JohnS' Smoking Diary 2024

[JohnS]

Nudies N4 Mareva Fuerte "Pilot"

This was the fifth cigar smoked of a 25-pack of Nudies N4 Mareva Fuerte "Pilot", a 42 ring gauge x 129 millimetres or 5⅛ inches in length Petit Coronas that was blended by Hamlet Paredes as a test blend in conjuction with El Pres. It came solely in a Colorado Maduro wrapper. After smoking this marevas-sized cigar for the first time a little over eighteen months ago, and again today, I can attest to how different it was to initial run of Nudies N1 Lanceros and Nudies N3 Carlotas.

For starters, the term 'fuerte' means strong or power in Spanish and the Nudies N4 Mareva certainly was blended to be strong. There's no doubt whatsoever that this cigar was medium-full in body when I first smoked it in late-2022. Fast forward a year-and-a-half and it has tapered off somewhat in strength. It certainly was much more approachable.

It started off with a baking spice in the first third and some cocoa and espresso coffee, more so from the first third onwards. There was some ginger spice through the nose when retrohaling but I wouldn't say the cigar was overtly full of spice though, at all. On the contrary, it was quite a pleasure to smoke. Unlike the second-to-last time I smoked this cigar late last year, the second half of the last third did not see the strength and body increase markedly in comparison to the rest of the cigar. On the contrary, the change in body and strength from the halfway point was more gradual, like it was the last time I smoked a Nudies N4 Mareva Fuerte "Pilot" six months ago.

In terms of construction, there remains no qualms whatsoever. Perfect white ash, dime-stacked and ash-lengths approaching an inch each time, with no re-lights and obviously no tunneling or under-filling.

El Pres described this cigar a cross between a Montecristo No.4 and Partagas Short. One of the last times I smoked a Nudies N4 Mareva Fuerte "Pilot" I shared it with Trevor Leask, the founder of Cuban Cigar Website, and we felt that this Nudies N4 Mareva had more of an Old School Partagas flavour to it. Around eighteen months later, I continue to feel the same way. Yes, this is a simple cigar, but that's the way it was blended to be. In summary, this cigar was an excellent example of a Nudies cigar, yet I'd still rate the MOFOH Robusto Trinity, Puro Desnudo N6 Canonazo Amante VI and Bond Roberts Petit 109 as perhaps slightly better. All the same, this cigar is developing quite nicely. I only regret not acquiring more than one 25-count pack!

[JohnS]

Montecristo No.1 ESL Ago 2017

I mentioned in my last review on the Montecristo No.1 that once upon a time, in the Habanos regular production catalogue, there used to be a plethora of Lonsdale-sized cigars. This included the Bolivar Lonsdale, Diplomaticos No.1, El Rey del Mundo Lonsdale, H.Upmann Lonsdale and H.Upmann No.1, Montecristo No.1, Partagas Lonsdale, Por Larranaga Lonsdale, Rafael Gonzalez Lonsdale, Romeo y Julieta Cedros de Luxe No.1, Saint Luis Rey Lonsdales, Sancho Panza Molinos and Vegas Robaina Clasicos. Amongst all these cigars, today only the Montecristo No.1 remains.

More accurately, I should refer to Montecristo No.1's factory name of "Cervantes", which is a 42 ring gauge x 165 millimetres (or 6½ inches) in length cigar, whereas the common name "Lonsdale" covers cigars that a closely-related in size. For example, a Dalias, Cazadores and Laguito Especial are all considered to be Lonsdale cigars.

I only 'cracked' open this ESL Ago 2017 box three months ago. The first Monte 1 from the box had a beautiful cream texture from the 'get-go' and didn't let up. It had a marshmallow-like soft milk chocolate flavour too and a some nuttiness that was akin to hazelnut. It was quite simply superb. It easily reminded me of the very best examples I've had of this cigar. Frankly, this is how you want your Montecristo No.1s to smoke. In other words, it was brilliant...simply brilliant!

In contrast, this second Monte 1 from the box was downright terrible. I suspect it was slightly under-filled, but in general it lacked any soft cream texture, milk chocolate or marshmallow-type flavours. It was all a generic cocoa mess and what didn't help was the constant re-lights after the halfway point of the cigar.

The difference between this cigar and the first one smoked from the box was like 'night and day'. I intend to forget about it and look forward to the next time I smoke another Montecristo No.1 from this box, as surely it can't be as bad as this cigar was today. Surely?

