All I can offer you is what I think. What you'll never get here is someone else's opinion, or softened up criticism to protect the feelings of the people who make my cigars, or changing what I write to protect advertisers. Its just me and you. I'll do the story-telling and you do the givin' a crap. It'll be FUN! Come on.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Happy Birthday Leslie!
Wouldn't want to be YOUR age, but I guess I will be alot sooner than I'm comfortable with. What a wonderful woman, wish you guys knew her. Smoking a special cigar in her honor tonight. See you soon.
Por Larranaga Montecarlo MAY07
Hard sometimes to review a favorite. Will it perform officially?
This Por Larranaga Montecarlo is a very slim cigar, but certainly not the slimmest in the catalogue. It is a wonder everytime I smoke this cigar that such taste can come from within a cigar so narrow. Maybe the wrapper is that good, or maybe it's magic. I am sure the binder must be pretty special too. Anyway, I speak too much. Let's smoke.
On my way home from work I smoked this on the interstate with a window down letting in the hot air and road funk. This is usually a bad thing for the burn, but this cigar has been in a baggie in a desk for 8 days or so, so it is pretty dry.
It's funny how dry cigars smoke, to me, so much better than springy properly humidified cigars. SOMETIMES you get a little harsh note from a young and dry cigar. But usually you get a great taste that you simply cannot get any other way. So alot of people 'drybox' their cigars, mostly in a cedar box without any humidification. It improves draws and flavor in most instances. The smoke from this cigar is quite sufficient and round, with a nutty and creamy base that all the other flavors will play on. There is a little pepper but mostly the sweet caramel flavor many people associate with this marque. There is no real progression, but to be honest, I was driving a car. But steady GOOD flavor is better than sketchy so-so flavor denominated in thirds. It burns so nicely, and I am huffing on it as I drive. Did you ever notice that everyone else on the road is an insensitive jerk? There I sit, driving in this desert of courtesy while the international cell-phone-use olympics stages it's driving competition outside my window. And don't get me started on the cars that go boom. But the cigar was my sword and armor. And it was impenetrable. Like I said, it's just not right to review your favorites, and maybe it would have been hard to write this had it gone poorly. But I give it a solid 84. Nothing great, but really good and enjoyable, to about the band, and then I tossed it out the window. Is that bad? Not in my neighborhood. "Yo dude thanks for the blunt wrap, man.' No problem, man.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Diplomaticos #5 08
I have a lot of people that smoke these all the time and they can't duplicate my poor results. And I am personally pulling for the cigar as well. So maybe we'll see some turnaround from a larger sample. But the three I have had from this box so far have been just awful.
Smoked one tonight and had much better results, but still a little thin on the flavor. the flavor was unique tonight and somewhat defies explanation. Sour in a good way, a bit bready, but some kind of cake type bread like fruitcake, if that flavor wasn't awful. Kind of a cross between unsweet brownies and homemade bread. One thing that was remarkable was the aroma in the room. It was like some kind of incense that varied between brownies and sandalwood. It would turn some heads in a bar.
No sense in whitewashing it. Average of three cigars. 75.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
2003 Bolivar Petit Corona
From the first light this Bolivar Petit Corona delivers exactly what I expected. I expect a finish on the tongue. I want to feel the lip-smacking tang of my favorite tobacco. And it did. But not for more than 3/8 of an inch. It was misbehaving like a sick or off-the-truck cigar.
Perfect cut off of my worst cutter. Lit with my new faux-ping. There is a fullness to this smoke that comes from the box age that it has. But there is also a thin-ness in the highlights of flavor that fresh Bolivars have. I get hints of coffee and very fleeting vanilla, but mostly just woody and leathery taste, It sure is burning like an 'aged' cigar. Moving through the first inch and is is straight as an arrow. It is slightly twangy with a nice roasty flavor after an inch. I think I heated it up a bit. This seems to be stage two. Light espresso with twang. I know I am going to wear this ash, but I am tempting it.
After a perfect drop break that I could almost stand vertically on it's coal, we enter the second half. You know you have a well aged smoke when you get no trouble from the burn ring after an ashing. The second half is kind of a coconut flavor mixed with the roasty taste. It's smooth and strong instead of smooth and nuanced. I think I should have smoked it in two years hence for the nuance. As much as I like this, I think these are better fresh. I left it where I shot it last.
This was a good cigar, but I think they should have been smoked earlier. One of the constant examples of how aging is a crap-shoot every time. The 'every 6 months til you can't keep your hands off them' is a good rule of thumb. But again, this could be one cigar out of the 50 that didn't have the right leaves packed inside for flavor. And I WAS charmed by the dark leaf it was wrapped in. But on the score, mmm, not so great. 78.
Perfect cut off of my worst cutter. Lit with my new faux-ping. There is a fullness to this smoke that comes from the box age that it has. But there is also a thin-ness in the highlights of flavor that fresh Bolivars have. I get hints of coffee and very fleeting vanilla, but mostly just woody and leathery taste, It sure is burning like an 'aged' cigar. Moving through the first inch and is is straight as an arrow. It is slightly twangy with a nice roasty flavor after an inch. I think I heated it up a bit. This seems to be stage two. Light espresso with twang. I know I am going to wear this ash, but I am tempting it.
After a perfect drop break that I could almost stand vertically on it's coal, we enter the second half. You know you have a well aged smoke when you get no trouble from the burn ring after an ashing. The second half is kind of a coconut flavor mixed with the roasty taste. It's smooth and strong instead of smooth and nuanced. I think I should have smoked it in two years hence for the nuance. As much as I like this, I think these are better fresh. I left it where I shot it last.
This was a good cigar, but I think they should have been smoked earlier. One of the constant examples of how aging is a crap-shoot every time. The 'every 6 months til you can't keep your hands off them' is a good rule of thumb. But again, this could be one cigar out of the 50 that didn't have the right leaves packed inside for flavor. And I WAS charmed by the dark leaf it was wrapped in. But on the score, mmm, not so great. 78.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
H. Upmann Magnum 48 Edicion Limitada
I should not be reviewing cigars because I seem to have irritated my nostrils, and a more than a few readers, -rimshot- But seriously folks. I smoked a Magnum 48, or as the dangerous like to call them, MAG 48s. EL.
Edicion Limitada.
Which I hate to say it, actually almost tastes like an H. Upmann smoke. If that's what the 'olive' taste is, I almost get it. I am smoking the second of two and the results of both cigars were VERY consistent. Bravo Habanos. This is a dark wrapper for an EL, which is normal. It's not too pretty and they never are. But I like the power of this cigar. It is strong enough to force you to take sips of smoke, which controls the burn well, which I think shows in the ash.
Of note, I usually do not cut a havana. I pinch a divot out of the head, and isn't it nice that havanas have flat heads? Many cigars have these domed heads, and when you cut it, tobacco bits fly everywhere. A havana takes a punch cut very well for this reason. Not this cigar, lol. I got worried. I couldn't pinch it, I couldn't punch it, so I guillotined it. Lit easily with my new LGC lighter with a ping. An inch in, the flavor is funky, like a dank earth, but you get so much leather that it is really tough on the schnozz. Harshly pleasant.
I get where the flavor is going to come from in 5 years. ELs are good when they smoke great fresh and it's easy to zip through them. But this is a mistake unless you pick up some extra. This cigar's best years are 5 years away at a minimum. It is great now, but in the way that an air horn is a great noisemaker in sports situations. It's great but it's still obnoxious. People that appreciate power, but never smoke the ligero-packed non-havana blends still like to have something this sharp. Even I LIKE it in a Bolivar. In this blend, it's too much for me. But at the same time it is greatly enjoyable.
It burns well, regulates it's smoke well, tastes strong and can be easily sipped for people who can squeeze flavor out of whispers of smoke. I often compare strong and fresh cigars like this to the Punch Superfino which to me is the best cigar Havana rolled in their Ediciones Regional.
Ever.
Yet.
But it would be fair to note I have had only a tiny handful of the ERs, because I generally avoid the ER and EL series.
The cigar has just gone creamy and much easier to taste. I have only one thing negative to say about the ER and EL lines. I would much rather have a good, consistent Montecristo No. 2 than ANY special cigars. If I could get 25 high quality cigars in a box, I would reward the organization with my loyalty and willingness to try new things. But for now I wander the wilderness like David Carradine trying to find a good box of Belicosos Finos.
But again, this is good. I shoved the band up several times, then pushed off the Upmann band. This is nubbing for me. I don't nub cigars. Which hurts especially on a 4 inch cigar. And for the record HSA, I do not like these short robustos. They are not getting cranked up fast enough in taste to make it worth smoking. By the time I get interested, the cigar is ready to let go. What works in a minuto doesn't seem to transfer well in these cigars. My only hope for them as they age and develop, maybe they will be good from first to last puff. But most people smoke them up pretty fast, I hear. I'd give it an 85 today, 94 in 3 years.
Edicion Limitada.
Which I hate to say it, actually almost tastes like an H. Upmann smoke. If that's what the 'olive' taste is, I almost get it. I am smoking the second of two and the results of both cigars were VERY consistent. Bravo Habanos. This is a dark wrapper for an EL, which is normal. It's not too pretty and they never are. But I like the power of this cigar. It is strong enough to force you to take sips of smoke, which controls the burn well, which I think shows in the ash.
Of note, I usually do not cut a havana. I pinch a divot out of the head, and isn't it nice that havanas have flat heads? Many cigars have these domed heads, and when you cut it, tobacco bits fly everywhere. A havana takes a punch cut very well for this reason. Not this cigar, lol. I got worried. I couldn't pinch it, I couldn't punch it, so I guillotined it. Lit easily with my new LGC lighter with a ping. An inch in, the flavor is funky, like a dank earth, but you get so much leather that it is really tough on the schnozz. Harshly pleasant.
I get where the flavor is going to come from in 5 years. ELs are good when they smoke great fresh and it's easy to zip through them. But this is a mistake unless you pick up some extra. This cigar's best years are 5 years away at a minimum. It is great now, but in the way that an air horn is a great noisemaker in sports situations. It's great but it's still obnoxious. People that appreciate power, but never smoke the ligero-packed non-havana blends still like to have something this sharp. Even I LIKE it in a Bolivar. In this blend, it's too much for me. But at the same time it is greatly enjoyable.
It burns well, regulates it's smoke well, tastes strong and can be easily sipped for people who can squeeze flavor out of whispers of smoke. I often compare strong and fresh cigars like this to the Punch Superfino which to me is the best cigar Havana rolled in their Ediciones Regional.
Ever.
Yet.
But it would be fair to note I have had only a tiny handful of the ERs, because I generally avoid the ER and EL series.
The cigar has just gone creamy and much easier to taste. I have only one thing negative to say about the ER and EL lines. I would much rather have a good, consistent Montecristo No. 2 than ANY special cigars. If I could get 25 high quality cigars in a box, I would reward the organization with my loyalty and willingness to try new things. But for now I wander the wilderness like David Carradine trying to find a good box of Belicosos Finos.
