Cigar Utopia, My 20th Anniversary Cruise

[smll2]

Doc,

This is one of the most enjoyable threads I've ever seen/read. Please keep up the great work and sharing. I'm on pins an needles LOL. I've smoked some 2nd edition Conde's and loved em. Good luck with your find.

Tom

[#2 man]

I have one more post for today, as bad as the counterfeits were in Costa Maya, I was still not prepared for the onslaught in Cozumel. Every single block a vendor tried to entice the unknowing tourists to purchase the poorest cosmetic fakes I have ever seen. That is why in this backdrop I was completely shocked to find an unexpected treasure. A full sealed box of the elusive Edmundo Dantes. I finally found the one authorized distributor that Puros Y Tabacos has on this island, and amidst the sea of forgeries, a true gem (actually a whole box of them) was found, # 567/600. What a great present for me on my 20 Wedding Anniversary!!!!!

By the way, somehow Teddie does not share my ecstasy to the same level about this find.

Stay tuned for the review on this baby...

what a great read !!!!! Thanks for sharing all those great cigars. Sound like every day gets better as your trip goes on ...... As it should celebrating 20 years together Congradulations

[GTS21]

Excellent thread, I really enjoyed reading this! Happy anniversary!

[Mirrorlure7m]

Very nice Emil I was looking forward to seeing the review on the Davidoff ..

[wp2]

Cigar porn!!

Excellent reviews, keep enjoying.

[Warren]

Hey Doc, did you ever find my friends Malcolm and Amanda?

[edameff]

Sadly, my final review of this cruise, the Edmundo Dantes Condo 109 from 2008; all great things come to an end. We are sailing home, so of course there is a small hurricane on the balcony. The wrapper is a light color, excellent construction with good oils. I have never had the 109 vitola before and it fits my mouth like glove (well not like O.J.’s). I have to light this one in the cabin (there is a $250 cleaning fee if their Jimmy Durante style cabin steward smells a molecule of smoke) then charge out on the balcony. The draw is great, and the first few puffs are smooth with caramel and coffee. There are hints of nuts and mild earth. The first third continues with this essence, then a faint tannic flavor starts, but it is not unpleasant. Nasal spice has a sweet sickly twist. Over the next third, the tannin taste intensified somewhat, but again it was not offensive; usually I dislike this flavor, but for some reason it fit well with the flavor profile. The coffee overtones also intensify. This cigar started out as medium bodied, but did progress to more full. In the final stage an orange peel is added, but this does not throw the harmony of the cigar out of sync. Amazingly the burn was very straight even in the blustery conditions.

I give this a 94 which surprises me for such a young cigar. I think that age will remove the tannins and only improve this beauty. I highly recommend this cigar!

I want to say Thank You for all the wonderful comments on this thread, Teddie and I loved reading them and it really enhanced our cruise! You guys are the BEST!!!!

Emil

[edameff]

Hey Doc, did you ever find my friends Malcolm and Amanda?

No, I went to the guest relations desk and gave them both spellings, and they insisted that there was no one on this sailing with that name, very strange. Any chance it was a the sailing just before ours, we started in Port Everglades (Ft. Lauderdale) on May 15th, and returned yesterday May 22nd. I was very excited about seeing them. Let me know what you find out.

Emil

[Warren]

No, I went to the guest relations desk and gave them both spellings, and they insisted that there was no one on this sailing with that name, very strange. Any chance it was a the sailing just before ours, we started in Port Everglades (Ft. Lauderdale) on May 15th, and returned yesterday May 22nd. I was very excited about seeing them. Let me know what you find out.

Emil

You could be right there Emile. I do know that they were on the same ship because I have an email from them telling me about it.

They were going to make a point of standing in front of the web cam on the board walk right next to the carousel at 9 am our time.

I'll have to ask them about it when they get home. I'll let you know.

You would have liked them, they're a lovely couple.

Cheers

Warren

[drubcurtis]

Great thread. Thanks for sharing and congrats!

[lemmycaution]

Thanks so much for sharing, I really enjoyed the reviews. Have a safe trip home.

[Mr.T]

Congrats again and thanks so much for taking us along for the ride with some amazing smokes. Loved reading your reviews and looking overall all the pictures. Look forward to your posts at 40 years.

[doscervezas]

Looks amazing! Congrats on 20 years together.

[cvm4]

Pretty cool thread and thanks for reviewing all those great cigars.

[BobLobLaw]

Great thread. Thanks for posting everything. Congrats again on the marriage and also on the Dantes. Great find!

[Cigarhoarder]

Emil,

Once you told me of the reviews I had to log on and see what you had to say and inspired me to register and leave a comment. (As much as over the years I have really seen boards come and go, private, not private, etc. etc., enough of the tangent)

I am glad that you enjoyed the cigars. The reviews were outstanding and I am glad that you had a great anniversary cruise. I will be in touck soon.

J..

[sloth]

HA! I was on the smaller/older Monarch of the Seas in April.... I only got one Swan! My friends got the monkey/bat(?)

Again, Congratulations!

[Mirrorlure7m]

Emil this thread is great. I know the love you have for cigars and it shows in your reviews. I have checked this thread daily as you where on your cruise. Thanks again for taking the time to do this .

[Habanakane21]

Thanks for sharing your trip with us. I loved reading it all. Congrats on 20 yrs. Big milestone... I'm working on 17 years myself. I see a trip with a cigar line-up in my future.