JohnS' Smoking Diary 2023

[JohnS]

Montecristo Media Corona (circa 2018)

Thank you @Perla for gifting me this Montecristo Media Corona. It's been awhile since I've had this cigar, at least a few years, but my memory of these when they first came out was that they were little 'powerhouses'. Tonight's sample reinforced this notion, especially if one is inclined to compare the MMC to the Montecristo No.5, which I find is not an uncommon thing amongst cigar enthusiasts.

The Media Corona is exactly the same dimensions as a H.Upmann Half Corona (44 ring gauge x 90 mm or 3½ inches), typically smoked in 25 to 35 minutes on average. I remember them being like 'cocoa bombs' when I had a few years ago, this MMC was much the same, despite five years down. It was not unlike a quality Montecristo No.5 in its cocoa and coffee blend, only much stronger.  And it only got more stronger in flavour towards the very end, like just past the three-quarter mark. Those dominant, typical Montecristo flavours outshone any other flavours present in this blend today.

Like some recent now eight-year old H.Upmann Half Coronas I've enjoyed, if you ever get the opportunity to put away these smaller cigars for some time, do so. I can reassure you that they can reward you with a surprising and pleasing complexity, but when they smoke like this Montecristo Media corona today, there's no way you'd know it (or indeed believe it!).

[JohnS]

Montecristo No.5 ESL May 2018

I acquired this 10-count of Montecristo No.5 around eighteen months ago. The box has now reached five years of age and I've gone through half the contents. My evaluation of its contents has been somewhat 'mixed', thus far, simply due to the fact that some cigars have been outstanding, whereas others have been more average, by definition.

Today's Montecristo No.5 was much like my last Monte 5 smoked about two-and-a-half months ago. There where stronger elements of coffee and cocoa within the Montecristo blend, but also some softer elements of baking spice and nuttiness. Note that I refer to cocoa deliberately because in my view, when that flavour starts to soften or mellow out, or whenever it seems sweeter on the palate, that's when I like to refer to it commonly as 'chocolate'.

In general, although this Monte 5 was not as mild and nuanced as some other examples from this box, it was certainly more complex and milder than the Montecristo Media Corona I smoked immediately prior to it. Honestly, I didn't mind it but in comparison to other superlative Monte 5s I've enjoyed extensively in the last few years, I have to admit that I've had better. Still, I was satisfied with this small Montecristo offering as it was.

[JohnS]

Partagás Serie D No.4 ROP Feb 2020

I have been commenting on how superb this 10-count box has been for me thus far and now I am down to my very last Partagas Serie D No.4s left. All, apart from one PSD4 that had construction issues and the last one that gave me a 'nicotine buzz', have been exemplary or 'nigh on' close to that point. Interestingly, they've all been simple in flavour blend; basically a combination of sourdough, coffee and quality leather with perhaps a touch of paprika spice here and there.

This last Partagas Serie D No.4 continued the trend of been a simple combination of sourdough, coffee and leather from beginning to end over about an hour or so. Unfortunately, it wasn't as flavoursome as my previous excellent examples form this 10-count box. That being said, it was still a good smoke. After all, I would nominate the Partagas Serie D No.4 as one of the most consistent Habanos cigars currently available, and furthermore, no doubt it is keeping the Cuban cigar industry afloat, given what's happened since the price re-structure of mid-2022.

Despite this Partagas Serie D No.4 not been up to same mark as the greater majority of other PSD4s from the box, I wouldn't hesitate for a second to acquire more, even at the present time when prices are higher than in the past. As it stands, thankfully I have another 10-count box on hand and I fully intend to explore it sometime soon.

[JohnS]

Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story

Ever since I added various vitolas of the Arturo Fuente Hemingway series line to my regular rotation in 2022, I marvel at how consistent they are, both in construction and delivery of flavours. The one feature of this series is their Perfecto shape, which is a 'throwback' or an homage to the popularity of this vitola amongst Habanos cigars prior to the 1930s.

The Short story was introduced a few years after the 1983 debut of the Hemingway Series and it has since become the top seller in the line. All Arturo Fuente Hemingway cigars feature West African Cameroon wrapper and Dominican filler and binder. (That is, the Natural-wrappered varieties.)

According to the Arturo Fuente company, the extra workmanship involved in producing these cigars means that they take longer to make and also utilise leaf that is aged longer than normal leaf.

Like the similarly-shaped Cuaba Perfectos, lighting the heavily tapered foot is sufficient to light the cigar. The Short Story is tapered gradually from being 42 ring gauge at the head to being 49 ring gauge at its widest near the foot. It has a short length at 4 inches or 102 mm. This doesn't necessarily mean its a quick thirty to forty minutes smoke however. On the contrary, the AF Hemingway Short Story usually takes me around an hour to smoke, as today's example once again did today.

I picked up this Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story from the La Casa del Habano store in Nuremberg, Germany (during my recent trip to Europe) because I wanted to compare it the 15-count box I'm currently smoking from. My current box has seen an ever-reliable outcome of mild and sweet, balanced flavours very much resonating with me and I was intrigued if this would continue with this Arturo Fuente Short Story today.

This AF Short Story again opened with a usual hay and cedar taste and was again light and mild. It was every bit as sweet as my previous AF Short Story cigar that I smoked two months ago. The sweetness was like a light chocolate, more akin to white chocolate than darker varieties.

In the middle of the cigar the smoke settled into its usual leather and hay combination. This is a normal transition in line with what I've experienced with other AF Short Storys I've smoked in the last year. What can one say about this? If you get consistency in construction you're likely to be pleased, but when a cigar is consistent in its flavour transitions even, and across different boxes, well you'd have to agree that this is quite impressive.

Towards the end of the cigar, the hay and sweetness dropped off and it was mainly all leather, but I nubbed it nonetheless. Again, there wasn't any real discernible spice from beginning to end, like I've noticed in other AF Short Storys.

