H. Upmann Connoisseur No. 1

Origin:  Cuba

Format:  Hermosos #4

Size:  48 x 127

Box Code/Date:  LSM ABR08

Initial impressions:  Very rustic in appearance.  Not sure if this due to its age, be design or from heavy handed customers.  No construction flaws, but a small wrapper split at the foot which was definitely from a heavy handed customer.  Draw at cold was firm but good.  Aroma at cold is very understated, hints of coffee bean, earth and a slight nuttiness.

Opening:  Almost white ash.  Touch of cream and spice, but only a touch.  Earthy and nutty.  Perfect draw.

First third:  Even burn.  Nice volume of smoke.  Flavors are coffee bean, nuts and a slight creaminess.

Second third:  Creaminess and nuttiness getting a bit more forward on the palate.  Very creamy mouth feel.  Burn is staying even.

Final third:  Creamy and nutty flavors are strong now, but in a good way.  Not like peanut butter, but a definite creamy nutty flavor on the palate.

Conclusion:  This has been a very enjoyable smoke.  We are down to our last few sticks from this 2008 box.  I might decide to keep these all for me.

Partagas Lusitania Review - 17-Jan-2012

Partagas Lusitania Review – 17-Jan-2012
Origin:  Cuba
Format:  Prominentes
Size:  49 x 194

Initial impression:  Construction is very nice.  Draw at cold is firm.  Aroma at cold is honey and earth.

Opening:  Burn is very even.  Draw firmed up a touch after lighting, but it is far from tight or plugged.  Flavors are creamy, honey and earth with a little pepper note as well.

First third:  Smoke volume building up a bit.  Flavors are very earthy and spicy, but strength is medium at best.  Creamy notes are still present, but very light and enjoyable.

Second third:  Cigar is building up a bit in strength, but still on the low side of medium plus.  Earthy and spicy flavors remain, but a slight touch of the honey found at the opening has returned.

Final third:  Earthy and spice at this point.  Cream and honey are gone.  Cigar is strangely back to medium in strength.

Conclusion:  Enjoyable cigar.  Total smoking time is approaching two hours.  Flavor strengthened a bit in the last 20 minutes or so, with flavors of earth and spice.

Partagas Serie E 2 - 13-Jan-2012

Partagas Serie E 2 – 13-Jan-2012

Origin:  Cuba

Format:  Robusto Extra

Size:   54 x 140

Initial impressions:   I am a big fan of the robusto extra format, although this is my first E2.  Construction is very good.  Draw is a tad loose cold, and aroma at cold is creamy cocoa and earth.

Opening:  Opens milder than expected, but this larger format gives the strength room to grow.  Very creamy, earthy mouth feel to start.  Draw firmed up a touch after lighting.

First third:  Very distinct creamy mouth feel.  Continues with the earthy notes but woody flavors are now present.  Very even burn despite this cigars youth.

Second third:  The distinct creaminess on the palate is enjoyable.  Strength still on the low end of medium.  Continues to be very earthy and almost nutty.

Final third:  Cigar is strengthening somewhat, moving to medium plus or a touch more.  Creamy mouth feel remains as does the woody character.  Even burn.  Cigar has required no touchups or relights.  Slightly less than perfect draw as the cigar nears the nub. 

Conclusions:   the cigar grew to a medium full in the last 10 minutes of the smoke.  This is a good cigar that needs some age to reach its full potential, but a very nice start.

Partagas Serie D 4 - 13-Jan-2012

Partagas Serie D 4 – 13-Jan-2012

Origin:  Cuba

Format:  Robusto

Size:   50 x 124

Initial impressions:    Overall well constructed but some veininess.  Aroma at cold is damp earth, nuts and cocoa.  Draw at cold is firm and spot on for my tastes.

Opening:  Great firmish draw, somewhat even burn.  Toasted nuts and earthen flavors.  Just under medium strength at this early stage.

First third:  The oily, nutty notes are coming through as the cigar hovers around medium.  Draw tightens up if ever so slightly. 