But again, this is good. I shoved the band up several times, then pushed off the Upmann band. This is nubbing for me. I don't nub cigars. Which hurts especially on a 4 inch cigar. And for the record HSA, I do not like these short robustos. They are not getting cranked up fast enough in taste to make it worth smoking. By the time I get interested, the cigar is ready to let go. What works in a minuto doesn't seem to transfer well in these cigars. My only hope for them as they age and develop, maybe they will be good from first to last puff. But most people smoke them up pretty fast, I hear. I'd give it an 85 today, 94 in 3 years.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Buried treasure
Thanks to a blog reader, I remembered the best advice I ever gave anyone. Derh. The kind of stuff you expect in a blog. Truths revealed, secrets passed along. Anyway, he reminded me that when you smoke havana cigars, you always always always put the last five into an old cabinet, toss the empty box on the stack and order more. When you have a great box it often makes sense to keep a few back. If they are THAT great, maybe you can just save two. But you will always thank yourself at some future date on down the road. It came to pass that the gentleman had seen a review on Bolivar Belicosos Finos and said that he had recenly tried one out of a dress box of 25. I bought my FIRST BBFs in a flat box and they were tremendous. That was in 2001 I think. Maybe 2003. But for the story it sounds better if it's 2001, haha. But I said way back then, "These just keep getting better everytime I pick one up to smoke." So I pledged that day to always TRY and bury the last 5 cigars in a box. I have dozens and dozens of cigars of various ages, sadly marked only in my memory, hehe. But I know what cigars are what, I am not a tobacco baron with a house built of Bud light and cigar cabinets. But I have consistently forgotten that I HAVE DONE IT. So this exchange today had me thinking, what a good review. A 2001 Belicoso Fino. So I will find that cigar. That's how I knew I had the last Bolivar Lonsdale. And the three last 98 Rafael Gonzalez Lonsdales. And my last 02 Bolivar Petit Corona.
Point is, you know you are going to get more anyway, so why not open a bank account. Or maybe a safety deposit box. And hopefully we can pencil that BBF review before May expires. Still gotta get to that Montecristo Double Corona.
Point is, you know you are going to get more anyway, so why not open a bank account. Or maybe a safety deposit box. And hopefully we can pencil that BBF review before May expires. Still gotta get to that Montecristo Double Corona.
Montecristo Petit Edmundo
Well, this cigar is kind of famous these days, maybe beginning to lose a little speed, but beat writers were pretty high on them for a year or more. This cigar was bought out of sheer curiousity.. Smoked two and have shown similar results on both in taste. In construction they were worlds apart. I will review the bad cigar and explain it's faults through the other's success.
The cigars have a medium tan wrapper with no red hue. It is thin and supple. The dud has a large stem drawing the cigar up one side as it burns, and a crescent, magazine roll bunch ironically causes a fast spot opposite the stem, so it's headed for a classic canoe burn.
I can't say this is a bad cigar. These cigars have a built following and it's because they are good cigars, But out of two I came across, true craftsmanship in every cigar in a box is still a far away dream. Even the good one was clearly not ready to smoke. I have no doubt they will blossom given a year in storage. The cigars were Aug 07, so there is no excuse for them to be this tasteless but for some kind of transition similar to the kind some believe Cohibas undergo over time measured in 5 year increments. They would say that any Cohiba smoked before 5 years of age is a waste of potential. Based on the amount of tannic tobacco flavor, I would be scared to meet this cigar in two years. In a good way. This would not be on my list of priority habanos to own and smoke now, but I would put them on a list of some kind. And as I said, many people are already sold on this one. If someone forced me to give it a numerical rating, it would not break 80. But I would buy this cigar again.
I hate to correct a burn, but we need to focus on flavor in reviews so we'll stop harping on construction. The dud smokes with no real flavor that is not tobacco oriented. Woody, hot. The good cigar burned nicely and cool. It showed nice flavors of coffee and creamy butter and tangy light spice. But as for Montecristo "signature' flavor, there is nothing going on with this bad stick. What's worse is, the construction of the bad cigar effected the flavor of every puff. So there was no enjoyment of it, no ponderance of it's wonders. The last photo is where I left it. It may have had more to say, but I wasn't listening.
Not a cigar that I would classify as being flavorless. But it is obvious that the flavor of the cigar is in transition of some kind. What others would call showing signs of possible further improvement down the line. And just as I say that I get a little taste in there. Nah. Thought it did.
And Now For Something Completely Different
MAN, too many words. Even for ME. OK, here's a cigar that is gonna die like Joan of Arc.
I have 4 of these left, and VERY soon, I will have 3 left. It is hard for me to come to grips with the fact that I gave away probably 15 out of 25 of these cigars. Why? Of course, because they SUCKED. Only they didn't suck. They needed time. After what I experienced last time I burned one of these down, I am kinda freaking out about lighting this one up. This is a VERY good cigar. Makes the finest palates seem inadequate. And mine is already so. How much further can I shrink...how much more will I be insulted?
I hope I don't get poked in the eye by that giant vein.
Upcoming reviews
Over the weekend, I will be posting reviews for three cigars. They are a Montecristo Petit Edmundo in a fairly light and thin wrapper, should burn well, might even taste good. Next will be the H. Upmann Magnum 48 EL. Third will be a very dark Bolivar Petit Corona from 2003. It is darker than the EL. Should be three great cigars.