[JohnS]

San Cristóbal de la Habana El Príncipe LGR Jun 2019

I had only just had a San Cristobal de La Habana El Principe three weeks ago, but that was from a new acquisition, of course. This particular SCdLH El Principe? Well, the last time I had one from this box code was two years ago! Why did it take so long to return to this box code? Quite simply, it was because the last one was so, so bad. Thankfully, two years made a lot difference. Or, perhaps...that last LGR Jun 2019 cigar was just awful? The only way to know definitively would be to smoke more cigars from this box code, but that's a question to save for another day.

In the meantime, this SCdLH El Principe started off with a delicious and soft pancake-like texture, which is something I actively look for when I smoke this cigar. In the first half of the cigar, it was light on coffee, had some decent cocoa, was sweet and not overtly spicy. This all changed in the second half. At the midway point, this cigar changed in that it stopped having a soft, pancake feel on the palate and it became more a combination of coffee and cocoa flavours, with some more spice thrown in. The contrast was quite stark and something I'm not used to as changes in a cigar are usually more gradual.

Nevertheless, I quite liked this San Cristobal de La Habana El Principe. At least I can't complain that it wasn't complex enough, that's for sure! Realistically-speaking, it's not reasonable to expect a SCdLH El Principe to maintain a soft pancake-like texture and have sweet flavours from beginning to end. Rather, it would be more expected that a cigar that opens like this one did today would have a little more intensity in cocoa, coffee and spice (or a combination thereof). Perhaps the next SCdLH El Principe from this box in fact will!

[JohnS]

Montecristo No.5 RUP Sep 2020

I have not had a Montecristo No.5 from this box code within the last two years and three months. Of course, I have smoked through a 10-count of ESL May 2018 Montecristo No.5s since then. When I lit the first cigar of from this RUP Sep 20 quarter pack acquisition of Montecristo No.5s in 2022, the cigar was so flavoursome that I immediately thought only in terms of superlatives to describe it. Questions like, "how good is this cigar?" and "why can't they all be like this?" promptly came to mind. Believe it or not, the very same thing happened today! Can you believe it?

The Montecristo No.5 was of course one of the original five cigars of the Montecristo line first introduced in 1935 along with the No.1, No.2, No.3, No.4. It's a 40 ring gauge x 102 mm (or 4 inches) in length perla. The typical smoking time for a small cigar like this would be around 30 to 45 minutes.

The last Montecristo no.5 I smoked around nine or ten months ago (from that ESL May 2018 10-count box) was just your average Montecristo combination of coffee, chocolate, nut and spice and it was all balanced quite nicely; no one flavour dominated the other. This Monte 5, on the other hand, had a slightly creamy texture and was more dominant in its citrus twang, which is just the way I like it.

In summary, this was every bit as good as the last one I had from this box, if not better. I think if I had another Monte 5 from this box at hand, after finishing this one, I may just have lit it up to test the adage that 'lightning does indeed strike twice'! As it is, I won't be waiting another two years to have the next cigar (from this box code), I can guarantee you that!

[JohnS]

Partagás Presidentes RSG Mar 2023

The Partagas Presidentes is a cigar that I remember steering clear from in the past on account of its reputation for strong, bold flavours. Around five years ago though, I remember smoking a Partagas Presidentes from the 2018 Xmas Sampler which I had noted had a pleasant mix of Partagas sourdough and coffee with a Fonseca-type marshmallow sweetness. It was a nice contrast from my previous forays into sampling the Partagas Presidentes which revealed a more typical 'old school' blend of Partagas Earth and Forest Floor and perhaps even leather, and I remember furthermore that at that point of my journey within this hobby that it didn't really connect with me.

This is my second RSG Mar 2023 Partagas Presidentes from this box. I smoked the first one at the end of 2023 and it was quite simply a revelation. If there's one cigar that I would have to nominate as being the best in its flavour delivery and construction since the advent of the Covid era in early 2020, then it would have to be the Partagas Serie D No.4. The varieties that I've had of the PSD4 have been simple concoctions of Partagas sourdough, coffee and leather, intertwined in a seemingly perfect balance. Unbelievably, that Partagas Presidentes was very much like that. Yes, I couldn't fathom it. To say I was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement.

This second RSG Mar 2023 was very, very good in its simplicity and approachability. It once again had sourdough, coffee and leather but here there were hints of forest-floor flavours and the cigar was more spicy, but only on the edges. So maybe it wasn't in the upper echelon of performance like the first RSG Mar 2023 Partagas Presidentes from this box, but I tell you wasn't that far way. By contrast, I have since acquired a SUL Jul 2023 box of Partagas Presidentes and I've smoked three cigars from that box, none of which have reached the heights of these two RSG Mar 2023 Partagas Presidentes.

The past notion of the Partagas Presidentes, well at least in my mind, that had a dominating strength and old school flavours of Earth, Forest floor and leather are simply incomparable to what I smoked today (and this year). This Partagas Presidentes was simply great. I now aspire to smoke a Partagas Presidentes from my SUL Jul 2023 that matches it!

[JohnS]

Romeo y Julieta Short Churchills LAT Feb 2018

I wrote in my last review on this cigar that there's an adage in our hobby whereby a cigar can improve over time and become great, but only after they start off being good. In other words, if you encounter a box of Habanos cigars that are smoking ordinarily within the first twelve months, don't count on them to 'blow you away', so-to-speak, after the three to five year mark. It can occur, but it's not likely. I still believe this to be the case, generally-speaking.

The last Romeo y Julieta Short Churchill I had was around the middle of 2023.  Today's example was a again better (in flavours) than my previous Romeo y Julieta Short Churchills smoked from this box code, but still not up to the class of my ABO Ago 2018 Romeo y Julieta Exhibicion No.4 box.

What I liked about this RyJ Short Churchill robustos-sized cigar was once again the combination of some nice turkish delight, anise and berry notes, with a coconut texture on its edges. This cigar started off with those flavours in the first third, but soon after, it settled into being more generic as it went along. What didn't help, of course, was the less-than-ideal construction which included a very flaky ash and some bunched leaves from the mid-way point on. This affected the burn and consequently I needed to re-light a number of times to maintain the burn.

My last RyJ Short Churchill took around 100 minutes to smoke through and this one was much the same, although that's not saying a good thing. After all, the constructions faults here merely prolonged the annoying experience I had with this cigar. A normal Robustos would take me 70 to 75 minutes to finish.

This was my last Romeo y Julieta Short Churchill in my humidor. Overall, they haven't been great. Kudos to you if you have some on hand and they've been better than this box code that I've persevered with over the last five-and-a-half years. In the meantime, I believe I have some better Romeo y Julieta options to explore from my inventory in the future.

[JohnS]

Cohiba Siglo V REG Sep 2019

This specific review can be considered rare nowadays because you are unlikely to see another one of its type within this year's review series. You see, the Cohiba Siglo V would have to be the one specific vitola within the Cohiba marca that I have had the most difficulty acquiring in my lifetime, even before the change in Habanos cigar production and pricing in mid-2022. Apart some aged examples that I've smoked in the meantime, the last time I smoked a regular Cohiba Siglo V from my humidor collection, was around five years ago! And that was to commemorate my son's 21st birthday!

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

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

This particular Cohiba Siglo V came in a three-pack acquisition that I managed to obtain prior to the price increases we all know about from mid-2022 onwards. In hindsight, I'm very glad that I did so. The cold draw had an distinctive barnyard and milk coffee profile. Upon lighting, the cigar quickly settled into typical Cohiba flavours of mocha coffee, honey and some citrus.

In the second third, it continued in much the same vein, with only the strength increasing a little, as one would expect.

In the final third, the mocha coffee was more dominant and the honey sweetness and citrus receded, but overall, this cigar was very approachable with its medium to medium-mild strength.

I took 1 hour and 45 minutes to finish it and yes, it was simply a great smoke. I'm not just saying that because it was Cohiba cigar or because it was a rare Siglo V. It deserved its accolades because this cigar's construction was spot-on (unlike many more popular vitolas within the Habanos regular production range currently being manufactured) and its flavours didn't disappoint. In general, I have found the Cohiba Siglo V very consistent in construction and flavours on the rare occasion I smoke them, over the years.

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

[karp]

On 7/28/2024 at 5:07 AM, JohnS said:

Upon smoking it, for me, the BR Petit 109 most resembles a Partagas Serie E No.2, which is high praise indeed

That is very high praise - will have to try these, as the E2 is one of my favourite cigars. I am wondering what the BR 109 will be like if this one is so highly reviewed? Thanks for the great reviews as always JohnS!

[JohnS]

10 hours ago, karp said:

That is very high praise - will have to try these, as the E2 is one of my favourite cigars. I am wondering what the BR 109 will be like if this one is so highly reviewed? Thanks for the great reviews as always JohnS!

Thank you, it's my pleasure!

We all look forward to the Bond Roberts 109 being released.

