Merry Christmas and Talisman short review

[KZou]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years to everyone. 

I've been smoking cigars for a few years now but just stumbled upon this site a couple of months ago. Throuroughly enjoying it love reading all the stories and everything people are smoking. 

Just tried the second talisman since last week. Overall must say I'm very disappointed with this cigar, at least in this early age. 

Definitely on the stronger side, close to a full body. Not quite a maduro but certainly getting there. Some woody and chocolate taste but other than that it doesn't really evolve much and lacks a lot of complexity. 

What I'm most disappointed about is the construction. I did a v cut but the draws really really firm. Had to relight it a couple of times just to get through the first 2/3. Also both of the ones I've had the wrapper completely broke off and became unsmokable for the final third..... For what it retails in Canada, I think about 1000CAD a box plus tax, there are simply better choices. I'd much rather keep smoking behikes than this. Both the 2011 and 2014 ones are far superior to this. I'm not a huge fan of full bodied cigars so maybe that is why. But it simply lacks the creamy smoothness that the expensive cohibas all possess

I still have two more boxes tucked away and will probably continue to buy more if my local store receives them in the hopes that they get better. But for now I won't be smoking these anymore until they get a lot more age on them. With almost all Cohiba ELs I'm sure it will be a good investment but I usually run through everything extremely quickly. It is just very rare for me to not want to smoke something right away. 

I'd say before you buy these try to try them first if possible. Certainly the most disappointing premium cohiba at this point. 

 

 

[GotaCohiba]

I’d be devastated if I spent that kind of money and had them turn out like that 

Thanks for the review

 

 

[KZou]

22 minutes ago, GotaCohiba said:

I’d be devastated if I spent that kind of money and had them turn out like that 

Thanks for the review

 

 

Well I was fairly disappointed to be sure. But as you know these things are already commanding a high price and will probably only go up with time, so it won't be a big problem

[Eric05]

This is one of many i smoked and i have to agree with what you said. I am not impressed by this over priced stick at all. The first 3rd is very strong. Minimal flavor. Ash in the beginning is real good. And then once i dump the ash. It turns for the first. A lot of re lighting. Touching up. No taste nor flavor. A very boring taste. I’ve smoked about 4-5 now and I’ve felt the same way. I gave my brother one to smoke as well and his tunneled. 

[KZou]

9 minutes ago, Eric05 said:

This is one of many i smoked and i have to agree with what you said. I am not impressed by this over priced stick at all. The first 3rd is very strong. Minimal flavor. Ash in the beginning is real good. And then once i dump the ash. It turns for the first. A lot of re lighting. Touching up. No taste nor flavor. A very boring taste. I’ve smoked about 4-5 now and I’ve felt the same way. I gave my brother one to smoke as well and his tunneled. 

Glad I'm not the only one (if that's the correct way to out it lol) I've never managed to keep any one box away for more than 3 months but I just feel absolutely zero urge to smoke this at all. Hopefully with some aging it will get better. 

[NSXCIGAR]

It appears the Robustos Supremos these are not...I'm hearing the the same less than ideal reviews of these from around the water cooler. 

They are really fresh and maybe a few more months will help, but the CRS did not have this much negative feedback at any point. 

[Lotusguy]

So they are even worse than the CRS? Yikes

[KZou]

15 minutes ago, Lotusguy said:

So they are even worse than the CRS? Yikes

Actually I think the CRS is quite nice at 3 years in. But yes, in short they are worse than the CRS in my opinion. But then again I am not find of the Monty Dantes either so maybe I'm just not in love with these closer to full body EL recently.  

[Lotusguy]

Actually I think the CRS is quite nice at 3 years in. But yes, in short they are worse than the CRS in my opinion. But then again I am not find of the Monty Dantes either so maybe I'm just not in love with these closer to full body EL recently.  

I'm with you on the Dantes - didn't do much for me either. The only 2017 LE I enjoyed was the Topes.

