JohnS' Smoking Diary 2023

[oneizzzz]

4 hours ago, JohnS said:

Padron Family Reserve No.44 Natural

The Padron Family Reserve Series are a line of cigars that commemorate special family anniversary dates within the Padron Family. The Padron Family Reserve No.44 was the first release of this line which came out in 2007. Initially, the Padron Family Reserve No.44 was only available at Padron events where a family member was present, and thus the inspiration for the naming of the brand.

Family Reserve cigars follow the Padron tradition of using quality Nicaraguan tobacco and come in sun-grown natural and maduro-wrappered varieties. The No.44 is the only torpedo vitola within the series. It has a 52 ring gauge and is 152 millimetres or 6 inches long. Like the greater majority of Padron cigars, the No.44 has a notable box-press to it. I acquired this cigar in a 5-pack Sampler box, together with the Nos. 45, 46, 50 and 85. Family Reserve cigars are also available individually in 5-count and 10-count options.

According to Padron, the line was blended to produce, "exceptionally smooth, complex, balanced and full-bodied flavor". In comparison to the 1926 Series and 1964 Anniversary Series, the Family Reserve Series is milder in body on account of using ten years-aged leaves, instead of five years like those aforementioned lines. In terms of strength, one could rank the 1926 Series as having the most strength, the 1964 Anniversary Series the least and the Family Reserve Series between them. (Although I would categorise the Family Reserve Series as been closer in strength to the 1964 Anniversary Series rather that the 1926 Series.)

I took my Colibri V-Cutter and applied it to the head of this cigar prior to lighting. As usual, the draw was a touch loose (as is typical for Padron cigars) and it was effortless to smoke from the first puff to the last. As for flavours, as I've mentioned in my recent review on the Padron Family Reserve No.85 (Natural), overall it's been said that the Family Reserve Series is not as flavoursome as other Padron lines. This is categorically untrue. What should be stated is that the flavours are much more subtle, more nuanced. This No.44 Natural had notes of light cocoa, coffee, cedar with a sweet cinnamon throughout. Whereas the No.85 had a soft anise or dark cherry flavour to it, this No.44 had some almond or marzipan notes. Like the No.85, in comparison to fuller Padron cigars, the No.44 is easier to smoke, in my opinion.

The Padron Family Reserve No.44 was ranked no.4 in Cigar Aficionado's Top 25 cigars of the year in 2018. Now, these lists can be subject to scrutiny, but in my opinion, it's not hard to see why it was classified within the Top 10 ranked cigars that year. In my view, it's a quality cigar and ideal if you are looking for smooth, nuanced flavours. If you want bold, fulsome flavours, then stick with the 1926 or 1964 lines instead. Otherwise, if you want to celebrate a special occasion, this just may the type of Padron cigar you are looking for.

Great review of this cigar.  Padron should hire you, John!

[oneizzzz]

5 hours ago, JohnS said:

Sancho Panza Molinos ABR Oct 2011

I mentioned in my first review upon opening this box of Sancho Panza Molinos in late-2021 that 2006 was a bad year for Sancho Panza. Four vitolas, the Bachilleres, Coronas, Coronas Gigantes and Sanchos were deleted that year. In 2012, one of the last remaining regular production Lonsdales was also deleted, the Molinos. Why, oh Habanos S.A, why?

Indeed, if we turn our attention to the Lonsdale, a 42 ring gauge x 165 mm (or 6½ inches) in length cigar, 2006 also saw the discontinuation of the Diplomaticos No.1, Rafael Gonzalez Lonsdale and Saint Luis Ray Lonsdale. In 2012, alongside the Sancho Panza Molinos, the Vegas Robaina Clasicos was also deleted. Even the Romeo y Julieta Cedros de Luxe No.1, an inconspicuous cigar within that marca, saw the 'chopping-block' in 2017. Lamentably, only the Montecristo No.1 survives to this day in this vitola in regular production. Given that Montecristo cigars (and Cohiba) tend not to get discontinued, I have every confidence the Montecristo No.1 will remain, but to think there's only one cigar left of its kind seems quite incredible. Nowadays, we can see Habanos S.A.'s commitment to ceasing the release of any more cigars of this size in the Bolivar Gold Medal, a cigar that enjoyed a LCDH special release in the 2000s for a time on two occasions, recently become available again with an increase in its girth to 48rg. Personally, I find it all too hard to fathom.

The last ABR Oct 2011 Molinos I smoked was around six months ago. In general, these aged Sancho Panza Molinos have had a nice balance of salted cream and wood, yet they've been light on the palate. They've varied in their floral notes but they've been fantastic to smoke and definitely much more interesting than recent Sancho Panza Non-Plus!

The last Sancho Panza Molinos I had acquired, prior to opening this box, was from a Family Cruise holiday I took throughout the Caribbean. The boat docked in port in Jamaica on the trip and I visited the LCDH there at Falmouth in December 2018. In the shop was a box containing around six to eight sticks, that's how long they were in the shop from 2011, so that may explain why they were deleted.

Ten years is a long time to wait before opening up a box of Habanos cigars but when it comes to the Sancho Panza Molinos, it's a cigar that benefits greatly from having significant time down. This is now my eighth SP Molinos from this box. Once again, it was very easy to smoke, easy on the palate yet it still had significant body and flavour to suggest that it had plenty of life in it. The cigar was a tale of two halves; the first half was floral, sweet and replete in cream, the second half was more wood and salt but still maintained a core element of the flavours found in the first half. Of course I nubbed it and as I stated in my last review on this cigar, I felt that after smoking it, it was nowhere near its expiry date. In my opinion, based on how these have been smoking, in general, it's not even a question I'd consider for another four or five years. By then, I'd think I would have finished the box! If so, it's a pity, naturally, that I can't re-stock this now discontinued lonsdale cigar.

It's a shame though that more cigar enthusiasts are not familiar with how well Sancho Panza ages and how uniquely good they can be. If you have Sancho Panza in you humidor, excepting the SP Belicosos, and especially the recently discontinued (and reintroduced) SP Non Plus, then keep in mind to give them time to develop. I'm confident you'll be glad you did in the long run.

@JohnS Your reviews are wonderful as always and I'm excited every time when I see the notification that you've written some more.  Thanks to you and @99call, another bona fide fan of this diary, for acclaiming Sancho Panza.  It's such a great brand and has become one of my very favorites in the last year or so.

