R&J Belicoso : July Blind Taste Test Review.

[El Presidente]

Running a trifle late this month. Overseas tasters will have theirs in a few days...Don't panic ;-)

[CIGARHead]

» Running a trifle late this month. Overseas tasters will have theirs in a

» few days...Don't panic ;-)

Wanted to put this thread at the top.

I just recieved my cigar today (Rob, did ya sleep through the first 23 days of July??) and am taking it w/ me on vacation. Review and uneducated guess to follow.:-D

[El Presidente]

To answer your first question....Yes.

Look forward to your review :-)

[habanohal]

» » Running a trifle late this month. Overseas tasters will have theirs in a

» » few days...Don't panic ;-)

»

»

» Wanted to put this thread at the top.

»

» I just recieved my cigar today (Rob, did ya sleep through the first

» 23 days of July??) and am taking it w/ me on vacation. Review and

» uneducated guess to follow.:-D

Recieved mine this Wednesday. Will smoke and review by Sunday. Would like to give it a few days to relax from the trip.

[thschrminm]

Rob... Put me on the overseas testers list if you want a honest description with references to pinehurst oak flavors with cherry autumn and licorice notes.... :-D

[El Presidente]

thschrminm...don't forget "meatstock" ;-)

Actually...ken is under contract on the basis no one else can challenge him for the most adjectives within a review.

So lay off

[tmos]

» Running a trifle late this month. Overseas tasters will have theirs in a

» few days...Don't panic ;-)

Who got them this month?

[smk819]

Still waiting for mine.

[Colt45]

A belicoso - 51/2 x 52. Nicely constructed, with one small zipper like vein.

The wrapper was smooth and dry - what I would call leathery.

The draw was perfect - the right amount of resistance, with great smoke volume.

The burn was near perfect, reqiring a minor touch-up after dropping the first ash.

Taste: It started mild with a subtle hint of honey sweetness. The spice component was subtle as well. The first third was like this - mild but flavorful, with all flavors well integrated. Had a bit of a tongue numbing menthol like quality.

At about the half way point, it became more full bodied with earthy tobacco flavor

becoming most prominent. It stayed like this the rest of the way, though in the last third, it picked up a bit of a floral/fruity character to go with the earthiness. There was

a subtle dried nuts, and woody character, with a dry, cedary finish throughout.

Overall, an enjoyable cigar, though not necessarily the first thing I'd grab from the humidor. On the points scale, I'd say 87.

My guess: Though I've been smoking cigars for quite some time, my Cuban experience has been very limited - smaller sizes and machine mades. I'm guessing based soley on reading, and the vitola - Sancho Panza Belicosos.

As a side note, I'd like to thank Rob and the Cigar Czar crew for doing this every month, at what I'm sure is no small effort and expense. Thanks!

[Mikey]

» Running a trifle late this month. Overseas tasters will have theirs in a

» few days...Don't panic ;-)

Received mine a few days ago and I've been waiting a bit for it to rest from it's long journey.Will most likely burn it down tomorrow and my "expert ;-) opinion and review" will follow.

[Freefallguy]

Wow, a figurado!

This was my first thought on unrolling the bubble wrap that had caressed this premium tobacco product on it’s extended journey here. The wrapper was a nice even burnt sienna(now I know why they put that color in the box!); it displayed a silky oily sheen. Prominent veins did not detract from the overall fine appearance of the stick. Rob really pulled out the stops on this one I thought.

Having received the smoke on the 28th only permitted a rest period of a little over a day and half before I put it to the flame. A cursory sniff along the body of the cigar yielded classic Habanos tobacco and cedar with the foot giving a hint of berry. Having given it an angled guillotine I was surprised to fine the draw one of the loosest I’d ever encountered.

Torching it yielded more than ample smoke, but very light in body. Taste ran first to , chocolate, and more on the milk side as opposed to a dark chocolate flavor; there may have been the ever so slightest hint of toffee. Ten minutes in I sensed a hint of cherry and then some white pepper; then back to milk chocolate. Taste seem to run at various points along this line, but mostly of light chocolate.

The burn was somewhat uneven, though the ash held very nicely, out to almost and inch and a half. It required relighting at one point, probably in deference to my typing as I smoked.

One note that I found overridingly clear was that this stick was a bit of a tease… I kept thinking it “shallow” and “hollow”; hopes that it would open up into a classic Habanos head spin of a ride never materialized. Certainly there was no “meatstock” and no lovely aftertaste on the palate to be found here tonight.