[Nino]

I've smoked a few Talismanes so far and was quite disappointed with the El Laguito coded ones, very humid, extremely fresh and way too young, disposed of them rather quickly after half a cigar.
I have left them out to dry and rest before giving them another chance. I see good potential but it is well hidden.

The ones rolled at Partagas OTOH were well rested, very enjoyable and a pleasure to smoke. Excellent.

Have not tried the La Corona ones yet but will do soon.

All factories in Havana, except Artemisa IIRC, are rolling Talismanes so there is ample supply.
El Laguito alone has 25 rollers churning them out.

But I have also enjoyed all the Dantes I've had so far, great cigar IMO and getting better, so maybe my taste is off

[KZou]

1 hour ago, nino said:

I've smoked a few Talismanes so far and was quite disappointed with the El Laguito coded ones, very humid, extremely fresh and way too young, disposed of them rather quickly after half a cigar.
I have left them out to dry and rest before giving them another chance. I see good potential but it is well hidden.

The ones rolled at Partagas OTOH were well rested, very enjoyable and a pleasure to smoke. Excellent.

Have not tried the La Corona ones yet but will do soon.

All factories in Havana, except Artemisa IIRC, are rolling Talismanes so there is ample supply.
El Laguito alone has 25 rollers churning them out.

But I have also enjoyed all the Dantes I've had so far, great cigar IMO and getting better, so maybe my taste is off

That's interesting. I didn't actually check the factory on my boxes but will go do that and hope for the best. 

I'm sure ur taste isn't off. Many love the Dantes, it's just me preferring medium to lighter bodied cigars that's all. But now that u mention it, I'll probably try one tonight

[Doctorossi]

For the price being asked for this release, it needs to be 'blow your socks off' good.

[TNT009]

After ready these horrible reviews, it make me want to spend my cash elsewhere, Thanks!

[99call]

12 minutes ago, TNT009 said:

After ready these horrible reviews, it make me want to spend my cash elsewhere, Thanks!

The crazy thing is, that even with 90% bad reviews, people will still hoover them up like gold dust.??  I can understand flipping them, but to smoke? from what people are saying it sounds as if any generic cuban robusto would be a better smoke.  I guess though, if you don't try, you don't know.....but for the time being I'm happy to let others undertake this underwhelming adventure. 

[Doctorossi]

Just now, 99call said:

I guess though, if you don't try, you don't know...

The thing is, you can just as well say that about so many cigars with uniformly great reviews. Unless you've tried absolutely everything...

[KZou]

9 minutes ago, 99call said:

The crazy thing is, that even with 90% bad reviews, people will still hoover them up like gold dust.??  I can understand flipping them, but to smoke? from what people are saying it sounds as if any generic cuban robusto would be a better smoke.  I guess though, if you don't try, you don't know.....but for the time being I'm happy to let others undertake this underwhelming adventure. 

And that includes myself too. Like I said I'll keep buying when they come in. If they turn out better then great, if they don't well then just resell or smoke them as a regular cigar. I think it's not that it's not a decent cigar, but that it underwhelms the expectation that's all. 

[99call]

9 minutes ago, Doctorossi said:

The thing is, you can just as well say that about so many cigars with uniformly great reviews. Unless you've tried absolutely everything...

With cigars like this, I refuse to buy them until I hear at least a consensus of about 80% that they are outstanding cigars. If at that point I buy some and they are terrible, then I am unlucky and 1 of the 20%. 

Gladly though by the time I hear the reviews, they are all gone, and I don't have to think about it. Ha

[99call]

3 minutes ago, KZou said:

And that includes myself too. Like I said I'll keep buying when they come in. If they turn out better then great, if they don't well then just resell or smoke them as a regular cigar. I think it's not that it's not a decent cigar, but that it underwhelms the expectation that's all. 

Yep, I agree thats great for you, and I don't see any downside... as long as it can be shipped on at the same if not increased price. 

But this is exactly what I'm saying.  Who is the person who is buying a box of Cohiba Talisman second hand, after an avalanche of bad reviews..for double the price?  The only answer that seems logical to me, is someone that wants to sell them for triple the price.  

