2003 HdM Piramide EL

[perfectform]

Let me start by saying this is the best cigar I've had the chance to smoke in roughly 5 years of off and (now) on smoking.

Construction/Appearance: 25/25...A pure beauty to behold. Wrapped in a dark chocolate colored wrapper, it was so oily it was oozing little spots right down to the nub.

Smoking Characteristics: 24/25...A very slow and cool burner, it burned almost perfectly, only requiring a few very tiny hits of the xikar. Draw was absolutely outstanding. Easy and very pleasant exhaling through the nose.

Flavor/Aroma: 25/25...Prelight aroma of cocoa, tobacco. Cold draw was pure tobacco. Lit effortlessly, exhibiting a blast of spice right away that quickly faded to a mild body of vanilla, honey, citrus and dried flowers wrapped around a core of very refined and extremely smooth cedary tobacco. 2/3 in and wham! Changeling. Still super smooth and refined but gaining body with nuts in the fairly long finish. 3/3 changeling again. Gaining even more body...spice and heavy wood but still fruity which is typical of HdM. Ended with blasts of heavy spice and pepper. I felt it was three cigars in one and extremely complex and balanced on the palette.

Overall Impression: 25/25...What a special cigar. It had something for everyone. Went from mild to medium to full...something I'd never experienced before. It lacked for nothing IMO and (cliche though it may sound) was truly an epiphany smoke for me.

99/100...nuff said...:-D

[Don Candido]

» 99/100...nuff said...:-D

I assume you just recently smoked this?

I have heard mixed opinions of where this cigar has ended up more recently. I am undecided right now, but I would have rated the first boxes I smoked in the upper 90's too.

The more recent examples I have tried have been less flavorful, less complex, less bold. More like an upper 80's out of 100 smoke.

Glad to hear people are still finding this smoke enjoyable. I have high hopes still, with another box or two in the humidor.

[perfectform]

» » 99/100...nuff said...:-D

»

» I assume you just recently smoked this?

»

» I have heard mixed opinions of where this cigar has ended up more

» recently. I am undecided right now, but I would have rated the first boxes

» I smoked in the upper 90's too.

»

» The more recent examples I have tried have been less flavorful, less

» complex, less bold. More like an upper 80's out of 100 smoke.

»

» Glad to hear people are still finding this smoke enjoyable. I have high

» hopes still, with another box or two in the humidor.

Finished about an hour ago...took it out of my cooler which was at 68 degrees F and 62% RH...with the oils on this thing you'd have thought it came out of humi at 75%...unreal...

[Mel]

I recently picked up a box from a freind and still like them. I remember Rob falling out of love with them and thinking they were fading away. I smoked of of my last ones and thought it was great. That's when I went looking for more.

Has anyone smoked one of the EL from 04 lately? Corona Gordas weren't they?

[perfectform]

» I recently picked up a box from a freind and still like them. I remember

» Rob falling out of love with them and thinking they were fading away. I

» smoked of of my last ones and thought it was great. That's when I went

» looking for more.

»

» Has anyone smoked one of the EL from 04 lately? Corona Gordas weren't

» they?

I would be interested to hear from Rob or anyone else how these compare to the 07 Regalos as I am looking forward to trying them in the future.

[greenpimp]

My Hoyo pyramids have made quite a recent turnaround. I had one last month that was superb. Of course mine were quite harsh and tannic, IMO, when they were younger.

The Regalos I have sampled seem very young, IMO. Strong but closed. I'm keeping one box closed for a few years. A lot of promise, however.

[Mel]

» » I recently picked up a box from a freind and still like them. I remember

» » Rob falling out of love with them and thinking they were fading away. I

» » smoked of of my last ones and thought it was great. That's when I went

» » looking for more.

» »

» » Has anyone smoked one of the EL from 04 lately? Corona Gordas weren't

» » they?

»

» I would be interested to hear from Rob or anyone else how these compare to

» the 07 Regalos as I am looking forward to trying them in the future.

Now I ani't Rob and my opinion aint fer **** but I did not see the Regalos as anything special. I hope Rob then comments on the comaparason between the fresh releases of the 03 pririmide, 04 Corona Especial and the Regalo. If he wants to add opinions on aging of the two and predictions on the Regalo so be it.

[Colt45]

» I recently picked up a box from a freind and still like them. I remember

» Rob falling out of love with them and thinking they were fading away. I

» smoked of of my last ones and thought it was great. That's when I went

» looking for more.

»

Another one to put on my "When I Visit Mel" list.

[CIGARHead]

» » I recently picked up a box from a freind and still like them. I remember

» » Rob falling out of love with them and thinking they were fading away. I

» » smoked of of my last ones and thought it was great. That's when I went

» » looking for more.

» »

» Another one to put on my "When I Visit Mel" list.

Well, dont hold yer breath Ross. Mel was just down here in Florida and alls he gave me were a few custom rolled somethin-or-others and a headache:lookaround:

[shrink]

» The Regalos I have sampled seem very young, IMO. Strong but closed. I'm

» keeping one box closed for a few years. A lot of promise, however.

That's also my opinion. Unlike the Hoyomides, which were pretty damned good right out of the box, the Regalos aren't anywhere near ready. The last one I sampled, a few months ago, had lots of body, but the flavors were muddled and there was still too much citrus for the "chocolate chip cookie" profile. So I'm leaving 'em alone for at least another year.

[Mel]

» » » I recently picked up a box from a freind and still like them. I

» remember

» » » Rob falling out of love with them and thinking they were fading away.

» I

» » » smoked of of my last ones and thought it was great. That's when I

» went

» » » looking for more.

» » »

» » Another one to put on my "When I Visit Mel" list.

»

» Well, dont hold yer breath Ross. Mel was just down here in Florida and

» alls he gave me were a few custom rolled somethin-or-others and a

» headache:lookaround:

Was a fair trade for the plugged Partagas Salamones.;-)

[Colt45]

» Well, dont hold yer breath Ross. Mel was just down here in Florida and

» alls he gave me were a few custom rolled somethin-or-others and a

» headache:lookaround:

:lol: