Quai d'Orsay Imperiales Travel Humidor

[JohnS]

The Quai d'Orsay Imperiales was a regular production Churchill-sized cigar (i.e. with a 47 ring gauge x 178 millimetres or 7 inch length) that was discontinued in 2015. In 2022, Habanos S.A. announced that the cigar will return as a Duty Free and Travel Retail release, in an ornate Travel Humidor holding 20 cigars. The cigar finally hit the market in early 2024.

According to Cuban Cigar Website, the Duty Free and Travel Retail programme was introduced in 2006. Items in this series are released exclusively for sale in Duty Free and Travel Retail stores. They are generally marketed as luxury gift items. They are usually travel humidors, although there have been examples of both jars and tube sets in this category. They have contained both standard production and special cigars. Recently (as in this week at the time of writing this post), the Hoyo de Monterrey Destinos was released in Andorra. In 2021, the Trinidad Robustos Extra was released after being discontinued in 2012. (Critically-speaking, this release was very well received.)

I had the opportunity to smoke this cigar last weekend and I can affirm that it was quite simply exemplary. I do remember, I believe, reading on our forum that @SigmundChurchill had mentioned that the Travel Humidor Trinidad Robustos Extra was similarly brilliant at the time it came out. A detailed review will be written up in time (around three to four weeks) and published on my 2024 Smoking Blog. In a nutshell, as a Julieta No.2-sized cigar (in other words, the factory name for a Churchill) this Quai d'Orsay Imperial Travel Humidor release more than 'held its own' in comparison to any Cohiba Esplendidos, H.Upmann Sir Winston or Romeo y Julieta Churchills I've smoked.

Yes, it's quite a bold statement to make, but quite simply, apart from a touch of cloves in the initial puffs, this QdO Imperiales was all soft brioche, butter, cream, hay, orange citrus and vanilla. In comparison to the Quai d'Orsay Nos. 50, 54 and Coronas Claros I've smoked which have all contained the new Quai d'Orsay blend post-2017, this QdO Imperiales had no harsh edges, no cedar, oak or woodiness and no toasted tobacco in the last third.

I think I would have to smoke another QdO Imperiales to compare some point soon, however; it's all interesting that there are rumours that Habanos S.A. is looking to re-brand Quai d'Orsay as a premium marca in line with Cohiba and Trinidad. If you enjoy Quai d'Orsay perhaps look to acquire some more vitolas of your choice as soon as possible.

[SigmundChurchill]

Yes, the Trinidads from the travel humidor are great. I only have 2 cigars left from my opened travel humidor, and I have enjoyed every one of them so far. I have one still unopened that I'm not sure what I am going to do with. The humidor is really nice, and adds a lot of value. In an ideal world that I designed, I would keep the cigars and just sell the extra humidor, which, as nice as it is, having 2 of them is no advantage over having 1. But in reality, I think I am going to have to keep the whole package or sell the whole package, or maybe trade it for a box of Siglo VI or something if I want to get maximum value. The cigars and humidor are worth more together than the sum of the two separated.

Interesting about those rumors of QdO. I remember when I used to think of them as a great, reasonably priced smoke. There was only a couple of vitolas back then, and they weren't particularly wide. They have come along way since then, both in price and girth, but I still don't think they can compete with the big boys, and if they try, I think the market will bear that out.  

On the other hand, one of my favorite cigars, that could definitely compete with the big boys was the QdO Capitolio, French Regional release from maybe 6 or 7 years ago. It was a pretty massive cigar, but the flavors I got out of those cigars were mind blowing. QdO's, when they are on, they are ON! But not all of them are on. Not that they make any cigars that I consider unenjoyable, but there are different levels of enjoyment.  

I'm glad you enjoyed this one, and look forward to hearing more as you smoke more of them.

[EasternPromises]

@JohnS I just saw a few of these travel humidors in Lisbon. You’re making me regret not picking up one!

[Chibearsv]

Beautiful 

[Boss Hog]

7 hours ago, SigmundChurchill said:

On the other hand, one of my favorite cigars, that could definitely compete with the big boys was the QdO Capitolio, French Regional release from maybe 6 or 7 years ago.

Exceptional cigar.

Wish I had gone deep on that one.

[Fireball]

If I came across one I would grab it for sure. 

[cnov]

I've seen one of these on the shelf today, €1300 or thereabouts. Not entirely sure whether to pop back and buy it tomorrow.

[JohnS]

4 minutes ago, cnov said:

I've seen one of these on the shelf today, €1300 or thereabouts. Not entirely sure whether to pop back and buy it tomorrow.

If one could acquire a single or two of these to sample, I'd highly recommend it. Yes, it's a shame how restrictive the cost is.

[cnov]

The shelves were fairly bare save for a few boxes of Cohibas, slim Trinidad pickings, two Partagas Linea..... and then the Imperiales just sitting there in the middle, no sign of Cuban singles.

I'll go back and check tomorrow, I told my wife about them and the cost, she asked "are you going to buy them?" Rather than recoil at the price, seems like amber light territory.