JohnS' Smoking Diary 2023

[JohnS]

Padron Serie 1926 #9 Natural

The Padron 1926 series was introduced in 2002 to commemorate founder Jose O.Padron's 75th birthday the year before. (He was born in 1926.) Padron's website confirms the following; The award-winning Padrón 1926 Serie premiered in 2002 to commemorate José O. Padrón’s 75th birthday, with ten sizes available. Continuing our tradition, this series is offered in a box-pressed format. These cigars are individually hand-crafted from tobacco aged five years, then blended to create an exceptionally smooth, complex, balanced and full-bodied flavor. For protection, a double band with an individually numbered guarantee label is applied to every cigar to safeguard against counterfeiting. Available in both sun-grown natural and maduro wrappers.

This Padron Serie 1926 No.9 is the same ring gauge and about one-third of an inch longer than a Trinidad Topes (i.e. 56 ring gauge x 133 mm or 5¼ inches in length). It won the 2007 Cigar Aficionado cigar of the year with a barely believable 97-point rating. It's a big cigar, there's no doubt about that, yet that quintessential Padron box-press isn't as evident on this particular vitola as it is on other smaller ring-gauged Padrons.

I used my Credo 3-in-1 Punch Cutter, utilising the largest punch for cigars greater than 48 ring gauge, and had no issue punching the single cap, as is common with Padron cigars.

The first third saw the usual plethora of smoke and flavour, which mainly consisted of a cocoa, coffee and sweet cedar combination which was quite endearing. The cigar was again rich on the palate, yet as is typical of Padron, once again it was quite smooth and effortless to smoke. The draw was, as usual, sightly loose (they are normally rolled this way).

The middle third had those core flavours mentioned in the first third, but at this point of the cigar there was a leather and cashew nut feel to the smoke, which was quite dry on the palate. In other words, the mouthfeel was distinctive in comparison to Habanos cigars; nevertheless, it didn't detract from the quality of the cigar because I've come to expect this smoke texture from my previous experience with smoking Padron cigars.

The final third had some pepper to it and the strength ramped up, just like the last time I smoked a Padron 1926 cigar (which was the No.2 Torpedo-shaped vitola). At this point, I slowed down to savour the cigar on the palate.

I'd venture to say, and I probably wouldn't surprise you in saying that this; but this Padron 1926 No.2 had an ideal construction and smoking characteristic, it was well-balanced. A full-bodied smoke, thanks to the aged leaves, the strength overall was a very comfortable medium-mild overall. I finished the cigar in 90 minutes. That may sound quick for a cigar of this vitola but it was very, very easy to draw down on the smoke.

This Padron Serie 1926 No.9 was probably the best Padron cigar I've smoked. Yes, it was that efficacious in delivering quality and in fact, dare I say, it was a welcome relief from the frustration of some recent under-filled Habanos cigars I've had. With the current pricing of Habanos cigars, can we say that Padron is an acquired luxury product, by comparison, anymore? With that in mind, it wouldn't surprise me in the least to learn that demand for Padron is as strong as ever. Quite simply, they deliver in what they promise.

[JohnS]

Padron 1964 Imperial Maduro

Padron is considered amongst enthusiasts as one of the most consistent Non-Cuban brands in both construction and blend. I think it is for this reason that one rarely encounters a bad review on a Padron cigar. Any criticism on the brand tend to be limited to its vitolas being one-dimensional in flavour. It's uncommon to cite a review mentioning draw issues or indeed a lack of flavour on the palate.  

According to Padron, The Padron 1964 Anniversary Series line was introduced in 1994 to commemorate Padron's 30th anniversary. This line consists of ten sizes that are all available in sun-grown natural and maduro wrappers. All tobacco used in this limited production series is aged for four years, creating a smooth and complex flavor. In honor of the age-old Cuban tradition of box-pressing cigars, the 1964 Anniversary line was introduced as a box-pressed series.

The Padron 1964 Imperial Maduro is the same length as the Torpedo at 6 inches (or 152 mm) but its ring gauge is slightly bigger as 54 rg and its head (or cepo) is obviously not tapered like a torpedo-shaped cigar. Despite the large ring gauge on this cigar it didn't seem that big. I suppose that's an indication of how acclimated we've become to larger ring-gauged Habanos cigars in the last ten to fifteen years. Normal 42 ring-gauged coronas can seem like toothpicks in comparison!

I used my Credo 3-in-1 Punch Cutter to punch the single cap, using the mid-sized punch option for cigars up to 48 ring gauge in girth.

The first few puffs of this cigar greeted me with some typical cocoa, coffee and leather. The flavours were once again smooth and well-balanced, no one flavour dominated the others. The draw, of course, was slightly loose and I got huge plumes of smoke per puff. The cigar was not as full-bodied as the last Padron 1964 Maduro Imperial I smoked a little over six months ago.

As I smoked this Padron 1964 Maduro Imperial into the second third once again I picked up a little spice in addition to the aforementioned flavours in the first third. The burn and draw continue to be as reliable as ever and the fulsome flavour on the palate doesn't diminish at all in the middle of the smoke. What can I say? These are quite simply consistent, reliable cigars; both in flavour delivery and construction.

At the start of the last third, the cigar became more intense in its Earthy characteristics. I gladly nubbed this at around 75 minutes. Perhaps that sounds a little quicker than one would expect from a cigar of this size (as indicated above; 54 ring gauge x 152 mm or 6 inches; slightly bigger than a Cohiba Siglo VI, but not by much due to the box-pressing), but the loose draw and full-flavoured nature of this cigar means that it's very easy to smoke.