[JohnS]

21 hours ago, oneizzzz said:

Great review of this cigar.  Padron should hire you, John!

Haha...thank you!

20 hours ago, oneizzzz said:

@JohnS Your reviews are wonderful as always and I'm excited every time when I see the notification that you've written some more.  Thanks to you and @99call, another bona fide fan of this diary, for acclaiming Sancho Panza.  It's such a great brand and has become one of my very favorites in the last year or so.

Great to hear. Well, what could one add? Sancho Panza...you could say it's an acquired taste, yet it's certainly unique amongst Habanos cigars too, in terms of its flavour profile.

[JohnS]

Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.2 UTL Jul 2019

This was my ninth Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.2 from a 5x3 cardboard pack I acquired in late 2020. This means that I've gone through three-fifths its contents in a little under three years. I smoked the first four HdM Epi 2s within six months but the fifth was smoked twelve months later. The sixth one was smoked three months after the fifth one. The seventh one was smoked two months later and the eighth one six months after that. This ninth one was smoked five months after I smoked the last one. After smoking now through sixty percent the content of this cardboard pack, I'm confident that the question of aging in cardboard packaging will be but a moot point as seven of the nine cigars thus far smoked have been great to excellent, and the other two were serviceably fine.

Like my last HdM Epi 2, the draw here was fine. The flavours were as idealistic as per comparison to the best of the HdM Epi 2s I've smoked thus far. It started off with a light milk cocoa, cedar, malt, cream and some delicious vanilla sweetness until the halfway point, where it then began to build up in wood and spice flavours from thereon in. Still, it was simply marvellous.

All my HdM Epi 2s from this box code have been light in strength. The fifth one had quite a lot of flavour to it and the smoke per puff was quite voluminous. It took me an unbelievable two hours to smoke. By contrast, the next two HdM Epi 2s took me a more standard 70 minutes to smoke. This one took 80 minutes. It's interesting how one can get such a variance in smoking time from the same vitola!

I have one stick of a BUP Mar 2018 Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.2 left in my humidor. These have never reached the heights of the cigars I've smoked from this UTL Jul 2019 box. No one needs to tell you what the difference is between a superlative HdM Epi 2 and an ordinary one either. The difference is quite self-evident!

[JohnS]

Trinidad Media Luna BSM Nov 2019

The Trinidad Media Luna is a unique Marinas size with a 50 ring gauge x 115mm (or 4½ inch) length. "Media Luna" is the name of the Hostel with an important architectonic value located in the street of the same name in the city of Trinidad, Cuba.

I had five or six Trinidad Media Lunas from this box code in the second half of 2020, one in August 2021 and one in October 2022. I have not re-visited them since. A number of these were outstanding 90 to 95 point cigars so I was happy to try another today to see how they were coming along.

Like my last Trinidad Media Luna smoked almost twelve months ago, this started off with some cookie dough/cake and coffee core flavours which soon settled into a coffee, wood, leather, Earth and salt savoury core in the middle and stayed that way until the end. Again, from beginning to end there was an notable buttery texture to this cigar which was rich on the palate and this has been a consistent feature of all the Trinidad Media Lunas I've smoked from this box. In terms of strength, as this box nears four years of age, its quite evident that the cigar has mellowed a little in its 'bite' and is now entering its 'settling' or 'melding' period of development.

Even though I believe that this 50th anniversary regular production petit robusto is a quality addition to the Trinidad marca, I now lament its premium price-point. It means that I will now smoke them less often from hereon in to preserve my stock. At least they continue to 'shine' and improve as they age.

[JohnS]

Trinidad Esmeralda GEM Nov 2019

The Trinidad Esmeralda is a Dinoras size with a 53 ring gauge x 145mm (or 5¾ inches) length. Initially I thought that the name 'Esmeralda', meaning Emerald in Spanish, was a gemstone reference, but the origin of the name has been included in the internal advisory note which comes with the box. To quote directly, "The charming name of Esmeralda is a reference to one of the famous streets of Trinidad city."

I've written previously that the Esmeralda is one of those cigars that doesn't need any further accolades to assuage one of its virtues, in my opinion. It's simply a quality cigar that, for me, delivers satisfaction time-and-time again. The Esmeralda exemplifies the best qualities of the Trinidad marca because it is so true (to it). It's like the Cohiba Siglo VI of the Trinidad range.

I've now gone through just over half this 12-count box smoked (and with one gifted). Each one I've had has been similarly exquisite in their quality of construction and more importantly, balance of flavours. It's been nine months since I've last had one, in fact, and this Trinidad Esmeralda did not disappoint any less either in how flavoursome it was.

This Esmeralda did not have construction as on-point as my last one from the box. The ash was touch flaky in parts and it didn't burn evenly, at times. Flavours, however, were as every bit as good as I remember them to be. These were a basic combination of coffee, oak wood, butter and salt with perhaps a touch of Earthiness in the back half. With a little more downtime on this box I found the strength is now well and truly medium-mild, which I find quite agreeable, according to my taste. I nubbed the cigar to my fingers after 105 minutes of smoking pleasure. Even though I've had more ideal examples of Trinidad Esmeraldas in the past, this specimen still felt like something akin to a gastronomical indulgence, if I could use that analogy.

To best summarise these 50th Anniversary Trinidad releases in terms of blend when in their youth, think of them as refined medium-strength cigars (the Media Luna being the strongest of the three, ahead of the Topes and Esmeralda) with a premium brand onus on delivering rich flavour (typically a combination of coffee, wood, dough or cake, spice, earthiness, nuts and butter). They are the type of cigars that you would finish a night with. As this Trinidad Esmeralda box has just hit the four-year mark, I'm finding them getting even better in how approachable they are to smoke, in my view.

[JohnS]

Cohiba Pirámides Extra (circa 2012)

The Cohiba Piramides Extra was introduced as an addition to the Linea Clasica group of cigars (i.e. Lanceros, Esplendidos, Robustos, Coronas Especiales, Panatelas and Exquisitos) within the Cohiba marca in 2012. It was noted for its dimensions being a little larger than the standard piramide cigar such as the Montecristo No.2, which is 52 ring gauge by 156 mm (or 6.15 inches) in length. The Cohiba Piramides Extra is 54 ring gauge (1/32 on a inch larger) and 160 mm in length (4 mm or 1/6 of an inch longer). These larger dimensions I believe define why it was labelled as "extra", but I'd argue that the price point in comparison to other Habanos cigars would similarly justify why it's named "extra", especially in regards to price increases since its inception.

