Por Larrañaga Valiosos Edicion Suiza 2009

[sandholm]

So, switzerland have this year being blessed with two region releases

Por Larrañaga Valiosos Piramides, 52 x 156

Punch Poderosos Sublimes, 50 x 124

I picked up a couple of samples to try them. In the shop they told me that both are strong, and the Punch is very very strong. He more or less told me not to smoke it, its a nicotine punch, he had got a box and would not smoke another cigar in the upcoming 5 years... (what the hell is habanos doing..)

Well, so i thought i would smoke the Por Larrañaga, its a big cigar. It only measure 52x156 but it looks more impressive.

So lets get cracking

Construction: It has a deep brown, gingerbread colored wrapper. Its rather rough but it has a layer of oil. Smell is of coffee, spice and leather. The band is gorgeous.

Price level: Well, i usually dont talk about price but this start to be ridicules, i wont write the price but this cigar is priced above Cohiba Esplendidos.. and the Punch even higher.

Draw: Clip just the top and the draw is spot on, not to tight not to loss, perfect.

Initial taste: clear roasted tobacco with a bit of spice

Initial smell, barn, hay, leather and a bit to spice.

First third:

The cigar is easy to light, initial it dont give that much smoke. The smoke is creamy with a christmas cake smell, ginger, pepper and rather sweet. Somehow it resemble gluwein, it is also a bit of chocolate, not much but just a bit. The cigar is in the lower medium body, smooth and really really nice.

The start is just perfect, I love the taste and the smell, every draw i pick up something new.

After the first centimeters the cigar deliver huge amount of smoke, not harsh in any way. This is really really good.

In the end of the first third the sweet tones have disappeared, the cigar deliver really nice tobacco taste, creamy balanced smoke. I would say low medium but not pointless in any way, no rough edges. I would say that this resemble a 10+ year HdM DC, just perfect.

Second third:

The cigar is great, smell and taste is just astonishing. A bit of spice has shown up, every draw deliver something new, medium body. The burn start to be a bit bad so i have to do the first tough up. The cigar starts to build up a bit more body, more leather, nice toasted tobacco, no sweet part, no ginger.

Last third:

A huge amount of nicotine has shown up, the cigar is really really strong, but not harsh. A lot of the nice tones has disappeared, but the taste is still good. You cant really taste the nicotine, but dame you can feel it. I had a rather big dinner before this cigar, and I pared the cigar with ice tea, but i really feel the nicotine kick, this is ridiculous,

This cigar needs some serous age for the last third even to be smokable.

Final thoughts:

well i will divide up into two parts

first 2/3, really really good, i would say around 92, minimum, problem is that the last third make the cigar unsmokable, not taste wise, but the nicotine is way to much

Smoking time: 130 min

[maalouly]

Thank you for a great review. Noticing that most RE require plenty of aging.

[tigger]

Nice review!

The performance of the first two thirds leads me to think that the strength in the last is intentional, rather than being the result of improperly cured tobacco (which some have wondered about in regard to the RA CF).

Strange that they seem to be blending this way...

[El Presidente]

Thank you for an excellent review

Early days yet but it could be theorised that the Ligero currently being used in the RR (2006 assumed) is a hard one to tame. We will need to see a few more releases.

[stargazer14]

Please post a review when you smoke the Punch - I just got ahold of one and am interested to hear!

[sandholm]

Please post a review when you smoke the Punch - I just got ahold of one and am interested to hear!

acording to other people who have smoke it that should be is say 10-15 years...

Its a nicotine bomb, dont smoke it, wait...

cheers

[android]

acording to other people who have smoke it that should be is say 10-15 years...

Its a nicotine bomb, dont smoke it, wait...

cheers

Sounds like they will be ready when the RACF r.

[thechenman]

Thanks for the review sandholm. The news is disappointing though. I know the LEs are meant for aging...it looks like the REs are as well.