In conclusion, due to this cigar being made with aged leaf and rolled with a slightly bigger ring gauge, I again found it slightly milder in strength than other Padron Anniversary 1964 Maduro cigars I've sampled. Padrons have a reputation for being stronger on the palate for those who are new to them; however, once one becomes accustomed to them, I believe they become quite an 'acquired taste', so-to-speak. Once you get used to how full-bodied they tend to be, it's not hard to appreciate, in general, what fine cigars they actually are.

[JohnS]

Oliva Serie V Melanio Churchill

Oliva famously gained credibility and publicity via its win for the Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado with Cigar Aficionado in 2014. One could argue that the Oliva Melanio line became more well-known thereafter. The Oliva Serie V Melanio Churchill was Cigar Aficionado’s No.8 cigar of the year in 2018 and 2020, with scores of 93 and 95 respectively. I've been so impressed with the Oliva Serie V Melanio Churchill cigars I've smoked in 2022 that I decided to acquire a 10-count box in the meantime. The Churchill size is a vitola I quite like for when I feel like a long smoke and as we know, we aren't exactly 'flush with options' when it comes to Habanos Churchill-sized cigars right now.

The Oliva Serie V Melanio Churchill is box-pressed but has a normal straight foot and a slightly curved head with a 178 mm (or 7 inches) length and 50 ring gauge, which is a little bigger than the traditional Habanos girth for a Churchill-sized cigar that is usually 47 rg. It comes with the now accustomed, yet impressive, Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper but it is the binder and filler which makes a difference to the Melanio line. Both the binder and the filler use Nicaraguan Jalapa tobacco which is said to impart more flavour and less strength.
    
My last Oliva Serie V Melanio Churchill, smoked four months ago, opened with some chocolate and cedar and developed in the first third with the addition of coffee and leather. In the last third I got a little spice and the cigar was a tad more 'woody', but honestly not too much, the flavour blend stayed much the same. Throughout the cigar there was a nutty texture akin to almonds or walnuts and the strength of the cigar was mild. It was effortless to smoke and retrohale through the nose.

This particular Oliva Serie V Melanio Churchill was quite a contrast, by comparison. It lacked that almond nut and cream texture, and it was very light on cocoa. Instead, it was quite staid; it didn't reach the heights of any of the Oliva Serie V Melanio Churchills I smoked throughout 2022. Instead it was quite plain, mainly woody and leather. Perhaps there was a touch of almond marzipan here and there, but not enough to redeem the cigar in my mind.

As I alluded to earlier in this review, Habanos S.A. have very few Churchill-sized cigars left; in fact, just three in regular production (Cohiba Esplendidos, H.Upmann Sir Winston and Romeo y Julieta Churchill). These all enjoy a ‘lofty’ reputation within the Habanos catalogue. It's a shame that this cigar, smoked over 125 minutes, wasn't anywhere near as qualitative as those cigars. If I got a touch more flavour out of this cigar today then I guess this review would have turned out differently. Sadly, that was not the case.

[JohnS]

Sancho Panza Non Plus SRO Feb 2018

The Sancho Panza Non Plus was discontinued in early 2019, with the last box codes cited from before mid-2018. I made sure to acquire some of these last boxes, despite the fact the Sancho Panza Non Plus never lived up to the same reputation as the Sancho Panza Belicosos and similarly-deleted Molinos. In early 2022, astonishingly, 2021 box coded SP Non Plus were been produced again. The same thing happened in 2021 in regards to the La Gloria Cubana Medaille d'Or No.4, which despite never having an official verification of deletion hadn't been seen since 2018. Both these vitolas have since vanished again, a victim no doubt of the current greatly-diminished Habanos cigar production in comparison to the golden run of supply from late 2018 to early 2022.

In general, of the boxes I acquired, my RUM Abr 2018 box, which are of a light-wrappered colorado to colorado claro shade, have been better than the Non Plus cigars from my SRO Feb 2018 box, which are darker-wrappered and more of a mottled colorado rosado shade. Admittedly I've only had five (or so) from each box. If one had to make a judgment on these two boxes based on wrapper shade, then you'd go for the darker, mottled-wrappered SRO Feb 2018 varieties rather than the plain, lighter RUM Abr 2018 examples. The famous idiom to 'never judge a book by its cover' couldn't be more pertinent in this case.

The last SRO Feb 2018 Sancho Panza Non Plus I smoked five months ago was simply sensational. At one month short of four years it was a simple delight of wood, floral notes and sweet tea from beginning to end. It smoked ideally, with no construction problems, over seventy minutes. It was quite possibly one of the best SP Non Pluses I've ever smoked! By contrast, the previous SRO Feb 2018 Sancho Panza Non Plus I smoked prior to that, more than a two years ago, was vegetal in flavour, had a musty, dull oak wood core flavour and some hints of salt. It was quite generic.

So how did this SRO Feb 2018 SP Non Plus turn out? Sadly, it was heavy on the palate, bland in its woodiness and quite 'closed' in its flavour delivery. It wasn't the worst cigar I've ever smoked but it didn't exactly redeem itself. Forgive me for not painting a more vivid picture for you of my cigar-smoking experience today. To borrow another famous idiom, it was quite simply 'nothing worthwhile to write home about!'.

[JohnS]

Sancho Panza Non Plus RUM Abr 2018

I have mentioned previously in reviews on this cigar that the Sancho Panza Non Plus was discontinued in early 2019. It was never a big seller in the Habanos catalogue. I have mentioned before that, in my view, the main reason for this is because of the generic flavours the SP Non Plus is known for in its youth. In other words, it needs time to develop its potential, unlike other premium marevas cigars.

So far, of the two Sancho Panza Non Plus boxes I've acquired prior to their denounced deletion, my RUM Abr 2018 box, which are of a light-wrappered colorado to colorado claro shade, have been better than the Non Plus cigars from my SRO Feb 2018 box, which are darker-wrappered and more of a mottled colorado rosado shade. It must be said though, I've only had five (or so) from each box.

My last RUM Abr 2018 SP Non Plus, smoked five months ago, was slightly generic in flavour than my last one. It had floral notes, a little salt and wood, which increased in intensity in the back half. In the first half I did get a hint of sweet tea in the first third. I would have loved to have had more of it! By contrast, the previous RUM Abr 2018 SP Non Plus I smoked a little over two years ago, pleasantly surprised me in its hints of complexity and flavour. I got a core wood, salt and floral notes to the cigar but in-between I got splashings of sweet tea at times and alternatively, white pepper at other times. The cigar before that, smoked nine months prior, had mainly generic toasted tobacco, hints of wood and salt and only some floral notes on the edges. It was a solid cigar, nothing more.

This particular RUM Abr 2018, at a little over five years of age, was actually quite good. It had a suitable complexity to keep me interested and was well-balanced in its flavours of wood, salt, floral notes and its underlying sweet milk tea, which I quite enjoyed. Judging by how it smoked today, I'd be more likely to return to this RUM Abr 2018 box sooner rather than my SRO Feb 2018 box. I just hope my next one from this box is like this cigar today, rather than been generic, like some other previous specimens I've had.

[JohnS]

Saint Luis Rey Regios GOB Jun 2020

The more I smoke the Saint Luis Regios, the more I lament the gradual decline within this marca in the last twenty years. In that time, the Serie A, Double Coronas, Churchills, Lonsdale, Coronas and Petit Coronas have all 'gone by the wayside'. In other words, discontinued. Now we are left with a single vitola; the SLR Regios. I would imagine, logically-speaking, that Habanos S.A are still producing the Regios to maintain its international trademark over this brand.

This was the fourth SLR Regios from this box code that I smoked. The first, smoked over two years ago, had distinctive Saint Luis Rey flavours of cocoa, hay and a stonefruit (think dried apricots) core but its apple citrus tart flavour wasn't as dominant as I would have liked. It was merely serviceable, in my view. The second one, smoked twenty-one months ago, on the other hand was exemplary in all departments; construction, flavour and smoking. What appealed to me about it was the cake-like texture of the smoke and its dried apricot/stonefruit flavour profile.

The third SLR Regios, smoked three weeks after the second one, started off with that aforementioned cake-type texture, together with an obvious dried apricot or stonefruit and hay profile. Again the flavours were rich but unfortunately I ran into construction issues due to some bunched leaves up one side of the cigar. This entailed constant re-lights as the cigar was continually going out, the burn was seldom even and the flavours, although rich and redemptive, started to muddle with a generic toasted tobacco element to them. This all settled into the last third but it was struggle for a good 45 minutes to an hour of that cigar.

And so to this fourth cigar, smoked after quite some time since the last one; twenty-one months, in fact. It had no significant construction issues other than it needed re-lighting a few times and it didn't exactly maintain a 'cone' at its foot as it burned down. Instead, it slightly tunneled, which suggests a degree of slight under-filling, but didn't greatly effect the flavours. Those flavours were somewhat perfunctory. In other words, routine and superficial. There was a cocoa and stonefruit core to this cigar, together with an apple citrus tart from time-to-time, but that was about it. A solid cigar but that is all.

In my experience, Saint Luis Rey has always been a cigar that requires aging to get the benefits of its blend profile and my preference makes it difficult to appreciate smoking it in its youth. The irony in stating this comes from the fact that the SLR Regios is not blended in the same way like its now-deleted familial relations. On the contrary, they smoke better in their youth, not aged, in my view. And this challenges my bias in relation to Saint Luis Rey cigars. I guess it is a hard thing to let go of one's preferences. Quite simply, I would prefer an aged Serie A or Double Coronas to a Regios. I can't seem to put this feeling aside, as much I try or would like to.

[JohnS]

H. Upmann Connossieur No.2 (circa 2023)

The reason for the hiatus of this current year's Smoking Blog was on account of a short trip to Europe with my wife and a dear couple we've known for many years. The European leg of the trip coincided with a heatwave in a number of countries in July. Thankfully, the last leg of the trip, in England, saw much milder weather. It was during this last leg that I had the opportunity to visit the famous JJ Fox Cigar Store at 19 St James' St in London.

The shop was of course owned by Robert Lewis until it was bought by JJ Fox in 1992, but the records, ledgers and various other memorabilia can be publicly viewed downstairs in the JJ Fox Museum. The most famous artefact is Sir Winston Churchill's chair which he used to sit in and scroll through potential acquisitions. As I'm writing this, I've been listening to Nicholas Hammond's excellent podcast, "Around the World in 80 cigars", specifically episode 8 of season 1 whereby his 50 minute interview with Robert Fox details Sir Winston's large weekly acquisitions and notes that the great man was atypical for his era of cigar smoking; he liked to sample a variety of Habanos cigars, something which is more akin to our cigar culture nowadays.

The entry level of the shop houses the famous walk-in humidor containing Cuban and Non-Cuban cigars as well as cigar accessories such as books, humidors, lighters. cutters and ashtrays. I was quite impressed by the stock of Cuban cigars, given the current situation in relation to stock post April-2022. Upstairs is the sampling lounge, with smoke extractors sufficient for about thirty customers to enjoy their chosen samples, together with complimentary bottled water and coffee. On this day I chose a cigar I've yet to sample, as perhaps Sir Winston Churchill would have, the H.Upmann Connossieur No.2.