Make sure to check in for those three reviews. I may also post up some pics of my super rib cook-off in my back yard in which only I am competing. So I should do OK.
And next week, I will continue the reviews of 00 & 99 cigars, firing up a few Punch Coronas and Punch Royal Selection No.12s.
Make sure to check in for those three reviews. I may also post up some pics of my super rib cook-off in my back yard in which only I am competing. So I should do OK.
The Icons of 500 years
Alright, to continue a theme, I wanted to talk about something other than which vitolas are worth saving and how sad it is that we are losing some. I want to talk about which vitolas are the greatest of all time. To date, thousands of threads have popped up in chat forums about how much the wrapper constitutes in the total flavor of the cigar. We sure won't mess with that here. But which vitolas take best advantage of the mechanics of cigar manufacturing and the physics of cigar function. Simply stated, which vitola gives the best experience, the best combustion, the best taste. Not sure anyone really cares about that. My goal is to make a short list of the absolute best vitolas in the Habanos catalogue.
1.) lets go with the roller's choice, the Robusto. Everyone on the rolling side of the argument says that this the best vitola. It's a sporty model, and features a large trunk into which all their luggage fits, making for enormous blending capabilites and possibilities.
2.) Lonsdale - The havana 'cervantes' and "dalias", or what the men on the sales side of the argument say is the best vitola. I agree with them to an extent. I would ALWAYS rather have a 42 RG than a 50. The draw through the cigar and the resulting burn are far superior in my eyes. Havana Icon Enrique Mons has his opinion and he agrees with me. He says he could smoke a Montecristo #1 all day and never tire of it. I would sure like to give it a try for a year or two at his expense to PROVE he was right.
3.) Laguito Nos.1 and 2 - These vitolas were created rather late in the 500 year history of cigars, but they are without a doubt in the top 5 classic vitolas. The look, the draw, the burn. Far superior to their thicker counterparts. The Cohiba Lancero....The Montecristo Especiales Cigar icons. No doubt. This is where the statement in the introduction comes into play. Are these extra delicious because there is such a balanced wrapper to filler ratio? Don't know and don't care. Vitola rock stars.
4.) Corona Gorda - Most folks outside Cuba call this the TORO. I like that name fine. To me, this is a better vitola than the robusto. Same luxury interior, room for all the amenities. But with an extra length to make it worth your time.
5.) Mareva - I wanted to keep the mareva out of the top 5, but that would be impossible. I think it is too simple, to ubiquitous. But maybe that's what PUTS it in the top 5. Every brand features one, some feature 2 or three. It is a good RG for flavors and the perfect length to smoke when you want to smoke alot of different cigars, not be wasteful, and enjoy as many varied blends in a day of smoking as possible. Great cigar quality for maybe the least money of the entire lineup. You can get cheaper small cigars, but I think this is the perfect tobacco to price ratio.
6.) The Minuto - Here is the cigar of the 21st century. No one seems to have time to smoke a cigar these days, if you believe what you read. These are the perfect cigars. Takes under an hour to burn, and in Havana, the minuto vitola is generally power-packed with flavor. Kind of the opposite of what the novice smoker might expect. This is where I GET my fix of Habanos flavor. Cigars like the Montecristo #5 and the Partagas Short and the Bolivar Coronas Jr. are among the best available today. Some of these vitolas de Salidas may actually be perlas, a close, but shorter cousin to the minuto.
7.) Piramide - This is where it seems the churchill smoker is hanging out. Churchill sales are down I would think, but piramide sales have a enduring and ready-made market. The singular favorite Montecristo No.2 could carry this vitola on it's own, but it gets excellent help from the Partagas Serie P No.2. All of the blend possibilities of a 52 RG cigar with a head that can be cut to any diameter from 32 to 52 RG. Easy to chomp, easy to blend smoothly.
8.) Corona - How could history's most popular and seminal favorite vitola have fallen so far? HSA has raised the cleaver on the corona and appears to have no second thoughts about getting rid of the corona forever. I am only guessing, but alot of great coronas seem to be getting cut. A few can still be found, the Romeo y Julieta, the RyJ Cedros Deluxe #2, and maybe one here or there. But they really seem to have become nobody's favorite. I like them. But I don't buy them, so it's my fault. Once thought to be the ultimate combination of length and girth, sales have dropped markedly over the decades.
9.) Churchill - Also know in Habanos circles as the Julieta2, the Churchill has a lot of nerve trying to work it's way into the top 5, but in the top ten, it has to be included. This is truly a cigar stuck in a rut. The most iconic Cohiba, arguably, the Esplendido is the exception to this rule. Of course, I don't have any figures on this issue either, but when you cut the Punch Churchill, things look awful bad. I think Saint Luis Rey's is gone. Prince of Wales. Monarchas. Churchille Deluxe. Tainos. Got to be sales figures. A shame, but if people are not buying enough of them to suit you, what's to be done?
10.) Double Perfecto - Haha, a wild card. People are starting to put a premium on a good custom roll or a good factory Salamone. I threw this in more because I thought the list was complete. And to be honest, #3 was a double. But people love these things. I think they are just awful.
By the way, for those who have been living in space, there is a site where you can sort the Habanos catalogue by vitola and find all of the minutos made by all the companies, all the marevas, etc. It could be helpful for someone hoping to find a cigar they like and certainly helpful in terms of the reviews on file
*** http://www.cigars-review.org/ ***
1.) lets go with the roller's choice, the Robusto. Everyone on the rolling side of the argument says that this the best vitola. It's a sporty model, and features a large trunk into which all their luggage fits, making for enormous blending capabilites and possibilities.
