JohnS' Smoking Diary 2023

[JohnS]

Thank you, @GoodStix!

[JohnS]

H. Upmann Half Corona OPG Feb 2015

The H.Upmann Half Corona was released in 2011, has a 44 ring gauge and is 90 mm or 3½ inches in length. It typically smokes around 25 to 35 minutes. It comes packaged in a 5-pack metal tin or 25-count dress box. This OPG Feb 2015 H.Upmann Half Corona I smoked today came from a dress box.

When young, the H.Upmann Half Corona is noted for its espresso coffee, toasted tobacco and white pepper/spice flavours. I opened up this box after five years and I've steadily noticed a change in how the cigars have smoked from late 2020 to the present day. The first lot, up to around mid-2021 were average to just above that mark, in general, mainly because they were quite potent in their toasted tobacco and/or white pepper flavours. From mid-2021 until mid-2022 they developed still to be less dominant in coffee and toasted tobacco, and thus, I graded them higher, around above average. The last three I've enjoyed since August 2022 have been all outstanding, including this one today.

This HU Half Corona has just hit the eight-year mark and I can't recall too often experiencing such sweet licorice on the tip of my palate from such a small H.Upmann cigar. Of course, it was balanced by a mid-level dollop of espresso coffee and some burgeoning shortbread, but overall, it was simply magnificent, according to my tastes.

Judging by how the last three H.Upmann Half Coronas have smoked from this box, I would say that this box has definitely now 'turned a corner'. I suppose that eight years is a long time to wait for a cigar to begin to show signs that it's smoking to one's preference, but it does highlight the old proverb that 'patience is a virtue'.

[JohnS]

Vegas Robaina Famosos ARS Ene 2019

I've really enjoyed an AEM May 2015 aged box of Vegas Robaina Famosos since I opened it in mid-2019 and I've come down to my last three sticks, so I figured I'd smoke some fresh samples of this vitola, at the present time, and let my 2015 sticks rest a little longer.

Today's cigar was every bit as great, but very different, in comparison to my seven year-old AEM May 2015 Vegas Robaina Famosos box. These aged sticks tended to have quality lush tobacco and grass, dates, baking spice, bitter or rich milk chocolate and floral notes here and there. This particular youthful VR Famosos emphasised more of that dark or bitter chocolate today that really appeals to the palate. It also had sweet dates or raisin, prunes and leather. Unlike my aged examples, this Famosos didn't have nuanced floral notes or baking spice (and certainly not a quality lush tobacco and grass) but you wouldn't expect that for its age. In fact, this VR Famosos smoked similarly in flavour and construction to my first two smoked from this box code thus far, with all three having been smoked in the last nine months.

Normally a Hermosos No.4 of this size (i.e. 48 ring gauge x 127 mm or 5 inches in length) would take me around 70 minutes to finish. Unlike my last VR Famosos, which had a slightly tight and resistant draw and took me 95 to 100 minutes to smoke, this one was 'more-to-standard' and took 75 minutes.

I have around half a box of Vegas Robaina Famosos across three box codes, but as I sit here pondering this fact while typing this sentence, I can't help but think that I will savour every single one I have left!

[JohnS]

H. Upmann Connoisseur No.1 BRE Nov 2018

Seven months ago I had what turned out to be an ordinary cigar from this box code. However; overall, I would say that with the five 91 to 92 point cigars I've had, that this box of H.Upmann Connoisseur No.1 has been quite good overall.

That cigar wasn't sour, bitter or acrid like you would experience if it was rolled with unfermented leaf (as late quarter H.Upmann Connoisseur No.1 from BRE 2018 have been known to be) but it did have an excess amount of white pepper from beginning to end. Now, I don't mind some white pepper in my H.Upmann cigars but not to that extent! There was still enough cedar, coffee and shortbread notes in the cigar though to not render it irredeemable, but I had no qualms about letting the cigar go early into the final third. It was what we commonly reference as an 'unbalanced' cigar. You don't want your cigars to be one-dimensional normally, and you may want them to have some 'transitions' through the thirds, but no, you don't want them 'unbalanced', believe me.

This HU Connoisseur No.1 started off more promisingly in that it was quite 'standard-fare' or even inoffensive in its opening. You know, cedar, leather, some shortbread, light espresso coffee...the type of flavours you'd expect from an average H.Upmann cigar. It stayed that way until the halfway-point whereby that white pepper I experienced in my last cigar re-introduced itself. Now, it wasn't so intrusive to render the cigar unsmokable, but no, it wasn't to my preference.

Still, I could live with it. I smoked it down well into the last third and cried inside at the thought that I have only three more H.Upmann Connoisseur cigars left in my inventory. What will I have to sell to acquire another box, I wonder?