The cigar comes with a new factory name, Bohemios due to its unique 51 ring gauge and 134 mm or 5¼ inches length.  So, in essence, it's slightly larger in girth and length than its brother, the H.Upmann Connoisseur No.1 and indeed, it does share some of its characteristics in its blend, but it's different too. This HU Connossieur No.2 started off like a HU Connoisseur No.1 in its almond nut, espresso coffee and shortbread blend but towards the middle third it acquired leather notes. In the final third, it was more 'earthy', cedar, cinnamon and white pepper in nature but I concluded it thinking that it was a fine smoke.

In my experience over the years in relation to the H.Upmann marca, I would surmise that the H. Upmann Connossieur No.2 was blended to resemble an 'amplified' H.Upmann Connoisseur No.1. Normally, I would expect such a cigar to be a special release Limited Edition of Regional Edition but the fact that it is a regular production cigar is quite admirable. One thing I know after smoking it, this is the type of cigar that can be enjoyed with minimal rest. I would say it was intentionally designed that way.

[JohnS]

Por Larrañaga Petit Coronas BRM Nov 2022

On my recent sojourn throughout Europe I had the opportunity to stop by the LCDH in Nuremberg and I was able to pick up this relatively young Por Larranaga Petit Coronas. The shop itself had an impressive stock of Cuban and Non-Cuban options and of course I picked up some Non-Cuban cigars too.

This particular Por Larranaga Petit Coronas had a splendid hit of caramel in its first third. In my opinion, it amazed me how sweet it was. In its middle third it was more 'woody' and the last third was more toasted tobacco and espresso coffee. It's been often said on our forum that young PLPC has 'bite' to it and aged PLPC can be dominant in caramel. This PLPC didn't have that much bite to it at all.

It makes me think that if I had a box of these I would smoke half of them quite eagerly and age the rest as the evidence of this smoke augurs well for developing caramel in the future. No doubt, it was a quality smoke to savour.

[JohnS]

Padron 1964 Principe Natural

The Padron 1964 Principe Natural was one of the Non-Cuban cigars I acquired during my visit to the Nuremberg LCDH in Germany in July, 2023. I have smoked and enjoyed a number of Serie 1926 and 1964 cigars in the last few years but not the popular Principe, so I thought to myself, "why not?"

The Padron 1964 Principe comes in two options; maduro and natural. I opted for the natural version. It has a 46 ring gauge and 114 mm or 4½ inches length. It comes in a ubiquitous box press. I punch-cut the head knowing that Padron cigars are always plentiful in smoke delivery. This proved to be the case with this cigar too.

The cold draw had a cedar, vanilla and slight 'musky' note to it. Upon lighting it, it was quite self-evident that I was smoking a Padron 1964 cigar as all the usual characteristics that define this series were present. This included flavours of cocoa, cedar, earth and pepper which stayed fairly rudimentary and consistent from beginning to end. As usual too, the draw was slightly loose; there was no effort in drawing a lot of smoke per puff (and flavour, of course).

I finished the cigar after 65 minutes. I would opine that if you are familiar with the Padron series of cigars then you would know that the Principe is stronger than other vitolas with the 1964 line. Be mindful of that if you aren't familiar with this cigar as it is not an option for those of you who seek a mild cigar. Instead, I would recommend this cigar for those of you who are experienced cigar smokers. Having said this, it's an easy cigar to like if you enjoy Padron as a cigar within your rotation.

[JohnS]

Bolívar Presidente 2013 - Edición Regional Suiza (circa 2013)

The Bolivar Presidente is Swiss Regional Edition release that was produced in 5000 10-count semi-boite nature boxes in 2013. The chances are that you've never heard of it. Admittingly, it was a release that colloquially passed 'under the radar'. Its distinguishing characteristic is its size; it was the fourth Geniales vitola to come to market after the 2009 Montecristo Eagle, 2012 San Cristobal de la Habana Torreon and 2012 Asia Pacifico Regional Edition El Rey Del Mundo Aniversario. With a 54 ring gauge and 150 mm or 5⅞ inches length, it's a big cigar (and was certainly considered so at the point of its contemporaneous release). Certainly, the regular production Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo de San Juan, which shares the same vitola, confirmed much the same sentiment when it was added to the HdM Le Hoyo line amongst cigar enthusiasts in 2014.

I must acknowledge @Perla for provided this cigar for review within this Smoking Blog series. Since the release of the Bolivar Presidente there's been a stream of Geniales offerings; fifteen in all, mainly Regional Editions apart from the 2017 Habanos Specialist Release H.Upmann Connossieur B.

In terms of how this Bolivar Presidente smoked, I can state that upon its release it was noted for its potency in regards to been 'peppery' but ten years has since passed and this was not evident today. After a significant passage of time this cigar has well and truly melded in its flavours. One could say that it was one-dimensional, but I would say that cigars of this ilk are less likely to retain complexity after this much time down. Cigars that manage to are noteworthy, in my opinion.

This Bolivar Presidente started off with muted Bolivar flavours of Earth, leather and wood. Along the way it had semblances of a caramel sweetness and marshmallow texture that I've found in my recent Bolivar Tubos No.1s, but not enough to warrant merit that this particular cigar was superlative; rather, I would offer that it was 'serviceable'. Of course, that may not be the outcome one is seeking if they have a box of these on hand and are still smoking through them. In other words, my preference would have been to smoke this Bolivar Presidente a few years ago when it had more 'vibrancy'. Still, as it is, I am grateful for the opportunity to have smoked it and written a rare review on it.