In rating this cigar, I will defer to Tampa’s (and let me interject that I have the utmost respect for his knowledge and taste of the Habanos lines!) scoring system. This stick, for my part, must be deemed a 2 of 5, only average; one that those who smoke more than one a day might enjoy as there first.

Having opted NOT to read any other reviews before this tasting it will be interesting to see how the rest assessed this stick.

In closing this missive, a hearty thanks to you Rob for allowing me to participate in the tasting!

[PigFish]

» Running a trifle late this month. Overseas tasters will have theirs in a

» few days...Don't panic ;-)

Got mine the other day Bwana. Gotta' get all the paint fumes outta' the old sinuses and I will torch it up and tell you what it is... -LOL

[studio253]

The stick arrived last week while I was out of town on business and my wife, who knows the drill, put it right into the humi.

It was a nice looking torp with just enough veins to give it some character but not too much to make it ugly.

The wrapper had a silky texture to it. What struck me at first though is that the foot had a nice boxpressed look to it. It wasn't quite an Anejo Shark but it was a nice touch.

The draw on this cigar was effortless. It kept a razor sharp burn all the way through.

I was a bit disappointed during the first 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the cigar. It was a bit bitter. I was worried that it was either in its sick period or that I hadn't given t enough time in the humi upon arrival but it cleared right up after the first 5 minutes or so.

It turned into a nice medium bodied smoke. A little earthy until about half way through when it really kicked it up a notch. After it hit the half way point it had a nice peppery spice to it that more than made up for the hesitation I had for this stick in the beginning.

I nubbed this thing out.

All in all I enjoyed this smoke and I think it has serious potential for a great aged cigar.

Thank you Rob for giving me the opportunity to review this stick. It is very generous of you to do this.

[Mikey]

» Running a trifle late this month. Overseas tasters will have theirs in a

» few days...Don't panic ;-)

First off,Thank you,Prez, for letting me in on the July tasting!

Got my package Wednesday and was more than pleasantly surprised to find a belicoso shaped cigar for the tasting...these just happen to be my favorite vitola.:-D After letting the cigar rest I pulled it from the humi today.

A very well constructed cigar with a medium brown wrapper,one small vein, and a slight box press to it.The draw was a litter bit this side of perfect,just being a little easier than I prefer,but very good,none the less.

Took to flame nicely and burned perfectly all the way down to the nub.I never had to touch it up or nurse it along at any point.I threw

the first ash off at 2 1/2 inches...the ash was a dark charcoal gray.

I initially got some hints of sweetness,a little spice and hints of woodiness to start.The cigar was very pleasant and mild through the first 1/2.I started picking up more spice,exotic woods and leather in the second 1/2 all balanced by that same sweetness...all in great harmony and great balance.The cigar ended as medium bodied with darker coffee notes,more leather,exotic spice,and that ever present sweetness,with none of the flavors overpowering the other.

I never detected any grassy notes,so I don't think this is a Sancho Panza,But it wouldn't be the first time I'd be wrong.I'm guessing that this is the RyJ belicoso due to the complexity and flavors.

Thank you once again for the opportunity to try this wonderful stick.

It was a pleasure to smoke!

[harwellplant]

first, let me say thanks for the review opportunity. the monthly review across a selection of the membership is a unique feature, and i am appreciative you offer it.

upon receipt of the cigar, you notice the medium brown capa. not toothy, but not overly smooth. slight box press. i laid it down until last night, giving it an opportunity to recover from the trip and to bring it to my preferred 65% rh. because the singles in my humidor are lumped together by vitola, some immediate comparisons were noted to others there.

cut with xi2, nice initial draw and prelight taste. toasted foot with colibri butane, and drew for flame. flame jumped to foot, and was completely lit with three rotating puffs. immediate taste of woodiness with a hint of sweetness.

the main body was very mellow. mild cream flavors, with more wood. smoke was abundant, and the first blow out through the nose had a noticeable light powdered cocoa flavor. the smoke was not harsh at all on the nose, which could be attributed to the mellowness of the cigar and/or some age behind it. very, very smooth draw, and good burn. nice tight ash. at 1/3 into the cigar, green vegetal notes poking through.

on the whole, a consistent smoke from start to finish. there was not much development or movement in flavors throughout the smoke, but those that were present were consistent. in the last 1/3 i found myself looking for some depth that wasn't there - that feeling that you would like to see the cigar give some flavor undertone that really rounds it out.

a good summertime smoke - very enjoyable with a glass of ice water out on the back patio. very smooth, mellow smoke. not as much vegetation as i have had with others of this marca, but still looks and tastes like a sancho panza belicoso. on a rating scale, an 88 - with more depth and complexity, though, it has the ability to compete for the best mild to medium on the market.

thanks again for the review opportunity.