Second third:  Getting a touch stronger to medium plus almost medium full.  Showing notes of cocoa, nuts and damp earth.  Burn I slightly uneven but hasn’t required any touch ups.

Final third:  Approaching medium full.  Flavors of rich earth and cocoa remain.  Burn has been uneven to some degree throughout the smoke but not bad enough to require touch ups.  In the final half of this cigar, it is really blossoming, and turning into what I love about PSD4’s.

Conclusions:  Partagas SD4’s are one of my perennial favorite cigars.  This cigar was good but not great, although it had moments of greatness as it moved towards the nub.

Diplomaticos #2 - 12-Jan-2012

Diplomaticos #2 – 12-Jan-2012

Origin:  Cuba

Format:  Piramedes

Size:  52 x 156

Initial impressions:  Construction is a bit veiny.  Draw at cold is spot on.  Aroma at cold is woody, leather and earth.

Opening:  Opens up with a creamy, peppery and woody flavor.  Good draw, looks to be an even burn.  Medium volume of smoke.

First third:  Medium bodied to start.  Creamy notes fall away but leaves an enjoyable leather and spice character.  Good even burn.  Touch-ups only required after prolonged interruptions.

Second third:  Smoke volume increasing.  Body moving to medium plus.  Very earthy at this point with hints of espresso.

Final third:  gaining strength, moving to medium full.  Not burning as even as I would have liked, but no touch ups required during the second half.

Conclusions:  A good cigar but not representative of as good as this marca can be.  

Trinidad Coloniales - 10-Jan-2012

Trinidad Coloniales – 10-Jan-2012

Origin:  Cuba

Format:  Corona
Size:  44 x 132

First Impression:  Nicely constructed.  Nice firm draw, aroma at cold smelled of tea leaves and some very slight floral notes.  This cigar is from a mid 2008 box.

Opening:  This is a strong cigar.  It shows its strength right away.  I had heard from my favorite (and only) cigar forum (friendsofhabanos.com) that I might expect a tea leaf character in this vitola – they were dead on.  Normally I associate that taste with lighter cigars, but it works well in this strong cigar.  I am not very experienced with Trinidads, only having smoked several Ingenios from a 2007 EL release.  This is a pretty big departure from that cigar.

First Third:  Tea leaves, but with a very peppery spice overtone.  Interesting combo.  Even burn, good draw, nice volume of smoke.

Second Third:  Strength balancing out a bit – still strong at medium full, but not so in your face as it was.  Tea leaves remain but the peppery character is gone leaving behind a creamy tea flavor.

Final Third:  Strength coming on a bit, now pretty much full as the cigar picks up steam and heads into the home stretch.  Still the tea leaf notes, but now with a smokey woody flavor which is pretty subtle.

Conclusions:  I like this cigar very much.  Taste, size, strength.  The feedback from my favorite cigar forum (friendsofhabanos.com) were pretty much 50-50.  Not that half hated the cigar, but that they felt it didn’t live up to others in this marca, such as Reyes and Robusto T.  Since my Trinidad experience is thin, this was very enjoyable and didn’t fall short of expectations.

 

H. Upmann Magnum 50 Tubo - 9-Jan-2012

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H. Upmann Magnum 50 Tubo - 9-Jan-2012

Origin:  Cuba

Format:  Double Robusto
Size:  50 x 160

Have I told you I really like cigar display boxes?  For the benefit of my non-cigar enthusiast readers, some cigars come in cardboard display packaging of 3 or 5 cigars (with our without tubos).  In addition to boxes of 10, 20, 24, 25 of 50 cigars on our shelves, we also have some cigars in these displays in our store.  We sell these both as singles as well as in packages of 3 or 5 cigars.  When we sell singles, inevitably we end of with one or two lonely cigars in the display.  That was the case with this H. Upmann Magnum 50 Tubo.  It must have sat alone in its display for the last 6 months.  Today, I decided to put it out of its misery.

Initial impressions:  Nice oily looking wrapper, somewhat loose draw at cold, aroma at cold is leathery and spicy.