In summary, this one-off acquisition of a Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story confirms that this is a quality cigar and my judgement of it is not confined to one box of cigars that is smoking extraordinarily well. I've said it before, but in my opinion, the Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story easily competes in excellence with short-sized Habanos cigars and this example was again better than any Cuaba cigar I've ever had, principally in construction, flavour and the volume of smoke output per puff. If I didn't smoke a variety of Habanos and Non-Cuban cigars within this blog series I would definitely smoke the Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story more often. It goes to show how highly I think of it.

[JohnS]

La Gloria Cubana Serie D No.5 2017 - Edición Regional España (circa 2017)

The La Gloria Cubana Serie D No.5 is a Spanish Regional Edition that was announced in 2017. With an initial run of 50000 boxes it's no surprise that it wasn't until mid-2018 that this cigar actually hit the market. A Petit Robusto at 50 ring gauge x 110 mm (or 4⅜ inches in length), it's a similar size to the Partagas Serie D No.5, and it was released in 10-count dress boxes.

This release has garnered some positive accolades since its release, but in my view, five hundred thousand sticks of a La Gloria Cubana Regional Edition is about four hundred thousand too many. There have been 17 Regional Editions since 2008 within the La Gloria Cubana marca and fifteen of them never exceeded one hundred thousand cigars in total quantity. (The only exception is the recently released, in mid-2023, Laguitos No.2-sized BELUX Medaille D'Or Especial, which was produced in 10000 numbered 25-count semi-boite nature boxes.) At the time of its release, this flooding of the market had a retrograde effect on the LGC Serie D No.5 pricing. Normally a Regional Edition cigar has a higher price point than regular production cigars, but this excess supply caused retailers to discount this release. So if you have seen them on special in the past, this would explain why!

At this point, I would like to pause the review here to acknowledge and thank @Perla in gifting this to me. I had reviewed this cigar about three-and-a-half years ago and previously I had written that there have been a number of reviews (both video and text) on-line of this cigar, and indeed a number of you have sampled it already. At that time time it smoked like a chocolate fudge stick crossed with some age on it, this time the tasting was different. Thankfully, it did not have any burn or construction issues, as this release has been known for.

In my last review the flavours were almond nut, bitter chocolate, Earth and leather with strong lashings of paprika spice. This time, with a little age, the flavours have certainly melded and settled. I would say that this has become a much more one-dimensional cigar; with flavours of almond nut, Earth, leather and wood. It was certainly different to other aged La Gloria Cubana cigars that I've sampled over the years.

If you have La Gloria Cubana vitolas in your humidor, the chances are that you would have this one amongst them. I wouldn't necessarily classify the LGC Serie D No.5 as indicative of the complexity one get experience from an aged example of this marca. Still, I was pleased that the cigar smoked well, both construction-wise and flavourwise.

[JohnS]

Illusione Original Documents 33

Illusione cigars have been around since 2006. They were created by Dion Giolito, who is a cigar retailer based in Reno, Nevada. In that time there have been some re-brandings but overall, amongst members on our forum, I would say that the Epernay Serie 2009, Haut 10 and Fume D'Amour are the most popular lines. This Illusione 33 comes from the Original Documents line and was first introduced in 2015.

Original Documents cigars utilise Nicaraguan Criollo ‘98 and Corojo ‘99 and are packaged in a rustic, rosado wrapper. It comes in a number of vitolas, but the 33 itself is a curious 32 ring gauge x 158 mm or 6¼ inch length size. This equates to a pantelas size in Habanos terms but the cigar itself has been marketed as a 'ninfas'. If you aren't aware, this is an iconic Habanos vitola that was always produced in 33 ring gauge x 178 or 7 inch length. There have been ten regular production cigars in this vitola post-revolution, with the last ones discontinued in 2002 (Punch Ninfas) and 2010 (Quai d'Orsay Panatelas). So, despite its marketing, the Illusione Original Documents 33 is not a classic ninfas.

The cigar opened with a hit of wood, earth and leather but it was quite smooth and its flavours did not overwhelm the palate. In terms of strength it remained a steady medium-mild. Towards the end of the first third it picked up in pepper, which increased in the last third but this also was not too dominant overall in its blend. Construction-wise, the cigar smoked very well, the draw was ideal and there was no need for re-lights so I finished the cigar quite satisfied for having smoked it.

It's been suggested, amongst members on our forum, that the Illusione marca is 'Cubanesque' in its ambition and smoking and upon lighting this cigar I can see where this sentiment is coming from. For me, it did remind me a little of some younger La Gloria Cubana Medaille d"or No.4s I've smoked, especially in relation to its woodiness and even more savoury flavours. Still, it's not a Habanos cigar but at least it is a Non-Cuban cigar that is available in a rare panatelas size and for that I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to smoke it. Thank you @Perla for allowing me to do so!

[JohnS]

Caldwell Long Live The King Manzanita

Caldwell's Long Live the King cigar comprises a Dominican Corojo wrapper, a Dominican Corojo binder, and a filler blend composed of Dominican ligero and Pelo de Oro, Nicaraguan Habano leaf, and tobacco from Peru. Introduced in 2014, it was a collaboration between AJ Fernandez and master blender, Robert Caldwell that was intended to produced a full-bodied and full-strength cigar and upon smoking this specimen, I can tell you that it did not disappoint in this objective whatsoever.

I would like to thank and acknowledge @Perla for making this review possible by providing this cigar.

The Caldwell Long Live The King Manzanita is a smaller-sized 42 ring gauge x 102 mm or 4 inches in length cigar. It is a bold cigar, not for the faint-hearted because of its strength. The flavours centre around its dark chocolate, Earth and wood core but it is amply supported by some nuttiness (which I found akin to hazelnut and pecan) and white pepper. Because of the fullness of the cigar, I felt that I needed to smoke it slowly, which I did over eighty minutes or so.

In regards to its classification, I would definitely term this as a Non-Cuban cigar that is not 'Cubanesque' in any way. I would suggest that one should let the box rest if you seek to acquire it as it is quite a strong cigar and not really comparable to a Habanos one, in my view.