[smk819]

Thanks to Lisa, my July tasting cigar arrived today. After a short rest I will post my try at a review.

[El Presidente]

No hurry Stephen.

We are still waiting on Ken to pull his finger out

[CIGARHead]

Ok, lets see here...I went on vacation to Palm Springs, CA and took along some choice smokes, one of them being the mysterious mystery cigar.

This belicoso had a slight box press. Caramel wrapper with a sweet honey-like smell unlit. Went out on our porch around noon in the 108 degree desert heat...not great for smoking a cigar, but I had 3 or 4 Mai Tai's in me and didnt much giveadamn at that point. Further inspection showed slight veins and a few rough patches, but all in all a looker she was.

Xikar cut, prelight draw was nice and sweet, hints of nuts. Out in the desert its hot AND windy so needless to say, lighting was a beeyoch. Had to touch it up 3-4 times...might have been the wind, more likely it was one of Robs cigars he had in the "throw-away bin" at the office.;-)

Draw was near perfect with a bit of resistance. The cigar had the sweetness I had tasted pre-light with some nice spice that gave the smacker a nice tingle. Halfway down there was less sweetness and the cigar gave way to earthy tobacco. This was mild for my taste, but had nice flavors throughout...nubbed the bastard.

The erratic burn/oven like temps in the desert slightly took away from the experience, but overall a good cigar. 85.

I will take a shot in the dark here and guess this was a San Cristobal La Punta due to the sweetness.

Thanks again to Rob and the crew for hooking us up monthly with a nice cigar to review.

[smk819]

A caramel colored belicoso with a slight box press. There were a few small veins in a dry feeling wrapper. Prelight draw was easy with a hint of sweetness. Upon lighting there was a definite honey flavour to the cigar, which remained for the first third of the cigar. At this point a slight woody taste joined the honey for a few draws and the taste went back to pure honey until the last third of the cigar. The final third had a woody earthy flavour. I would have to say that there was not much flavour development in an otherwise mild but enjoyable cigar.

To identify the cigar I first eliminated the Bolivar and R&J. I would have to agree with cigarhead’s guess of a San Cristobal La Punta; I would rate this smoke at about an 88-90. The cigar was a little mild for my taste.

I also would like to thank the crew downunder for allowing me to participate in this enjoyable bonus of being a member of FOH.

[Ken Gargett]

Had an obvious box press appearance (never looks that attractive). Very pointy tip (like one of those ridiculous cone bras that Madonna used to wear). An attractive milk chocolate brown colour. Kicked off with a very poor, loose draw - bit like a wind tunnel and it didn’t augur well. Then got a bit ragged but it did settle after the first 1/4 or so and was much more pleasant. Some attractive creamy notes, milk coffee, milk chocolate, some rich notes and quite deceptive power. As it settled, the flavours were very enjoyable.

There was a slight green touch in the middle and a hint of bitterness on the finish. Overall not bad and would have it at about 87.

As for identity, belicoso but which producer? Thought it far too mild for a Bolivar. Possibly Sancho Panza but much more likely to be R&J. Had quite some similarities with the R&J Pyramide looked at recently, though preferred the Pyramide. Think it might have a year or two on it.

as a PS, after scribbling down the review, i note that i was not the only one to experience problems with the burn but that it was not universal.

[El Presidente]

Thankyou Gentlemen.

Well yet again a disparity of opinion on this cigar :-D

San Cristobal La Punta?, Bolivar Belicoso Fino? R&J Belicoso? Sancho Panza Bellicoso?

Well...Romeo y Julieta Beli it was ;-)

Well done

[Mikey]

» Thankyou Gentlemen.

»

» Well yet again a disparity of opinion on this cigar :-D

»

» San Cristobal La Punta?, Bolivar Belicoso Fino? R&J Belicoso? Sancho Panza

» Bellicoso?

»

» Well...Romeo y Julieta Beli it was ;-)

»

» Well done

Woohoo....I got it right.What was the boxcode?

[habanohal]

Supriseing? Lst RYJ Beli I had was so mild it was hard to tase it. I shouldnt of second guessed myself

[El Presidente]

Boxcode: PEL ENE 02

[rumrogue]

Fed mine to the dog.

I'll let it stabilise a few days then give it a go.

I'll be back.

:crying: