JohnS' Smoking Diary 2021

[JohnS]

Ramón Allones Small Club Coronas ETP Mar 2017

The Ramon Allones Small Club Corona is a reputable (42 ring gauge x 110 mm or 4⅜ inches in length) minutos which I've sadly neglected, to my detriment, by just smoking three examples of this vitola in the last five years. Today was my fourth, but the second one in three weeks from a recent acquisition.

Much like my last one a few weeks ago, this RASCC had a quality nut and dried fruit, like raisins, flavour to it which again appealed to my palate. This combined with the light cocoa, wood and leather to produce an excellent cigar-smoking experience over 50 minutes!

Today's Ramon Allones Small Club Corona wasn't as outstanding as the one I had three weeks ago but it was excellent, nonetheless!

[JohnS]

Rafael González Petit Coronas SOM Ene 2017

The Rafael Gonzalez Petit Corona may be monikerred RGPC but it is actually a marevas, which is of course a 42 ring gauge x 129 mm (or 5⅛ inches) in length handmade Habanos cigar. The Petit Corona classification used to refer to a machine-made vitola of the same length.

This Rafael Gonzalez Petit Corona came from a recent 5-pack singles acquisition. They had a good few years on it too, but my UTE Oct 2015 RGPCs are a little older. I had my first one from this box code a few weeks ago but this SOM Ene 2017 example again more than 'held its own' in quality in comparison to my 2015 RGPCs, in my view. What I liked about it was the simple combination of cocoa, Earth, wood, dried fruit, floral notes on the edges and a little honey sweetness here and there. Unlike my last RGPC, this wasn't the best Rafael Gonzalez I've ever smoked, but it was quite satisfying, it had a lot going for it over 70 minutes of smoking time.

If you haven't tried a Rafael Gonzalez Petit Corona, why not give it a try? You may be in for a pleasant surprise!

[JohnS]

Montecristo Montecristo No.5 AUM Jul 2104

The last mid-2014 Montecristo No.5 I smoked from the box two weeks ago was definitively the best one from the box! Why so? It had a luscious chocolate, baking spice, light milk coffee, nut and citrus twang balanced combination which isn't always easy to find in this perlas-sized cigar.

This one didn't have that 'luscious' chocolate element to it but the baking spice, light coffee and nut was enough to more than satisfy over 40 minutes of smoking time.

I'm now down to three sticks left from this box. In my view, it's beyond the time to think about ordering another. In fact, I already have!

[JohnS]

Partagás Selección Privada 2014 - Edición Limitada OPG Dic 2014

The Partagas Seleccion Privada Limited Edition was released in 2014, along with the Bolivar Super Corona and Cohiba Robustos Supremos. Initial reviews suggested that it was like a Partagas Serie D No.4, only richer. The consensus, at the time, was that this cigar was ripe for aging, with a 3 to 5 year window.

A double robusto with a 50 ring gauge by 160 mm (or 6¼ inches) length, my last Partagas Seleccion Privada Limited Edition, smoked two months ago, again took a little over 2 hours to enjoy. It had developed into a just under medium-strengthed cigar with core flavours of coffee, sourdough, wood, leather and toasted tobacco blend. It was more 'cream-textured' than my last one and it had little to no Partagas spice. At that time, the back half suggested that the rest of the box had 'peak' flavours for some time yet.

This fifth cigar from the box was similar in flavours to my fourth, only it had definite signs of Partagas spice and more so in the back half. It also didn't take me as long to smoke, paradoxically, somewhere in the vicinity of 95 minutes.

I had mentioned two months that I may continue to smoke these every few months from hereon in. I only have a few left now and I may smoke one or two more and leave the last few for some time down the track. 

 

[JohnS]

El Rey del Mundo Taínos 2018 - Edición Regional Formosa BRO Jun 2019

The 2018 Asia-Pacific Regional Edition release from Taiwan (hence the band labelled 'Exclusivo Formosa') is an obvious and wondrous gift to cigar enthusiasts who pine for a time when Cuban cigars were 'less' in girth and 'more' in length. Note that I referred to this cigar as a 2018 release. It didn't actually hit the market until mid-2019. It also represents Taiwan's first Regional cigar. Wow...what a cigar to release first up!

The original El Rey del Mundo Tainos had the same dimensions; a Churchill-sized cigar at 47 ring gauge x 178 mm (or 7 inches) in length. Unfortunately, it was discontinued in 2006, as were many other Churchill (and Lonsdale) cigars in the meantime. In regular production we have only three left...the iconic Romeo y Julieta Churchills, the Cohiba Esplendidos and the seasonal H.Upmann Sir Winston. That's why I'm so glad that Pacific Cigar Company, the Habanos Regional distributor for the Asia-Pacific market, brought out a regional release in this vitola.

It's been twelve months since I last visited this cigar. The delay in re-visiting this cigar was due to the fact that I've felt that some ERdM Tainos' I had in the first half of 2020 were slightly closed in their flavours. This time, I felt that the cigar had opened up much more with those trademark El Rey del Mundo candied almond nut, citrus, cake, shortbread and honey flavours that were stupendous from beginning to end over two hours and twenty minutes of smoking time.