I finished the cigar after two hours and fifteen minutes. It was an interesting ride in the first two-thirds, less so in the last third where it was more rudimentary. Perhaps Bolivar cigars are not meant to be this dull in their last third or so one-dimensional, or even somewhat 'muted' throughout and this has maybe influenced my judgement. Be that as it may, at least it wasn't like a regular production Bolivar offering. It was different enough for that.

[JohnS]

Ramón Allones Robusto XXL 2015 - Edición Regional Belux (circa 2016)

Like the 2013 Swiss Regional Edition Bolivar Presidente, the 2015 Ramon Allones Robusto XXL is a Geniales-sized Belgium and Luxembourg (hence the name on the secondary band, Belux) Regional Edition that also was released in 5000 individualised 10-count semi-boite nature boxes. Like the Bolivar Presidente, this release came out with little fanfare, but despite this and sharing the same size, the Ramon Allones Robusto XXL is a very different cigar.

This opened with all the hallmarks of a traditional cigar worthy of its marca. By that I mean, it was replete in some nice cocoa and 'stewed fruit' goodness but it developed nicely as I smoked through it. As it progressed, the cigar took on some baking spice and floral notes. There was some hints of nuts and around the midway point it became more noteworthy for its pepper. Normally, pepper flavours can overwhelm a cigar, but like its addition to a fine meal, when its noticeable in subtle amounts it enhances things in a big way. I would surmise that in the case of this Ramon Allones Robusto XXL, the hints of pepper in the cigar very much appealed and strengthened its complexity.

I finished this hefty cigar after two-and-a-half hours and was impressed. What was even more noteworthy was the feel of it on my palate which lasted well into that night and even the next morning. Thank you @Perla for providing this cigar for review for this Smoking Blog Series. It was a fine cigar indeed.

[JohnS]

Por Larrañaga Coronas 2017 - Edición Regional 5ta Avenida (circa 2018)

5ta Avenida (or Quinta Avenida) is Spanish for 5th Avenue. It's also the name of the distributor of Regional Edition cigars for Germany, Austria and Poland. This 2017 Por Larranaga Petit Coronas was released in September 2018 and this cigar came courtesy of @Perla (thank you kindly!).

If you are familiar with these releases from this distributor, then you'd know that the first four have been reputable - the La Gloria Cubana Glorias (2015), the Bolívar Tesoro (2016), the Por Larrañaga Coronas (2017) and the Punch Preferidos (2018). Unfortunately, due no doubt to the Worldwide Covid-19 pandemic and the mid-2022 ongoing Habanos cigar supply crisis, there haven't been any subsequent 5ta Avenida releases but keep them in mind if things change in the future.

There are two things that I greatly admire about this release and they are the dimensions of the cigar and the packaging. Firstly, the cigar is a Coronas vitola at 42 ring gauge x 142 millimetres (or 5.6 inches). This vitola has been decimated in the last 20 years by Habanos S.A. There are only three left in regular production,  the Montecristo No.3, Romeo y Julieta Cedros de Luxe No.2 and the Quai d’Orsay Coronas Claro. Secondly, this comes in the classic 50 cab Slide Lid Box; again, a packaging size that is no longer as prevalent as in the past.

The draw on this coronas was ideal and the cold draw had some nice hay and barnyard notes. The cigar wrapper was a glorious colorado claro, and it had a sheen and suppleness common to what I've seen on some Cohiba wrappers. The cigar screamed caramel and honey from the 'get-go' and it simply did not let up. I got this pronounced flavours well into the second third. Naturally the cigar got a little more intense in the last third, maybe a little more 'woody' but honestly, not that much. I was fortunate to have this release four years ago and I can reassure you, it was much the same back then in its construction and flavour delivery, as well as quality.

Overall, I still wonder how they got that much caramel and honey in a Por Larranaga in its initial phase of development. By comparison, I would expect that it would take eight to ten years of rest of a Por Larranaga Petit Coronas 50 Cab to come close to matching it. What a wondrous and magnificent smoking experience this was!

[JohnS]

La Gloria Cubana Invictos 2017 - Edición Regional Italia (circa 2019)

The La Gloria Cubana Invictos is the 10th Italian Regional Edition cigar since the Punch Superfinos was released in 2005. It is the first Italian Regional to utilise the La Gloria Cubana marca. Scheduled for release in 2017, the Invictos did not hit the market until March 2019. The one 'positive' to be gained from this delay was the fact that the cigars, which come in 10-count varnished slide lid boxes, were already aged over 12 months when they were made publicly available.

I'd like to thank and acknowledge @Perla for gifting me this cigar to review, especially since Italian Regionals are difficult to source due to Italy's embargo on exporting tobacco products.

The Invictos came out in a run of 8800 boxes (or eighty-eight thousand sticks). It is a Robustos vitola, with a 50 ring gauge x 124 mm (or 4⅞ inches) length. Demand for this release was high on the back of reputable 'word-of-mouth' feedback, so unlike the Petit Robustos-sized Spanish Regional Edition LGC Serie D No.5 for example, I envisage that this cigar would be difficult to source presently.

I had the opportunity to smoke a LGC Invictos in 2020 and I found it to be an excellent cigar. If you can picture the La Gloria Cubana marca as offering varying complexity in fruit, almond nut, cream, earth, wood, leather and spice, the Medaille d'Or No.4 I would classify as being mainly fruity and woody, that Invictos was mainly earth and pepper. However, don't think of it as a relative of the Bolivar Royal Corona or Partagas Serie D No.4, rather the Invictos deserves to stand out on its own.