[JohnS]

Tatuaje Black Label Corona Gorda (circa 2013)

The Tatuaje Black Label Corona Gorda debuted in 2007 to much fanfare amongst cigar enthusiasts. Reaction to this release was so positive that it was re-released a few years later. This particular specimen comes from a 2013 jar, which is how they were originally packaged, in curious counts of 19. This release is technically known as a Private Reserve release, but its colloquial name of 'Black Label' is much more widely known. It is the same size as a Habanos Coronas Gordas vitola, that is, 46 ring gauge x 143 mm or 5⅝ inches in length, but it comes in a 'shaggy' or 'closed' foot, which is a reference to its origin story. I'd like to thank @Perla for making this review possible in providing this cigar.

In regards to its origin story, Pete Johnson, the owner of Tatuaje cigars, divulged the details of the story a number of years ago:

On a recent trip to a famous island known for historic cigar making, I spent my time in a small town enjoying the simple life. Every day was peaceful and every night was festive, with both having cigars involved throughout. My favorite cigar was not a cigar bought at the local store or factory, but a cigar that was handed to me every morning.

Mornings, after taking a shower with a bucket of water warmed with what looked like a curling iron, I would walk to the front of the house and sit on the fence to get some sun and take in the fresh air. I also took in the fact that I was miles from home and no one knew where I was. My phone didn’t work and I had no cares in the world other than trying to decide what to smoke.

My first morning on the island an older gentleman came along on his bike. This was not a motorcycle but something like an old Schwinn that he had likely been riding for decades. This gentleman was well dressed, almost dapper, and I probably appeared to him to be a strange character. My usual outfit of jeans, t-shirt, loads of silver jewelry, and an arm full of tattoos didn’t seem to faze him. He saw I was enjoying myself so that morning, and every morning after that, he would stop and give me a cigar from his shirt pocket.

This cigar was far from being a ‘pretty’ cigar but that did not bother me a bit. It was a treasured and unexpected gift that I was thrilled to be given. After smoking this cigar I realized that this was one of the best cigars I smoked on the island. Later that day in speaking with my host on this trip I came to understand that these cigars were something special to every person who carried them. They were cigars that they made for themselves. Even the guys who worked hard in the cigar factories all day would return home at night and make their private cigars. Simple cigars with flavors they personally enjoyed. Over the course of the next few days my host and I visited his friends and asked for cigars that they made. Before I left I had cigars from a few locals who all used different tobaccos from the different growing regions. They were all great but there was one that really stood out for me as special.

I decided when traveling to Nicaragua to work with the Garcia family that I would try to recreate this special cigar for myself. Together we spent quite some time working on the blend and looking at different leaves for wrapper. The marbled toothy wrapper was perfect for this cigar, rustic looking but with tons of aroma. After smoking the first sample, I was immediately brought back to that island relaxing on a fence, enjoying life, smoking a great cigar. A great cigar that will always in my mind represent the place, the time, and the experience of the purity of the simple life. This cigar may be considered ugly by some but inside that surface roughness it contains such rich flavor and aroma.

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. This is a tribute to that cigar.

So, as can be gleaned from the extract above, The Tatuaje Black Label Corona Gorda is meant to be rustic-looking and its shaggy foot is a testament to Pete Johnson's account of his joy of smoking custom cigars that are blended to smoke for enjoyment. The question is: after ten years would one still enjoy this cigar in the same way as when it was released?

Critical consensus for the original 2007 release is such that it's difficult to find a review on that cigar that doesn't espouse universal acclaim. The re-releases in the 2010s were still of high quailty, but generally, it was accepted that they weren't of the same ilk as the original release.

I guess the idiom, 'the proof is in the pudding', which means to evaluate something after testing it is pertinent here, as reputation is one thing, but performance is yet another. So how did this cigar perform today? One thing I can say for sure: it was certainly interesting! For one thing, the Tatuaje Black Label Corona Gorda was blended with a Nicaraguan Sun Grown Criollo Estelí wrapper, and Nicaraguan filler and binder, so it's not going to taste like a Cuban Custom!

After ten years, I can tell you that after lighting the closed foot two things surprised me; one, the smoothness of the cigar and two, the pepper. It was a curious blend of cedar, Earth, leather and lemon citrus and that aforementioned pepper that was in no way Cubanesque, yet I wouldn't classify it nonetheless as not being a quality cigar. The fact is that it was, but I couldn't do it justice by comparing it to a Habanos marca as the cigar smoked in its own unique way on account of how melded it had become and how it retained its strong pepper from beginning to end.

I could further state that the bold flavours (especially the pepper) combined with the mild strength was not exactly to my preference, yet I have smoked enough cigars over the years to understand why this cigar is so highly reputable.

[JohnS]

Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo des Dieux (circa 2013)

The last run of Hoyo de Monterrey des Dieux manufactured prior to being discontinued was in 2013/14. The Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo des Dieux was a 42 ring gauge x 155 mm (or 6⅛ inches) in length Coronas Grandes cigar. Today, only the Cohiba Siglo III and Montecristo Tubos have these dimensions and are in regular production. I would assert that their respective marcas, being highly unlikely to being prone to deletion, has ensured their survival whereas other Coronas Grandes cigars have not.

My initial exposure to the Hoyo de Monterrey des Dieux were from a 2003 box code. Those HdM Le Hoyo des Dieux were especially creamy in texture. With time, I've come to understand that those '03 des Dieuxs were a 'class above' and other HdM Le Hoyo de Dieux (up to when they were discontinued in 2014) were subject to normal development over time like other Le Hoyo cigars.