The other thing that the Cohiba Piramides Extra is noted for is its hologrammatic band which it was released with. In mid-2014, the other Cohiba vitolas began to follow suit.

I most recently smoked a Cohiba Piramides Extra to celebrate the release of El Habano Moderno with its author, Alexander Groom in mid-2023. Nowadays, listings on the Bond Roberts auction site of a CPE, consumerate to this one in age, sell for around $US190 or about $AU280 a stick. Therefore, if the CPE was an uncommonly smoked cigar when it was first released, I'd say the greater majority of our members these days only smoke this cigar 'on occasion'.

On average, I would smoke one or two Cohiba Piramides Extras a year, on average. I would like to thank @Trevor2118 for making this second CPE possible for me to smoke in 2023.

This Cohiba Piramides Extra today was different to my last one smoked because it was more full-flavoured. I guess that the two CPEs do not share a box code, so this is to be expected. It contained notes of mocha coffee in its first third, with vegetal notes of grass and wood combined with a buttery texture in the middle third and finally finishing with some Earthiness in the final third. I got similar flavours in my last CPE smoked a few months ago, but in different allocations throughout the cigar. For me, the lack of a creamy texture at the beginning of this CPE suggests that it has not reached the next stage of its long-term development.

In general though, when you want a bold cigar over two hours or more in the Cohiba line, then I'd recommend this cigar for you as they tend to be full-flavoured, even after five years down or so. Otherwise, if you'd prefer classic grass/hay and honey notes in a softer and milder expression, stick with aged Linea 1492 series cigars from this marca.

[JohnS]

Bolívar Tubos No.1 ULA Jun 2015

If you aren't aware, the Bolivar Tubos No.1 was a medium-full Corona cigar discontinued in 2017. It was one of the last Coronas, a 42 ring gauge, 142 mm (or 5⅝ inches) in length cigar that was packaged in aluminum tubes in larger-than-average 25-count dress boxes. You may be struggling to account for the Coronas that we do have left in regular production to this day. There are indeed only three; the Montecristo No.3, the Quai d'Orsay Coronas Claro and the Romeo y Julieta Cedros De Luxe No.2.

After having this box in storage for approximately five years, I've now gone through three-fifths of the box. In general, my other Bolivar Tubos No.1s smoked were mainly all chewy, soft caramel-marshmallow with some Bolivar Earth and leather and a touch of spiciness on the edges. One thing every cigar from this box has had has been plenty of smoke per puff!

I had two superlative examples of Bolivar Tubos No.1 in a row about five-and-a-half months ago. They were perhaps my best examples of Bolivar cigars I have ever smoked, and I say that without exaggeration! There was a topic on our forum, posted around that time, querying when was the last time members smoked two 95-point cigars in a row, as I had done with those last two Bolivar Tubos No.1s. The link is below if you'd like to peruse it...

https://www.fohcigars.com/forum/topic/155610-when-is-the-last-time-you-had-back-to-back-95-point-cigars/#comment-1195048

Once again, this Bolivar Tubos No.1 began like all the others, being soft and chewy on the palate, full of sweet caramel and floral notes with hints of underlying mushroom.This continued into the middle third whereby the strength picked up. Those standard-fare Bolivar flavours of bitter chocolate, leather, Earth and spice joined in on the mix. Whereas my previous two Bolivar Tubos No.1s had more caramel sweetness and floral notes throughout their blends, this Boli Tubo No.1 had more Earth, mushroom and forest floor 'funk' in its blend from the halfway point on. If you smoke Bolivar cigars regularly (or even perhaps on a semi-regular basis) I'm confident you'll know what I mean by this colloquially-named 'funk'. For me, according to my tastes, this suggests that there's still plenty of developmental life in this box of cigars yet.

This Bolivar Tubos No.1 might not have been a 95-point cigar, but I'd still easily rate it a 92 to 93 point cigar. Perhaps if it had more caramel sweetness and mushroom undertone throughout I might have rated it higher. As it was, I didn't mind too much. After all, how often does one smoke a 95-point cigar?

[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. I think I had around six or seven RASCCs mainly in the second half of 2022, and overall I rated them quite well for their flavours and smoking time. In fact, although I would opine that cigar enthusiasts favour the Montecristo No.5 or San Cristobal de La Habana El Principe more, I find the Ramon Allones Small Club Coronas is quite dependable and varies less in its quality, both construction-wise and flavour-wise. Despite the fact that I had a number of RASCCs in that aforementioned timeframe a year ago, I haven't had one since, for no peculiar reason other than I've had a whole lot of other cigars to peruse in the meantime. Therefore, I was very much looking forward to this cigar today.

When it comes to the RASCC you are really looking for its typical and distinctive dried fruit flavour, something akin to raisins. When that is present they're ideal. When they are not, I tend to still find them a decent option to smoke when I need a shorter smoke due to time.

This RASCC started off with a nice balance of quality nut, light cocoa, and that sweet, characteristic raisin-type flavour. About one-third of the way into the smoke, the cigar ramped up in those other typical characteristics of this vitola; namely, wood and leather. This changed the strength and necessitated a steady and gradual decrease in drawing on the cigar, as each puff was quite full on the palate. The result was a smoking time of a barely believable seventy-five minutes.

Again, the construction was spot-on here; both the burn and draw. Despite this Ramon Allones Small Club Corona having more strength in comparison to my last few, I still found it fine to smoke. I still maintain my view that overall, they represent decent value for a minutos-sized cigar.

[JohnS]

Bolívar Coronas Junior MSU Jul 2019

The Bolivar Coronas Junior is another minutos (42 ring gauge x 110 mm or 4⅜ inches in length) which, like the Ramon Allones Small Club Coronas, I have found to be very dependable; even more so than the Montecristo No.5 and San Cristobal de La Habana El Principe. In relative comparison within the Bolivar marca, of the four Bolivar vitolas I have sampled in the last three years or so including the Bolivar Tubos No.1, Bolivar Belicosos Finos, Bolivar Petit Corona, I would rate the Bolivar Coronas Junior as perhaps the best (but maybe only just a little better than the others) for how consistent they've been for me.

I've not found my recent BCJs smoked as particularly 'Earthy'. This particular one, though, did have some smatterings of Earthiness to it. Along with that were those other core Bolivar flavours that I've consistently found in these: light cocoa, leather, espresso coffee and cedar. This cigar was around medium-full in body with once again, had plenty of flavour. Like the Ramon Allones Small Club Coronas I smoked before this Bolivar Coronas Junior, it took me an incredible seventy-five minutes to smoke.

In summary, this Bolivar Coronas Junior smoked as reliably as my last one smoked from this box. It was a decent 91 to 92-point cigar.

[JohnS]

San Cristóbal de la Habana El Príncipe LGR Jun 2018

This is my seventh SCdLH El Principe from this box since opening it around two years ago, but I've had other San Cristobal de la Habana El Principes in the meantime from other box codes. In fact, I've had three: the first was from a newly acquired LGR Jun 2019 box code which was too strong and spicy for my liking, and two others from my TOS Jun 2016 which were much more in-line with my expectations.

My last San Cristobal de la Habana El Principe from this box smoked very well. The flavours were well-balanced and nuanced. They were fairly typical for what you'd expect from this vitola; cocoa, coffee, some molasses sweetness and a semblance of pancake-texture throughout.

This one, smoked five months later, started off with that beautiful pancake-texture again but became a touch spicy in the middle. Towards the back half that spiciness receded and it returned to its sweet pancake-textured cocoa, coffee and molasses treat that we all know and love when it comes to the San Cristobal de la Habana El Principe.

So, as this box now has past five years of age I continue to be quite content. In fact, much more content than if I had to buy the same box at current prices. Then again, I think the San Cristobal de la Habana El Principe is a cigar that will continue to have a place in my humidor, despite the recent price changes.

[JohnS]

Padron Family Reserve No.45 Natural

In 2009, Padron made available the second release of their Family Reserve Series – the Padron Family Reserve No. 45.  The Family Reserve series was launched in 2008 with the release of the Padron Family Reserve No. 44.  The Padron Family Reserve No.44 and No.45 commemorate the anniversary of patriarch Jose O. Padron launching Padron in 1964.  As with the greater majority of Padron releases, the line was released in a Nicaraguan natural and Nicaraguan maduro wrapper. The Padron Family Reserve No. 45 Maduro won Cigar Aficionado’s 2009 Cigar of the Year award whereas the Padron Family Reserve No.45 Natural was the Cigar Aficionado No.4 Cigar of the Year the following year in 2010.

The tobacco leaves for the Padron Family Reserve series are aged a minimum of ten years. Since the release of the No. 44, there have been five versions of the Padron Family Reserve series – each in a Natural and Maduro. Following the 2009 No. 45 release, there was the Family Reserve No. 46 in 2010, the Padron Family Reserve 85th to honour Jose O. Padron’s 85th birthday in 2011 and the Family Reserve No.50 in 2014, recognising the company’s 50th anniversary.

The Padron Family Reserve No.45 has a 52 ring gauge and is 152 millimetres or 6 inches long. Like the greater majority of Padron cigars, the No.45 has a notable box-press to it. I acquired this cigar in a 5-pack Sampler box, together with the Nos. 44, 46, 50 and 85. Family Reserve cigars are also available individually in 5-count and 10-count options.

I took my straight cutter and applied it to the head of this cigar prior to lighting this time. As usual, the draw was a touch loose (as is typical for Padron cigars) and it was effortless to smoke from the first puff to the last. As for flavours, as I've mentioned in my recent review on the Padron Family Reserve Nos.85 and 44 (both Natural), overall it's been said that the Family Reserve Series is not as flavoursome as other Padron lines. This is categorically untrue. What should be stated is that the flavours are much more subtle, more nuanced. This No.45 Natural had notes of light cocoa, coffee, cedar with a dark cherry and anise sweetness throughout (like the Padron Family Reserve No.85). Perhaps one could state that it had a touch of pepper here and there but this complimented the cigar nicely, in my view. In comparison to fuller Padron cigars, the No.45 was again easier to smoke, in my opinion.

I've really enjoyed smoking these Padron Family Reserve cigars of late. They are quite simply put, great cigars that represent a quality option when one is looking to smoke a Non-Cuban cigar.

[JohnS]

Cohiba Panetelas LGR Dic 2017

Ever since Habanos S.A. re-adjusted their pricing sharply for their luxury brands in Cohiba and Trinidad in mid-2022, sales for cigars like the Cohiba Panetelas (and other shorter cigars) have seemingly 'fallen off a cliff'. It's all quite understandable though, currently these retail for around $US20 a stick. There's plenty of other options out there, both Cuban and Non-Cuban, for less than that. Thankfully, I acquired this box prior to these announced price increases.

The Cohiba Panatelas is just 115 mm long (or 4½ inches) and carries a minuscule 26 ring gauge. At such a thin ring gauge, it probably wouldn't surprise you to know that it can suffer draw issues and be prone to 'plugging' as well as having inconsistent and uneven burns.

Anyway, I consider myself lucky to having received these with four-and-a-half years of age on them. I didn't press my luck expecting to receive them in a varnished boite nature box of 25 cigars. No, I was just happy to have them in the more usual display box of 25 cigars in 5 cardboard packs of 5 packaging.

I've had six Cohiba Panetelas so far (in twelve months) and overall they've been quite good. They've also all drawn well.

This seventh one, smoked around four months since my last one, was more dominant in Cohiba grass than my previous Cohiba Panetelas. The flavours were once again bold and the cigar was medium in body. There was some mocha aspects and honey sweetness to be had, which pleased me no end.

In general, this box of Cohiba Panetelas have been fairly consistent thus far. I wouldn't acquire another box though, unless they came down sharply in price. At the time of writing this review, we're still waiting for this outcome.

[JohnS]

Cohiba Siglo V (Circa 2021)

The last time I smoked a Cohiba Siglo V, I stated that the review associated with it could be considered a 'treat' because it was unlikely that another one of its type would be seen within the 2023 Smoking Blog review series. Well, I'm glad to announce that today I have another one, and yes, it was unplanned, but what a nice surprise it was! You see, the Cohiba Siglo V would have to be the one specific vitola within the Cohiba marca that I have had the most difficulty acquiring in my lifetime, even before the current production crisis of Habanos cigars occurred in mid-2022. Apart from a gifted Cohiba Siglo V smoked in February 2023 and two aged examples I smoked last year in 2022, the last time I smoked a regular Cohiba Siglo V that was aged three years or less, like this cigar, was a little over four years ago! And that was to commemorate my son's 21st birthday!

The Cohiba Siglo V would have to be my second favourite of the Linea 1492 range after the Cohiba Siglo III. At 43 ring gauge x 170 mm (or 6¾ inches), a dalias, it represents a vitola that is only shared by the Partagas 8-9-8 currently in regular production. For those of you who are experienced enthusiasts, do you still remember the Bolivar Inmensas (discontinued in 2009) and the La Gloria Cubana Medaille d'Or No.2 (discontinued in 2014)?

I believe that, in general, the dalias vitola is rarely produced as both the Cohiba Siglo V and Partagas 8-9-8 have been periodical in their availability for quite some time, and continue to be so at the time of writing this review. At least we were fortunate enough for Pacific Cigar Company to approve a Punch 8-9-8 regional edition release in 2018 so that we could enjoy a quality 'long-and-skinny' Habanos cigar, like we did yesteryear, for those more experienced among us, when these type of cigars were in plentiful supply.

This particular Cohiba Siglo V came in a tubo and was gifted by our own @ATGroom (thank you, kindly!). I noticed prior to lighting the cigar how well-rolled it was. The cigar was fairly firm and drew well. It was easy to tell that this particular Cohiba vitola was rolled by a more experienced roller. Upon lighting, the cigar quickly had typical Cohiba flavours of mocha coffee, honey, citrus and surprisingly, distinctive Cohiba grass.

In the second third, that Cohiba grass continued in much the same vein, with the mocha coffee and honey sweetness complimenting the grassy core flavour quite nicely.

In the final third, like the last Cohiba Siglo V I smoked, the honey sweetness and citrus dropped off and the mocha coffee was more dominant but overall, this cigar smoked beautifully throughout.

I took 1 hour and 45 minutes to finish it and yes, once again, it was stunning smoke. And no, I'm not just saying that because it was Cohiba cigar or because it was a rare Siglo V. It deserved its accolades because this cigar's construction was spot-on (unlike many more popular vitolas within the Habanos regular production range currently being manufactured) and its flavours didn't disappoint. I wanted to smoke more of it after I nubbed it, believe me!

In comparison to the many aged Cohiba Siglo Vs I've enjoyed over the years, I seem to remember those as being particularly herbaceous and cream-textured in character. When I mention herbaceousness I am of course talking about the classic Cohiba grass/hay profile. This relatively recent Cohiba Siglo V was much more 'grassy' than other recent Cohiba Siglo V I've smoked in the last few years. However, as a whole, I would state that recent Linea 1492 cigars (i.e. the Siglo series) haven't been too 'grassy' at all. My how times have indeed changed!

[JohnS]

Partagás Serie E No.2 (Circa 2012)

I've had very few Partagas Serie E No.2s over the years but that's not because I have an aversion to them. On the contrary, they enjoy quite a stellar reputation on our forum. In 2018 the Partagas Serie E No.2 was even touted (again, on our forum) as a 'Behike replacement' and El Laguito factory code Partagas Serie E No.2s are highly sought after.

The Partagas Serie E No.2 is a 54 ring gauge x 140 millimetres (or 5½ inches) in length 'Duke'. No other cigar in regular production shares its dimensions but ten other Regional Editions have been released over the years (including the Qatari Regional Edition 2022 Juan Lopez Hat-Trick, which has just been released, and the upcoming 2021 RE Diplomaticos Leal and 2021 RE Por Larranaga Prometidos). According to Cuban Cigar Website, it comes packaged in a display box of 15 aluminium tubed cigars in 5 cardboard packs of 3, a semi boite nature box of 5 cigars and a semi boite nature box of 25 cigars. It has many fans on our forum, but unfortunately, it has been rarely seen in its availability since 2021.

I'd like to thank @Trevor2118 for gifting me this cigar. I envisage that it would be at least eight to ten years old as a minimum, if not older. From the very first puff, I could tell that it was on its way to being a great smoke, and in fact that is what it turned out to be. The very first draws on the cigar revealed a wonderful balance of classic Partagas flavours such as sourdough, leather, citrus and light coffee and it continued that way in much the same vein for the first two-thirds of the cigar. The last third contained some forest floor flavours such as mushroom, some wood and even paprika spice, but I nubbed it nonetheless. All told, I would surmise that this was the best Partagas E2 I've ever had, and I'm not espousing that view lightly in any way, trust me!

My last three Partagas Serie E No.2s I had in 2021 similarly all had excellent flavours of coffee, leather and sourdough but varied in their flavour delivery. They weren't downright bad, however, one can read between the lines that they weren't to my 'optimal liking'!

Perhaps the problem here is that I've had Partagas Serie E No.2s of the highest quality in the past and my recent few just couldn't compete with such lofty ideals. In reality, this Partagas Serie E No.2 was maybe...just maybe, stellar. Indeed, I think it was.

[JohnS]

Partagás Legados 2020 - Edición Limitada (Circa 2022)

The Partagas Legados was announced in 2020 as the sole Limited Edition for Habanos S.A for that year. Since the introduction of the Limited Edition Series in 2000, this has been the only instance of a single release in the annual series. In fact, the first five years saw four or five annual editions, since 2005 it has been three, apart from 2015 when there were two. Still, one could contend that the Montecristo 80th Aniversario was a 'de facto' Limited Edition for that year.

It took until September 2021 that the launch party for this release was held in Madrid, Spain. It wasn't until around six months later that the cigar actually became available in early-2022. The marca and vitola was specifically chosen to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the origin of the Partagas brand in 1845. This cigar therefore honours its legacy (i.e. legado in Spanish). It is a 48 ring gauge x 157 mm (or 6⅛ inches) in length Hermosos No.2. It is the third Limited Edition to come in this size after the 2004 Romeo y Julieta Hermosos No.2 and 2019 Quai d'Orsay Senadores. There have also been two Regional Editions in this size: the 2008 Swiss Juan Loepz Maximos and 2011 Russian Emperador.

The Habanos S.A. media release for the 2020 Partagas Legados LE states that these cigars are 'characterised by their naturally fermented, dark wrapper leaves. This results from using tobacco leaves from the top part of the plants. Only the finest, most experienced Habanos torcedores are selected to roll these limited edition cigars. For the production of the Ediciónes Limitadas, only tobaccos that have matured for at least two years are used for the insert, binder and wrapper, which come from the best Vegas Finas de Primera from the world-famous Vuelta Abajo region. A second, black and gold cigar ring with an imprint of the year serves to mark these cigars as “Edición Limitada”. The Habanos Edición Limitada 2020 came onto the market with the Partagás Legado, an elegant Hermoso No.2 format with a length of 157 mm. Aficionados know that "Hermosos" always have a ring gauge of 48. The name "Legado" (Spanish for "heritage") is a homage to the long history of the traditional Partagás brand. The mixture is medium to full-flavoured but has a slightly lighter taste than usual for the Partagás brand due to the mature tobacco used. The tasting notes are as follows: "Woody, spicy and sweet aroma with roasted notes reminiscent of leather, smoked cedar, cocoa, raisins, hazelnuts, vanilla, pepper and molasses." The cigar contains an even and homogeneous combustion until the end of the smoke, with matte dark gray ash and medium gray veins, compact and durable. The suggested smoking time is between 60 and 70 minutes approximately.'

I'd like to acknowledge and thank @ATGroom for gifting this cigar and making this review possible. Upon lighting the cigar, it instantly reminded me of the 2014 Partagas Seleccion Privada of which I've smoked a number in the last few years. My last one smoked was eighteen months ago (or thereabouts). These have tended to have Rosado-shade wrappers, which this Partagas Legados also had a semblance of. Notes of coffee, sourdough, leather, pepper and yes, molasses or raisin-type sweetness suggested that the outcome of this particular Limited Edition augured well in terms of its potential satisfaction. Unfortunately, this was not to be.

The first sign that something was amiss was the fact that the wrapper wasn't burning evenly. Thereafter, it was a continual struggle to keep this cigar alight for longer than thirty seconds. The ash consistently flaked off on account of all the re-lights and despite my best efforts, I had to pitch this at some point in the final third.

The suggested retail price upon release, in Spain, was €30 per cigar. The current retail price is closer to $US70 or $AU140 a stick. For that price, one cannot state that the best torcedores produced this cigar for this review. Quite simply, the outcome of this cigar is a disgrace to the somewhat non-existent quality assurance control of Habanos S.A. There is no argument that could justify a cigar of this reputation performing like this today. Rant over.

[JohnS]

Montecristo Especial LTO Mar 2021

Along with the Cohiba Lanceros and Trinidad Fundadores, the Montecristo Especial is the epitome of the 'long-and-skinny', a Laguito No.1 with a slender 38 ring gauge by 192 mm (or 7.6 inches) in length. I had the first cigar from this LTO Mar 2021 box in mid-2021, and I've now gone through almost three-quarters of the box.

So what makes the Montecristo Especial stand out within the Montecristo marca? Alongside the Laguito No.2-sized Montecristo Especiales No.2 (i.e. 38 ring gauge x 152 mm or 6 inches in length), I would say it's the potentiality of aging these cigars long-term which makes it unique in comparison to other Montecristo vitolas. Yes I know what you're thinking, perhaps I can ease up on smoking these and let them age a little? Fear not, I'm thinking the same thing too!

This cigar opened with a typical soft milk chocolate and citrus twang in the first third, much like my last few from the box, but it soon developed some burning issues. Upon closer inspection, it wasn't too hard to see why. The culprit? A clear and obvious under-filling right down the centre of the cigar. This meant that the cigar lilted between been gloriously delicious on the one hand, and been bitter and astringent on the other. This continued until some point past the halfway mark whereby the cigar returned to normal because I had burnt through its under-filling.

Towards the end of the middle third, the cigar had notes of milk coffee, bitter chocolate and a Cointreau-like sweetness which I consider quite desirable and commendable in a Montecristo cigar. So, I didn't have an issue nubbing the cigar and I'm glad I didn't pitch it while it was suffering from construction issues.

So, in conclusion, no real ginger elements or creamy texture were to be found in this Montecristo Especial today (perhaps that aforementioned Cointreau-like sweetness resembles a possible ginger quality for the future) and so I think it best that my next one is smoked down-the-track; as in twelve or eighteen months or so. After all, in my view this box is nowhere near 'peaking' and I look forward to seeing how the next few Monte Especials smoke similarly and/or differently to my last few I've had.

[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 this cigar is now over four years old. It's come from a quarter box acquisition in January 2020. I had two sticks in 2020, one in 2021 and now it's been a little over two years since my last one. So yes, I thought it was time to re-visit it!

Unlike more potent H.Upmann offerings such as the Magnum series, H. Upmann No.2 and Petit Corona, I've generally found the Sir Winston more approachable when young, but even more desirable with age. This was somewhat atypical for a Sir Winston; coffee and nut throughout, but there was very little evidence of H.Upmann shortbread and a cream texture. Whereas I've had HU Sir Winstons with notes of cinnamon spice, this had more white pepper. This was more intense in strength and body than what I've been accustomed to in the past. By the middle third until the end the cigar had Earthiness, leather notes and charred wood at times. The nuttiness was akin to a combined of roasted almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts.

I finished this after two hours and twenty minutes.  My last few H.Upmann Sir Winstons were sweet, slightly-caramel and creamy cappuccino-like, generally speaking. This was much more potent, but admittingly still good. There was no doubt it was still a quality cigar, judging by its construction, burning and flavours.

What a great way to spend a pleasant afternoon, enjoying a churchill-sized cigar such as this one! I wonder when I will light up another one? I would hope it's less than in two years time from now!

[JohnS]

Cohiba Espléndidos PLM Oct 2006

Of all the recent changes to pricing by Habanos S.A., especially in regard to their premium marcas Cohiba and Trinidad, I would opine that this vitola would be amongst those that Habanos enthusiasts would still perhaps buy (or want to buy) on a special occasion but would very rarely smoke. The Cohiba Siglo VI and Lanceros may be other vitolas I would categorise into this newfound classification, that is, if one can actually find them.