A year ago I asked the question whether the El Rey del Mundo Tainos is approachable when young more often than not? The answer, for me at that time, was yes it can be, but only around half the time. The other times made me lament not giving the cigar more time. Fast forward twelve months and I'm glad I was willing to wait longer until I had my next one. I can only envisage these getting even better with more downtime!

[JohnS]

H. Upmann Sir Winston EOS Jul 2019

In case you aren't privy to such knowledge, apart from the fact that the H.Upmann Sir Winston is considered amongst Habanos enthusiasts as a premium, 'classy' cigar, the HU Sir Winston is a highly sought after vitola on account of its seasonal production regimen. It's made only when the ingredients (i.e the leaves) are ready and is only available for months at a time when released (usually), when thereafter the HU Sir Winston goes into a production hiatus until the next time it's produced.

It's hard to believe that for a cigar that's now two years old, this H.Upmann Sir Winston just seems to be getting better. Considering that they've been pretty exceptional to begin with, well...that's saying something!

Unlike more potent H.Upmann offerings such as the Magnum series, H. Upmann No.2 and Petit Corona, I've found the Sir Winston more approachable when young, but even more desirable with age. This had all the hallmarks of a typical quality Sir Winston; coffee, nut, H.Upmann shortbread and cream with a cedar spine throughout. I also got some cinnamon spice on the edges at times. This was by no means a complex cigar, but that doesn't matter when you are smoking what tastes like a sweet, slightly-caramel, creamy cappuccino over two hours!

What a great way to spend a pleasant afternoon, enjoying a churchill-sized cigar such as this one!

[JohnS]

Hoyo de Monterrey Escogidos 2018 - La Casa del Habano Exclusivo SOU Dic 2020

According to Habanos S.A (and Cuban Cigar Website), La Casa del Habano is an internationally registered trademark, property of the Corporation Habano S.A.; it’s design and concept are founded in ‘know how’, and have been pivotal in Habanos’ successful development into an International Chain of Franchises in just a brief period of time.

La Casa del Habano are models for successful businesses around the world. An ample number of cigar boutiques rebuilt using norms and parameters of identity set by the Franchiser, Habanos S.A., using it’s image and excellent service, have successfully promoted the pleasures of smoking cigars along with the knowledge of it’s culture to consumers, while still maintaining the capacity to adapt itself to the characteristics and culture of the country in which it functions.

In 1990, the first international La Casa Del Habano began operating in Cancun, Mexico.

From that date to the present it’s business concept has evolved. In the beginning it functioned as a store especially dedicated to the selling of famous Cuban tobaccos commercially recognized around the world. Presently, this store not only sells tobaccos, but is also characterized by numerous other services and personalized attention provided to experts in the art of smoking cigars as well as to those beginners interested in learning about these products, it’s culture and it’s history.

Initially the LCdH releases were standard productions cigars produced in unlimited numbers.

Since 2011 a new policy of releasing special La Casa Del Habano Exclusives (La Casa Del Habano Exclusivo) in limited numbers was established. Prior to this, releases such as the 2006 San Cristóbal de la Habana Muralla, San Cristóbal de la Habana Mercaderes and San Cristóbal de la Habana Oficios and the 2007 Bolívar Gold Medal were produced in limited runs and not continued. The 2007 Partagás Culebras, 2008 Partagás Salomones, 2009 H. Upmann Noellas and 2010 Ramón Allones Allones Superiores were amongst the first LCdH releases to benefit from the 2011 change in policy and hence have been in regular production ever since.

Since 2011, the annual La Casa del Habano Exclusive releases have been:

H. Upmann Royal Robusto (2011)
Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure de Luxe (2012)
Bolívar Libertador (2013)
Romeo y Julieta Cedros de Luxe (2014)
La Gloria Cubana Pirámides (2015)
La Gloria Cubana Robustos Extra (2015)
Hoyo de Monterrey Elegantes (2016)
Trinidad La Trova (2017)

The Hoyo de Monterrey Escogidos, which means 'selected' in Spanish, was the 2018 LCDH Exclusive release, although it did not come to market until late-2019. It’s a 49 ring gauge x 180 mm (or 7⅛ inches) in length Pacos, which is around half an inch shorter than the Hoyo de Monterrey Double Coronas. Like the rest of the LCDH releases, it features a secondary brown band that has the La Casa del Habano logo. It comes packaged in a 10-count semi boîte nature box.

This was the first cigar from this box I sampled and I was curious as to how it compared to a Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona. After all, I was puzzled as to why Habanos S.A felt compelled to release a Pacos-sized cigar for a marca that already contained a Double Coronas, but since cigars of this size have been steadily discontinued in the 21st century I figured that I should be grateful that a LCDH Exclusive release should enjoy this vitola dimensions.