2.) Lonsdale - The havana 'cervantes' and "dalias", or what the men on the sales side of the argument say is the best vitola. I agree with them to an extent. I would ALWAYS rather have a 42 RG than a 50. The draw through the cigar and the resulting burn are far superior in my eyes. Havana Icon Enrique Mons has his opinion and he agrees with me. He says he could smoke a Montecristo #1 all day and never tire of it. I would sure like to give it a try for a year or two at his expense to PROVE he was right.
3.) Laguito Nos.1 and 2 - These vitolas were created rather late in the 500 year history of cigars, but they are without a doubt in the top 5 classic vitolas. The look, the draw, the burn. Far superior to their thicker counterparts. The Cohiba Lancero....The Montecristo Especiales Cigar icons. No doubt. This is where the statement in the introduction comes into play. Are these extra delicious because there is such a balanced wrapper to filler ratio? Don't know and don't care. Vitola rock stars.
4.) Corona Gorda - Most folks outside Cuba call this the TORO. I like that name fine. To me, this is a better vitola than the robusto. Same luxury interior, room for all the amenities. But with an extra length to make it worth your time.
5.) Mareva - I wanted to keep the mareva out of the top 5, but that would be impossible. I think it is too simple, to ubiquitous. But maybe that's what PUTS it in the top 5. Every brand features one, some feature 2 or three. It is a good RG for flavors and the perfect length to smoke when you want to smoke alot of different cigars, not be wasteful, and enjoy as many varied blends in a day of smoking as possible. Great cigar quality for maybe the least money of the entire lineup. You can get cheaper small cigars, but I think this is the perfect tobacco to price ratio.
6.) The Minuto - Here is the cigar of the 21st century. No one seems to have time to smoke a cigar these days, if you believe what you read. These are the perfect cigars. Takes under an hour to burn, and in Havana, the minuto vitola is generally power-packed with flavor. Kind of the opposite of what the novice smoker might expect. This is where I GET my fix of Habanos flavor. Cigars like the Montecristo #5 and the Partagas Short and the Bolivar Coronas Jr. are among the best available today. Some of these vitolas de Salidas may actually be perlas, a close, but shorter cousin to the minuto.
7.) Piramide - This is where it seems the churchill smoker is hanging out. Churchill sales are down I would think, but piramide sales have a enduring and ready-made market. The singular favorite Montecristo No.2 could carry this vitola on it's own, but it gets excellent help from the Partagas Serie P No.2. All of the blend possibilities of a 52 RG cigar with a head that can be cut to any diameter from 32 to 52 RG. Easy to chomp, easy to blend smoothly.
8.) Corona - How could history's most popular and seminal favorite vitola have fallen so far? HSA has raised the cleaver on the corona and appears to have no second thoughts about getting rid of the corona forever. I am only guessing, but alot of great coronas seem to be getting cut. A few can still be found, the Romeo y Julieta, the RyJ Cedros Deluxe #2, and maybe one here or there. But they really seem to have become nobody's favorite. I like them. But I don't buy them, so it's my fault. Once thought to be the ultimate combination of length and girth, sales have dropped markedly over the decades.
9.) Churchill - Also know in Habanos circles as the Julieta2, the Churchill has a lot of nerve trying to work it's way into the top 5, but in the top ten, it has to be included. This is truly a cigar stuck in a rut. The most iconic Cohiba, arguably, the Esplendido is the exception to this rule. Of course, I don't have any figures on this issue either, but when you cut the Punch Churchill, things look awful bad. I think Saint Luis Rey's is gone. Prince of Wales. Monarchas. Churchille Deluxe. Tainos. Got to be sales figures. A shame, but if people are not buying enough of them to suit you, what's to be done?
10.) Double Perfecto - Haha, a wild card. People are starting to put a premium on a good custom roll or a good factory Salamone. I threw this in more because I thought the list was complete. And to be honest, #3 was a double. But people love these things. I think they are just awful.
By the way, for those who have been living in space, there is a site where you can sort the Habanos catalogue by vitola and find all of the minutos made by all the companies, all the marevas, etc. It could be helpful for someone hoping to find a cigar they like and certainly helpful in terms of the reviews on file
*** http://www.cigars-review.org/ ***
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
The classics
I got into a wide open-ended conversation with myself, or rather, with you guys in the post displayed below this one. I argued that the Laguito #2 is one of the all time Habanos classic shapes. And for the sake of conversation began to rattle off 4-5 that I thought fit that description. But that was the end of a review of a cigar IN that vitola, and the best idea was to wind it up there and move on. But this is part and parcel to the argument or plea or lament, of mine, that Habanos is doing away increasingly with it's history in order to chase the market. Or false trends they may be following. Hell, REAL trends. They say, and I believe em, that people want thicker cigars today. Well, As many of you know, Habanos Sociedad Anomina, herafter known as Habanos or HSA are doing away with a good number of vitolas de Salida. These are cigars of one certain vitola, or shape, but with many different sales names. Take one shape, a Delicados, a vitola de Galera, and that vitola is rolled for 3+ Brands which become termed Vitolas de Salida (The Partagas Serie du Connaisseur #1, the El Rey del Mundo Grandees de Espana and And Bolivar Especiales #2). Basically a sales name for that brand's cigar of that shape. So a swipe at one shape takes down a couple of different brand's cigars. And over the past 4-5 years, they've been dropping like flies. And the vitolas that are being show the door that bother me the most are the long and thin cigars. I don't know so much, but it seems that several of the brand's great, iconic cigars are their long and thin cigars. And for the people who are in the know on such things, this has caused a little panic. There are some epic heavy cigars and epic floral cigars being discontinued. Now no one is out marching in rallies about these cigars going away, but among the cogniscente, we're kinda p.o.'ed. :) And just with the MdO and SdC lines, you lose the carlottas and the parejos and the delicados. Panatelas, panetelas largas and palmitos. And you can't blame em. Streamlining things makes so much sense. But ouch.