[JohnS]

Cohiba Coronas Especiales LTO Sep 2020

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

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

It's been 1 year and 9 months since I've had a Cohiba Coronas Especiales from this box code. I have had two CCEs from my AUM Jul 2014 box in the meantime, though. These were both outstanding examples of this vitola, but prior to 2023 I never seemed to find the same amount of satisfaction in my AUM Jul 2014 CCEs as I've encountered from some late-2005 examples I've enjoyed prior to this period. The old adage in our hobby is that one should keep an open mind in respect to marcas and/or vitolas we struggle to connect with, and so with this thought in mind, I acquired a quarter pack of LTO Sep 2020 CCEs early in 2021.

This cigar opened with classic mocha coffee, hay and honey flavours. As the cigar settled into the end of the first third I picked up some vanilla bean, which I greatly admired. The last time I smoked this cigar from the middle third onwards the cigar it was a little 'toasty', but in this case it continued to smoke with a good balance between its mocha coffee and sweet honey flavours. Even into the last third, this was a delight to smoke and it wasn't even a question in my mind whether I would nub it or not. (Of course I did!)

Perhaps it was fate, luck or sheer chance that accounted for my change in fortune with this vitola. More likely, it was the fact that I fortunately picked up an acquisition of these CCEs with a reputable factory code (i.e LTO). Whatever it was, this is now my third excellent example of a LTO Cohiba Coronas Especiales from this quarter-pack acquisition which leaves me with great confidence in looking forward to smoking the other three!

[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 third 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. The second one, smoked in August 2023 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. This third one, smoked a year after the second one, was even better. Yes, these are developing quite nicely! This third Cohiba Siglo I has diminished in its strength of coffee flavours and has since become sweeter, with some real nice honey and vanilla notes.

Yes, this was a brilliant example of a Cohiba Siglo I smoked over 50 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]

San Cristóbal de la Habana La Fuerza LGR Jun 2018

Fuerza means power, force or strength in Spanish. It doesn't necessarily correlate that a San Cristobal de la Habana La Fuerza is fuller in body or strength in comparison to other Habanos cigars. Unlike the SCdLH La Punta, which means point in Spanish, the name of that campanas cigar with a point at its head is much more logical.

I've noted in previous reviews on the La Fuerza that it is similar to the El Principe in blend, only more muted. I find the El Principe is more rich and intense, a 'no-brainer go-to' cigar, for me. My last two or three SCdLH La Fuerza I've had from this box code have been generally molasses sweet, consistent in light coffee tones, minimal in cocoa and most importantly, profuse in an 'airy cake' or pancake texture throughout which exemplifies why the SCdLH La Fuerza have been so good for awhile it seems.

Of course, I've had many more El Principes in the past few years than La Fuerzas. In fact, this is the only the second SCdLH La Fuerza I've had from this box code since late-2020. Of the La Fuerzas I've had the TOS Jun 2016 were nowhere near the quality of these LGR Jun 2018 examples, which have been simply outstanding in general.

For the first two-thirds today, this SCdLH La Fuerza had a soft pancake texture, cocoa and molasses sweetness but in the last third it became a little bit more 'generic' as the cocoa increased in its intensity. Nevertheless, I was happy to smoke it overall because this was my last San Cristobal de la Habana La Fuerza from my humidor. It's lamentable that this is the case but at least I'm glad that I had a good run with them.

[JohnS]

Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.2 BUP Mar 2018

When one thinks of robusto-sized vitolas they may think of the Partagas Serie D No.4, Cohiba Robustos or perhaps even a Juan Lopez Seleccion No.2 or Ramon Allones Specially Selected. Yet the Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.2 pre-dates all those cigars. In fact, it is the only Robustos that dates from prior the Cuban Revolution in the early 1960s. (N.B. There was a pre-revolution Partagas Serie D No.4 which was was discontinued in 1965. The Partagas Serie D No.4, which we all know and love as the current No.1 best-selling Habanos cigar in the world currently, was introduced in 1975.)

I've only had four BUP Mar 2018 Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.2 from my humidor in the last three-and-a-half years, but in the meantime, I've had nine UTL Jul 2019 HdM Epi 2s which have been consistently good. In comparison, I found these BUP Mar 2018 box code a bit slower to develop but thankfully they've smoked better each time.