Like the greater majority of Hoyo de Monterrey cigars, this was on the lighter side in terms of strength; yet, this HdM Escogidos was medium to full-bodied in terms of flavour. And let me tell you that these flavours stood out and were true to the Hoyo de Monterrey marca. Over the course of 100 minutes I was treated to an array of light cocoa, cedar, nut, floral notes and cloved spice. It was this cloved spice that alluded to the old-school classic Hoyo de Monterrey flavours of the late 20th century which I most appreciated and ensured that this cigar was nowhere as cream-textured, nor as sweet as my last few Hoyo de Monterrey Double Coronas I've had.

So, in summary, this lived up to its La Casa del Habano Exclusive reputation in terms of satisfaction. The next LCDH Exclusive release will be the 2020 Juan Lopez Seleccion Especial, a 52 ring gauge x 170 mm (or 6¾ inches) in length Fortunas-sized cigar. It may not arrive for awhile, but at least it will be the first LCDH release in the Juan Lopez marca.

 

[JohnS]

Partagás Serie P No.2 GEM Ene 2020

This is my second Partagas Serie P No.2 I've had in a month and like my last one, this was quite good in its construction and flavours. I got a consistent ash, good burn and a decent smoke per draw. There was also a nice complexity to this cigar in terms of its mix of savoury and sweet flavours.

The Partagas P2 receives positive appraisal amongst enthusiasts in general and it does stand out in within its marca due to its flavour profile. Whilst cigars such as the Lusitanias and Serie E No.2 are known for their quality sourdough, the Shorts and Serie D No.4 for its espresso coffee and pepper and/or spice (at times), the P2 emphasises a strong milky coffee base more and the sourdough is not its core feature. El Presidente has remarked in the recent past that the Partagas P2 has been outstanding in 2020 and he has been enjoying them due to their milk coffee, raisins and salted nuts profile. I would concur that this description is a wonderful parameter or guide to help us understand as to what tasting notes an average Partagas P2 has to offer.

As for this Partagas P2 I smoked today, I can attest that the last one may have been a solid 89 to 90-point cigar, this one I would have to rate higher at around the 91 to 92-point mark. I especially enjoyed the savoury flavours of salted peanuts and wood been counterbalanced by sweet flavours of raisins and dried fruits, complimented by milk coffee, sourdough bread and leather which made it quite easy to smoke over approximately 95 minutes on a warm winter day's afternoon.

[JohnS]

Cuaba Distinguidos LGR Nov 2018

Cuaba is a brand often derided on our forum for two reasons mainly. Firstly, for inconsistency in delivering quality construction and/or flavour and secondly, for never really being a comparative premium marca to Cohiba and Trinidad as Habanos S.A intended when the marca was first released in 1996. As a consequence, Cuaba doesn't get new regular production additions and is the last marca (yes that's correct...the last marca!) to receive a Regional Edition release.

In 2020 Habanos S.A intended to bring out a 10-count of Cuaba Britanicas Extras in tubes (48 ring gauge x 137 mm or 5⅜ inches in length), although true-to-form this has yet to occur at the time of writing this review and Pacific Cigar Company (PCC) aimed to release a lucky number of 8888 boxes of 10-count Cuaba Tacos Asia-Pacific Regional Editions (47 ring gauge x 158 mm or 6¼ inches in length). The PCC Cuaba Tacos did indeed come to market in mid-2021 which made it the first Cuaba Regional Edition.
 
The two main Cuaba cigars that come up on 24:24 listings are the Divinos (43 rg x 101 mm or 4 inches in length) and the Distinguidos (52 rg x 162 mm or 6⅜ inches in length), albeit not that often. This Distinguidos, I have to confess, flavour-wise was outstanding. I got peanut, cointreau-essenced orange citrus and mild shortbread through-and-through. Paradoxically, the cigar only got better when it reached the final third because the aforementioned flavour profile became even more refined rather than intensify, which is what one usually expects. It goes without saying that I greatly, greatly enjoyed this two-hour ride!

In regards to construction, the cigar was excellent because ash-lengths were consistently over the inch mark, ridges were seemingly in an identical and parallel formation and the burn was on-point without the need for re-lights. Unlike the Divinos which I find more prevalent in toasted tobacco, this Distinguidos was smooth, mild and sufficiently sweet in its flavours. I wish all my Cuaba cigars were more like this one today!

[JohnS]

Quai d'Orsay No. 50 SMA Jul 2018

This is just my third Quai d'Orsay No.50 from this SMA Jul 2018 box in the last two years. In the meantime I finished a 10-count of LMB Jun 2019 Quay d'Orsay No.50s, as well as having one or two others from a MSA May 2019 box code, but these never quite matched how good the SMA Jul 2018 Quai d'Orsay No.50s have been for me overall.

The critical consensus on our forum on these new Quai d'Orsay releases (i.e. the QDO Nos. 50 and 54) has seemed to turn in the last three to six months in comparison to when they first came to market and were extremely popular in 2018 and 2019. I wonder if recent examples of these vitolas has diminished of late? Hmmm...perhaps, but I feel it's an argument to savour for another time.