I guess my point is:

Cohiba is a brand that sells itself on quality/exclusivity,  surely if the market becomes aware one of it's products is not worth the price they slap on it, then there should be a negative effect.....but their isn't, are they 100% bullet proof now?.

I'm wondering what would happen if quality nose dived on the CORO, would people talk about it and would the market react by not buying it, or would it just continue to fly off the shelves? 

I'm not wanting to be critical of the brand, I just find it fascinating when brands can become so powerful and influential that the quality of their products can become irrelivant

[KZou]

2 hours ago, 99call said:

Yep, I agree thats great for you, and I don't see any downside... as long as it can be shipped on at the same if not increased price. 

But this is exactly what I'm saying.  Who is the person who is buying a box of Cohiba Talisman second hand, after an avalanche of bad reviews..for double the price?  The only answer that seems logical to me, is someone that wants to sell them for triple the price.  

I guess my point is:

Cohiba is a brand that sells itself on quality/exclusivity,  surely if the market becomes aware one of it's products is not worth the price they slap on it, then there should be a negative effect.....but their isn't, are they 100% bullet proof now?.

I'm wondering what would happen if quality nose dived on the CORO, would people talk about it and would the market react by not buying it, or would it just continue to fly off the shelves? 

I'm not wanting to be critical of the brand, I just find it fascinating when brands can become so powerful and influential that the quality of their products can become irrelivant

That's the beauty of branding and marketing. There are people who for them money is no object and cigars become a social product more or less. 

They give them as gifts and as tokens more than actual cigars. A friend of mine bought one of the 50 anniversary cabinets for 500K euros, and he's either smoked or given all of the cigars away as gifts already. People that receive these things don't need to know the quality of the product, only the price and degree of difficulty in obtaining them that's all. Scarcity sells itself. 

For a regular production cigar I think it would be a bit more of a problem so they still need to make quality products by and large. But you see this trick in withholding supply to inversely drive up price all over the place, the cigar world is certainly not immune. 

[99call]

8 hours ago, KZou said:

That's the beauty of branding and marketing. There are people who for them money is no object and cigars become a social product more or less. 

They give them as gifts and as tokens more than actual cigars. A friend of mine bought one of the 50 anniversary cabinets for 500K euros, and he's either smoked or given all of the cigars away as gifts already. People that receive these things don't need to know the quality of the product, only the price and degree of difficulty in obtaining them that's all. Scarcity sells itself. 

For a regular production cigar I think it would be a bit more of a problem so they still need to make quality products by and large. But you see this trick in withholding supply to inversely drive up price all over the place, the cigar world is certainly not immune. 

I've never considered that there maybe group of buyers are just giving cigars away to friends, thats lovely. Maybe they give Talismans out, because they couldn't bare to part with a RA 898 from the 80s

I understand what your saying about money not being a consideration for the ultra wealthy, that said, I could never imagine a situation (if I were a billionaire) where I wouldn't want to support whats good and avoid whats bad. Not necessarily that buying a bad expensive cigar, may result in a bad smoking experience, more that I wouldn't ever knowingly want to support the production of anything that was thought to be cynical in its nature. .......and not support those who are really going the extra mile

 

 

[KZou]

8 hours ago, 99call said:

I've never considered that there maybe group of buyers are just giving cigars away to friends, thats lovely. Maybe they give Talismans out, because they couldn't bare to part with a RA 898 from the 80s

I understand what your saying about money not being a consideration for the ultra wealthy, that said, I could never imagine a situation (if I were a billionaire) where I wouldn't want to support whats good and avoid whats bad. Not necessarily that buying a bad expensive cigar, may result in a bad smoking experience, more that I wouldn't ever knowingly want to support the production of anything that was thought to be cynical in its nature. .......and not support those who are really going the extra mile

 

 

All I'm saying is that reviews don't matter to them. They just want the most expensive, which more often than not would lead them to the best.