This HdM Epicure No.2 had cedar, powdered soft cocoa, some vanilla malt and a semblance of cream texture which I've come to appreciate in my UTL Jul 2019 HdM Epi 2s. In general, these BUP Mar 2018 HdM Epi 2s have been heavier on the palate and more woody than my higher-rated UTL Jul 2019 HdM Epi 2s. If you have smoked Hoyo De Monterrey Epicure No.2s on a regular basis, you know the difference. It is that self-evident. Nevertheless, this particular HdM Epicure No.2 continued to stay mild and not necessarily 'woody' in its first two thirds, which I quite liked. In the last third, there was some spice, but it wasn't savoury; rather, it was like a subtle cinnamon spice which I considered a perfect way to finish off the cigar.

This HdM Epi 2 took some time to finish. Normally a Robusto-sized cigar would take me 60 to 70 minutes to smoke. This Epi 2 took me around 95 minutes to finish. This was the last cigar from this box code, which was a 12-count half-box acquisition. Overall, they were generally serviceable, some were ordinary, but only one was outstanding. This HdM Epi 2 was the second cigar from the box that I would rate as outstanding, mainly because of those milder and sweet flavours I cited such as vanilla malt, cinnamon spice and cream.

I have only six UTL Jul 2019 Hoyo d Monterrey Epicure No.2s left in my humidor but I am very much inclined to want to acquire more. The only problem is the current pricing of Habanos cigars, of course. We'll see how things transpire.

[JohnS]

Juan López Selección No.2 MEL Dic 2016

I acquired this box around the turn of the New Year in 2019. In five-and-a-half years since that time I've gone through nearly two-thirds of the box (in other words, thirteen cigars smoked with three given away). In general, I haven't found them to be to my taste, otherwise, I think I would have finished the box by now! So far, I think I can confidently say that I've only had two JL2s that I was really enamoured with.

So what has been the problem with the greater majority of Juan Lopez Seleccion No.2s from this late-2016 box? In summary, most of these cigars have been dominant in toasted tobacco which didn't allow the chocolate and/or citrus characteristics to shine in those cigars. Today's cigar had some chocolate, orange citrus and Cointreau from beginning to end, but overall the cigar was underscored by a coffee and oak spine. That coffee, oak and perhaps toasted tobacco combination was too dominant for my preference. I would have wanted this JL2 to be softer or milder. That's saying something when the box is already seven-and-a-half years old!

A year or two ago, I mentioned to El Pres (our esteemed Friends of Habanos Host) that I had struggled for some time with this particular box of Juan Lopez Seleccion No.2s. He noted that the boxing date of these JL2s coincided with a stronger batch of cigars produced out of Cuba, within this marca and vitola, that were more potent in strength than normal. I felt a 'lightbulb' moment envelop me upon learning this and felt relieved in the knowledge that there was hope yet for this specific box of Juan Lopez Seleccion No.2s.

[JohnS]

Nicarao CR Lonsdale by Didier Houvenagel (circa 2013)

Didier Houvenaghel is a Belgian Agricultural Engineer who has the rare distinction of being one of the very few Europeans to have studied agronomy at the University of Pinar del Rio in the early 2000s. He is also the author of the book, “The Cigar, From Soil to Soul” which addresses all a number of pertinent topics of cigar science across 318 pages and 11 chapters. Finally, in collaboration with Nicaraguan producer A.J. Fernández, Houvenaghel has developed four highly regarded boutique brands: Nicarao, Furia, La Preferida and La Ley. That's quite a resume, you'd have to agree!

This Nicarao CR Lonsdale was graciously gifted to me by @Perla (thank you so much!). It's a special release, so don't try to research it as you will be unable to. Nicarao produce three lines currently and this release doesn't belong to any of them. According to the official Nicarao website, Nicarao cigars are entirely hand-rolled, are made from the best tobacco selected and harvested from the factory's plantations, located in the two best production areas of Nicaragua. Soft and full-bodied at the same time, Nicarao cigars flatter the senses of the taster with the expression of an original bouquet of aromas. With their Central American touches, the aromas and flavor are both distinctive and full-bodied while expressing an interesting rounded aromatic complexity. This originality and this aromatic richness of Nicarao cigars come from the right blend of leaves harvested in the two best terroirs of Nicaragua: Estelí and Jalapa. The variety of black tobacco used is Criollo 98, both for the wrapper and the binder and for the filler with only one exception, judiciously chosen, a single leaf of the tripe is of the Corojo 99 variety. This touch of diversity complements the assembly of leaves and gives the bouquet of aroma an additional roundness. The rigorous selection and classification of the leaves according to their quality, color, texture, aroma but also and above all according to their plot of production ensure unparalleled stability in the aromatic quality of Nicarao cigars. To satisfy its enthusiasts even more, NICARAO now presents a range of products distributed in 3 lines: the Nicarao Clasico, the Nicarao Especial and the Nicarao Exclusivo developed jointly to give them the NICARAO 'signature', the ligas – Clasico, Especial and Exclusivo – were blended to express a logical evolution in aromaticity, power and nobility.