Most of these cigars are magically delicious. Gone forever baby.
Maybe they look at warehouses full of unsold, thin cigars from 99 and 00. The internet chat forums sealed their fate. Except for camping enthusiasts like Carlos, most people don't want a box of 250 dollar tent pegs. The sales of those cigars dropped seriously. Maybe they think no one wants these cigars? But people didn't stop buying them because the vitola was defective. The vitolas are some of the finest in the portfolio. The reasons no one wanted to buy them and the reasons they were so poorly constructed has all been talked about before. That is all old news, and steps were taken to flush those cigars out of the pipes. Good Job and thank you.
So MAYBE, and I have to be clear that all I can ever do is speculate on HSA's intentions on any given day, but maybe they feel like "They HATE these CANS!!. I mean you get what I am saying? They think that we don't like the vitolas. And all the brands are gonna get a haircut. And as a result we are losing the Medaille D'Or line in La Gloria Cubana, the entire Serie du Connaisseur line from Partagas.
But some could argue that these old time vitolas are going to come back one day as special editions or something and that might happen, but I think they will be all too easily forgotten.
And you know what? I can't argue with them on their decision. I hedged against the loss of the skinny cigars I love and will wear black for a week when the last one falls. And I will just smoke what they offer, cause they won't change and I don't care. Two great reasons.
And you know what? I can't argue with them on their decision. I hedged against the loss of the skinny cigars I love and will wear black for a week when the last one falls. And I will just smoke what they offer, cause they won't change and I don't care. Two great reasons.
And I have to say, I agree with them on about half of their logic. I have no problem with dropping multiple vitolas de salida within a line. But I guess, only because I am no fan of one or more of the cut cigars. I know other people are hurt. So as we say goodbye to some classic vitolas, pick up a box or two of the Serie du Connaisseur line. And source you up half a dozen LGC Medaille d'Or while you are at it. No matter what I say, or what forums scream about, or what the old time cigar men in the organization say under their breath, this is headed for completion, HSA's final solution to the panetela problem.
Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo du Dauphin - AUG 2000
One of the things I most wanted to do here was to play rhythm guitar on the swan song of the thin cigar. The lonsdale, the panetela, the Delicados. I don't want to go overboard. I am not going to MARCH for the panetela. But there is so much pleasure in smoking Habanos that has nothing to do with taste and aroma. The touch and feel of the cigar, or the elegance or regality that a vitola presents or does not.
I also wanted to try and look in on some of the cigars known as the sale cigars. No need for quotation marks anymore. I found a good first foray in the Le Hoyo du Dauphin. Officially known as The Laguito #2, you can also get the delicious Cohiba Coronas Especiales in this vitola, as well as Montecristo Especiales #2.
I am intrigued by the cigar because it is light and refreshing, but as Le Hoyos go, this is on the lower end of the scale. They are all one note cigars to a certain extent. But on some cigars the note is amazing. The du Depute comes to mind, as does the de Dieux. But this is far from a bad cigar. What it really is is simply uncomplicated. Sometimes you NEED to smoke a cigar but you are too busy with conversation or drinks or tasks. And it needs to be worth smoking. That is the sum total of the du Dauphin, to me. On my Habanos scale of 100, I think it is about a 75. It screams quality and class and is frankly one of the 5-8 epic vitolas in the Habonos catalogue of the 21st Century. In fact, let's end this topic with that, for I smell another entry already beng written.
I also wanted to try and look in on some of the cigars known as the sale cigars. No need for quotation marks anymore. I found a good first foray in the Le Hoyo du Dauphin. Officially known as The Laguito #2, you can also get the delicious Cohiba Coronas Especiales in this vitola, as well as Montecristo Especiales #2.
The cigar looks like a Cohiba, a buttery tan, blemish-free oily wrapper, finished with the pigtail cap. It cuts easily and draws perfectly. Hmm, I wonder how that happened? The taste is not unlike a salad, or a piece of buttered toast for breakfast. There is not enough flavor happening to open your eyes, but it is perfectly suited to a light post-breakfast smoke. The flavor is slightly vegetal and can be compared to the aftertastes of cucumber and celery. It is slightly salty and burns perfectly. At one and an eigth inches in, the ash drops in my lap.
This tends to happen when you write reviews, photograph cigars, and smoke at the same time. Halfway through the cigar, what you end up with is alot like smoking a pipe. You get flavor, but it is mostly coming from the nose or somewhere, because the actual flavor on the tongue is nothing much.