What I appreciated from this cigar was the luscious egg and butter texture to the smoke, together with the cedar, hazelnut and ginger spice I picked up to compliment the refined brioche bread flavour evident at the beginning of the cigar. One caveat I must state though, is that just like my last QDO 50, I've had sweeter toffee-like flavours from past QDO 50s, however; this did not detract in any way from the overall enjoyment I got from smoking this QDO 50 today over sixty minutes of smoking time.

In contrast, it seemed that every time I lit up a 2019 Quai d'Orsay No.50 last year or in 2019 it was always more prevalent in wood and spice flavours and never as complex or well-balanced. Thankfully I have some more 2018 QDO 50s to enjoy in the meantime before I explore a late November 2019 box at some point down-the-track.

[JohnS]

Cohiba Coronas Especiales LTO Sep 2020

The Cohiba Coronas Especiales is a Laguito No.2-sized 38 ring gauge x 152 mm (or 6 inches) in length cigar. It is known for its pig-tail, like its Laguito No.1-sized brother, the Lanceros. Its origins go back to 1967, three years after the Lanceros was born. Initially, the Lanceros was only made available outside of Cuba as diplomatic and VIP gifts, it wasn't until the 1980s that the Cohiba Coronas Especiales, Lanceros and Panatelas were released to the public, being the first three cigars of the Classic Line. (The Esplendidos, Robustos and Exquisitos were added to the line in 1989)

Prior to being released to public the Cohiba Coronas Especiales was packaged in dress boxes of 25 and 50 cigars respectively; thereafter it was packaged in cardboard packs of 3 cigars and varnished boîte nature boxes of 25 cigars and 50 cigars with and without cellophane until some time in early to late 1990s. With the discontinuation of display box packaging (i.e cardboard boxes containing five cardboard boxes of five cigars) in 2017, the only packaging the CCE comes in today is a varnished boîte nature box of 25 cigars.

It's been two years since I've had a Cohiba Coronas Especiales. I've had plenty of other Cohiba cigars in the meantime (my Cuban Cigar Website Smoking Diary suggests around seventy-five in fact!) but I never seemed to find the same amount of satisfaction in my AUM Jul 2014 CCEs as I've encountered from some late-2005 examples I've enjoyed prior to this period. The old adage in our hobby is that one should keep an open mind in respect to marcas and/or vitolas we struggle to connect with, and so with this thought in mind, I acquired a quarter pack of LTO Sep 2020 CCEs early in 2021.

This cigar opened strongly with classic mocha coffee, hay and honey flavours. As the cigar settled into the end of the first third I got notes of vanilla bean to compliment these flavours. From the middle third onwards the cigar was a little 'toasty' in spots but it remained dependably reliable in its delectability and construction until the end when I nubbed the cigar to my fingertips after seventy minutes of smoking time.

Perhaps it was fate, luck or sheer chance that accounted for my change in fortune with this vitola. More likely, it was the fact that I fortunately picked up an acquisition of these CCEs with a reputable factory code (i.e LTO). Whatever it was, I know for sure that it definitely will not be another two years until I reach for my next Cohiba Coronas Especiales!

[JohnS]

Trinidad Topes MUP Oct 2019

The Trinidad Topes was first released as a Limited Edition cigar in 2016. Three years later, in 2019, Habanos S.A commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Habanos version of the marca by releasing the excellent Esmeralda, Media Luna and Topes, this time as a regular production cigar.

The Topes has a 56 ring gauge and is 125 mm (or 4⅞ inches) in length. With a 56 ring gauge, I've learnt that one has to be weary about untwisting the pig-tail on the head as it's very easy to rip the wrapper past the shoulder. Similarly, the larger girth at the foot requires more dedication and time to light the cigar properly to guarantee an even burn.

I smoked three 2019 50th Anniversary regular production release Topes in a month when I acquired them in May 2020 and have smoked three since; the last one around two months ago.

This cigar opened up with a coffee, wood and a slightly 'Earth' flavour profile, supported by a rich buttery texture to the smoke which reminds me of pastry; something akin to a croissant. My last Topes two months ago had more salt and spice flavours in it. In contrast, this was fairly uniform in its flavours, in fact, I would argue it was fairly neutral for a recent Trinidad release because it wasn't too savoury, nor was it too dominative in cookie or dough flavours either. It smoked very well and easily over 95 minutes, aided by the outstanding construction of the cigar which maintained a consistent burn-line, ash-length easily over an inch each time and an excellent draw and smoke output.

In summary, this 2019 Topes was again every bit as good, if not better, than some recent Esmeralda and Media Luna I've enjoyed but it hasn't quite enjoyed the same critical acclaim amongst enthusiasts. Why is that I wonder? I would venture to say that in comparison to the Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo de Rio Seco, the Topes has to compete for attention in the Trinidad marca with the Esmeralda and Media Luna whereas the HdM de Rio Seco is distinctive from the HdM de San Juan and stands on its own a little more. You can't blame enthusiasts for spending their hard-earned money on the Trinidad version of the Cohiba Siglo VI (i.e the Esmeralda) or the Trinidad quintessential petit robusto offering (i.e the Media Luna). Make no mistake though, the 2019 Topes is an excellent cigar and you won't put a foot wrong in acquiring it, in my view.

[JohnS]

Romeo y Julieta Churchills UEB Jun 2019

Around six weeks ago I wrote that the first cigar from this mid-2019 box code, even though it was average for a RyJ Churchill, was still better than average in comparison to your standard Habanos cigar of the same period. Thankfully the second RyJ Churchill smoked today was of a better standard.

This time around the cigar was finely balanced; the flavours were discrete yet nuanced throughout. Again, the construction could not be faulted; the ash-length had near-perfect ridges, was around one inch every time and the burn was consistent. This RyJ Churchill shone in cherry or berry flavours, had evident turkish delight and anise sweetness, but unlike my previous RyJ Churchill six weeks ago there was minimal cocoa (in comparison). This time, the cherry and anise flavours stood out, which is just the way I like it!

In summary, this mid-2019 Romeo y Julieta Churchill was a fine 'return-to-form', so-to-speak, in how well it smoked. In fact, it smoked so easily and so well I hardly noticed that I was done after ninety to ninety-five minutes of smoking time!

[JohnS]

San Cristóbal de la Habana El Príncipe TOS Jun 2016

I have been fortunate in smoking these TOS Jun 2016 SCdLH El Principe of late with decent to fine construction on them. I've recently read accounts on our forum of members smoking through plugged or tight examples and yet still describing this cigar as flavoursome. I can assure you that I can 100% relate to this outcome, but I'm grateful not to have smoked through a poorly-constructed SCdLH El Principe for quite some time.

This box has recently hit the five-year mark but this time the cigar was not as balanced as my previous SCdLH El Principe in terms of flavours. The fault was derived from the wonderful pancake texture I experienced within the very first puffs, but which conspicuously disappeared thereafter. Sure, I got that famous San Cristobal coffee, cocoa and molasses combination, together with some spice even, but I had to slow down at points in this cigar and stretch it out to fifty minutes so that the cigar did not smoke harshly (because the flavours were a little intense at times).

Unfortunately, this was not another 5-out-of-5 cigar today, although I wish it was. I now have six of these San Cristobal de La Habana El Principes left in my humidor. I need to ensure that I acquire another box!

[JohnS]

Cohiba Medio Siglo UTL Nov 2019

The Cohiba Medio Siglo was released in 2016. Medio Siglo means “half a century” in Spanish, which coincides in 2016 with the 50th anniversary of the advent of the Cohiba marca.

It's easy to compare this cigar to the Cohiba Robusto, after all, they almost share the same ring gauge, the Medio Siglo is about an inch shorter and yes, it is another Petit Robusto addition to the Habanos regular production catalogue. However, I'd like to theorise that the Cohiba Medio Siglo has more in common with the Cohiba Siglo VI than the Cohiba Robusto. There are a number of reasons for this.

Firstly, the Medio Siglo is a 52 ring gauge cigar like the Cohiba Siglo VI. The Cohiba Robustos is a 50 ring gauge cigar. Secondly, when the Cohiba Siglo VI was added to the Linea 1492 range in 2002 it was the biggest cigar in the Habanos regular production catalogue, at the time. Similarly, when the Medio Siglo was added to the Linea 1492 series in 2016 it was the largest ring gauge cigar in the Petit Robusto format for cigars of 4 inches length (102 mm). Thirdly, like the Cohiba Siglo VI, the Medio Siglo shares similar qualities in its rich flavour profile. In my opinion, both the Siglo VI and Medio Siglo are richer in flavours, more fuller-bodied than the other Siglo cigars.

The Cohiba Medio Siglo has the hallmarks of a Linea 1492 cigar in its quality hay and sweet honey notes. What I feel it borrows from the Cohiba Siglo VI is the buttery texture and coffee flavours, albeit in the Medio Siglo the coffee is much darker. This Medio Siglo also had really nice biscuit qualities to complement the coffee flavours.

The Cohiba Medio Siglo does have a buttery texture and coffee notes which relate it to the Cohiba Robusto. However, I'd classify it amongst the richer flavour profiled cigars in the Linea 1492 series, together with the Cohiba Siglo VI.

I can't believe it's been eight months since I last had a Cohiba Medio Siglo! This had an eloquent balance of honey, biscuit, hay, butter and mocha coffee over an hour to an hour and ten minutes, which I very much enjoyed. When the Cohiba Medio Siglo is not 'on' you can tell usually that the balance of flavours is askew, they can smoke 'hot' and are more intense in coffee and spice.

The construction here was quite exceptional, the ash was perfect and the smoke per draw was more voluminous than your typical Cohiba cigar, which necessitates a change in smoking technique to properly savour (i.e. you need to smoke much more slowly).

What more can one ask for? Not much really. That's why I keep stocking up on these wonderful petit robustos!