For me, this cigar today seemed to simply step up where my last LGC Invictos three years ago left off. It continues to be a nuanced delight. The earthiness and pepper was again there throughout, but its very mild, not overpowering in any way. There's an underlying dry oak and dough texture, but overall this cigar is defined by its classy pepper finish that lingers long after you've smoked it. Ash-length, burn and overall construction were all quite good. I nubbed the cigar, even though it didn't encapsulate my sweeter-profile preference/s in terms of flavour, it was still quite intriguing to smoke. Yes, I'd happily class this a 70-minute quality smoke.

In comparison to the LGC Serie D No.5, the Invictos is a very different cigar-smoking experience. I like the flavour profile of the Serie D No.5, however; the Invictos is a class above the Serie D No.5 in terms of quality. If you've smoked one I'm confident you'll know what I mean.

[JohnS]

Montecristo Especiales No.2 EBP Jun 2022

This cigar was provided to invitees to the recent mid-2023 El Habano Moderno launch party, courtesy of the book's author, @ATGroom. It was certainly a nice touch to see the cigar with the personalised secondary band denoting the book's title. Within the Montecristo marca, both the Montecristo Especial and Montecristo Especiales No.2 are considered of a higher status and quality than other vitolas within the marca, so guests were pleased to celebrate this auspicious event with this cigar.

The cigar opened like one dreams it would; with a beautiful, sweet cookie and cream texture and underlying cappuccino coffee flavours. For its age, it was a marvel as to how smooth it was. In the middle third the milk coffee flavour dominated and this gave way in the last third as it intensified into a cocoa and toasted tobacco conglomeration.

Honestly, as this cigar was smoked at a prestigious and rare event, I would admit that my appreciation of this Monte Esp 2 was more perfunctory than my usual care and deliberation. In general, pretty much all the guests that offered an opinion on the cigar agreed that it was quite good, and I guess that general judgement was good enough for me.

At the very least, if you have a Montecristo Especiales No.2 of the same box code (or thereabouts) you'd be quite pleased as to how this smoked today, based on its age. Anytime you get such a hit of sweet cookies and cream in the first half of the cigar in its youth, in my view, it augurs well for its development in the ensuing few years that follow.

[JohnS]

Cohiba Pirámides Extra ULA Dic 2013

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 used to think that it was simply a regular production release of the 2001 and/or 2006 Cohiba Piramides Limited Editions but I'm convinced now that, apart from the increased dimensions of the cigar, this Piramides Extra is a different cigar due to its blend.

You see, there haven't been just two special Cohiba Piramides releases prior to the regular production addition of the CPE. No, in that time prior to 2012, there were in fact another 7 special Piramides releases in the Cohiba marca. Yes, seven! And all these were your standard 52 ring gauge x 156 mm in length.

When I was contemplating choosing a cigar to celebrate the release of El Habano Moderno with its author, Alexander Groom, I figured that I would choose one that symbolically reflected the growth and development of Cuban Cigar Website in the same way. You see, when I first purchased a box of this cigar, it was on special at $AU35 a stick. Nowadays, the most recent listing on the Bond Roberts auction site of a CPE, consumerate to this one in age, sold for $US187.50 or about $AU275 a stick. Indeed, just as CCW has come a long way since its inception in 2006, so has the Cohiba Piramides Extra. Maybe we can thank the mid-2022 Habanos cigar supply crisis for contributing to this large price appreciation too? 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'.

What about the blend? How does it compare to other Cohiba vitolas? In a late-2019 poll on our forum the following question was asked; "Which is the most flavoursome Cohiba today?" Responses were limited to cigars from 2015 onwards. The Esplendidos garnered 21% of votes, followed by the Robusto which received 13%. The Cohiba Piramides Extra received around 6% of the vote, but more importantly it came eighth out of 14 cigars.  Why did it not poll higher?

In my opinion, firstly, the premium price disqualifies it from creating a better brand awareness. I feel cigar enthusiasts simply don't smoke enough of them in comparison to other Cohiba cigars. Secondly, if you were to compare it to the Esplendidos, which topped this poll, I tend to find it rather full-flavoured and most Cohiba cigars are noted for being more milder and subtle in its flavours.

I would counter that the Cohiba Piramides Extra is still flavoursome. However, don't approach it expecting mild Cohiba grass/hay, honey or milk coffee. On the contrary, it tends to be stronger on that mocha coffee flavour and lighter on any grass/hay to be found. The stronger mocha flavour tends to invite spice at times too.

This Cohiba Piramides Extra today was not as full-flavoured as my last one smoked a little over a year ago. It contained notes of mocha coffee and cream in its first third, with Earthy flavours combined with a buttery texture in the middle third and finally finishing with some vegetal notes of grass and wood in the final third. All throughout there was evidence of some honey but it didn't become spicy at any point. For me, the creamy texture at the beginning of this CPE has been a long time coming and is probably proof of the next stage of its development. Certainly, all my previous CPEs from this box were more full-flavoured and had more strength.

In general, 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 (despite how this cigar was atypically milder than normal today). 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]

La Gloria Cubana Turquinos (circa early 2023)

The La Gloria Cubana Turquinos is a new early-2023 addition to the regular production line of the La Gloria Cubana brand. Since the discontinuation of the La Gloria Cubana Medaille d'Or No.2 in 2014, the LGC Medaille d'Or No.4 has been the sole vitola of this marca. At one stage post-Revolution, when the marca was re-instated in 1965 after been allowed to lapse in 1959, there were fourteen vitolas in production. Together with the new late-2022 LCDH release Glorias, the La Gloria Cubana brand has now got three. For a time though, with the hiatus of the LGC Medaille d'Or No.4 since 2018, it seemed we had one in name only.