I do know that this special release Nicarao CR Lonsdale was quite full-bodied when it originally was made available around 2013. After over ten years of rest, this cigar was much more approachable when I smoked it today, thankfully. The cold draw proved to reveal a strange combination of mahagony or deep oak, chalk (yes, chalk!) and barnyard. I can't say that I've encountered that too often before!

The first third reminded me of some Davidoff Grand Cru cigars that I've smoked in the recent past. The flavours were reminiscent of sandalwood and hay. In the middle third I could detect some spice on the edges which was quite noticeable on the retrohale. The cigar remained fairly stable into the last third; in other words, the flavours stayed much the same and the approachability of the cigar was quite consistent, there was no issue nubbing this.

So, all in all, this was by no means a complex cigar but for a Non-Cuban specimen, it exhibited obvious signs of quality. Maybe one could compare it to a aged H.Upmann cigar that exhibits some white pepper on the edges? I think the comparison would be quite apt. I'm glad I got the opportunity to actually smoke it! Kudos to you if you indeed have this cigar on-hand in your humidor!

[JohnS]

Padron 1964 Anniversary No. 4 Natural

The Padron 1964 Anniversary No. 4 was released in 2012. It is a huge cigar; 60 ring gauge x 165 millimetres (or 6½ inches) in length. According to Cigar Aficionado's press release at the time; the cigar gets its name from the December 4 birthday of Saint Barbara, or Santa Barbara, a Catholic saint held dear by Cubans. "Cubans feel she is a protector," said Padrón president Jorge Padrón. "When my father was in Cuba, he prayed to Santa Barbara to help him get out."

The elder Padrón left Cuba on April 1, 1961 and went to Spain. He waited several months before finding a way to get to the United States, and in late November of that year he set sail for America. "The boat that I came on arrived in New York on December 4," said José Orlando Padrón, speaking through his son Jorge. "The birthday of this patron saint."

The size was originally to be called the Patriarch, but Jorge Padrón later realized that Tabacalera Perdomo makes a cigar brand with that name, so he changed plans.

Padrón has made a 6 (inch) by 60 (ring gauge) Anniversary before, but it was a special release for a retail shop. Jorge Padrón said this cigar would have a different blend and different taste. As part of the company's 1964 Anniversary line—which was launched in 1994, on the company's 30th anniversary—the Padrón Anniversary No. 4 will be made with tobacco aged for four years. There will be both a natural and a maduro version.

It's interesting that Jorge Padrón mentioned that the Padron 1964 Anniversary No.4 would have a different blend and different taste. Upon smoking it today, I feel that this remark is quite apt. Initially, with its usual box-press and large girth, I figured I would need around three hours to smoke this cigar. However, this cigar turned out to be much milder than the usual 1926 Series and 1964 Anniversary cigars I've smoked of late. Heck, I would even go so far as saying that the Padron Family Reserve Series, which supposedly uses leaf aged up to 10 years in its blend, is not as mild as this Padron 1964 anniversary No.4 Natural was today. So, instead of taking three hours, the cigar took me a still lengthy two-and-a-quarter hours to smoke.

I started off by punching the cap with my ever-reliable Credo three-in-one Punch Cutter. Immediately, I got flavours of cedar, leather and spice. Along the way, one could say that there was some nuttiness, perhaps even some nougat sweetness but the blend was never overly complex. As per usual, the draw was slightly loose but the cigar was still medium-full bodied. In other words, it was flavoursome from beginning to end.

Unlike Padron Series 1926 and 1964 Anniversary cigars, which tend to be fuller-bodied (by comparison) and consistent in strong flavours such as cocoa, coffee, leather and wood, the Padron 1964 Anniversary No.4 is not the usual fare for the cigar enthusiast who regularly smokes or has become accustomed to Padron cigars. Rather; this cigar is milder, sweeter and more approachable for the type of cigar smoker who would smoke a Padron on the odd occasion. For me, I quite liked it as a change-of-pace cigar, but I can't help but feel the experience was akin to having a milky cappuccino when one usually has their coffee straight, without sugar and black.