Some Quick reviews from a Cuban perspective.

[El Presidente]

Deep Throat...our man in Havana and HSA sent me some tasting notes on current releases and current favourites. Nice to get a Havana perspective.

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Romeo and Julieta Escudos 2007 Limited Edition:

When I think on this cigar, complexity is the first word that springs to my mind. Pretty cool finding that in a Romeo. Though is well balanced , you could feel the pure strong tobacco flavour. Rich blend, medium to full smoke with hints of roasted coffee and an excellent after taste. Perfect draw and very aromatic in the 5 I smoked so far. 45 to 50 minutes of great smoke.

El Rey del Mundo Grandes de España:

Usually the King Juan Carlos ‘s favourite cigar. Since 1996 he’d rather go for Cohiba Coronas Especiales. This delicado is superb. I was offered this cigar fro 1997 box. Beautiful smoke, tea and wood were the dominant flavours all the way. Loved it. Almost 1 hour for better enjoying it. I took my time for it.

Bolivar Royal Coronas: Man, this is pure heaven. Considering having this cigar as one of the top five at present. Rich flavour that develops all along the smoke. Grey to white ash, the quality of the wrapper is one of the plus. Strong, decadent flavours, amazing after taste. 35 minutes.

Montecristo Edmundo Dantes (factory name: El Conde 109) Regional Edition 2007 exclusively made for Mexico. I have two back at the house waiting for you. It’s a Prominente with a conical head. A lot of character and a mellow taste. Medium to strong. Woody and aromatic. 1 hour.

Partagás Culebras: I tried a few since last June. Yesterday I had another. When I first tasted this hand made Culebra, I thought it was sort of divertimento (a collectible piece of fun for every smoker) but when it comes to tasting it, I was surprised. Strong! 25 minutes and I was playing with the cigar all the time. The draw was really good no matter this twisted shape, the cigar was burning evenly and I enjoyed it. Rumours has it that next year Culebras will be experiencing a shortage due to the fact they are aimed to CDH only and there are no big plans for increasing production, rather decreasing it.

Trinidad Ingenios 2007 Limited Edition. I have had three so far. It’s a great cigar, mild and well balanced. It gets stronger at the end and suitable as an after lunch smoke. 35-40 minutes

MADUROS: The best of the three is Genios by far. I enjoy smoking this one. I went through a dozen since February and I love the taste. A little stronger and even sweeter than any other Cohibas I’ve smoked. I don’t know why Secretos has a strong impact in my throat that makes me put the cigar away a couple of times. It’s a good smoke but I don’t think the cigar is ready for smoking. Still I think it would be developing more potential in the years to come. If I were purchasing cigars instead of just accepting them as gifts I would go for the other two rather than this one.

Tasting sessions at the factories have already started for the new products that should go out next year. Talk about this later.

[Colt45]

» Montecristo Edmundo Dantes (factory name: El Conde 109) Regional Edition

» 2007 exclusively made for Mexico.

»

First, thanks as usual for this kind of information. We've tried to decipher this RE over this past year,

with many members thinking it a thinly disguised Montecristo.

Perhaps I am mistaken, but I did not think the Montecristo marque could be an RE?

[El Presidente]

» Perhaps I am mistaken, but I did not think the Montecristo marque could be

» an RE?

Either did I. However, personal power plays and influence can do miracles. Can't expand ;-)

[broozer]

i have two boxes of those ERDM GdE's from '97 and they are superb!

and that guy smokes his cigars very FAST! an hour for a DC? wow!

bruce

[anacostiakat]

Great info! Thanks!!

[Ginseng]

Thank you for the wonderful information. It's interesting to read that those on the island do indeed remark on tastes and potential rather than the far simpler accounting sheets I've heard are used.

Wilkey

[Claudius]

» Montecristo Edmundo Dantes (factory name: El Conde 109) Regional Edition

» 2007 exclusively made for Mexico. I have two back at the house waiting for you.

Thank you! :-D

» Trinidad Ingenios 2007 Limited Edition. I have had three so far. It’s a

» great cigar, mild and well balanced. It gets stronger at the end and

» suitable as an after lunch smoke. 35-40 minutes.

What a shame. I expected a stronger cigar. :-(