Opening:  Good news is the somewhat loose draw firmed up a touch after lighting and a few puffs.  Tastes of honey, creamy and leather/spice.

First third:  Medium bodied smoke, a nice volume of smoke, still very creamy with subtle hints of leather and spice.

Second third:  As I finish up the first third, my friend Gerardo rides up on his Harley.  Note that our shop is on 5^th Avenue, which is pedestrian only, but that doesn’t stop him.  I don’t have the heart to tell him that sportsters are for girls.  Anyway, he rides up and parks in front of our stoop more often than not because I think he wants me to get jealous because I left my Harley in Texas (uh, a man’s Harley – softail crossbones with springer front end).  Anyway, back to the smoke.  Cigar is coming along nicely, with really nice creamy nutty notes.  Still medium bodied.

Final third:  The creamy, oily nuttiness continues as the cigar strengthens a bit to medium plus.

Conclusion:  This was my first from the H. Upmann Magnum series and I was very happy with this cigar.

Saint Luis Rey Double Corona 8-Jan-2012

Saint Luis Rey Double Corona
Origin:  Cuba
Format:  Double Corona
Size:  49 x 194

Initial impressions:  I purchased this well aged (2008) 50 cigar cabinet from my brother in law a month or so ago.  I opened the box and found some really good looking cigars – great color, construction, etc., but the bands lacked a bit to be desired.  I checked the codes and the box checks out.  The bands look to have picked up residue from the cigars during aging, and they look…..dirty, almost.  Laura has seen it before on older bands.  Oh well.  Just getting over a cold, first cigar in 3 days.

Opening:   Good draw at cold and upon lighting.  Aroma at cold was a milky chocolate and grass character, while opening was mild and creamy.

First third:  Draw staying at a touch firm which is good.  Milky chocolate notes and barnyard flavors are present, almost in a peppery spicy form.  Remaining mild.

Second third:   Chocolate notes gave way to an almost grassy earthly flavor.  Burn is dead even but ash is a bit weak.  Draw remains firm-ish.  I am not very well experienced with this marca, but I am surprised how mild this cigar is. 

Final third:  As I begin the final third, the cigar just starts to build up towards medium.  I read the Habanos guide and it says SLR’s should be full bodied – this is nowhere close.  Could it mellow that much in a few years aging?

Final thoughts:   A good and interesting smoke, but not strong enough for

Cohiba Robusto 28-Dec-2011 (also, is ignorance really bliss?)

Cohiba Robusto 28-Dec-2011 (plus, is ignorance really bliss???)
Origin:  Cuba
Format:  Robusto
Size:  50 x 124

Is ignorance really bliss?  Hardly a week goes by where a tourist doesn’t come into my shop with a small wooden box of “Cuban” cigars with a plastic slid lid top and ask me “are these real”.  My patent answer these days is “if you are coming to my shop to ask if they are real, don’t you already know they are fake”?  Today was different.  This guy walked in with a box of robusto sized “feauxhibas” with a 2011 Edicion Limitada band as well (NO THESE ARE NOT THE 2011 EL DOUBLE ROBUSTOS).  He pointed out the Cohiba Robustos on my shelves and said “these are what these are, this is what I just smoked.  How much”.  Well, our prices are clearly marked, but I responded with the price.  He responded “guess how much I paid for these”?  I obliged and asked “how much”?  He proclaimed “5 bucks”.  I nodded my head and said, “nice price” and that was it.  Today, I will let ignorance be blissful.  But after he left, I grabbed one of the CoRo’s off the shelve, punched it and lit that bad boy up.

Initial impressions:  Wrapper is a light caramel brown color, some veins but nicely constructed.  Aroma at cold is leathery, creamy, coffee.  Draw at cold is easy to firm.

Opening:  Good draw, just south of firm.  Large volume of smoke.  Definite creamy coffee character.

First third:  This is my first stick of the day, and I am blow through the first third too quickly, but this cigar is very engaging.  A woody taste has appeared which complements the creamy character.  Medium bodied or slightly less at this point.

Second third:  Strength is intensifying just a bit, just past medium.  Still that woody, creamy flavor.

Final third:  I imagine the final third would have been just as good if not better, but our favorite stray dog Bella came rambling by and knocked the cigar off the arm of my wooden smoking chair and it rolled out onto fifth avenue.  Oh well.

Final thoughts:  Although I didn’t finish this cigar, this was a good yet a bit young representation of this vitola and marca.

Vegas Robaina Unicos 27-Dec-2011 (smoked and reviewed at LCDH Cancun)

Vegas Robaina Unicos (Smoked and Reviewed at La Casa del Habano in Cancun) 27-Dec-2011
Origin:  Cuba
Format:  Piramides
Size:  52 x 156

Initial impressions:  Aroma at cold is leather and chocolate.  Wrapper is almost flawless and is dark and a bit oily.  Draw at cold is easy, but not loose.  I find it funny as I sit at the bar in LCDH Cancun, I am staring ahead at a photo of none other than Alejandro Robaina himself – almost gazing over my cigar choice and thinking “Buena onda” (although I doubt “Buena onda” was in his daily vocabulary).

Opening:  Draw remains on the easy side, notes of leather, spice and chocolate abound.  Loads of smoke and a grey white ash.

First third:  Great beginning to what I have found to be a predictably good cigar.  Strong side of medium working its way to medium full.  Flavors are still spice, leather and chocolate.

Second third:  Flavors are staying consistent, but the cigar is moving towards medium full.  Pairing with a Macallan 18 year.  For those who know me, yes, I would have gone with something a bit more interesting, but their scotch selection was a bit wanting.

Final third:  Medium full at this point.  A very good cigar with loads of flavor.  Leather spice gone away and gave way to a strong creamy chocolate flavor.

Final thoughts:  I love the entire Robaina marca.  While not my favorite vitola, the Unicos never disappoint.

Montecristo Edmundo 26-Dec-2011

Montecristo Edmundo 26-Dec-2011

Origin:  Cuba
Format:  Robusto (or Robusto Extra?)
Size:  52 x 135

Initial impressions:  Draw is medium, aroma at cold is spicy and chocolate.  Construction is nice with very few imperfections and a dark caramel color.

Opening:  Loads of smoke.  The spicy notes when cold weren’t really pleasant soon after lighting.  Hay bales and cocoa powder.  Medium light but very nice on the palate.

First third:  Really flavorful smoke on the palate.  Loads of creamy flavors with some nuttiness perhaps.

Second third:  This is a fairly young cigar from 2011, but it is holding its own and burning very well.  Creamy coffee and cocoa notes still present, but also a faint vegetal thing going on.

Final third:  Getting a bit stronger, pushing medium plus.  Loads of mocha and earthy flavors as I get towards the nub.

Final thoughts:  I really like this size of cigar.  Smoked time was almost 1.5 hours and was interrupted a few times by customers, etc.  A very good representative of this marca.

Hoyo de Monterrey Palmas Extra 25-Dec-2011

Hoyo de Monterrey Palmas Extra - 25-Dec-2011

Origin:  Cuba

Format:  Cremas

Size:  40 x 140

Initial impressions:  Medium firm draw, aromas at cold a peppery, honey and grassy character.

Opening:  This is a good little morning cigar.  Granted, its 3pm, but after last night’s Christmas Eve party, this feels a lot like morning.  Good draw, nice volume of smoke.  Flavors are mild but interesting.  Peppery still with a log of hay.  Very creamy.

First third:  Creaminess is defining itself a bit more.  Still the peppery characteristic.  A bit of a woody flavor but all together very inviting.

Second third:  Very complex for such a small cigar.  Cedar, woody, creamy and spicy flavors continue.  Burn is perfect and draw has been just south of firm throughout.

Final third:  Despite setting the cigar down to help customers, I haven’t had to relight of touch up this cigar once.  The burn has been even and spot on.  Creamy spice flavors are dominating now and the cigar is right at medium bodied.

Final thoughts:  I think this is a very underrated cigar.  Definitely a good first cigar of the day or anytime of the day.