When I mention the aging development of Le Hoyo line cigars I am naturally not including the recent additions to the line, the 2018 de Rio Seco and the 2014 de San Juan. Like Cohiba in the past five years or so, these two Le Hoyo additions seem to develop their peak flavours much younger than in the past. In the case of the de Rio Seco and de San Juan, this means the advent of creaminess in the cigar, with the de Rio Seco being noteworthy for creaminess even sooner than the de San Juan. (Personally speaking, I have found the HdM Le Hoyo de Rio Seco especially approachable once they've hit the two-year mark.)

So what have traditional Le Hoyo cigars been like, in general? In a word, they have been characterised by their woodiness when young. The aim of resting them long-term is to let them become more creamy. As mentioned, like traditional Cohiba, developing those peak flavours can take five to ten years (or even longer).

I'd like to thank @Perla for making this review possible by providing this cigar. At around ten years rested, I found this HdM Le Hoyo des Dieux quite dominant in wood and not as smooth and cedar-like as other HdM des Dieux I've had in the recent past. When Le Hoyo cigars are under five years they can have a mushroom/forest floor-type flavour to them that can dominate the cigar. This des Dieux had minimal forest floor flavours on account of how dominant the woodiness in the blend here was. There was some sweet vanilla flavour to it but any creaminess in this cigar was still light which in my mind suggests it has the potential to develop further for many years to come. It had no clove spice elements to it though, which is another characteristic of Le Hoyo cigars.

The strength of this cigar was definitely mild but it was medium-bodied, much like the last HdM Des Dieux I smoked that was also boxed in 2013/14. In other words, it didn't lack at all in regards to flavour. Like aged cigars in general, once that strength wears off it becomes quite easy to smoke. I smoked this in around an hour. That may sound quick for a cigar that is a little over six inches in length, but keep in mind that aged cigars tend to burn quicker in general than newer cigars, due to having less moisture over time, and so this is not in fact unusual.

In my mind, when the last third start to develop more creaminess and the flavours have melded from beginning to end, then that's the time when the Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo des Dieux has peaked. I still feel that we are few more years away in the case of the batch of the last run of the HdM Le Hoyo des Dieux from 2013/14.

[Perla]

From all the axed cigars I really miss the HDM DD, the LGC MdO 1-3 and the ERDM & LGC Tainos most. 
It always quench my heart. 
On the other hand I am really thrilled of the Queen Corona FOH release. Looking forward to it. 
 

The HDM DD was very mild and subtle when fresh. It evolves immensely over the years. I just seen this only on well aged Cuban cigar...this very thick oily touch on the wrapper of the cigar. While smoking they have this little grey pearls that looks like mercury. Bees knees.

[JohnS]

Illusione Epernay Serie 2009 Le Grande

The Illusione Epernay line was released in 2009 as a lighter extension of the Illusione ~eccj~ line. The line consists of aged Nicaraguan Criollo and Corojo fillers wrapped with a Rosado Corojo wrapper from Nicaragua. The Le Grande is a 46 ring gauge x 152 mm or 6 inches in length cigar. They are noted for being milder than other Nicaraguan cigars.

I would like to acknowledge and thank @Perla for making this review possible, as paradoxically, despite Non-Cuban cigars being relatively easy to acquire in Australia, the Illusione brand is not.

This particular Illusione Epernay Serie 2009 Le Grande began with a wondrous hit of cream and spice, combined with a sandalwood one can commonly encounter in a Sancho Panza cigar. There was a lot of smoke per draw and I needed to smoke it bit-by-bit, but the texture of smoke was somewhat 'toasty', which reminded me of the discontinued Partagas Serie du Connaisseur Nos. 1, 2 and 3 in mouthfeel (though not in blend).

Despite sipping from the head of the cigar in small increments the cigar didn't take long to smoke down as it was aged and on the 'drier' side, but it smoked really well. The last third continued that sandalwood and cream texture but there was an increase in white pepper in the end, which made for some nice transitions.

Upon finishing the cigar I could see for myself why cigar enthusiasts who mainly smoke Habanos cigars speak well of this series. Alongside the Le Grande, the Epernay 2009 line has other vitolas which all carry French monikers; Le Voyage, L'Elegance, Le Ferme, L'Excellence, Le Monde, Le Matin, Le Taureau, La Vie, Le Petite and L'Alphiniste. I can't help but feel that this is an overt reference to the luxury-brand naming of cigars that was common in the Habanos Cigar industry in the 1940s. (For example, the Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo des Dieux et al.). If so, it's a 'nice touch'.

So, in summary, if you are looking for a cigar that is lighter in body and creamy in texture, with a semblance of being 'Cubanesque' (although in my opinion, it is quite obviously Non-Cuban in its smoking), the Illusione Epernay Serie 2009 Le Grande is one such cigar.

[JohnS]

Bolívar Tesoro 2016 - Edición Regional 5ta Avenida (circa 2016)

I've mentioned in my recent review on the Por Larranaga Coronas Regional Edition that 5ta Avenida (or Quinta Avenida) is the name of the distributor of Regional Edition cigars for Germany, Austria and Poland. This 2016 Bolivar Tesoro was released in February 2017 and came courtesy of @Perla (thank you gain, kindly!).

If you are familiar with these releases from this distributor, then you'd know that all four have been reputable - the La Gloria Cubana Glorias (2015), the Bolívar Tesoro (2016), the Por Larrañaga Coronas (2017) and the Punch Preferidos (2018).

The Bolivar Tesoro comes in a big Salomon vitola, like the regular production Partagas Salomones and Cuaba Salomon, it's a 57 ring gauge x 184 mm or 7¼ inches in length double perfecto. It was released in six thousand 10-count boxes.

Contemporary reviews on this release were especially praiseworthy in 2017. In general, the Bolivar Tesoro was noted as a great cigar. After seven years, what can be deduced retrospectively? In other words, are they still great? Or indeed, how have they developed?

Upon lighting the foot with a single-flame cigar lighter, notedly because it was markedly tapered, it took a little bit of effort to draw some smoke, but after a few minutes the cigar started to burn efficiently. Initial notes were cedar and quality leather, in other words, distinctive Bolivar flavours with a sweetness that was beautifully caramel in nature. As the cigar progressed that caramel combined with a marshmallow texture that was simply gorgeous. Honestly, it reminded me of my recent 2015 Bolivar Tubos No.1s in its smoking by the halfway point in how delicious and nuanced it was.