[JohnS]

Arturo Fuente Hemingway Work of Art

The Arturo Fuente Hemingway Work of Art was ranked no.6 in Cigar Aficionado's Top 25 cigars of the year in 2018. It's difficult to roll, yet Arturo Fuente still finds a way to maintain consistency in construction with these perfecto-shaped cigars. The Cameroon wrapper indeed imparts a wonderful sweetness to the blend and the shape of the cigar induces fantastic transitions on the palate.

The ring gauge of the Work of Art is 60 rg at its most widest, hits 56 rg at the midway point, and decreases to 46 rg around the band. It takes great skill for torcedores to create this complex vitola. That, there is no doubt! It's available in Natural and Maduro varieties. The wrapper (of this Natural version), as mentioned, is of the Cameroon sweet variety and both the binder and filler contain aged Dominican tobacco.

I smoked a H.Upmann Connoisseur No.1 before this cigar, and because I have often compared the resemblance in flavours of the H.Upmann marca (in general, in previous reviews) and the Arturo Fuente Hemingway series, I deliberately chose an Arturo Fuente Hemingway cigar to follow-up that HU Connie 1. After all, I believe its important to test our biases from time-to-time.

Once again, the opening was like a beautiful hit of sweet shortbread and honey. Thereafter, the trajectory of this particular AF Hemingway Work of Art veered towards a savoury direction. There was cedar, some shortbread, hay and a touch of spice, but nothing like what I'd label as white pepper commonly found in H.Upmann cigars, on occasion. Again, I concluded the cigar highly satisfied with the results.

In summary, I do indeed think there is a strong resemblance in its flavours with the H.Upmann marca. Having said that, there's no doubt that I greatly admire the Arturo Fuente Hemingway series but the fact remains that I would never had stumbled upon it if the state of Habanos cigars was like it was in 2021 (or earlier). The Work of Art certainly lives up to its name. It continues to be a quality cigar that I would easily recommend anyone to try.

[JohnS]

Cohiba Espléndidos MAR Feb 2019

Cohiba, as a brand it invokes a myriad of reactions depending on the respondant. For cigar enthusiasts, its the marca you connect with deeply as a premium Habanos product or you don't, for the layman Cohiba is the brand that is thought of when reference is made to luxury Habanos cigars.

Since the advent of the recent changes to pricing by Habanos S.A., especially in regard to their premium marcas Cohiba and Trinidad, I would opine that the Esplendidos (and Siglo VI) would be amongst those vitolas that Habanos enthusiasts would perhaps buy on a special occasion but would very rarely smoke from now on.

As it is, I find I smoke a Cohiba Esplendidos very rarely, not even once or twice a year. 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 retail for around $US80 a stick nowadays, if you could actually find it available. It seems that since the price re-structure was announced, the longer vitolas have gone into hiatus. And even then, who can afford such a venture? Well...yes, there are people out there, probably just not you and me!

In general, I have found that I have smoked older versions of this cigar of late, but this MAR Feb 2019 example represents the second Cohiba Esplendidos that I've smoked in the last six months that was aged three years or less.

From the 'get-go' this relatively young Esplendidos was replete in mocha coffee. Along the way it also had some smatterings of Cohiba grass/hay. Around the halfway point of the cigar, the spice on its edges picked up a little. As I smoked down the cigar the mocha coffee flavour dominated more, but other than that it stayed consistent in its flavours. Coincidentally, this was exactly how it was with my last young Cohiba Esplendidos that I smoked (that was a late-2021 example). The mocha element to this cigar concealed any potential sweetness of honey or vanilla and it did not reveal much in the way of a buttered texture. Perhaps with more time down this will change.

All the same, generally-speaking, the Esplendidos is the type of cigar I find that I don't have a preference for its age, I can equally enjoy it 12 months or under, at the 5 year mark and even well over 10 years. Today's cigar was again proof of that, it was easily self-evident!

[JohnS]

Partagás Lusitanias UEB Abr 2019

The Double Coronas is a vitola with a 49 ring gauge and 194 mm or 7⅝ inches length. It typically takes a long time to smoke, somewhere in the vicinity of two-and-a-half hours or more. Of the Double Coronas in regular production in the current Habanos catalogue, I would believe that the Partagas Lusitanias is rated the highest among our members. Of the remaining three, the question of what would be second is a subjective one. Perhaps I would guess it would be the Ramon Allones Gigantes (a cigar that of recent times has been speculated as a candidate for possible discontinuation). I would surmise further that the Hoyo de Monterrey Double Coronas and Punch Double Coronas may not receive as much acclamation because they've been more scarce in availability in comparison to the Partagas Lusitanias and Ramon Allones Gigantes in the last five years or more.

At the present time, this may all represent a discussion that is quite hypothetical due to the downturn in current production of Habanos cigars in 2022. You see, since Habanos S.A announced their new pricing re-structure and diminished output in mid-2022, any four of these Double Coronas have been nigh on impossible to acquire. As an aside, I believe the last time the Partagas Lusitanias was available on a 24:24 listing was in mid-December 2021. At that time they retailed for $US19 a stick. On Bond Roberts, at the time of writing this review, these would currently reach a price easily twice that. My how times have changed!

I last smoked a 'Lusi' from this UEB Jun 2018 box code three months ago.The flavours were remarkably similar to what I had listed last time. Partagas sourdough, milk coffee and leather. The only difference I would note would be the fact that any paprika spice in this cigar was after the first third, and it was much less than the two previous UEB Jun 2018 Lusis I had prior to this one and the last one. Also, this was quite light on any caramel-like sweetness (what El Pres lists as nougat).

Construction-wise, all my UEB Jun 2018 Partagas Lusitanias have struggled to maintain a one-inch ash, but at least the last two weren't 'flaky' from beginning to end. Overall I consider this UEB Jun 2018 cigar equal to my last one, but I consider my last three UEB Abr 2019 Lusis were all better by comparison, though.

So, when was the last time you smoked a Double Coronas and if you have some in your humidor, are you reticent to smoke your stock given the current production hiatus of this vitola? I do hope you enjoyed reading this review as I wonder when will be the next time that I reach for a Double Coronas myself.

[gormag38]

On 4/14/2023 at 9:18 PM, JohnS said:

So, when was the last time you smoked a Double Coronas and if you have some in your humidor, are you reticent to smoke your stock given the current production hiatus of this vitola?

The last time I reached for one was probably sometime in the fall, before things got REAL cold here in the mitten state.

As for your second question, I'm CERTAINLY reticent to smoke the stock I have of them. I have a week long vacation coming up that I figured would be a good time for my only BCG. Will I take a Lusi? RAG? Espy? SW? I want to bring them all, only I don't know if more age will benefit them. Lord knows it's probably fat chance that I'll ever purchase any of them again. 

 

On another note, thanks for keeping the reviews coming @JohnS. They're certainly a pleasure to read! 

[JohnS]

9 hours ago, gormag38 said:

The last time I reached for one was probably sometime in the fall, before things got REAL cold here in the mitten state.

As for your second question, I'm CERTAINLY reticent to smoke the stock I have of them. I have a week long vacation coming up that I figured would be a good time for my only BCG. Will I take a Lusi? RAG? Espy? SW? I want to bring them all, only I don't know if more age will benefit them. Lord knows it's probably fat chance that I'll ever purchase any of them again. 

 

On another note, thanks for keeping the reviews coming @JohnS. They're certainly a pleasure to read! 

I can certainly relate to this predicament!

Thank you too, for your appreciation of this series! 👍

[JohnS]

Quai d'Orsay No.50 SMA Jul 2018

It's been eighteen months since I last had a Quai d'Orsay No.50 from this SMA Jul 2018 box, my...how time flies! This cigar represents the fourth example from this mid-2018 box. I have smoked through a 10-count box of a different SMA Jul 2018 Quai d'Orsay No.50s previously (when first released around five years ago or so), and 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 current popularity on our forum of these Quai d'Orsay releases (i.e. the QDO Nos. 50 and 54) has somewhat diminished in comparison to the fervour these generated when they first came to market and were extremely popular in 2018 and 2019. I wonder if recent examples of these vitolas has dropped off in quality in comparison to that initial run?

What I have admired from this cigar in the past, when it is at its very best, is the luscious egg and butter texture to the smoke, together with the cedar, hazelnut and ginger spice, topped off with a refined brioche bread flavour. Sometimes you can even get sweeter toffee-like flavours. When this occurs, the QdO 50 really shines!

Today's example had a semblance of these flavours, excepting that sweeter toffee, but it was not as well-balanced as I would have liked, mainly on account of the spiciness of the cigar and the woodiness, which was more akin to oak wood rather than cedar, and which I feel is 'crisper' on the palate.

Having said this though, it seemed that every time I lit up a 2019 Quai d'Orsay No.50 in late 2019 or in 2020, it was always more prevalent in wood and spice flavours and never as complex or well-balanced neither. 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]

Romeo y Julieta Churchills UEB Jun 2019

The Romeo y Julieta Churchill has been a standout cigar, in general, for a while now, especially after 2019. For a few years before 2015/16, I would say that this definitely wasn't the case; after all, I can recall my fair share of tasteless, bland toasted tobacco RyJ Churchills. Afterwards, the opposite may be true: I have had a great number of excellent RyJ Churchills, mostly replete with delicious fruity flavours.

This RyJ Churchill had a perfect draw and was quite effortless to smoke. The construction was consistent in ash-lengths and burn. In terms of taste, I've quite enjoyed the anise/turkish delight/rosewater and fruitiness of the Romeo y Julieta marca for some time now and this particular RyJ Churchill was all that, with a hint of Earthiness on the edges.

It seems a shame to me, that since the production downturn and price increases of Habanos cigars was announced in April 2022, that these longer vitolas have generally gone into hiatus. I say that because they tend to be amongst the better-performing cigars within the Habanos regular production catalogue, well...at least for me.

I very much enjoyed this Romeo y Julieta Churchill on a warm weekday afternoon, after a decent day's work, over 90 to 100 minutes. I lament that I may have to ration this particular vitola until the time comes that Habanos S.A begin to reproduce this cigar in meaningful quantities. I can't help but feel I may be waiting in forlorn hope of this outcome, if not despair.

[JohnS]

Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.2 UTL Jul 2019

This was my eighth Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.2 from a 5x3 cardboard pack I acquired in late 2019. This means that I've gone through just over half its contents in a little over 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. This eighth one was smoked six months after I smoked the last one. After smoking now through more than half the content of this cardboard pack, I'm confident that the question of aging in cardboard packaging will be but a moot point as six of the eight 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; light milk cocoa, cedar, malt, a hint of cream texture and some delicious vanilla sweetness from beginning to end, it was all simply wonderful.

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 90 minutes. It's interesting how one can get such a variance in smoking time from the same vitola!

I have a few sticks of 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 Topes 2016 - Edición Limitada TOS Sep 2016

The Trinidad Topes was first released in late 2016 as a Limited Edition with a large 56 ring gauge x 125 mm (or 4⅞ inches) length. It was such a great seller and well-reputed amongst aficionados that in my view, it wasn't too much of a surprise to see it being re-released in 2019 as a regular production cigar. Incidentally, the Montecristo Dantes and Romeo y Julieta Capuletos were also released in early 2017 as 2016 Limited Editions. Do we still remember them? (Well, perhaps we remember the Montecristo Dantes still!)

I've mentioned in previous reviews that the 2019 regular production Trinidad Topes that I've sampled since their release have tended to be a combination of spice, coffee and butter pastry, some slight gingerbread-type sweetness and even some salt. The Trinidad Topes 2016 EL had more cocoa and sweetness to it upon its release in its youth. In other words, I've found the regular production Topes more savoury in comparison to its Limited Edition 'elder brother'.

This TOS Sep 2016 had a core oak woodiness to it, some coffee-cream cappuccino, cocoa, dough and some hints of caramel sweetness that I've found quite delectable during the last few times I've smoked these 2016 LEs. It had a 'stacked-dime' ash and was quite rich on the palate from the first puff until the last.

My last Trinidad Topes LE took a whopping 135 minutes to finish, this one took a little less time, somewhere around 115 minutes! Even after a few hours had elapsed from when I had finished the cigar, its resonance still held my attention on my palate. What can I say? There's a reason these are still highly sought after and valued by cigar enthusiasts and it all has to do with class and quality. This cigar shines in both those characteristics.

The only factor that could encumber my joy of smoking this fine Trinidad cigar today was the knowledge that these now retail for around the same price as a Major League Baseball annual television subscription. In other words, $US140 to 150 a stick. If you acquired these when they were first released, aren't you glad you purchased a whole box when its entire contents (i.e. 12 cigars) was worth the price of two cigars nowadays?

[JohnS]

Saint Luis Rey Serie A MOE Oct 2014

It may not surprise you to know that since 2014, Habanos S.A have reduced the Saint Luis Rey to one regular production vitola, the Regios. Saint Luis Rey as a brand established itself in the 1940s in the United Kingdom and did not do so in other regions. Despite this, I find it interesting that although there have been six Regional Edition releases since 2009, not one of them included the United Kingdom.

The Serie A, in my opinion, can be quite complex in their flavour delivery. By comparison, I find the Regios more approachable young, yet the Serie A can really take you on a journey when smoked with some age on it.

This cigar when aged can give you nuanced and delicate flavours and changes throughout the thirds. My most recent Serie A's showed notes of powdered cocoa, hay, lemon/orange citrus sweetness and apricot or peach stonefruit flavours in the first third, floral flavours and cream in the middle third and chocolate and espresso coffee in the final third.

This Saint Luis Rey Serie A, at eight-and-a-half years of age, opened with an abundance of hay and chocolate, together with typical stonefruit flavours of apricot or peach. Along the way it picked up notes of espresso coffee and cedar. In the last third there was a bit of spice and tea to the cigar. I was surprised how flavoursome in body this cigar was upon finishing it.

Sadly, I have only three Serie A's left in my humidor. I don't think there are any regular production Coronas Gordas left today that are quite as complex as this Serie A was, and will no doubt continue to be into the future.

[JohnS]

H. Upmann Petit Coronas LUB May 2014

The H.Upmann Petit Coronas was last manufactured in 2016. The last of these 25-count dress boxes were last seen in 2017. They were never a popular seller, both in relation to other marevas-sized cigars and within the H.Upmann marca. I would speculate the reason for why the H.Upmann Petit Coronas never developed a following would be because it was the type of cigar that took a long time to 'peak' or develop and when young it was known for being quite dominant in strength, espresso coffee and toasted tobacco.

What then did the H.Upmann Petit Coronas have in terms of appeal for its adherents? Simply put, with significant time down it was known for having a combination of that other-worldly H.Upmann shortbread and sweet cream texture. When you get this in an aged H.Upmann cigar I promise you that there is nothing finer.

This particular H.Upmann Petit Coronas, being just short of nine years of age, started off wonderfully with that superlative H.Upmann shortbread and cream texture I had aforementioned. In the middle third, these flavours took a back-seat to the burgeoning espresso coffee and toasted tobacco which intermingled with the shortbread and cream to make the cigar smoke quite differently. There was also some hints of sweet licorice which made the cigar quite interesting. It stayed this way until its end at around sixty minutes of smoking time.

In the end, this was an excellent H.Upmann Petit Corona. Yet, I can still confirm that even though the signs of greatness are there, I may still need to wait a little longer yet for the back half of this cigar to catch up with the first half in its smooth shortbread and cream.

[JohnS]

Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo du Prince SOM Jun 2016

Can you believe that it's been a little over six years since these have been discontinued? And can you remember how popular this cigar was on our forum during 2015 and 2016? It seemed that every time they came out on a 24:24 listing they were snapped up in a proverbial blink! There's a reason for this, I think, and it lays in the fact that this cigar, although an almuerzos at 40 ring gauge x 130 mm and not quite a petit corona (42 ring gauge x 129 mm), offers a nice change-of-pace in the petit corona range. How are they after 6 years? For me, they are now within my 'wheelhouse' or quite simply, that phase where I prefer them to be.

In comparison to the last Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo du Prince I smoked in mid-2021, this was relatively light in those typical forest floor or Earth and heavy wood flavours common with the Le Hoyo range but it did retain a mushroom core. It had more of a cream and vanilla element too, in fact, much more than what I've experienced in smoking through this box code in the last few years. The cigar was also much milder than what I've experienced in the past, being medium-mild in strength. The last third was nowhere near as intense in woody flavours as my previous HdM Le Hoyo du Prince cigars either. It was quite easy to nub.

In comparison to the most recent Le Hoyo releases of the de San Juan (a Geniales at 54 ring gauge x 150 mm) and Rio de Seco (an Armorosos at 56 ring gauge x 140 mm), those cigars are different to this du Prince box in that those cigars have more crispy, toasty flavours when young, can have a distinctive tea flavour, and in my opinion, are more approachable when young. But now that this Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo du Prince is nearing the seven-year mark, I can confidently assert that this can easily hold its own as a quality HdM Le Hoyo option, if one is seeking it.

[JohnS]

Por Larrañaga Petit Coronas LGR Oct 2019

I've written previously in my last few reviews on this cigar that when it comes to the Por Larranaga Petit Coronas there seems to be two leading views as to what profile the cigar represents; one, the aged, refined caramel-laden variety or alternatively, the young potent coffee-and-spice version. Is it possible to like both types of these PLPCs? I would advocate that indeed it is possible, but consequently I find enthusiasts seem to favour one or the other.

As for me, I don't mind them in their youth but yes, I do favour them aged, especially if they are strongly mild, caramel and baking spice in their smoking. This quarter box of LGR Oct 2019 PLPCs that I acquired from our host have been almost universally excellent despite been under three years of age. I've been pleasantly enamoured by how strong they've been in caramel at such a young stage and how little spice they've had.

My last PLPC I smoked from this box code was an outlier in comparison to the others because, although it wasn't too potent nor spicy, it was still strangely nondescript or bland in its flavour profile. There were hints of caramel, but mainly it was just coffee and wood all the way. The cigar would have benefited from being a little sweeter.

This PLPC was much, much better. I wouldn't label it as being caramel-laden but it was certainly sweeter. It was well-balanced in its coffee, wood and honey flavours and frankly, I quite enjoyed it. What more could one ask for? Not much, I'd say. Maybe this is why this particular cigar sells so well, despite being peculiarly only available in a 50 cab packaging option.