As it is, I find I smoke a Cohiba Esplendidos very rarely, perhaps once or twice a year. (Admittedly, I've smoked a little more of late, in the past twelve months!) At that rate, I would surmise I have enough for a lifetime. It's understandable though, isn't it? We are talking about a cigar that would auction at around $US70 a stick on Bond Roberts in 2020 if it was more than ten years old to costing around $US130 to $US140 a stick if auctioned on the same site today. (The last two auctions of partial boxes of Cohiba Esplendidos, from 2006 and 2007 respectively, went for around that mark in February/March 2023.) Heck, a brand new box of current Cohiba Esplendidos retails for just under $US80 a stick nowadays. Who can afford such a venture? Well...yes, there are people out there, probably just not you and me! Just don't hold your breath trying to acquire any recent 2022/23 stock though.

In light of all this, I would like to warmly thank you @Trevor2118 for gifting me this incredible cigar! This cigar comes from late 2006, and at seventeen years of age, it didn't lack in any way in terms of flavour.
 
It was, of course, mild in strength and the question of flavour or 'expiry' was once again a moot point. The last time I smoked a Cohiba Esplendidos from this box code, a little over six months ago, I got typical flavours consistent with the Cohiba Clasica line such as milk coffee, butter, honey and vanilla. There was no real spice nor Cohiba grass/hay at that time, which you can get in these Clasica line cigars sometimes, but which I find more consistent in the Siglo line. Again, the flavours had also melded thoroughly so that any mocha flavour has well-dissipated by now. In other words, the coffee notes here were light, there was some honey and vanilla sweetness but on this occasion, I did in fact get some Cohiba grass/hay and spice throughout the cigar. In addition to the flavours I've mentioned, the construction was about as ideal as you'd desire it to be. Quite simply, the ash was perfectly dime-stacked, in other words, the ash had rings on it that looked like dime coins stacked on top of one another and the ash fell off itself in almost symmetrical one-inch lengths without tapping the cigar.

After smoking this Cohiba Esplendidos I thought to myself that the days of smoking Cohiba cigars as regularly as I once did are definitely over. (Ironically I have smoked 18 examples in this calendar year thus far, in around ten months, although I did smoke double that - 36 to be precise, last year in 2022. So the changes have certainly had an effect on my habits). Nevertheless, I take comfort in the fact that we have other wonderful Cuban (and Non-Cuban) cigars to explore and appreciate into the future, so I'm happy to continue to smoke a Cohiba Esplendidos on the odd, special occasion.

[JohnS]

Por Larrañaga Montecarlos TOS Mar 2017

This TOS Mar 2017 represents my darker-wrappered Por Larranaga Montecarlos, which I smoked half the box within six months of acquiring it. The last cigar I've had from this box was in late-June 2021 and the previous one was one year prior to that...my how time flies! I've since been smoking my LGR Ago 2018 and finished my glorious box of LGR Oct 2017 PLMCs, as these had lighter wrappers and were more abundant in caramel from a younger age (and thus more to my liking).

It's not that this TOS Mar 2017 box has been that bad; rather, they've been more dominant in coffee and toast notes in their first 12 to 18 months of rest so I decided to give them more time to develop more of that significant caramel note that Por Larranaga is renowned for.

I did get some nice notes of sweet caramel and honey, as well as coffee and nut in this PL Montecarlos today. In general, I would have to say that the texture of the cigar is somewhat more 'toasty' than what I remember with the previous cigars from the box, but still, it didn't feel as refined on the palate as my light-wrappered PL Montecarlos that I've enjoyed in the last few years. In fact, overall I'd say it was still a touch 'woody' and there were some sour notes in the middle, like lemon tea, yet I am satisfied with how this box has since developed in the last two years since I've visited them.

It's often said among cigar enthusiasts that a box that is smoking poorly or below expectations in its early stages can benefit from aging. Whilst this can be true, I think it's a rare thing for a box to turn out 'wondrous' after a few years of rest, as in the principal idea in the classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, 'The Ugly Duckling' whereby the ugly duckling realises they are a beautiful swan by the end of the story. It is possible, but realistically its better to desire maturity and improvement in the relevant box incrementally, just as was evident with this Por Larranaga Montecarlos today. I hope to re-visit it in another twelve months or so to see how it's faring.

[JohnS]

Quai d'Orsay Coronas Claro TUA Dic 2020

The introduction of the new regular production additions to the Quai d'Orsay marca in late 2017, the Nos. 50 and 54, somewhat shaded the reputation of the aptly-named Coronas-sized (i.e. 42 ring gauge x 142 mm or 5⅝ inches in length) Coronas Claro for awhile thereafter. This is my seventh one that I've smoked from this box, around eighteen months after my sixth one, and again I felt that it was of the equal in smoking quality to the halcyon days of the Quai d'Orsay Nos. 50 and 54 in late 2017, 2018 and early 2019.

I stated in my previous reviews on the Quai d'Orsay Coronas Claro that the one characteristic common to the very best Quai d'Orsay Nos. 50 and 54 I've enjoyed in the past few years has been without a doubt a rich egg-and-butter brioche pastry texture. Other flavours of note include: quality hay, cedar, cream, ginger or cinnamon spice and toffee. When these Quai d'Orsay Nos. 50 and 54 have not been on-point it was usually due to the cigar being unbalanced, often with flavours of oak wood and/or spice dominating and detracting from those sweeter cake-type aforementioned flavours.

This Quai d'Orsay Coronas Claro was consistent with how I've found the blend in this marca in the last five years, due to its core rich egg-and-butter brioche pastry texture throughout it. It was light in strength but body-wise it was quite flavoursome because along with the egg-and-butter brioche pastry it also had a some hay and lemon citrus, along with an 'oakiness' that gradually became more intense in the last third.

Construction-wise, this thankfully was not under-filled like some of my last Quai d'Orsay Coronas Claros and so it smoked well from beginning to end. Yes, it seems to me that the days of the QdO Coronas Claro being a light, floral smoke are in the past now. Those were the times where one could get a bland smoke or two out of the box (if not more). I don't think one could say that's the case nowadays.

[JohnS]

Partagás Maduro No. 3 TUE Mar 2021

The Partagas Maduro No.3 was added along with the Partagas Maduro No.2 in 2018 to form the Linea Maduro with the Partagas Maduro No.1 introduced in 2015. It is a unique Maduro No.3 size with a 50 ring gauge by 145 mm (or 5¾ inches) length. This was my sixth Partagas Maduro No.3 from the box. I smoked my first three within three months of acquiring this box, waited ten months to have my fourth and a further five months after that to have my fifth one. That particular cigar was downright awful so I've waited almost a year to re-visit it today. I figured that I couldn't possibly encounter two in a row that would be so poorly constructed and thankfully that turned out to be prudent.