In the final third, this aged Bolivar Tesoro became more 'Earthy' and took on the characteristics of a typical Bolivar cigar, in that it became a bit more heavier on the palate, but I nubbed it nonetheless. The cigar took me a close to a whopping three hours to smoke, but what a fantastic journey it was.

If you have the Bolivar Tesoro in your humidor, you are indeed fortunate. For me, to have the opportunity to smoke a cigar of this size and quality is indeed rare. This was most definitely a special cigar that I wish was in regular production. As it approaches seven years of age, I have no doubt whatsoever that it is entering its 'peak' period. In my opinion, there is no need to let it develop much further as it is smoking so well right now.

[JohnS]

Sancho Panza Gran Quixote 2017 - Edición Regional Belux (circa 2018)

The Sancho Panza Gran Quixote Belux Regional Edition is a curious cigar. Its tapered head and foot-shaped perfecto vitola immediately draws attention as being unique for a special release, and indeed this is the case. Only the 2011 Chinese Bolivar Distinguidos and the 2011 German Juan Lopez Distinguidos have been released in a similar vitola (known by its factory name of Romeo). Otherwise, in regular production the Cuaba Distinguidos has the same dimensions. There have also been three special releases each in the Cuaba and Romeo y Julieta marcas featuring this 52 ring gauge x 162 mm (or 6⅜ inches) length cigar.

This cigar represents the fifth BELUX release (of six in total) and coincidentally perhaps, also the fifth Sancho Panza Regional Edition release. Since its inception, there have been two further Regional Edition Sancho Panza releases; the Chipre-Grecia Omeros and Asia Pacifico El Rey. Incidentally, it's easy to confuse BENELUX Regional Editions with BELUX ones when researching these types of cigars. BELUX Regional Edition cigars are released for the Belguim and Luxembourg markets. At one time BENELUX releases covered these two markets and the Netherlands one. Currently Paises Bajos Regional Editions represent the Dutch market on its own.

Although a 2017 release, it wasn't until December 2018 that ten thousand 10-count Slide Lid Boxes were made available to the public (so one hundred thousand sticks in all). It didn't take long for the Sancho Panza Gran Quixote to establish positive 'word-of-mouth' and with it, strong demand.

I lit up the tapered foot quite easily and the cigar soon settled into a full-flavoured example true to its marca. It was replete with wood and salt, with some nuttiness here and there. The cigar remained quite heavy on the palate throughout and didn't evolve much over two hours. By contrast, the last Sancho Panza Gran Quixote I had three-and-a-half years ago was quite different. It had an array of flavours such as fine oak, espresso coffee, toast, roasted nuts and orange citrus. The mouthfeel on that cigar was quite smooth and 'velvety' which elevated it above your standard Sancho Panza Belicosos or Non Plus regular production cigar. By comparison, this SP Gran Quixote was more 'standard fare'. In other words, typical Sancho Panza, only more full-flavoured.

I am grateful to @Perla for making this review possible. I consider myself fortunate for sampling it today but I must admit that my previous SP Gran Quixote I smoked in early 2020 was more to my preference, only because it was more delineated, milder and honestly easier to smoke. Still, this was fine for a Sancho Panza cigar.

[JohnS]

Hoyo de Monterrey Double Coronas GOB Dec 2021

Ever since the re-structure of Habanos S.A.'s cigar production in mid-2022, there has seemingly been a hiatus on the availability of longer cigars such as the Double Coronas and Churchills. This late-2021 Hoyo de Monterrey Double Coronas may be from a batch of the last produced as personally, I haven't seen any examples in box codes from 2022 onwards (N.B. At the time of writing this review; and prior to publishing it, there has been an instance of UPO Feb 2022 Hoyo de Monterrey Double Coronas made available for purchase on a recent FriendsofHabanos 24:24 sale). I was recently fortunate to acquire some singles of this cigar, and so I was eager to sample one ROTT (Right-off-the-truck or immediately, so-to-speak).

This HdM Double Coronas was quite mild for its relative youth. I found that it had a minimal light cocoa, together with a core cedar, biscuit and light cream texture. As I smoked down the cigar towards the halfway point, I picked up a touch of spice, perhaps a smidgen of nutmeg but frankly the cigar stayed fairly consistent in its core flavours throughout until the end.

Construction-wise, this was on-point from the very beginning. It was effortless to light, it ashed very well and it was also very easy to smoke and retrohale. This Hoyo de Monterrey Double Coronas took me two-and-a-quarter hours to smoke and very much delivered on flavour, body and strength.

How often do we get the chance to light up a Double Corona? Not often, I'd bet, with the demands of modern life, two to two-and-a-half hours to set aside and reflect on a cigar can be considered a luxury in terms of time. However, in addition to its current hiatus, we could also note that smoking a cigar of this type is a luxury in terms of opportunity cost too.

[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.

Since its introduction, the HU Half Corona has become quite a popular release because its generally known as a vibrant smoke which one can reach for when pressed for time. It may surprise you to know that its vitola is not unprecedented; there was a Partagas 'Half a Corona' that was the same length but slighter smaller, at 42 ring gauge, which was discontinued in the early-1970s.

I've mentioned in my last few reviews on the HU Half Corona that when young, it can 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 four I've enjoyed since August 2022 have been all outstanding. This is therefore the fifth one I've had in the last twelve months.

This HU Half Corona has reached its eight-and-a-half-year mark and this time, no...it wasn't outstanding but it was certainly above average. The reason for this is because the flavours here were quite light, basically there was some light coffee and leather with some white pepper in the back half. Still, I didn't mind it, but if you are accustomed to younger H.Upmann Half Coronas I would have to say that this HU Half Corona would not have been 'your cup of tea'.