[JohnS]

Montecristo No.4 UEB May 2018

I have enjoyed this UEB May 2018 box Of Montecristo No.4s, thus far. I finished my UEB Ago 2018 box three months ago but I still have ten sticks of this UEB May 2018 box left, thankfully.

Construction-wise this Montecristo No.4 again smoked well. Ash length and ridges were consistent. Flavour-wise, this was completely different to the last Monte 4 I had from this box around six weeks ago. That last one was a little 'heavy' on the dark cocoa but it still had enough coffee and citrus twang to keep me interested in smoking it well into the final third. The heavier cocoa necessitated slowing down my smoking and so it took 90 minutes to finish. This Monte 4 today was instead light on cocoa and milk coffee and thus the nut and citrus twang was more evident throughout the smoke. It smoked well over a more standard (for a marevas-sized cigar) 65 minutes.

Overall, I would prefer a perfect balance in the cocoa, milk coffee, nut, citrus twang and sometimes leather you get in a Montecristo No.4 of late but how often does that happen? I can hear you telling me, "not often enough!"

[JohnS]

Sancho Panza Non Plus ABR Sep 2011

I've smoked enough of these Sancho Panza Non Plus cigars to know that I much prefer them aged than youthful. The reason is simple...they are more interesting flavour-wise as they age than what they tend to be in their youth.

Like many of you no doubt, I stocked up on some Sancho Panza Non Plus when they were discontinued in 2019. After smoking some 2018 SP Non Plus cigars in the last twelve to eighteen months and comparing them to be this 2011 box I was smoking immediately prior, the toasted tobacco which can render the SP Non Plus one-dimensional when young recedes with age (although it can still be there in the background) and in its place one can decipher floral or herbal notes and even some creaminess to the cigar.

This is my second last one from this box and I'm glad to have smoked it around the ten-year mark. This 2011 example had that typical Sancho Panza wood and salt, together with some toasted tobacco but these were secondary in flavour to those floral notes aforementioned and a light creamy texture which rendered some complexity and interest over an hour's smoking time.

If you picked up a box or two of Sancho Panza Non Plus recently take note to leave some aside for long-term aging. You'll be glad you did in the long run!

[JohnS]

Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.2 BUP Mar 2018

The Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.2 is a everyday 'go-to' robustos for me. The reason being, I think, is because it's a light-bodied 'middle-of-the-road' offering...usually. I say usually because today's specimen bucked that trend quite spectacularly!

This HdM Epi 2 started off with strong measures of cloves and spice and was quite tight in the draw. I figured early on that the cigar would continue this way, and in fact intensify, until the end. Somewhere around the middle to the end of the first third the cigar turned and did a complete 180° point turn, so-to-speak. I got much less spice and the light cedar aspect of the cigar shone more, together with a light cocoa note and a delicious creamy texture.

What is more, the cigar became easier to draw the longer it smoked! Yes, I repeat that...the cigar 'loosened up' and was easier to smoke. Apparently, this is quite a rare occurrence but there you go; today, it happened!

Now imagine if I decided to pitch this HdM Epi 2 within the first ten minutes of lighting it up! I'm glad I persevered with it for a short time and benefited from a quality cigar-smoking experience by the end!

[JohnS]

Cohiba Siglo I MEL Dic 2016

The Cohiba Siglo I is the smallest of the Siglo range, a perlas (like the Montecristo No.5 and Rafael Gonzalez Perlas), it is slightly smaller than a minuto (like the San Cristobal de La Habana El Principe or Partagas Shorts) at 40 ring gauge x 102 mm or 4 inches in length. This was my first Cohiba Siglo I I've enjoyed from a recent quarter-pack acquisition (i.e that is, six cigars).

I've found that the Siglo I tends to be the strongest of the Linea 1492 range (i.e. Cohiba Siglo I, II, III, IV, V and VI). That doesn't necessarily mean that it gets above medium to medium-full, rather they are more intense in those typical Cohiba flavours than other cigars in this line.

This Siglo I had light notes of black espresso coffee, honey and Cohiba grass or hay intermingled with some hints of vanilla and citrus twang. The cigar smoked well as the draw was ideal and construction was quite sound, there was no need for any re-lights. It took a little longer smoke than usual. I finished it in over 45 minutes, around 5 to 10 minutes longer than I normally would.

[JohnS]

Juan López Selección No.2 MEL Dic 2016

Juan Lopez is one of those marcas I tend to struggle connecting with. I haven't had the best time with young Juan Lopez in the past, I haven't loathed them, but I haven't loved them either. With younger examples of JL2s I mainly found that they would have some Cointreau orange, citrus and chocolate to interest me but the stronger espresso coffee, toasted tobacco and spice notes tended to dominate the cigar, in general, and this was not to my liking.

This Juan Lopez Seleccion No.2 started off being like many other younger versions of the same cigar; all toasted tobacco and strong coffee and thus not to my liking. I thought that I was in for an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes of real perseverance until somewhere at the end of the first third when the cigar completely turned and became somewhat appealing and interesting. So what happened? In essence, I picked up on some beautiful orange citrus, Cointreau-cake type flavours intertwined with milk chocolate and light cedar. The transformation was really quite remarkable. Thankfully, the cigar stayed this way until the end whereby I finished it after 70 minutes.