Just doin my part for a friend
We now pause from our regularly scheduled cigar drivel to continue to put out the word on a great girl, songwriter, bandleader, guitarist and even sometimes a passable singer. But if I remember correctly, Jimi Hendrix did not want to sing because he thought he was an awfully poor singer. But he figured if Dylan could get by with that nasal, whiny voice, and be popular doing it, he might give it a crack. And crack is just what Liz does. She can sing, but never tries awfully hard to stay on pitch, and sometimes ends up in the basement and out of range when the song needs for her to go even lower. Kind of the opposite of someone who starts out the Star Spangled banner too high. But whatever she does, and however she does it, I LOVE IT. And I am so glad she sings OUT with whatever voice she has. In all of rock and roll's wide pool of talent, you don't get ladies like LIZ PHAIR very often. Love her or hate her (I suggest the former), the woman writes music and songs that are cleverly put together and never too saccharine. I wish she would return my calls. I promise that this will continue to be a Havana Cigar blog, but I got bidness to attend to foist.
PS, if you have to buy a record and are not sure which way to go, I recommend "White Chocolate Space Egg". but I like em all. You should also find and listen to "The Divorce Song".
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PPs. Kara Donaldson ... google yourself and see this, then find and contact me or our mutual friend "the Jeep" please.
Subject line should include the name of your socks I used to like.
I used to ride my bike 8 miles downriver and through a swamp to see you.
And Now For Something Completely Different
I have shown these elsewhere, so maybe you have seen them, but this has got to be the DARKEST box of non-EL cigars I have seen from Havana. These are some 08 Cuaba Divinos.
Morning Nugs
Ah here we are on another glorious morning I should have called in sick for. Took some photos last night for the lovers of poar-no. I don't know about you, but a shot of a beautiful box of cigars in just the right light is a beautiful ting. It's what made me finally go out and get a digital camera.
Well, that and the ability to take pictures of myself naked. And by myself, obviously I mean hot teenage naked chicks.
One of my favorites of all time is the Bolivar Belicosos Finos. They are never all that pretty to look at, and personally I just think it's a pointy robusto, but man, are these cigars fantastic. They get a great mention in Blackhawk Down. But that's not why I got em. They also get great mentions on cigar forums. Well, not so much anymore. BBF fandom seems to be on a waning arc. Which is a real shame. I can't think of another campana that is as good. Easy trick, it beats the La Punta, the Belicoso from Sancho Panza and the not too snappy RyJ Belicoso. Out of that stable, the La Punta can keep up. And all of em have some fans that stick up for em. But the BBF is king of the hill.
The incredible lip-smacking tanginess and power of this cigar is legendary. And maybe the best ever are truly legendary. Lots of former fans say this cigar just can't hang anymore. Either they have moved on or the BBF has fallen down. The one I am smoking right now is a 2005. It is not burning all that straight, but it is just loaded with spicy creamy power. If you concentrate, you get some sweet, figgy, salty taste. Giant, billowing clouds of smoke issue forth from it's mighty coal-fired end. An hour and 15 mins worth of pure pleasure. It's got kind of a blunt room note, but I live alone, so...
These cigars should be bought onsale for best results. Or pay top dollar for a box of good aged ones like I am nubbing now. They are nothing to run out and get today, but any good, solid home humidor or cigar collection is incomplete without them. They are simply one of the top 10 most enigmatic habanos on the planet. This is what all of the great powerhouse smokes like the Oh-pus X and the Chisels and such are all trying to BE. Enough talk. Let us all go out and get two cabinets of Bolivar Belicosos Finos today.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
If I had known THEN...
Here is a poignant photo. This was an intact box of Bolivar Lonsdales when this photo was taken. She was about to lose her maidenhead to a lusty bachelor. To say they don't make em like this anymore is a cliche', but pull up a chair, cause I'll be using it at least once a week around here. Get used to it.
As I was about to put the flame to the cigar missing from this photograph, I never thought I would see the day when I put the flame to the LAST one out of the box. But a man has to smoke SOMETHING at lunch. I think other people have smoked more of these than I ever have. I might have had 7 or 8. But I am having the one that matters. The LAST one. The one that says I am secure in my decision to break up a box that today would probably be worth twice what it cost to buy back in 2001. This is a smooth and chocolatey delight. You can smoke this through the nose from start to finish. It's like the Monte #1 and the Cohiba Siglo 3 and the ERDM Tainos got in a wicked three-way and had a baby with no birth defects and achieved a level of success that it's parents could never achieve. My baby done graduated Law School. The burn is straight and true and the draw is about 65% open with just a tug of resistance. The oils in the leaf form a shiny ring of dark tobacco around the ash. At 2 inches in this is maybe the best I have ever smoked? It's better to me than an Esplendido. Better than the best BBF I ever had, which was epic. Yes, this could actually be the best. It's as if you were floating on a cloud of Boli flavors in a dream. They were pronounced and rich, but so fair to the tongue and so lasting that it's as if it were indeed a kind of dream. As my lunch hour began to tick away, I realized I would have to pitch it at halfway+ or nub it and be late to return. As my boss is out today, I am just going to finish the smoke. This is cedary in the background, mostly coffee and nuts now. No beany flavors anymore. I tasted leather and cinammon once mingled together. It is strong and intense but totally smooth on the tasting. I never feel like I have to control how much smoke I take in to taste the flavors. With some strong cigars you have to barely sip so your mouth can tolerate the intensity. This is intense without power. After 1hour and 20 minutes, I tossed it at the band.
Man. What a superb cigar. Good luck finding any of THESE! But DO look.
Saying goodbye
Pardon the FLASH! washout color.