I now have seven cigars left from this box. I still think there's no need to let them age further as this box of H.Upmann Half Corona is within its 'peak period'. I look forward to enjoying the rest.

[JohnS]

Romeo y Julieta Petit Royales SMA Jun 2019

In comparison to the H.Upmann Half Corona, the Romeo y Julieta Petit Royales is a cigar that looks bigger in girth and length than its dimensions of 47 rg and 95 millimetres or 3¾ inches in length. I think that since the RyJ Petit Royales is a newer release and my HU Half Corona are aged, it means that with rest my HU Half Coronas have shrunk in size as they've lost moisture over a longer period of time. Indeed, it's quite normal for aged cigars to shrink in size for this reason. This particular SMA Jun 2019 RyJ Petit Royales seemed bigger too because it was tightly-packed. It proved a little more challenging to smoke also as yes, it was slightly tight in the draw.

My last SMA Jun 2019 RyJ Petit Royales had a wonderful combination of milk chocolate and sweet cherries, coupled with some typical anise and turkish delight; you know, the typical flavours you'd expect from the Romeo y Julieta marca. It was certainly a delight to smoke. This one, smoked around four months later also had a light milk chocolate base and was quite 'fruity'. It lasted a long sixty minutes on account of the tight draw. Despite this, it was a good smoke overall.

So, in summary, as this box enters its fifth year it seems evident that those examples I enjoyed in the past that contained a 'robust' chocolate element to them have not tapered off in that aspect and they've become more fruity. I've been quite pleased with this outcome, as I continue to enjoy them, and I therefore look forward to the next time I reach for a Romeo y Julieta Petit Royales.

[JohnS]

Cohiba Siglo I EPM Dic 2017

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

The Linea 1492 series was famously introduced in 1992 to replace the Davidoff Chateaux Series as a premium marca. The five Siglo cigars had correlating Davidoff Chateaux vitolas, with the Cohiba Siglo I replacing the identically-sized Davidoff Chateau Haut-Brion. It's interesting to note that reviews of this now thirty year-old Davidoff cigar on Cigar-Reviews.Org are universally exemplary whereas reviews of the Cohiba Siglo I on the same site are mixed. Perhaps the Cohiba Siglo I needs more time down than other comparative Habanos minutos/perlas? Hmmm...perhaps indeed!

This was the second Cohiba Siglo I smoked from a quarter box I acquired in mid-2021. The first Siglo I, smoked in April 2022, had notes of black espresso coffee, some honey, some elements of Cohiba grass or hay with a little citrus twang. If it had some more notes of honey and/or a little vanilla bean I guess I would have enjoyed it more but it was fine as it was. This second one was better because it didn't have dominant notes of mocha coffee and it shone in its other flavours; namely Cohiba grass/hay, honey and even a little sweet vanilla on the edges.

Yes, this was a fine example of a Cohiba Siglo I smoked over 35 minutes. However, for its current price, I too would admit that I would prefer other options in the minutos and perlas range instead of the Cohiba Siglo I, the next time I want a short smoke.

[JohnS]

Diplomáticos El Diputado 2018 - Edición Regional Belux (circa 2018)

The Diplomaticos El Diputado is a 2018 Belux Regional Edition that was released in ten thousand 10-count boxes. It is a Montesco cigar with a 55 ring gauge and 130 millimetres or 5⅛ inches length. The original release in this large vitola was the regular production Romeo y Julieta Wide Churchills in 2010. Since that time, the size has become quite popular with thirteen Regional Editions and two Limited Editions released in this size.

As for the cigar itself, it was received with a positive acclamation; noted as a complex, yet subtle cigar. I would like to thank @Perla for making this review possible.

When I lit the cigar, I could see for myself within the first few puffs that it did indeed contain a pleasing complexity in its flavours. I could make out sweet flavours of strawberries and cream, yet on the other hand I also sensed savoury flavours of wood and pepper. These flavours counter-balanced each other well, but unfortunately I experienced issues with maintaining an even burn after the midway point of the first third.

Unfortunately, this proved pivotal to the smoking experience for the rest of the cigar as I struggled with re-lights, flaky ashes, canoeing and significant under-filling. Frankly, I had no hope to redeem the cigar comparative to what I enjoyed upon first lighting it so I extinguished the cigar early in the last third.

What a shame I say, This Diplomaticos El Diputado had the potential to be an interesting cigar but sadly, it was not to be.

[JohnS]

Por Larrañaga Gran Robusto 2017 - Edición Regional Países Bajos (circa 2017)

It has often been cited that the introduction of the Cohiba Siglo VI in 2003 (okay 2002, but it was delivered a year later by Habanos S.A....indeed, so what's new?) not only brought us a great addition to the Cohiba line but also brought in the age of larger ring-gauged cigars. Well...okay, perhaps we had to wait a little longer until 50 ring gauge Petit Robustos took off (2010 and later, or thereabouts) but for some time the 52 ring gauge piramides cigar, the Montecristo No.2 was the largest cigar in the regular production catalogue. And then the 52 ring gauge Cohiba Siglo VI came along. Well...before the Cohiba Siglo VI there was of course, the Por Larranaga Magnum.

The Por Larranaga Magnum was a 50 ring gauge x 172 millimetres or 6¾ inches in length behemoth. It was a Pre-Revolution cigar that was discontinued in early 1970s. It certainly impressed some notable cigar enthusiasts in its aging, as Simon Chase was inspired by it with the 2007 Unido Regional Edition Por Larranaga Magnificos (which was about the same size, only 2 millimetres shorter) and or own @El Presidente, I believe, has sampled this unicorn and was highly impressed by it. Go ahead and ask him about it at the next FoH ZOOM catch-up.