[99call]

14 hours ago, JohnS said:

I may still need to wait a little longer

Isn't it interesting that in both cigars De Prince and HUPC respectively they are still maturing to where they should be i.e. their potential.   I'm always struck by enthusiasts giving vitolas like DC's a de facto decade, out of respect, when in actual fact sometimes that bares no relation to how 'ready' the cigar is,  whereas PC's and smaller cigars rarely get the respect and opportunity to mature.   I wonder if this actually has any relation to what people associate as being valuable cigars i.e.  if they are just churning through PC's 8 mths after they've been rolled, but giving DC's 8 yrs,  they are naturally going to have a skewed perception of what is 'quality cigar'.

[99call]

14 hours ago, JohnS said:

This Saint Luis Rey Serie A, at eight-and-a-half years of age, opened with an abundance of hay and chocolate, together with typical stonefruit flavours of apricot or peach. Along the way it picked up notes of espresso coffee and cedar

I've always wanted to love this cigar, and in many ways it should be in my wheelhouse. I don't know if I've always been unlucky with examples I've had, but their was always so much going on with these, so many flavours, so many colours blended together....than the effect I always seemed to get was a muddled brown, manure (not in a good way) taste to them.

Again I think it was just a poor reception of my palate in particular.   Still desperately want to like them, but I guess the scarcity will naturally put an end to that frustration. 

Did MRN say that these were a difficult cigar to get along with? if he did, I think I would be inclined to agree with him.

[JohnS]

10 hours ago, 99call said:

Isn't it interesting that in both cigars De Prince and HUPC respectively they are still maturing to where they should be i.e. their potential.   I'm always struck by enthusiasts giving vitolas like DC's a de facto decade, out of respect, when in actual fact sometimes that bares no relation to how 'ready' the cigar is,  whereas PC's and smaller cigars rarely get the respect and opportunity to mature.   I wonder if this actually has any relation to what people associate as being valuable cigars i.e.  if they are just churning through PC's 8 mths after they've been rolled, but giving DC's 8 yrs,  they are naturally going to have a skewed perception of what is 'quality cigar'.

The longer cigars probably get more time down, in general, because seasoned cigar enthusiasts have more time for the shorter cigars in their rotation in comparison to the longer ones. Therefore, this phenomenon can often occur 'by accident'. In my opinion, it's no coincidence that the shorter petit corona-sized cigars that needed more time to savour have since gone 'by the wayside'.

10 hours ago, 99call said:

I've always wanted to love this cigar, and in many ways it should be in my wheelhouse. I don't know if I've always been unlucky with examples I've had, but their was always so much going on with these, so many flavours, so many colours blended together....than the effect I always seemed to get was a muddled brown, manure (not in a good way) taste to them.

Again I think it was just a poor reception of my palate in particular.   Still desperately want to like them, but I guess the scarcity will naturally put an end to that frustration. 

Did MRN say that these were a difficult cigar to get along with? if he did, I think I would be inclined to agree with him.

Definitely, I'm with you here. This is a cigar that can easily have a 'muddled' feel on the palate.

Yes, MRN did say that this marca wasn't for everybody in his magnum opus, "An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Post-Revolution Havana Cigars".

[JohnS]

Saint Luis Rey Marquéz 2016 - Edición Regional Cuba SGA Oct 2016

I had smoked a Saint Luis Rey Marquez at the end of 2020 and the background notes I included for that review is included below as they serve as a background reference to this release...

Saint Luis Rey, it's not a marca many of us identify with. After all, when was the last time you had one? Well may you say that there's only one regular production cigar left in this marca, the Hermosos No.4-sized Regios (48 ring gauge x 127 mm or 5 inches in length), precluding enthusiasts from enjoying Saint Luis Rey cigars more often. Why is Saint Luis Rey such an undistinguished marca...especially if you compare it to well-known marcas such as Montecristo, Cohiba, Partagas and H.Upmann?

Saint Luis Rey was introduced prior to the Cuban Revolution, which greatly streamlined and altered Cuban Cigar manufacturing in the early sixties, in 1940. It was mainly marketed to the United Kingdom, where I'd argue it enjoys its greatest popularity to this day. It's also a complex and nuanced cigar with a propensity for aging to gain benefit from its blend. This was certainly true of the Serie A and Double Corona before they were deleted six or seven years ago. The Regios defies this trend. It's a cigar that has a bread and apple citrus core flavour which is best enjoyed in its youth. Thus, it bucks the trend in regards to Saint Luis Rey being a marca that benefits from long-term aging. Perhaps this is a reason why the Regios is still in production.

So it's intriguing that Habanos S.A chose Saint Luis Rey for its fourth Regional Edition for Cuba in late 2016. Since this time there's been another two releases for six overall (La Gloria Cubana Deliciosos, El Rey del Mundo Infantes, Diplomaticos Excelencia, Saint Luis Rey Marquez, Punch La Isla and San Cristobal de la Habana La Cabana). There have also been only six Regional Edition releases in the Saint Luis Rey marca since the program was initiated in 2005, but surprisingly none of these have been targeted for the United Kingdom. (The six were Asia-Pacific, Peru, Spain, Cuba, Middle East and Costa Rica.)