I'd like to thank @ATGroom for providing this cigar for me to sample. It comes in a 10 count dress box and is a Gorditos-sized 50 ring gauge x 141 mm or 5½ inches in length cigar.

This LGC Turquinos opened like an aged beauty rather than a smoke in its youth. It had a nice combination of sandalwood, fruit and floral notes throughout but as the cigar progressed it also contained hints of Earth, leather and spice. It was all brilliantly balanced in complexity and subtlety.

According to Cuban Cigar Website, there was a different size to the previous cigar named Turquinos, which was discontinued in the 1970s. The name itself refers to the Pico Turquino, the highest point in Cuba. Make no mistake though, this is wonderful addition to the La Gloria Cubana line that is definitely worth your time in acquiring and sampling, in my view.

[JohnS]

Ramón Allones No.3 (circa early 2023)

The Ramon Allones No.3 is a new addition to the Ramon Allones line that was announced in 2021 but came to market in early 2023. It's the first addition to the Ramon Allones marca since the 2010 LCDH Superiores. It is a unique 52 ring gauge x 138 mm or 5⅜ inches in length Noblezas, a size that has been only seen once before in the 2017 Limited Edition Partagas Serie No.1.

Once again, I'd like to thank and acknowledge @ATGroom for providing this cigar for me to sample.

Like the La Gloria Cubana Turquinos that I smoked immediately prior, this cigar opened more smoothly than I would expect for its age. It had a decent amount of baking spice, cocoa and dried fruit. These flavours stayed consistent throughout. Perhaps there were some minor hints of nut and spice here and there but overall this was quite impressive.

This release is available in a 10-count dress box and in my opinion, like the La Gloria Cubana Turquinos, is well worth tracking down, acquiring and sampling.

[JohnS]

Montecristo No.1 GEL Nov 2020

The last few times I've written a review on the Montecristo No.1, I've mentioned that if I had to guess what sells within the Montecristo marca, in terms of annual volume, in the original Montecristo line when it was first released in 1935, I would say the No.4 followed by the No.2 sell in the greatest numbers. The Montecristo No.5 would be next followed by a distance by the No.1 and No.3. The reason the last two would be less in demand, in my view, would be due to their vitola dimensions rather than how good a cigar they are. Lonsdales and coronas respectively don't currently sell in great numbers, hence their recent mass deletions in the last 15 to 20 years. I find it a great shame how 'under-the-radar' the Montecristo No.1 (and No.3) is, but I'd say that would be less so amongst enthusiasts on our forum.

Stocks of 2019/20 Montecristo No.1, prior to the Habanos pricing re-structure of mid-2022, have been smoking very well, as their sales on 24:24 listings in that time would attest to. I was low on Montecristo No.1 stock in my humidor so I acquired this GEL Nov 2020 quarter pack in the middle of 2021. I'm glad I did too, after all, this is only the fourth Montecristo No.1 I've smoked in the last three years!

This Montecristo No.1 was similar in its flavours as my last Monte 1 smoked eight months ago. It was light in milk coffee and cocoa/chocolate, it had a distinctive citrus twang, leather and some nuttiness but it was a tad lighter in any creamy texture on the palate. It was around mild-medium in strength, improved as it went along and only got a little spicy towards the very end. Still, it was again a pleasure to nub to its final conclusion.

I still maintain that it's a pity the Montecristo No.1 doesn't get more attention from cigar enthusiasts. After all, it's only 10 millimetres (or two-fifths of an inch) longer than a Cohiba Siglo III but a lot better value in terms of price in comparison, especially since the changes in the pricing of the luxury Cohiba and Trinidad brands by Habanos S.A. in mid-2022.

[JohnS]

Ramón Allones Specially Selected Robusto Corto 2013 - Edición Regional Países Bajos (circa 2013)

The Ramon Allones Specially Selected Robusto Corto is a 2013 Netherlands Regional Edition that was released in 2000 numbered slide lid boxes. It is a 50 ring gauge x 102 mm or 4 inches in length Petit Robustos. At the time of its release it had a solid reputation in terms of its smoking performance. Ten years has only enhanced that, in my view.

I'd like to acknowledge and thank @Perla for gifting me this cigar to review.

The cigar opened with a wonderful hit of creamy milk chocolate wrapped up in a walnut texture. The middle third had an addition of dried fruit and bread, whilst the last third finished with some spice. For a small cigar such as this one, it was refreshingly complex.

I finished the cigar in around 50 minutes, yet even in the last third it was easily smokable and never transcended the medium mark in strength. Then again, that is perhaps not too surprising considering that this is a ten year-old cigar, it's just that the strength was impressive considering the generous amount of smoke per puff.

It's a shame that there were only a limited number of boxes produced with this release in comparison to other Regional Editions. This was a beautiful cigar that had noticeable transitions and quality flavours. Considering how old this cigar is, that is most praiseworthy indeed. Consider too, how lucky you are, if you are reading this review and you still have a box on hand!

[JohnS]

H. Upmann Noellas 2009 - La Casa del Habano Exclusivo (circa 2009)

The H.Upmann Noellas is a 2009 La Casa del Habano Exclusivo release that was produced in 25-count glass jars. Originally, the cigar was a standard production cigar that was discontinued in the early 1980s. The original LCDH release came out delayed in late 2010, but the cigar has been regularly re-produced since. The HU Noellas is a 42 ring gauge x 135 mm or 5⅜ inches Cosacos. It has the same girth as a Petit Coronas but is one-quarter of an inch longer.

