Hangover from Hell and 1996 Cuaba Review.

[El Presidente]

Well 12 FOH members (affectionately known as the Disciples) had our annual Christmas lunch yesterday at 1:30 pm. I arrived home at 11:30 pm and I know that more than a few of the guys kicked on until 3am.

The venue was fine dining restaurant ISIS where we indulged in a degustation menu to which Ken matched the wines (which he graciously brought). I supplied the cigars which we enjoyed at Mick Ethers Fireworx Gallery down the road. Highlights on the menu were:

Tortellinin of AT Char, olive oil mash and sauce vierge.

Slow cooked farmed white rabbit, asparagas mousseline, tomato and truffle dressing.

Spiced Venison, roast pumpkin, blue mascapone and mustard fruits.

Walnut Brioche, French blue cheese and macerated currants.

Toasted coconut souffle with coconut sorbet

The meal was nothing short of sensational and I was well wined and dined when I lit up the 1996 Cuaba Tradicional.

I didn't really know what to expect from this little Figurado. My favourite of the Cuaba line has always been the smaller Divino's which has a strong dynamic personality....it has been a tragedy that supply this year has been near non existant.

Anyway the Cuaba Tradicional long with the Generosos has always had a papery quality which I have not cared for.

This Tradicional was gifted by good mate Tony who was in turn gifted this cigar by Hunter and Frankau in 1996 when it was a prototype for the forthcoming Cuaba line.

The Cuaba Tradicional had a light tan wrapper and was rolled well if just a little underfilled. Clipping the foot the draw was easy but not so easy that it was going to be distracting.

Lighting the nose of the cigar I was met with smooth rich tobacco flavour. The type of smoothness which only comes with age. Lush and smooth..lush and smooth. Bloody lovely but here is the rub (look in your book of Aussiisms). The cigar had no complexity and this is a problem I have had with aged cigars before. They are Smooth and rich or smooth and creamy but there is no complexity to the pooint that they have lost their unique individualism. Don't get me wrong...I thoroughy loved this Cuaba. The flavour and balance was excellent. The burn razor sharp.

Now some cigars age better than others but I will stick my neck out and say that 5-8 years box age is optimum. You run he risk of losing marque flavour definitions after this. By this I mean the coffee cream nature of Montecristo, the honey cream of aged Cohiba, The spice of an R&J Exhibicion no 3. Sorry MRN :-D

I thoroughly enjoyed the Cuaba Tradicional and would give it an 89/100. A little complexity...a little journey...a hint of excitement and it would have ben a 95.

Ken gorged himself on 3 (three) Partagas 898 varnished.

Thankyou Tony for the opportunity. A gloriously generous gesture

[Ben]

Life's hardly worth living eh Rob :-D

[El Presidente]

Low blow Ben.

You know that I never stop working ;-)

[Ken Gargett]

be fair! i only had two 898's (well i had two of something so that must have been it). no idea what the third one was but it was a different size (don't ask me for details but i will post a review). may i say that how you can hope to do a fair review when you couldn't even walk straight without knocking over glasses and bottles is a bit beyond me.

and if anyone doubts me, the last i saw of rob, he was doing readings of ts eliot and alfred j prufrock near midnight while sitting on a stool on a footpath down some industrial wasteland.

it was a big day.

[genevapics]

Sounds to me that someone had WAY to good a time. Dinner sounds awesome. Love anything coconut. I'm not sure whom to believe regarding the review: you or Ken. All I know, 10 some hours eating and gourging on cigars can do some strange things to mere mortals.:-D

[Tampa1257]

El Prez, so it sounds like your preference of aged cigars is the 5-8 year range because of loss of individual marca definition? Regardless, it sounds like you had a wonderful time and great cigar to cap off a meal with good friends. What else could someone want in life than this?

[El Presidente]

Great time.

The point I was trying to make is that after the 5-8 year mark, the flavours which many cigars are renowned for become muted and in some cases disappear. Just my opinion

Ramon Allones, Partagas, Bolivar, Cohiba could probably stretch to 10-12 years....HDM, ERDM, SP, RG closer to 5

[Spartagas]

» Great time.

»

» The point I was trying to make is that after the 5-8 year mark, the

» flavours which many cigars are renowned for become muted and in some cases

» disappear. Just my opinion

»

» Ramon Allones, Partagas, Bolivar, Cohiba could probably stretch to 10-12

» years....HDM, ERDM, SP, RG closer to 5

Sounds like it!

I'd be interested to hear what your thoughts are on the other marcas, i.e., H. Upmann, Punch, etc.

[kab55]

Sound like everyone had a great time :-P

[Guest crossbow]

Interesting review Rob...what catches my attention is your opinion of the Cuaba Divinos.

[n2advnture]

LOL! Nice review Rob!