The Saint Luis Rey Marquez is a Geniales size (or commonly a Robusto Extra) at 54 ring gauge x 150 mm (or 5⅞ inches) in length.  It was released in 7500 Semi boite nature boxes of 10 cigars each (so 75000 sticks in total). There have been eleven Regional Editions released in this vitola, two regular production cigars and two Habanos Specialist releases. These include the Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo de San Juan, H.Upmann Connossieur B, San Cristobal de la Habana Torreon and Montecristo Open Eagle. Reviews for this cigar were mixed upon release. Some enthusiasts favoured it, others found it bland. I would advocate that after four years this would still be the case as Saint Luis Rey is a marca that is polarising...you either love it or you don't. It's definitely not for everyone.

The Saint Luis Rey Serie A, when it was around, was not an easy cigar to define, especially if you compare it to defining a Montecristo No.4 or Partagas Serie D No.4, for example. Two main flavours stood out; stonefruit (or apricot or peach) and molasses or honey sweetness. It was a cigar that was complex, subtle and nuanced and was best smoked with some time down. It was noted for developing chocolate and/or coffee notes after significant aging whereas most Habanos cigars diminish in these flavours with long-term rest.

Similarly, this Saint Luis Rey Marquez, being now a bit over six years old, had a sweet hay, dried apricot or stonefruit and cedar complexity to it. It also had a powdered cocoa core flavour to it. Unlike my last Marquez smoked around two-and-a half years ago, this did not have any light coffee and baking spice notes; nor was it anywhere near as soft, nuanced and subtle as a well-aged Saint Luis Rey Serie A.

It took me just over two hours to smoke, when I nubbed it after approximately 125 minutes. However, it never really held its ash well and it wasn't well-balanced in its flavours. Unlike the two previous Saint Luis Rey Marquez cigars I smoked in 2020, this was somewhat basic, bland and lacked dimension.

So there you go, this was disappointing in comparison to other Saint Luis Rey cigars I've enjoyed of late. I only have three Serie As and three Regios left in my humidor and I wonder when I will smoke them and whether I will acquire anymore. I wonder too if you can relate to this predicament?

[JohnS]

Montecristo Petit Edmundo ESO Sep 2014

The Montecristo Petit Edmundo is a Petit Robusto (52 rg x 110 mm or 4⅜ inches in length), released in 2006. It was the second regular production Petit Robusto-sized cigar (and by that I am referencing its Common Name) after the Hoyo de Monterrey Petit Robusto was introduced in 2004. The Cohiba Magicos came soon after in 2007. After a spate of Regional Edition cigars were released from 2009 to 2011 utilising this vitola there's been a number of additions ever since to the regular production catalogue.

I only opened this ESO Sep 2014 box of Montecristo Petit Edmundos late in 2021. Overall, they've been consistently mild and smooth. Today's Montecristo Petit Edmundo was also as similarly mild and light-bodied as my last Montecristo Petit Edmundo I smoked five months ago.

I wrote in my last review on this cigar a few months ago that in general, as this box enters its now ninth year, the fullness of flavours (especially when it comes to the Montecristo cocoa and coffee) has greatly diminished and now these have been mainly been nutty, leathery and there's been more room for any citrus twang to 'shine'.

These aged Montecristo Petit Edmundos have also acquired an additional creamy texture to the cocoa, nut and light coffee blend, which I quite like. If you desire stronger coffee and/or cocoa in your Montecristo cigars, then you are best to have them before the 3 to 5 year window, depending on the specific vitola of course. This is a generalisation of course. Today's Monte Petit Edmundo opened with signature nut and leather flavours and was more dominant in quality milk chocolate and milk coffee in its second half.

As it was, the combination of that mild milk chocolate and milk coffee, coupled with a hazelnut cream texture made this a very easy cigar to smoke. Unlike my last Monte Petit Edmundo, which took forty minutes to complete, this took a more rudimentary fifty-five.

At the 10 to 15 year mark, the Montecristo brand can begin to develop floral notes and the nuttiness becomes more generic and less savoury, something akin to walnut or similar. At that point, you aren't likely to be enjoying any dominant coffee flavours. I have no desire to let this box age that long, though. I have only two cigars left and I doubt that they will see out the current year.

[JohnS]

Montecristo No.4 BOE Apr 2019

I have had a good run with a variety of UEB 2018 box code Montecristo No.4s in the past few years so I was excited to acquire this quarter pack from FoH to compare a 2019 Monte 4 in the second half of 2021. This was my third cigar from that quarter pack. I had the first two within a month of this acquisition, this third one was smoked eighteen months later.