It's been explained to me in the past, from a dear and sage friend, that the key to a quality Juan Lopez Seleccion No.2 was letting them rest and develop, and this was why I guess this cigar connected so favourably with my palate today, just like my last one two months ago.

[JohnS]

Romeo y Julieta Petit Royales SMA Sep 2020

I need to address my bias, I suppose, when it comes to this newish Romeo y Julieta release as I've had a few of these now, across a number of box codes, and frankly this RyJ Petit Royales may have been my best yet! I guess you really need to connect with Romeo y Julieta as a marca to have a full appreciation of just how good these are (and have been). Judging by frequent polls on FriendofHabanos however, Romeo y Julieta isn't everyone's 'cup of tea' and I can accept that. However, if you do like Romeo y Julieta you really owe it to yourself to try this cigar, in my opinion.

So what exactly made this Romeo y Julieta Petit Royales so exemplary? Simply put, it was the combination of its ideal construction, draw, ash-length and flavours. In regards to those flavours, think of a balanced mix of chocolate, anise sweetness, turkish delight, rosewater and cherries...simply magnificent!

I didn't want this to end after 40 minutes but alas, of course, it did. Never mind, there's always the next Romeo y Julieta Petit Royales to look forward to!

[JohnS]

Romeo y Julieta Short Churchills LAT Feb 2018

With this Romeo y Julieta Short Churchill, I'm not going to lie to you, I wasn't really looking forward to it that much before I lit it. The reason? In comparison to the balanced, nuanced flavours of my ABO Ago 18 RyJ Exhibicion No.4s, the distinctive classic RyJ flavours of my UEB Jun 19 RyJ Churchills and rich and delicious SMA Sep 20 RyJ Petit Royales, these RyJ Short Churchills fall short, if you can excuse my pun.

It's not like they don't have flavour, on the contrary they do. It's just that the flavour blend in this box thus far has been 'run-of-the-mill' basic and ordinary, in a general sense, and I've neared the end of it. My problem is that I have better options when it comes to Romeo y Julieta in my humidor.

This RyJ Short Churchill had a decent amount of cocoa, toasted tobacco which complimented and didn't overwhelm the other flavours, cherry and some turkish delight and anise sweetness on the edges. It didn't have construction issues and I didn't need to re-light it at all. It was just boring...it didn't excite me at all and at about halfway through the final third I was thinking of my next cigar.

After seventy minutes it was over...and I had forgotten about it. That is, until it was time to write up this short review on it, then I recalled how unremarkable it all was again!

[JohnS]

Montecristo No.5 RUP Nov 2020

I remember, many a year ago now, how a fellow FoH member from my hometown of Sydney was extolling the virtues of his cigar refrigerator setup at a Catch-up get together. You see, his storage solution was designed to have his cigars a touch drier than the average person's storage...around 59 rh. This conversation occurred around five or six years ago and as I remember it, the common consensus at that time was 62rh to 65 rh was more the normal range for storing Habanos cigars.

Of course, all this means nothing if we don't factor in the average temperature for one's storage because this is critical as to how much water vapour is in the cigar/s, that is, what we cigar enthusiasts term the water moisture content of the cigar. This particular Sydney FoH member was a dear friend of our own PigFish and it was Piggy's expertise that provided the gist of this exposition. From my point of view, I did understand the virtues of trying to maintain a consistent water moisture content in one's cigars of between 9% to 12 % and that it was better to err on the side of having drier cigars rather than wet ones!

That night, this fellow member offered me a 'go-to' cigar of his stored at 59 rh for me to try, a Montecristo No.5. He did advise me that the cigar will burn a little hotter and quicker but the flavours will be 'sharper'. This all transpired to be true. When I lit this first cigar of a RUP Nov 20 quarter pack acquisition of Montecristo No.5, the cigar burnt so crisply that I thought of this scenario I described above; I thought I was in for a crispy and quick Monte 5. Alas, the cigar did settle and it took me a standard 35 minutes to complete.

The flavours were not as distinctive as that Monte 5 all those years ago. Instead, this was just your average Montecristo combination of coffee, cocoa, nut and citrus twang and it was all balanced quite nicely; no one flavour dominated the other.

In summary, this wasn't as superlative as my AUM Jul 14 Montecristo No.5s have been this year but it was quite sound and it continued a solid run I've had with the Montecristo No.5 of late.

[JohnS]

Montecristo 80 Aniversario GOA Dic 2016

The Montecristo 80 Aniversario is a special release cigar to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Montecristo marca by Alonso Menéndez in 1935. The original press release by Habanos S.A below...

Montecristo 80 Aniversario is a unique vitola , specially selected by Habanos s.a. to commemorate the establishment of this legendary brand in 1935. The 20 Habanos in this exclusive edition have been made Totalmente a Mano con Tripa Larga -Totally Handmade with Long Filler-, after selecting the exquisite capa , tripa and capote -wrapper, filler, and binder- leaves from the best plantations in Vuelta Abajo * (Pinar del Río*). The vitola and blend, which have a special strength, have been created for smokers who enjoy intense flavours.

The Montecristo 80 Aniversario has special dimensions that cannot be found in any other standard Habanos vitola. It will particularly appeal to smokers who enjoy thick ring gauge Habanos and an exquisite blend that is balanced, and intense at the same time.

This commemorative edition is presented in an exclusive, uniquely designed box made from the finest Cuban wood and elegantly finished with carmelite lacquer, with all its bevelled edges showing. The box cover stands out due to the round Montecristo seal in vivid gold tones, inspired by the design of the brand’s band.

The Habanos in this edition are also presented in an exclusive and novel fashion. The brand’s band is entirely finished in gold for the occasion and is accompanied by a second band bearing the reason for the edition: 80 Aniversario.

Montecristo is the best known and, perhaps, best appreciated of the Habanos brands and is considered by many to be the benchmark in Habano flavour. Its name is inspired by the novel The Count of Montecristo, by Alexandre Dumas, extremely popular among the torcedores -cigar rollers- at the H. Upmann factory in Havana, where the brand was established in 1935.

Interestingly, there were only two Limited Editions released in 2015, the H.Upmann Magnum 56 and the Ramon Allones Club Allones. I mention this because usually three Limited Editions are released annually and the Montecristo 80 Aniversario seemed to be a 'de facto' Limited Edition for that year. Like those Limited Editions it wasn't available until later, in this case, mid-2016. Unlike the H.Upmann Magnum 56 and Ramon Allones Club Allones, the Montecristo 80 Aniversario was still seeing 24:24 listings on our forum in 2019 with late-2018/early-2019 box codes.

The vitola is indeed unique, a Maravillas No.2 with a 55 ring gauge x 165 mm (or 6½ inches) length. The Montecristo Leyenda, released two years later as part of the Linea 1935 premium line, shares these dimensions.

After smoking it today, I couldn't help but feel how complimentary this was in comparison to the very best Leyendas I've smoked. To me, they seem to share common characteristics, with this Montecristo 80 Aniversario at around 4-and-a-half years of age. Unlike the recent, similarly-aged Montecristo Dantes 2016 Limited Edition which I've smoked and noted how it emphasised stronger coffee and cocoa flavours, this Montecristo 80 Aniversario was, much like my last one around a year ago, mainly nutty, light coffee, milk chocolate and had a marshmallow-textured creaminess that simply oozed class from beginning to end over two-and-a-half hours of smoking.

Make no mistake, this was a glorious example of a Montecristo cigar from start to finish.

 

[JohnS]

Trinidad La Trova 2017 - La Casa del Habano Exclusivo RAG Nov 2017

I simply cannot believe that it's been 1 year and 10 months since I last sampled a Trinidad La Trova. I didn't realise that it was in fact that long a period of time. I believe my dissuasion for choosing to smoke the cigar in that time was due to its difficulty in sourcing it, and thus consequently, feeling it necessary to preserve my remaining stock. I'm sure you can relate to this dilemma!

In World War 1, Anzac troops (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) went to Europe to fight in the Great War supporting Britain and the Allies. Many were sent (later labelled) Anzac Biscuits by their family to sustain them in battle. This Anzac Biscuit lives on in Australian and New Zealand culture today as these rolled oat, butter, flour, sugar, golden syrup and baking soda biscuits have a long shelf-life and are popular. I mention these Anzac biscuits because they are full of flavour and I feel the La Trova is exactly the same way. To me, the La Trova is like a rich butter cookie slightly burnt. The mouth feel of this cigar certainly resolves on the palate for some time after one smokes it.

Like all Trinidad vitolas, it comes with a pig tail which I again had no issue untwisting with my thumb nail. The resultant draw produced from preparing the cigar in this way was quite adequate.

In regards to strength, since it's been almost two years since I've had the cigar, I must say that it has certainly mellowed to be around the mild-medium mark. I would add further that strength-wise, it was gauging closer to mild than medium too. How did it taste at four years of age? It was still swathed in butter, salty and had light elements of milk coffee, Earth and leather. This time around there was no spice whatsoever. Oh, and it goes without saying that I also nubbed it until the very last ¼ inch.

If you are familiar with the discontinued (in 2012) Trinidad Robustos Extra, an attempt by Habanos S.A. to release a Cohiba Siglo VI-type vitola to a premium marca, then you'd be aware how good these were and how they have aged so well, if you are lucky to have any left. The Trinidad La Trova strongly reminds me of the discontinued Trinidad Robustos Extra, and more so as it ages.

If you can't source this vitola, be aware that current LCDH production by Habanos S.A sees a limited run of current LCDH product, a hiatus, and then another limited run. If the LCDH cigar is more popular, like the Trinidad La Trova, then this would explain why its more difficult to source, apart from the current shortage of supply of Habanos product at the time of writing this review.