Contemporary reviews at the time found these to be quite intense in flavours and I must admit that I've had a few younger that were more dominant in bitter espresso flavours. Retrospective reviews have been a little kinder to this cigar, as today's smoke was much, much milder and was much more pleasant. I'd like to thank @Perla for allowing me to sample this original re-release LCDH cigar.

The wrapper was typical for every H.Upmann Noellas I've had in that it had a slightly reddish hue but was rather non-descript. The draw was slightly tight but thankfully it smoked okay. The first third revealed some fantastic H.Upmann flavours and this is where the cigar really shined. H.Upmann shortbread, milk coffee, cinnamon spice, cream texture...it was all there in spades and it was marvellous. The second third saw some additional cedar and leather which continued into the final third with smoke white pepper more evident at the end.

At the time of its original release the critical consensus amongst cigar enthusiasts was that the HU Noellas needed extensive time to age and develop classic H.Upmann flavours. I can happily report that this example, at well over ten years of age, was shining example of that wise piece of counsel. Thus, it goes without saying that I feel very fortunate to have experienced how outstanding this cigar was today. If you have a glass jar on hand, do yourself a kind favour and allow your HU Noellas the time to develop. Who knows? One day you too may enjoy a smoking experience as superlative as the one I've described for you within this review.

[Perla]

Hi John, thanks for the reviews. 
when the Noellas hit the market, many moons ago I bought 2 jars. Never regretted it. Lovely smoke. I have to hide them otherwise they will be gone too soon. 
the RA Bajos had been part of a trade. Lovely little buggers. 
again thank you for writing all the reviews I really love to read them. Happy to donate some cigars and hope you enjoyed some of them. 
In remembrance of Mike: no time like the present 💝 

[JohnS]

Well Perla, I can say that, yes, I've enjoyed the greater majority of them. The thing I've appreciated is getting a chance to experience the differences and variations one can experience in Cuban and Non-Cuban cigars, no matter their quality. I look forward to expressing these findings in the next series of reviews, over the next few months.

"In remembrance of Mike: no time like the present." So true. Well said!

[KCCubano]

On 9/6/2023 at 11:18 PM, JohnS said:

H. Upmann Noellas 2009 - La Casa del Habano Exclusivo (circa 2009)

The H.Upmann Noellas is a 2009 La Casa del Habano Exclusivo release that was produced in 25-count glass jars. Originally, the cigar was a standard production cigar that was discontinued in the early 1980s. The original LCDH release came out delayed in late 2010, but the cigar has been regularly re-produced since. The HU Noellas is a 42 ring gauge x 135 mm or 5⅜ inches Cosacos. It has the same girth as a Petit Coronas but is one-quarter of an inch longer.

Contemporary reviews at the time found these to be quite intense in flavours and I must admit that I've had a few younger that were more dominant in bitter espresso flavours. Retrospective reviews have been a little kinder to this cigar, as today's smoke was much, much milder and was much more pleasant. I'd like to thank @Perla for allowing me to sample this original re-release LCDH cigar.

The wrapper was typical for every H.Upmann Noellas I've had in that it had a slightly reddish hue but was rather non-descript. The draw was slightly tight but thankfully it smoked okay. The first third revealed some fantastic H.Upmann flavours and this is where the cigar really shined. H.Upmann shortbread, milk coffee, cinnamon spice, cream texture...it was all there in spades and it was marvellous. The second third saw some additional cedar and leather which continued into the final third with smoke white pepper more evident at the end.

At the time of its original release the critical consensus amongst cigar enthusiasts was that the HU Noellas needed extensive time to age and develop classic H.Upmann flavours. I can happily report that this example, at well over ten years of age, was shining example of that wise piece of counsel. Thus, it goes without saying that I feel very fortunate to have experienced how outstanding this cigar was today. If you have a glass jar on hand, do yourself a kind favour and allow your HU Noellas the time to develop. Who knows? One day you too may enjoy a smoking experience as superlative as the one I've described for you within this review.

Totally agree John - I had the OR jar and they just kept getting better with age. I now wish I would have started smoking them at 10 yr mark. My last few were easily 95 points. I felt mine with extensive age had a similar profile to SW

[JohnS]

11 hours ago, KCCubano said:

Totally agree John - I had the OR jar and they just kept getting better with age. I now wish I would have started smoking them at 10 yr mark. My last few were easily 95 points. I felt mine with extensive age had a similar profile to SW

It may seem to the casual reader who peruses this Smoking blog that we may be embellishing our view of these aged H.Upmann Noellas, or indeed - dare I say, exaggerating. However, unless you've experienced both a young H.Upmann Noellas and an aged one, you can't make that comparison to the H.Upmann Sir Winston because you'd struggle to link the possible resemblance.

I completely concur. The similarity you mention @KCCubano is quite apt, in my view.

[LLC]

9 hours ago, JohnS said:

It may seem to the casual reader who peruses this Smoking blog that we may be embellishing our view of these aged H.Upmann Noellas, or indeed - dare I say, exaggerating. However, unless you've experienced both a young H.Upmann Noellas and an aged one, you can't make that comparison to the H.Upmann Sir Winston because you'd struggle to link the possible resemblance.
I completely concur. The similarity you mention KCCubano is quite apt, in my view.

The Noellas are outstanding in my opinion. I’ve gone through three jars for 2013/2014 and have had a few from a MEG DIC 15 jar and it has been the best batch so far. Love them.


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