These cigars have had a strong colorado hue to their wrapper but that hasn't been their most standout feature. Rather, the box-pressed shape of the quarter pack has been the most curious characteristic of these cigars; but for me, I don't mind box-pressed cigars on occasion.

How did it smoke? Well, quite superbly, actually. Despite being a tad dry, with the wrapper being on the brittle side, it was a little on the light side in terms of strength and body. It was also light on cocoa and coffee flavours but the nut and citrus twang notes on this Monte 4 were quite appealing.

So in summary, this was great for what you can get and expect in a Montecristo No.4. It's without any hint of cynicism that I wouldn't be surprised if my next Monte 4 from this box code was markedly different and replete with cocoa and coffee flavours!

[JohnS]

Bolívar Tubos No.1 ULA Jun 2015

As I've stated in previous reviews on this cigar, 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. Cigar enthusiasts may remember the Montecristo No.3 and Quai d'Orsay Coronas Claro, but would they remember the Romeo y Julieta Cedros De Luxe No.2? Perhaps, no? I know, I still wonder myself why the Romeo y Julieta Cedros De Luxe No.2 is still around and the Bolivar Tubos No.1 is not. (Granted, I am aware poor sales would obviously have something to do with it!)

There was once a time when the Coronas vitolas was ubiquitous with almost every marca but since 2000 they've been steadily deleted from the Habanos regular production catalogue. Alongside the Bolivar Tubos No.1, last made six years ago, may we equally 'fare thee well' to the Diplomaticos No.3, El Rey del Mundo Coronas de Luxe, H.Upmann Coronas, Hoyo de Monterrey Hoyo Corona and Le Hoyo du Roi, Juan Lopez Coronas, Partagas Coronas, Punch Coronas, Ramon Allones Coronas, Romeo y Julieta Coronas and Romeo No.1 de Luxe, Saint Luis Rey Coronas, Sancho Panza Coronas and Vegas Robaina Familiar. I have no doubt that these fifteen cigars I've mentioned here may evoke fond memories for you. You may even still have some of these in your humidor! If so, how sublime!

The Bolivar Tubos No.1 was noted as an elegant cigar of better-than-average construction (probably as less were made) and provided lots of complexity in aromas, especially floral ones. The flavours tended to be Earthy, wood, some spices, leather and even bitter chocolate.

After having this box in storage for approximately five years and after having gone through almost half the box, my last cigar I had six months ago was the first one to have dominant characteristics of bitter chocolate, leather, Earth and spices in its blend. It was also the first one to exhibit sharp, distinct and fulsome flavours. 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, as this one was today, quite precisely, in fact. One thing every cigar from this box has had has been plenty of smoke per puff!

This Bolivar Tubos No.1 began like all the others, it was soft and chewy on the palate, full of sweet caramel and floral notes with hints of underlying mushroom. In the middle third, that beautiful caramel sweetness, underlying mushroom and floral flavours continued on. Frankly, I was loving every minute of it! In the last third, the cigar developed some bitter chocolate, leather, Earth and spice and it became much fuller in body and strength. Still, that caramel sweetness and mushroom and floral note core flavour was evident and it inspired me to nub it down to its end.

Quite simply, this would be the best example of a Bolivar cigar I've had in quite some time, if ever! Everything about it just seemed to align into place...its construction, its smoking performance, its balance and quality of flavours. I simply need to light another soon, just to compare. I think if the next Bolivar Tubos No.1 was only half as good as this cigar I would be satisfied. This Bolivar Tubos No.1 today was honestly that good!

[JohnS]

Cohiba Siglo I MEL Dic 2016

I had written in my previous review on this cigar, nine months ago, that 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.

I've also stated that, for me generally, 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. In fact, in general, I'd rate the Cohiba Siglo I at five years of age as stronger comparably even to similar-aged minutos and perlas such as the San Cristobal de La Habana El Principe, Rafael Gonzalez Perlas or Montecristo No.5, so-to-speak.

This Siglo I had typical notes of mocha coffee, some honey, some elements of Cohiba grass or hay with a little citrus twang. The last one I smoked from this box code was a tad smoother. This particular Cohiba Siglo I was full-bodied in flavour and full of smoke per draw, so it was hard to appreciate a sense of subtlety to it like one can perceive with other Cohiba vitolas, especially aged ones, by comparison.

I still enjoyed this Siglo I but my bias towards Cohiba as a marca affected my evaluation of it. I simply find it hard to get past my preference for milder and sweeter options when it comes to Cohiba. If you favour more strength in your Habanos cigars, then the Cohiba Siglo I and II, may be more to your liking.