another one exactly like this again. The final third is all class. The cigar becomes nutella, with cocoa joining the party and the shortbread coming back in. When I think to other cigars I've had, I realize, you can keep the Connie A, or the B, or heck, even your Coros. I just want another box of these, and an hour or two to bathe in the pure delight that comes from enjoying a hand-crafted piece of art that tastes so damn good. Score: 96

Last year I won cardbox with 5 of Romeo y Julieta Petit Corona. They are from '08 but I don't know the box code. The cigar has spent four months in box with other single marevas. I used puncher to open and triple-jet to light up. Perfect draw. First puffs were amazing. Perfectly balanced cigar. I've never smoked RyJ PC before (I had few RyJ MF) and that one was very pleasant. A lot of cedar, floral notes, bread and just a bit of cherry note typical for Romeo y Julieta. However almost for all the time I had burning issues. I needed to touch up every 10 minutes. Second third was a bit bitter but it took few minutes to got back that well seasoned tabacco. Last third had more earthy hits. I got box of RyJ Petit Princess from '07 and both cigars have the same profile. It looks like they passed their prime. Anyway I prefer typical cherry-bomb RyJ from Wide Churchill or Churchill. Even Cazadores have it. In my personal ranking it was marked as 83/100 because of burning issues.

Leading with the important part, 49's win 28-27 Short review, nice construction, mostly got light spices and some coffee with cream. Back to the party, enjoy the game all!

One of my late year smoking goals was to revisit some of the really memorable cigars from 2019. So I am late... as usual! Enter the Monte Esp. #2 vintage 2001. I have noticed a few near '01 vintage cigars showing up in this review series. So, lets talk a little about these cigars. Over and over again I see 99 to 01 vintage cigars maligned over the internet. I realize that I am an 'anti-establishment' smoker, but I have to wonder if any of these people parroting such rhetoric have actually smoked any of these cigars. In my time smoking Cuban cigars, I have to say that year over year, 01 vintage cigars prove themselves over and over as being some of the most complex, memorable cigar experiences. I covet mine... Considering how much I read about rH and temperature and storage from those without a clue, representing that they do have a clue, it would not surprise me that this is another case of internet puffing of knowledge not actually had. You don't have to go far to find an expert of everything here on the net. A recent thread about trying to tie cigar condition to aH tickles me as a recent example... I digress! I have smoked several of these this year. Look at what is left in the box. I hate to see them go, but I am not big on storing largely empty boxes. In this case I am making some exceptions. These cigars are so good, that I really don't want to commingle them with a bunch of nameless, homeless singles. They are simply too special for that. These cigars, including the one that I smoked this day, epitomize what I consider to be the Cuban cigar. This is a rich, firm drawing robust cigar. As you likely know, I store cigars rather dry. As a result, these have little bouquet. This does not mean the cigar is finished, over the hill, nor any of the many other prejudices that follow with 'nose' and a fine cigar. If you passed up on this cigar over your nose... you made a grave error. There was no 'foreplay' with this cigar! It opened, and opened to what might well have been the last third. It just turned on and stayed on. This was a rich, unctuous, high mouthfeel, lush and 'thick' tasting cigar. While the cigar had a moderately stiff draw, she breathed, thick, viscous, white smoke. The smoke was heavy and lingered. You could almost see it fall... The taste was bursting with stone fruit, plumb and peach but not sweet. Dried fruit is more accurate. Dense and lightly oily describes it best. The mouth feel is worth mentioning. While the last one of these was more complex with a bit more character, this slightly lesser sibling was no runt. I did not time my smoke. I enjoyed the beautiful weather, my wife and dog's company. The interesting elements from the cigar varied as if with the conversation and the music that we listened to. The tastes of spices, fruits and nuts all came to the table to serve me. This was a sublime smoke. I say this over and over. It was not the missing 22 ring of shallow filler that made this cigar what it was. You don't need 50 plus ring cigars to deliver like this. You need quality tobacco of the proper blend and a roller who knows and cares about what he/she is doing. If that is magic, well this cigar had that... Thanks for reading and sharing my experience. Cheers! -the Pig

In the spirit of the holiday season, let me quote from the classic movie "A Christmas Story" as related by our hero Ralphie: "Now it is well known throughout the midwest that the old man is a turkey junky, a bonafide golly turkacnis freak." It may be well known in the Southeast, or at least on my street, that I am a Partagas Short junkie. A bonafide party minuto freak I do truly love these things. This is from my oldest box, which as you see is dwindling. After the FOH video this year about dipping in water, I've taken to doing that with ones that seem a tad ... dry. Maybe not as dry as the turkey that Catherine made in that other holiday classic "Christmas Vacation", but dry nonetheless. So this one got a dip, and you can see a prelude to the flavor with my crock of sourdough on the counter. Partagas. Pepper, spice, sourdough. A wonderful 30ish minute smoke in the out of doors a mere few days before Christmas. A tad squishy under the band, but a nice even burn and excellent smoke. I've found that the size of the ash is directly related to me getting my phone ready to take a picture (the longest ash ALWAYS falls right before the pic), but I also find that dipping in water tends to make super long ashes more rare. Which I suppose makes sense. I've yet to get a 50 cabinet of these, my two holy grails (are you listening Santa?) are a cab of these and a cab of the PLPC's. Someday. I've bought so many damn cigars this year that I feel like the cabs will come in time. But I know that I will be smoking these shorts until I'm done smoking cigars. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all! My wife and I will be on an anniversary trip through Europe in a few days, so expect some reviews or notes about shops in Berlin, Prague, Budapest, and/or Vienna. I'll keep my eyes peeled for any RE's, and may buy a party short to smoke there, but my coin mostly comes here nowadays.