Sometimes it's hard to say goodbye to the one's we love. Then again, sometimes we are glad to see them go. Don't let the humi-door hit you on the a$$ on the way out. This is how I felt about the Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure #2. Let me start out by saying, I KNOW that there are a ton of different brands and vitolas out there, I don't have to love them all. But people played this cigar up like the second coming of Don Johnson. And then I smoked about 3-4. And then I thought, hmmm. Not a good purchase. Don't get me wrong, these are excellent cigars, and aged now 5 years hence, maybe finally worth what I paid for em. But I can find this flavor on any shelf in my local brick and mortar cigar shop. No need to draw undue attention to myself with the gub-mint to get this taste. So I let them go this week.
Off to another home where they can they can receive the care and attention they need. It is the kind of cab where you just know you are gonna get 50 good draws.
I smoked one up expecting some kind of validation for my cruel act of banishment. Not gonna happen today. This smoke is easy, breezy, beautiful. Really nice floral and herbal signature, with a toasty blond flavor of well-aged tobacco. Good steady burn, if a bit fast. LOADS of smoke and taste. If there is one get out of jail free card for me here it is that the flavor is light and grassy, and maybe there is not enough cigar here for me. I need the space, I can't lie. But it is sad to see these go.
Vaya con Dios my darleengs.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Mardi gras leftovers
Here is "this guy I know" about to shoot a jello shot into the reverse side of a lady cop.
You can see all of the fantastic images at Jessissippi 's Photostream.
2001 Partagas Culebra
Like the 27 inch tube TV in the closet, the machine-made Partagas Culebra sits as yet a totally functional smoke, despite the fact that you have forgotten it in favor of it's updated digital model. How can the simple star-embossed foil compete with individual cedar coffins? The easy answer is, it can't. In fact, if they never again use the machine to create the three loose panetelas that form this serpentine super-cigar, it will be like moving that tube TV up to the attic, likely to be lost forever.
The heads are nothing to look at and add nothing to the experience.
But as a whole the cigar is a real work of art. As bizarre as the effect of the braid is, the cigars really are beautiful to look at. One of the great things about cigar smoking is the historic variety of ways the industry came up with to store, sell and use tobacco. The further back you go back the more interesting the ephemera gets. That's why I hate to lose the Long and Slim Panetelas. "Who's gonna care when they are gone", I imagine Habanos says.
Only I know that's not true.
ALL of the old cigar men know what they like to smoke, and they like the long and (reasonably) slim cigars. Or robustos, but that's not important right now. No sense in worrying about that when you can have anyone roll you any kind of personal cigar you want by the gross. But as a customer, that ought to make you sad.
Or STOCKED, baby, YEAH!
But that's the world we live in. We want our Lanceros, but we also want our cheap cigars or thin cigars that someone runs on closeout. But keep your eye on the long cigar. Too wimpy for SOMEBODY down there. Gonna give them up. The only thing that seems might save us on the minutos and perlas is that someone is also making a killing coming up with ways to make robustos shorter. Maybe my beloved little cigars will be spared cause they look like a good future fad. "Announcing the Montecristo petite No. 5." The Stewart Little. Or maybe the Bolivar Coronas the Third.
(get it, smaller than 'Coronas Jr.')
* * *
and now for something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
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Cohiba Lancero 2001
This was a dry old relic from a trip abroad. I had quite a few left, so I thought it would be a good time to try one out. The wrapper was common to the times, a hairy/toothy, oily, chamois cloth of medium tan leaf. Pretty attractive cloak over a straight old man. The band was laughably loose, and comically old fashioned compared to the band from the Cohiba cigars produced after 2003. The cigar smells as much perfumed as barnyard, but with a coffee grounds aroma. it lights right up and develops an even ring around the cigar.
The first inch was all bean flavors and light cocoa powder on the tongue finish, It was light in flavor, but even lighter in actual body. As it warmed up, the flavors began to creep into the sinuses on their own to the point where it made me sneeze. The cigar burned cool and slowly. It was 45 minutes before I realized I lad burned less than an inch and a quarter. I decided to get a little greedy on the smoking, because it was giving up a ton of flavor, and I wanted more of the taste
, giving little thought to the burn rate. It got a little gassy after that mistake, and I let it go out and then scooped out the dead ash and re-lit it. This started a riot of flavors that just sent me over the edge. I said screw puff ettiquette, I am gonna smoke this as fast as I have to to get my money's worth. So I just ran it to the band and enjoyed myself. It got hotter than I wanted, but that just opened up more intense flavors. So I slowed down, but then I thought, "this is a Lancero, except it is drawing perfectly, smoking cool and tasting crazy good, I can't pass up the opportunity to taste it all. Vanilla, coffee, chocolate, cinnamon, hazelnut, pecan, I had Blue Bell flavor of the month going here. I wasn't gonna waste it.
, giving little thought to the burn rate. It got a little gassy after that mistake, and I let it go out and then scooped out the dead ash and re-lit it. This started a riot of flavors that just sent me over the edge. I said screw puff ettiquette, I am gonna smoke this as fast as I have to to get my money's worth. So I just ran it to the band and enjoyed myself. It got hotter than I wanted, but that just opened up more intense flavors. So I slowed down, but then I thought, "this is a Lancero, except it is drawing perfectly, smoking cool and tasting crazy good, I can't pass up the opportunity to taste it all. Vanilla, coffee, chocolate, cinnamon, hazelnut, pecan, I had Blue Bell flavor of the month going here. I wasn't gonna waste it.Finding a cigar like this to smoke is a treat, they can be few and far between if you don't put cigars away for aging. I suggest finding something you like and putting away a box or two for a not-so-rainy day. You can BUY em like this, but the taste was certainly well worth having watched this one grow up meeself.
We Shall Begin at the Beginning
As Lewis Carroll said, Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end."
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