I can't help but feel that the 2017 Paises Bajos Regional Edition Por Larranaga Gran Robusto was an homage to the Por Larranaga Magnum. Granted, it was about half an inch or 12 millimetres shorter but, by God, it's a large cigar. The Por Larranaga Gran Robusto was released late in 2018 with a 50 ring gauge and 160 millimetre or 6¼ inch length. It is the same vitola as a H.Upmann Magnum 50. It also takes a long time to smoke, trust me! It was released in ten thousand 10-count boxes (or 100,000 sticks).

Initial reviews of the PL Gran Robusto were glowing. It was considered a complex cigar; with notes of cream, hay, oak, caramel popcorn, butterscotch, pepper, leather and orange citrus twang amongst its characteristics. How is it after five or six years of age? Before I answer that question, let me acknowledge @Perla for making this review possible.

Please note, that this Gran Robusto release was noted for being slightly under-filled or over-filled upon release. My sample was indeed slightly over-filled and tight in the draw, but otherwise it smoked magnificently. After five years or so, I would say that this PL Gran Robusto has well and truly settled. It's melded in its flavours and for me, it's become a much simpler smoke. I would say that the dominant flavours in the first two-thirds were caramel and baking spice, with some 'oakiness' and cinnamon spice coming to the fore in the last third. Did I mention already that it took a long time to smoke? Well...it did, somewhere around two-and-a-quarter to two-and-a-half hours!

The construction, despite being slightly over-filled was on-point. The cigar smoked down in almost perfect dime stacks in its ash. It was certainly true to the Por Larranaga marca in its flavours. If you have a box on hand, don't waste your time aging them. For me, this was well within its peak-period, in my opinion. I am grateful for having smoked it, that's for sure!

[JohnS]

La Gloria Cubana Platinum Edition 2016 - Edición Regional Países Bajos (circa 2017)

The La Gloria Cubana Medaille Platinum Edition is a 2016 Paises Bajos Regional Edition (that's the Netherlands in English) that was released in September, 2017. It is a Duke-sized cigar with a 54 ring gauge x 140 millimetres or 5½ inches length. There are a number of Regional Editions that have had this vitola over the years (eight in fact...and two Limited Editions!), but only one regular production cigar has these dimensions; the Partagas Serie E No.2. The LGC Platinum Edition was distributed in eight thousand 10-count semi boite nature boxes.

I was actually fortunate to be gifted this cigar in December 2018 by @bugman78629 (thank you, dear friend!). At the time I noted while the La Gloria Cubana Medaille d'Or No.4 was known for being fruity, spicy, herbal, woody and yet it can be sweet and creamy too, especially if aged. The LGC Platinum Edition was indeed fruity, spicy and had some cream to it, as well as wood, but it was much more refined and subtle. In other words, I would expect to lay down any La Gloria Cubana sticks I have for some time to reach the level of subtlety of that LGC Platinum Edition.

Thanks to @Perla, I am lucky enough to add a second review of the LGC Platinum Edition; this time, at six years of age, at least. After this amount of time, naturally the flavours have melded but I could still make out a wonderful combination of cream, wood, fruit and spice. Perhaps, that fruitiness and spice was much more muted in comparison to the creaminess and wood. It was an enjoyable cigar, nonetheless over 100 minutes. Construction-wise, I had no qualms either as the cigar smoked ideally from beginning to end.

What more could one ask for? Not much, in my opinion if you have the chance to smoke an aged La Gloria Cubana cigar and it is as mild and cream-textured as this. It was evidently within 'my wheelhouse' of preference but then again, La Gloria Cubana is a marca where one can find an assortment of flavours and other combinations of its core flavours, which appeal to me too. I guess it all depends on the specific vitola and circumstances.

[JohnS]

Tatuaje VI Victorias

The Tatuaje VI was created in 2006. It was Tatuaje’s first cigar produced in Nicaragua at the My Father Cigar Factory. Vitolas within this line have a Nicaraguan binder and filler and a Habana Ecuador wrapper. The Tatuaje VI Victorias is a Laguito No.2 size, that is...38 ring gauge x 152 millimetres or 6 inches in length. The cigar even comes with a triple cap and pig-tail, much like the Montecristo Especiales No.2 and Cohiba Coronas Especiales. I must thank @Perla for providing this cigar for me to review.

Tatuaje VI cigars are also known as the 'Red Label' line, for obvious reasons on account of the band. These Tatuaje cigars are also reputed for being quite 'Cubanesque' in nature. The reason for that may have to do with no ligero leaf been used in the blend. I unravelled the pig-tail with my thumb, lit up and was immediately impressed with a cream, hay and pepper/spice hit that was quite distinctive for being indicative of a Habanos cigar.

As I smoked the cigar down it had more of a cedar characteristic in its middle third. In the last third it had diminished in its creamy texture and built up in leather, Earth and pepper or spice. The cigar was easy to smoke as the draw was spot-on. It was medium in strength and medium-full in body, especially in its last third (which I considered closer to full-bodied).

Upon finishing the cigar I reflected on why this line of Tatuaje cigars is so popular with cigar enthusiasts. Quite simply, it has qualities that resemble a Habanos cigar but it is rather obviously Non-Cuban in its essential characteristics. Perhaps it's this inter-twining of both these types of cigars that appeals to its proponents. Maybe you can have the 'best of both worlds', as they say!

[JohnS]

Caldwell The King Is Dead Diamond Girl

'The King is Dead' cigars by Robert Caldwell were among the first line to be produced by Robert Caldwell Cigars, following the factory’s launch in 2014. Each 'The King is Dead' cigar combines aged Dominican Corojo and Habano long filler tobaccos with a Dominican Corojo binder, all wrapped in rare Dominican Negrito leaves. Amongst Dominican puros, Caldwell cigars have a solid reputation in regards to their rolling.

The Caldwell 'The King is Dead' line comes in a number of vitolas (including the 4 inch Manzanita, 5 inch Broken Sword, 6 inch Last Pay Day Negrito torpedo and 6 inch Toro Negrito). The Diamond Girl is the same vitola as the Cervantes-sized Montecristo No.1, a 42 ring gauge x 165 millimetres or 6½ inches length cigar. I would like to thank @Perla for providing this cigar for this review.

In comparison to the Caldwell Long Live The King 4-inch-in-length Manzanita I had recently, the Lonsdale Diamond Girl is nowhere near as full-flavoured but it shares an obvious similarity in being obviously not 'Cubanesque' in its flavour delivery. In regards to those flavours, I would say that they were slightly muted overall. The main underlying flavour was a dry wood. Along the way this was joined by various degrees of spice, Earth, coffee and dark chocolate. Construction-wise, this cigar was about perfect and the ash was a distinctive white.

Upon finishing the cigar, it reminded me of the cigar version of a dark, spiced rum aged in oak barrels. It's either going to connect with you or it won't. Again, I was glad for having sampled it!

[JohnS]

La Gloria Cubana Medaille d'Or No.1 (circa 2010)

The La Gloria Cubana Medaille d'Or No.1 was a unique thin ring-gauged cigar on account of its vitola, 36 rg x 185 millimetres or 7¼ inches in length. Only the LGC Medaille d'Or No.1 was released in this factory name, a Delicados Extra. It was discontinued in 2010. I would like to acknowledge @Perla for making this review possible.

Nowadays, the La Gloria Cubana marca is somewhat of an oddity in that it was Pre-Revolution brand (founded around 1885) that was discontinued in 1960, in the rationalisation of brands initiated by Tabacuba at the time. Nearly all the brands that went by the wayside never returned, except the La Gloria Cubana brand, which returned in 1965 and has remained ever since. When the LGC Medaille d'Or No.2 was discontinued in 2014, it meant that there was only one regular production La Gloria Cubana cigar left, (the Medaille d'Or No.4) but in the last year or so the brand has expanded with the release of the Turquinos and LCDH Glorias.

The first few draws of the cigar revealed a combination of Earth, leather and spices. The draw and combustion are fantastic for a long-and-skinny like this one. As this cigar is already at least thirteen years old, the flavours have well-and-truly settled, melded and were quite mild.

In the middle third, the flavours continue to show the cigar's finesse...nuance and subtlety is what this long-and-skinny is all about. The core flavours in the first third remained and were joined by some coffee and wood, which were both on the light side.

Cigars within the La Gloria Cubana Medaille d'Or series have a solid reputation of having excellent aging potential. I can only imagine would this cigar would have smoked like when it was first rolled. One thing I do know, it can't be compared to a recent LGC Glorias or Turquinos. No, this was very different. Not better...just different.

[JohnS]

Ramón Allones 8-9-8 2014 - Edición Regional Alemania (circa 2015)

The Ramón Allones 8-9-8 was a regular production cigar that was discontinued in 2002. As an 8-9-8 it had a Dalias vitola, that being, a 43 ring gauge x 170 millimetres or 6¾ inches in length. Only the Cohiba Siglo V and Partagas 8-9-8 share these dimensions in the Habanos regular production catalogue nowadays, and both have a solid reputation amongst cigar enthusiasts. In late-2015, the Ramon Allones 8-9-8 made a comeback; albeit in an 2014 Alemania Regional Edition. It was released in 2000 25-count iconic 8-9-8 boxes. I would like to thank @Perla for providing this cigar to review.

The cigar started off with a touch of fruitiness and cocoa that is indicative of the Ramon Allones marca, but it soon revealed its age in its Earth and leather, which are not flavours I readily identify with the Ramon Allones marca. In the last third, there was some saltiness but overall this RA 8-9-8 lacked the vibrancy that I would enjoy in a similarly aged Ramon Allones Superiores, for example.

In terms of construction, this was on-point and it burned well and didn't need any re-lights.

Overall, I'm grateful for smoking this cigar but I'm not going to espouse it as a exemplary specimen of a special release Ramon Allones cigar, like a 2009 Asia-Pacifico Celestiales Finos, for example. Then again, the RA Celestiales Finos was not exactly enamoured amongst cigar enthusiasts when it was first released, but has since become iconic. I'm not sure that the Ramon Allones 8-9-8 can match that reputation, as this was little light in body to continue to evolve, in my opinion. No...aged Ramon Allones cigars tend to be blended for power and they develop a nice complexity with age. I'm not so sure that the German Regional Edition Ramon Allones 8-9-8 was blended that way.

[JohnS]

Ramón Allones Especiales 2011 - Edición Regional Suiza (circa 2011)

The Ramon Allones Especiales, despite its name, is not a long-and-skinny; but rather, a 2011 Petit Robustos-sized Swiss Regional Edition. It was released with a 52 ring gauge x 115 millimetres or 4½ inches length. The Cohiba Magicos shares the same vitola.

If you've never heard of this cigar, you certainly aren't alone. This release came out in 2011 in 1200 twenty-five count boxes, so it wasn't a large run. Also, at the time, Habanos S.A. was definitely trying to advocate newer releases within the Petit Robustos format, but the Magicos vitola has never garnered a 'following' amongst enthusiasts in the same way as other vitolas. For example, have you heard of the Bolivar Byblos, El Rey del Mundo NL No.1, La Flor De Cano Magicos or Quai d'Orsay Robusto Embajador? Yes, no...or maybe? Hmmm...probably not. They aren't exactly releases that come to mind, 'front and centre', so-to-speak.

I would like to acknowledge @Perla for this cigar. Despite being around twelve years old, I can certainly state that this cigar has entered its long-term stage of development. By that I mean that all the flavours have melded, it's mild in strength and body and it has taken on those aged leather characteristics. Perhaps there was touch of Ramon Allones cocoa and fruitiness, but overall the flavours here were simple; mainly a creamy oak and aged leather. I think I smoked the cigar down in about 45 minutes. After all, it was quite easy to smoke.

Yes, I was genuinely surprised at how mild this cigar was today. Obviously, it wasn't blended with strong flavours and power when it was first rolled. If you have a box, I would have hoped that you've finished it by now. In my opinion, it doesn't seem to me that it will develop much further.