Popular Post JohnS Posted October 5 Author Popular Post Share Posted October 5 Montecristo No.5 SPM Feb 2024 I have had a lot of Montecristo No.5s over the years within this blog series. I've had some great, average and bland ones in that time, but it's those great ones that makes me come back to this cigar time and time again. This particular Montecristo No.5 was from a new 10-count SPM Feb 2024 box acquisition and this was the first Monte 5 from that box, smoked ROTT (i.e. right-off-the-truck, so-to-speak, or in layman's terms' smoked without resting). 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 just one month ago (from a RUP Sep 2020 box code) had a slightly creamy texture and was dominant in its citrus twang, which is just the way I like it. This six month-old Monte 5 did not have the same creamy texture you mind find in a five year-old specimen, but it did have a nice mix of luscious milk coffee and chocolate and citrus twang. It didn't take long to smoke either; just thirty minutes. In summary, this was not as fulsome as my last Monte 5 but it was very, very good for a young cigar. In my mind, the way it smoked suggests that it should develop nicely as the flavours were well-balanced and fairly typical for a Montecristo No.5. Time will tell, as they say. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post JohnS Posted October 5 Author Popular Post Share Posted October 5 Montecristo Wide Edmundo UBL Mar 2024 The Montecristo Wide Edmundo is the fourth instalment in the Edmundo line after the Edmundo (2004), Petit Edmundo (2006) and Double Edmundo (2013). It was announced in 2021 and released in October 2022 at a premiere party at the Cívitas Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, Spain. The cigar is packaged in a semi boîte nature box of 25 cigars, a semi boîte nature box of 10 cigars and a display box of 15 aluminium tubed cigars in 5 cardboard packs of 3. At the time of writing this review, those Montecristo Wide Edmundo tubos are yet to see the 'light of day'. In any case, this UBL Mar 2024 Monte Wide Edmundo came from a new 10-count box acquisition and was smoked ROTT (or 'right-off-the-truck', without a period of rest). With a 54 ring gauge and a 4⅞ inch (or 125 millimetres) length, the Montecristo Wide Edmundo has a unique vitola called a Duke No.3. (Although, I distinctly remember that the Trinidad Topes Limited Edition and regular production release are close in size to the Monte Wide Edmundo, with an identical length but with a ring gauge slightly larger - that is, 56 rg.) I punch cut the large head with my Credo 3-in-1 punch cutter and was immediately impressed with the first few puffs. The cigar opened with woody and spicy flavors, along with hints of sweet molasses, vanilla and nuttiness. As the cigar progressed through the first third it developed a citrus, cedar and Earthy profile with a touch of spiciness on the edges. The draw had a slight element of resistance, which is ideal for a Habanos cigar and the cigar's complexity was evident from how it smoked in the first third. There was plenty of smoke per puff with a solid, consistent ash, reflecting an impeccable construction. The first third had a strength at a medium-light level, without any harshness that you can be found sometimes in youthful cigars. In the second third, the cigar evolved into a combination of coffee, leather, fruit and spice. This cigar is a slight departure from Montecristo cigars, in my opinion, in its complex mix of flavours. Think of the cedar of a Romeo y Julieta Wide Churchill with the pepper and fruit of a Partagas Serie P No.2, and you'll get close to what I was blissfully smoking in this initial Montecristo Wide Edmundo today. At the halfway point, the burn was on-point, but the strength developed more potency than your typical Montecristo cigar. In the final third of the cigar, the strength slightly increased, naturally. Towards the end, the dominant flavours of nuts, wood and leather remained. As the cigar reached its nub and was burning my fingertips, it was obvious that this was an excellent smoke. The construction was flawless, with a perfect draw and burn. The cigar had a consistent flavour profile from beginning to end. In conclusion, the Montecristo Wide Edmundo is a highly satisfying Habanos cigar that offers a rich flavour profile that stays faithful to the Montecristo marca, while incorporating other Cuban flavours found in other marcas. The experience is like a fat robusto with Montecristo flavors, making it a nice alternative to cigars like the Romeo y Julieta Wide Churchills or the H Upmann 54. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post JohnS Posted October 5 Author Popular Post Share Posted October 5 Quai d'Orsay No.50 SMA Jul 2018 It's been almost eighteen months since I last had a Quai d'Orsay No.50 from this SMA Jul 2018 box, my...how time flies! This cigar represents the fifth example I've had from this mid-2018 box. I have smoked through a 10-count box of a different SMA Jul 2018 Quai d'Orsay No.50s previously (when first released around six years ago or so), and in the meantime I finished a 10-count of LMB Jun 2019 Quay d'Orsay No.50s, as well as having one or two others from a MSA May 2019 box code, but these never quite matched how good the SMA Jul 2018 Quai d'Orsay No.50s have been for me overall. I would think that the current popularity on our forum of these Quai d'Orsay releases (i.e. the QDO Nos. 50 and 54) has somewhat diminished in comparison to the fervour these generated when they first came to market and were extremely popular in 2018 and 2019. I wonder if recent examples of these vitolas has dropped off in quality in comparison to that initial run? What I have admired from this cigar in the past, when it is at its very best, is the luscious egg and butter texture to the smoke, together with the cedar, hazelnut and ginger spice, topped off with a refined brioche bread flavour. Sometimes you can even get sweeter toffee-like flavours. When this occurs, the QdO 50 really shines! Today's example opened with a gorgeous sweet toffee, settled into a cedar, hazelnut and butter brioche blend and finished with some oak and ginger spice at the end. Beautifully complex, this six year-old QdO No.50 recalled the glory days of the superlative specimens I smoked in 2018 and 2019 when this cigar was well and truly 'hot' and the moniker, "poor man's Cohiba" had no relevance as it was quite simply a moot point. Having said this though, it seemed that every time I lit up a 2019 box-coded Quai d'Orsay No.50 in late 2019 or in 2020, it was always more prevalent in wood and spice flavours and never as complex or well-balanced neither. Thankfully I have some more 2018 QDO 50s to enjoy in the meantime before I explore a late November 2019 box at some point down-the-track. In the meantime, be aware that at the time of writing this review there are 'whispers' that Habanos S.A is planning to re-brand Quai d'Orsay as a premium marca and is looking to adjust prices upwards accordingly. Yesterday may be the time to acquire some more Quai d'Orsay then! 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post JohnS Posted October 5 Author Popular Post Share Posted October 5 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. 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 fourth Cohiba Siglo I smoked from a quarter box I acquired in mid-2021. It's quite telling that the third one was only smoked a month ago but was developing quite nicely, in my view. That third Cohiba Siglo I had diminished in its strength of coffee flavours and has since become sweeter, with some real nice honey and vanilla notes. This fourth one was similarly excellent, on account of its exquisite, well-balanced Cohiba flavours including honey, vanilla, hay and milk coffee. Yes, this was another brilliant example of a Cohiba Siglo I smoked over 55 minutes. However, for its current price, I would hesitate to replace this cigar in my humidor in the future when supplies run out, which shouldn't be too long since I only have a few sticks remaining. Oh well, I guess I'm going to enjoy these sticks I have left! 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post JohnS Posted October 5 Author Popular Post Share Posted October 5 Fonseca No.1 OEP Nov 2014 The Fonseca Fonseca No.1 (yes, it's name includes its marca and vitola) was officially discontinued in 2012. Thankfully, its production run continued a few years after and it has been available ever since. Since the beginning of 2022, however, it's only been available sporadically, with the last box code that I've seen dating from mid-2023. This OEP Nov 2014 came from Spanish stock held by Tabacalera, sourced by Pacific Cigar Company (or PCC) and acquired ultimately via a 24:24 listing on Friends of Habanos. Coincidentally, I noticed that Rob and Ken released a review on the Fonseca No.1 in late 2020 and Rob stated