Within the Partagas Linea Maduro (as it's called) I've had Partagas Maduro No.1s the most and in my view, the Partagas Maduro No.1 has been a refined cocoa, chocolate, coffee, anise and sour cherry smoke according to my palate, in general. I wouldn't categorise it as a classic Partagas-flavoured cigar, nor a complex cigar. Perhaps this last point is pertinent as a number of our forum members haven't exactly connected with this series for these reasons. I mean, think about it, when you think of the Partagas marca do you even think about the Linea Maduro? Perhaps one could label the Linea Maduro series the 'Un-Partagas Partagas' line?

Personally speaking, I haven't exactly been overly keen to re-visit this line (either the Maduro No.1, No.2 or No.3) because my last few have been somewhat inconsistent. This Partagas Maduro No.3 was quite refined, with less body or fullness of flavour than the Partagas Maduro No.1s I've smoked. let's say. The flavours were again a combination of cocoa/chocolate, sourdough, sour cherry and coffee.

In summary, I'm relieved that this cigar smoked well, flavour-wise and had no construction issues. Even though the outcome was much more welcome than my previous Partagas Maduro No.3, I'm still reluctant to guess the next time I will reach for another one from this box. Hmmm...it could be at some point 'down-the-track', I'd say.

[JohnS]

Partagás Maduro No. 2 TUE Dic 2020

The Partagas Maduro No.2 was added along with the Partagas Maduro No.3 in 2018 to form the Linea Maduro with the Partagas Maduro No.1 introduced in 2015. It is a Short Piramides with a 55 ring gauge by 120 mm (or 4¾ inches) length. If the large ring gauge concerns you, rest assured, the conical head makes it much easier to smoke after cutting than it would otherwise. In my case, I use a Colibri V-Cutter which makes a deeper v-cut in cigars than typical V-Cutters.

As I've mentioned previously in regards to the Partagas Maduro line, in my opinion, they differ from other standard Partagas cigars. I wouldn't necessarily classify them as a classic Partagas-flavoured cigar. For example, you're not likely to get spice or pepper out of them.

This was the ninth Partagas Maduro No.2 from the box I've had. The first six were smoked between April and November 2021 and they all shared a similar flavour profile.Those Party Maduro 2s had more strength and more body or fullness of flavour than the Partagas Maduro No.1 or Partagas Maduro No.3 I smoked during that time. Think of strong cocoa/chocolate, hints of charred wood, some anise, sour cherry and coffee. No, it doesn't sound like a classic Partagas cigar at all, does it?

Unlike my last few Partagas Maduro No.2s I had from this box, which I found had naturally diminished in strength a little and had evidence of melding in their flavours, this had anise and sour cherry on the edges, charred wood and chocolate aplenty and very little in the way of coffee. Personally, I would have wanted the chocolate and wood to recede more and the anise and sour cherry flavours come more to the fore.

Perhaps I'll give this another six to twelve months or so to see what the next stage of development here is. At times, this cigar bordered on the edges of acridity on account of how how much smoke I drew per puff and how dominant it was in charred wood. This was mainly more evident in the middle third, by the final third the cigar had settled.

In regards to smoking time, normally I would give myself around 60 to 65 minutes for the Partagas Maduro No.2. This one took me about that time to finish.

[JohnS]

Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo du Maire TEO May 2018

I have not exactly been enamoured with this Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo du Maire box. There have simply been too many examples of poorly constructed cigars within this box that have resulted in unsatisfactory outcomes such as uneven burns, bitter flavours etc. I had a similar experience with my previous El Rey del Mundo Demi Tasse and I was glad when I finished that a box last year.

When it comes to the Le Hoyo series I sometimes wonder why the du Gourmet, du Roi, du Prince and des Dieux were discontinued but the du Maire remains. I guess that the cold hard facts is that the du Maire continues to sell, while the other aforementioned cigars of the Le Hoyo series did not, but I still reminisce and pine for a des Dieux or du Prince at times; whereas I never pine for a du Maire other than when I need a cigar to smoke for a 20 to 25-minute duration.

I've only smoked three HdM Le Hoyo du Maires in the last two years (or so), but the last one was good. Still, given the overall performance of this box, I didn't have high hopes for this cigar when I cut it. The draw on this was again ideal, not tight in any way, and smoke output was very, very good. Flavours were once again typical for the Le Hoyo line - wood, milk cocoa, tobacco with some vanilla and cinnamon spice. The milk cocoa was the main flavour evident though, much like my last HdM Le Hoyo du Maire smoked six months ago.

I was quite pleased how this cigar turned out today. Perhaps they've 'turned a corner', so-to-speak, around the five year-mark as the last two from the box were smoked after this milestone had arrived. However, I wouldn't necessarily classify these particular examples as 'swans amongst ugly ducklings'. At least they're a lot better than my previous examples that I've had to endure through for a number of years.

[JohnS]

El Rey del Mundo Demi Tasse SGA Sep 2016

The El Rey del Mundo Demi Tasse can be such a delightful little flavour bomb on the proviso that they have decent construction. By that I mean whether they are rolled correctly or not. My previous box of MLU Dic 2018 ERdM Demi Tasses had far too many samples with construction issues for my liking. This older SGA Sep 2016 box has been much better; alas, I've only smoked five of them, with only two of them smoked in the last four and a half years.

Thankfully, much like my last ERdM Demi Tasse smoked one year ago, this entreactos cigar was rolled well; I didn't need to re-light it once, it wasn't under-filled, it didn't burn harshly and it had a good ash-length throughout. It had the usual lemon citrus combining with a core fruit and shortbread profile, some floral and honey notes and was exactly what I was looking for. It was also a tad drier, perhaps a bit more 'toasty' than my last ERdM Demi Tasse but that didn't perturb me from my enjoyment of the smoke.

At seven of years of age, I can say that this box is coming in to its 'peak period'. (If you aren't sure what that term means, simply put, it signifies that period of time whereby a box of cigars is assumed to be smoking at its best.)

I can be satisfied that this ErdM Demi Tasse today smoked much, much better than my last one from my MLU Dic 2018 box. It lasted twenty-five minutes but the memories of my last box were long gone before I had finished it!