Maplepie Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 Very nice presentation box of 20 cigars. Fairly cheap. Machine rolled Cuban cigar with short filler and precut. Honestly, I bought these cigars on their price and the Corona in the name. Was surprised (but not shocked) when I found out that these are not Corona sized but Universales. Cooler name and very nice shape - perfect for winter. Comes with some hard plastic friction tubes with a rubber knob. Prefer it to the aluminium tubes as they're not crushable in my pocket. Oh how many times I've had to take wire snippers to a tube to save a cigar with the Jaws of Life. Prelight Ritual Moments ANYWAY, Back to the cigar: Took it out during work with a can of Schweppes Ginger Ale. We lit it up on my break in the heated shed which was very nice. Left the door open so my legs were freezing but the hot air was blowing continuously on my head. That thing could've heated an entire baseball stadium. ANYWAY, Back to the cigar. Very toothy wrapper as expected from a machine roll and very sweet, cedary draw that reminded me of the nectare of a Sprite. Kinda like what honey from heaven would taste like. Or if you licked Tinkerbell. I could actually feel a retrohale on the cold draw which was odd but pleasant. Enjoyed it very much. First Half Great first bit. Tasted like what San Pelligrino if they made a Marachino cherries flavour. Brilliant smoke and pumping out record smoke. I would be taking full draws without getting any sort of harshness. Mouthful upon mouthful of smoke later, you could feel a cedar taste creep up on your palate and tell you that there is SOME complexity with the cigar. It was absolutely brilliant. Flavour was on every time with no surprises or sudden changes of heart. Retrohale had no harshness but does bring out the woodiness more than the sweetness. Nearing the second quarter, the cigar started to really intensify with the flavours as all pistons were pumping. I can tell it has some nicotine/ tannic polymers/ nitrosamines that normally makes cigars harsh. But that was masked by the continous sweet aroma of the cigar. Tasted more like black forest cake near the end... Less like Maraschino Cherries. Second Half I wanted to review this cigar in quarters. But the subtle changes were too gradual to justify typing out these long winded paragraphs FOUR TIMES for this cigar. On top of that, I was with my supervisor who was talking for a bit. Lucky I even remembered to snap these pictures! ANYWAY, Back to the cigar: Still strong with sweet tang. I am really enjoying the hell out of this cigar. It's something that has produced an ass kicking which was surprising considering the sweetness. It was gradual so I didn't even notice. The strength came in the form of a woody zap that reminds me of engraving maple wood or cooling maple sap in the snow. As a child, I would take a stick, put it on a wooden board layered with snow, and pour maple sap over the board. The sap would harden and you would roll it around in the snow to create a lolly that was absolutely delicious. That's what it tastes like right now. Damn I missed those. The retrohale continued to bring out a strong wood taste that masked the sweetness. I stopped retrohaling because the nostalgic beauty of the cedary maple candies outweighed any sort of need to taste burnt wood. It gradually faded away, unfortunately and the cigar started to taste more like the retrohale. It got bitter near the end but not something I could taste. It was kind of like burning plastic... But it was a good kind of 'gasoline' taste. Something I can't describe too well in words. I didn't bother retrohaling at this point. It ended quite small and I would've nubbed it if my break didn't end 15 minutes ago... Final Thoughts A great, predictable, know-what-you're-getting cigar. I stocked up on vintage RA Belvederes for this winter but I think these will dominate what I'm going to smoke for the next little while. These are too good to put down. 45 minute smoke time and would've easily gone to 55 if I cared to nub it. If I was taking my time smokin this cigar, it would've stretched up to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Absolutely brilliant. Red Stagg bourbon has a taste profile very similar to the first half of this cigar. I would buy a bottle just to pair with this cigar. Call them 2013 heroine/crack/PCP/meth, etc. But I call them my winter smokes and perhaps even my summer smokes. Rating: 87/100. Only thing it lacks is complexity which is why I can't justify giving it a higher rating. Contest Part Will give 3 of these cigars (a whole whopping three!?!) to anyone who can guess the box code of this cigar. Date is not needed. But guess the box code. (CaptainQuintero... you're banned from guessing. And so is anyone who KNOWS the box code of this cigar!) Hint 1: They're not an old box code. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikek Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 You know at least on the sites I go I have never seen these for sale! great review. GUT? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CigarEnthusiast Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 You know at least on the sites I go I have never seen these for sale! great review. GUT? That's what I was thinking. I can't find these or Guantanamera. Anyway great review. Seems like a pretty good budget stick. My guess is SUB. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optic101 Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 Very nice read Jez, very tempted to try. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Puros Y Vino Posted November 2, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted November 2, 2014 Troya was one of the worst Cubans I've ever tried. Bitter and tanniny. Like chewing on grape stems. My code guess is POO 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maplepie Posted November 2, 2014 Author Share Posted November 2, 2014 Troya was one of the worst Cubans I've ever tried. Bitter and tanniny. Like chewing on grape stems. My code guess is POO yeah... POO on you!! Monday looks good for weather. If you're up, i'll bring a pair down (If you hate it, i'll bring a Half Corona as a backup ) UPDATE on guesses: They're NOT an old box code. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Guero Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 Nice review! BAM? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CigarEnthusiast Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 yeah... POO on you!! Monday looks good for weather. If you're up, i'll bring a pair down (If you hate it, i'll bring a Half Corona as a backup ) UPDATE on guesses: They're NOT an old box code. Does this mean I get a second guess? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maplepie Posted November 2, 2014 Author Share Posted November 2, 2014 Does this mean I get a second guess? is right! None of you will guess it until I actually post up the second hint . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradbrennan Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 . Kinda like what honey from heaven would taste like. Or if you licked Tinkerbell. It was absolutely brilliant. Flavour was on every time with no surprises or sudden changes of heart. Tasted more like black forest cake near the end... Less like Maraschino Cherries. Still strong with sweet tang. I am really enjoying the hell out of this cigar. As a child, (last year?!) I would take a stick, put it on a wooden board layered with snow, and pour maple sap over the board. The sap would harden and you would roll it around in the snow to create a lolly that was absolutely delicious. That's what it tastes like right now. Damn I missed those. Rating: 87/100. Only thing it lacks is complexity which is why I can't justify giving it a higher rating. Damn, 87/100 sounds harsh considering honey from heaven and Tinkerbell lick...sounds like 99+ ?! I'm guessing DIC13 as I think I recall you were looking for some of those recently (I had to edit this a couple times to make sure you knew all is in fun, Jeremy...the maple lolly really sounds good!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garbandz Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 LAR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cisco Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 Thanks for the review Jeremy. I've never had one of these, but now you've piqued my curiosity. I'm guessing MUS DIC13. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maplepie Posted November 2, 2014 Author Share Posted November 2, 2014 Damn, 87/100 sounds harsh considering honey from heaven and Tinkerbell lick...sounds like 99+ ?! Eeeeeh... It tasted amazing (AMAZING) but didn't develop as much as I rathered. i can't justify a 90+ cigar that I review in halves instead of thirds. A high 80 was in order but not TOO high because I just didn't feel it. Flavours didn't get too impressive near the final sixth. There was no way I could give the simplicity of the cigar a 90 or higher. But maybe you're right... Perhaps I do judge too harshly . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trimming Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 SAR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rye Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 Do they even give that crap a code? The few I've tried smoking would be out done by lighting them while still in the plastic. Harsh, nasty, tasted like the tube and ugly. I will not subject myself to one ever again. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maplepie Posted November 2, 2014 Author Share Posted November 2, 2014 Do they even give that crap a code? The few I've tried smoking would be out done by lighting them while still in the plastic. Harsh, nasty, tasted like the tube and ugly. I will not subject myself to one ever again. Note to self: Replace with Quintero band and bomb one to Ry... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bostin Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 You think a box from jul-00 is a good catch for 100€ Skickas från min iPhone via Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rigby Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 I had a box of these a couple of years ago that were not bad at all... a nice winter or 'yard gar' some of twenty in the box were quite good. I agree with your take on these, an 87 they are... I also seem to remember a lack of a box code or date on the bottom of the box... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maplepie Posted November 5, 2014 Author Share Posted November 5, 2014 You think a box from jul-00 is a good catch for 100€ Skickas från min iPhone via Tapatalk Psssssst. We have PMs. I also seem to remember a lack of a box code or date on the bottom of the box... BINGO! PM me your address. Time for you to try out a few more 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cisco Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 Do they even give that crap a code? The few I've tried smoking would be out done by lighting them while still in the plastic. Harsh, nasty, tasted like the tube and ugly. I will not subject myself to one ever again. I guess one man's Maraschino Cherries and Black Forest Cake is another's ugly ... I have a feeling these will be more ugly for me as well but I will give one a try...I wonder if sitting in the plastic tube for a lengthy period of time imparts a taste to the cigar given Rye's comments? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earthson Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 MUR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldy Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 I guess one man's Maraschino Cherries and Black Forest Cake is another's ugly ... I have a feeling these will be more ugly for me as well but I will give one a try...I wonder if sitting in the plastic tube for a lengthy period of time imparts a taste to the cigar given Rye's comments? Even out of the tube, surrounded and packed tight in a bundle of your favourite cigar will not help. I've had 5 of these and was desperate for a Mexican glasstop Cohiba to wash the bitterness away afterwards. Honey from heaven (which I never tasted BTW) it was not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maplepie Posted November 22, 2014 Author Share Posted November 22, 2014 I've had 5 of these and was desperate for a Mexican glasstop Cohiba to wash the bitterness away afterwards. Honey from heaven (which I never tasted BTW) it was not. That's honestly such a shame... I love these cigars AND a box costs the same as two Por Larranaga Sobresalientes. I just bought five boxes!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChanceSchmerr Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 Cause it's you - MOB DIC 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangolf18 Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 Ummm.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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