that FoH would account for quite a few sales more than the worldwide average, which is most probably on the lower side of things. This was my fourth Fonseca No.1 from this box code; the first two were smoked around mid-2021 and the third one was smoked at the beginning of 2023. Those three were all quite decent in how flavoursome they were. This fourth one started off with a definable cedar/sandalwood and some floral notes, together with a little vanilla sweetness on the edges but it didn't take long for the cigar to become more 'heavy' on the palate; with forest floor, toasted tobacco and spice dominating from the second third onwards. What's more, I had trouble keeping the cigar alight towards the end of the second third. I was relieved to let the cigar burn itself out after 100 minutes...something I rarely do. After smoking three quite good Fonseca No.1s it was disappointing to encounter this lacklustre effort today. I guess that's the way it goes with the Fonseca No.1. When it's good, it can be rather delectable in its subtlety; but when it's bad, it can be downright bland and boring. It's the type of cigar that you either identify with its mellow nature and appreciate or alternatively you'd classify as 'lifeless', it's that 'leisurely' on the palate. With the changes in pricing in Habanos cigars since mid-2022, I would think you'd have to be very, very fond of the Fonseca No.1 to continue to acquire it presently. Then again, some of you are continuing to that, and kudos to you for doing so. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post JohnS Posted October 5 Author Popular Post Share Posted October 5 Bolívar Belicosos Finos TAO Nov 2020 The Bolivar Belicosos Finos remains a Friends of Habanos forum favourite, years after topping a Forum poll twice in 2019 declaring members' favourite cigar. Even with the current adjustments upwards to the pricing of Habanos cigars, you'll tend to find that demand is strong on our forum for the BBF when it is listed on 24:24 sales. In the FOH top 26 of 2021 poll as endorsed by El Pres, the Bolivar Belicosos Finos managed to come in at a very respectable eleventh. Your average Piramide (also known colloquially as a Torpedo) is 52 ring gauge x 156 mm in length, the BBF is a Campanas and so is slightly smaller at 52 ring gauge x 140 mm in length. I continue to find them quite reliable in construction and flavour delivery over the years, on the odd occasion I have one. In general, I've had excellent smoking experiences with BBFs in 2019/20 but of late I've only had six in a little over three-and-a-half years, I believe. I think the reason for this is because I had intended resting them, albeit not for this long though. Then again, I have been distracted by other Bolivar options in my humidor such an awesome mid-2015 box of Bolivar Tubos No.1, an early-2017 box of outstanding Bolivar Petit Coronas and an equally dependable half-box of mid-2019 Bolivar Coronas Junior! This BBF was again very light on cocoa, yet it did have those typical BBF flavours; bitter malt, nutmeg, Earth and leather which made it a good option for a change-of-pace from my usual 'go-to' cigars. Like my last BBF, there wasn't any 'licorice' sweetness or extra spiciness in the back-half of this BBF today, like I have had with other BBF's in the past. In general, this Bolivar Belicosos Finos was quite full in body. I think it would appeal to those of us who like a stronger Habanos cigar, on occasion (or even more regularly!). In terms of construction, I had to re-light it two or three times. It didn't detract from how well the cigar smoked overall, though because thankfully there wasn't any bitter residual on the palate. In conclusion, I didn't mind this BBF; but I still prefer my other Bolivar cigars in my humidor for the time being (e.g. early-2017 Bolivar Petit Coronas, mid-2019 Bolivar Coronas Junior and mid-2015 Bolivar Tubos No.1) . 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomsRibs210 Posted October 12 Share Posted October 12 Thank you for these reviews. As a novice, I am grateful for this educational tool. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted October 12 Author Share Posted October 12 7 hours ago, TomsRibs210 said: Thank you these reviews. As a novice, I am grateful for this educational tool. It's my pleasure. I'm glad they can be of assistance to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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