

stever
Members-
Posts
304 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Everything posted by stever
-
Welcome! » Cannot write those wonderful tasting notes like Rob's & Twain's... » only can admire from afar How about abbreviated haiku-like impressions? :-D » » Love the picture. It would be a great poster.
-
Smoked two Monte 2s from two different 10-boxes with the same box code (ROA FEB07). The darker one is from a Czar, the lighter one from a Swiss source. BTW, my findings in many respects parallel what Rob discovered in his comparison between the light and dark Monte 2s that came in the same 10-box that he discovered. I also posted this review on another board. DARKER SAMPLE I smoked the darker one first. It has a gorgeous dark oily wrapper which is slightly splotchy and mottled where the oils appear to be oozing up into the wrapper. The construction is excellent and the cigar has a nice resiliency to the touch. The body of the cigar has a sweet toasted tobacco aroma; the odor at the foot is richer, with more wet leather and dark berry notes. The draw at cold is medium, and reveals a sweet and spicy rich leather taste. There’s also a light cocoa background, and a slightly tangy and salty flavor that remains on my lips. The cigar starts easily and the first draw is sweet, spicy and smooth. Smoke production is very good and there’s a definite strong, but pleasant nasal-clearing aspect while smoking. The aroma is of slightly sweet cedar and toasted tobacco. This is going to be a good cigar! The first few draws are quite strong with a bit of a green bean flavor and a slight bite at the back of the throat. By the ½” mark, coffee flavors are starting to come through and the slight bite at the back of the throat disappears. The smoke is becoming more creamy and smoother, and settles into a profile of sweet wood, spice, a bit of earth, coffee, and a rich, at times, sharp, unsweetened cheese-cake flavor. The coffee notes at first have a green bean quality to them, but as the smoke progresses the coffee notes become mellower, richer, and better integrated with the cream notes. By the 1 1/2” mark the cigar is definitely hitting its stride. Despite being less than a year old, this cigar is extremely smokeable right now with barely any discernable tannin. It has a wonderful aroma, a razor sharp burn with a dirty grey ash peppered with resin-flecks, produces a medium-bodied smoke with excellent mouth-feel, and has a soft nasal-clearing aspect. It’s smooth, flavorful, complex, and at times, subtle. It leaves a very clean, but satisfying, lip-smacking sweet after-taste. It’s going to be hard to keep my hands off these! This Monte 2 is truly an effortless and enjoyable smoking experience. In the last third, the cigar produces some resin that I occasionally blotted away. Not surprising really, given how oily the wrapper is and given its youth. Interestingly, the resin was not at all acrid or bitter. The cigar continues to build in strength and body with coffee notes that became richer and creamier, and sweet wood and toasted tobacco notes that develop more of an exotic spiciness. With about 1 ½” left, some tangy leather and sweet tea flavors also become discernable on the finish. I nubbed it. It will be interesting to see how this smoke develops over the course of the next year. Given its immediate smokeablity, I wonder about its long-term potential. On the other hand, it is laden with oils that could give it some legs. LIGHTER SAMPLE The second Monte has a dark tan wrapper with a mottled appearance due to the oils oozing up into the wrapper. It isn’t as oily as the darker example, but, interestingly, it has gotten noticeably darker in the two months that I’ve had the cigar. The construction is very good with a rather firm resiliency, but with some noticeable hardness around the band. The cigar has a rather pungent chicken coop and leather odor. The odor at the foot, however, is of sweet rich tobacco. The draw at cold is medium-firm, and reveals sweet rich tobacco, a slight mustiness and some dark sweet tea flavors. The taste leaves a noticeable tang on my lips. The cigar starts easily and the first draw is slightly sweet, with some dry cocoa flavor. Smoke production is on the light side, and there’s a strong, sharp nasal-clearing aspect with a bite at the back of the throat. The aroma is strong and spicy with dark cocoa notes and rich tobacco. At the onset it appears to be a heavier tasting cigar than the darker Monte. After the first few draw, smoke production increases and a creamy coffee flavor develops. By the half inch mark, the smoke smoothes out, but the flavors don’t reveal themselves as readily as in the dark sample. The lighter colored Monte has a rich dark coffee flavor with more leather and tobacco on the aftertaste, but it isn’t as sweet and there’s a definite green bean flavor that lingers. For the first half, the smoke is very smooth, but the flavors progression is more compressed than in the dark sample. The flavors are all there, but the transitions are more short-lived. After the second ash, the cigar appears to loosen a bit, the draw improves, and smoke production increases. More toasted tobacco and sweet exotic wood flavors appear, complemented with a sweet, slight mintiness. The coffee and cream flavors are also better balanced. The green bean flavor has disappeared, and the cigar finally seems to be hitting its stride. The smoke is sharper in the nose than the darker Monte, but the aftertaste is more pronounced and is now lip-smacking good. The progression of flavors is definitely now more noticeable and also better balanced. The last third of the smoke is definitely the best. Both examples are very good cigars, but for sheer ease of smoking and relaxation, the darker sample gets the nod. However, with more time, I think the richer coffee and cream flavors in the lighter sample should open up and make it a more enjoyable smoke.
-
Montecristo No 2 (FIM ABR 05); Seleccion Piramides
stever replied to stever's topic in Cigar Reviews (Text & Photo)
I smoked a Monte 2 from a Seleccion Piramides, FIM ABR 05. For those who aren’t familiar with the Seleccion Piramides, it is a small, attractive cedar box that contains its own humidifier and five cedar troughs each nestling a torpedo. The five marquees represented are Cohiba, Montecristo, Romeo Y Juileta, Partagas, and Hoyo De Monterrey. The Monte 2 is the only regular production piramide of the five. Not sure why this is the case or what exactly is the marketing intention of Habanos, SA with this presentation. In any event, the Monte 2 from the box is medium brown in color with some slight green tinges and slightly mottled. The cigar has a good weight in hand, and the wrapper sports a light sheen with one noticeable vein running down the back. Overall, construction is very good, and the cigar has a firm resiliency to the touch. The body of the cigar has an aroma of light leather, cocoa and cedar. The odor at the foot is stronger and more pungent, with sweet toasted tobacco, chocolate and cedar. The draw is excellent and the flavor at cold is hearty and rich, with aged leather, cedar and sweet toasted tobacco. The cigar starts easily and the first draw is of strong smooth tobacco and sweet wood. Smoke production is good and the aroma is strong and spicy in the nose. Vanilla and coffee bean flavors start to develop by the fourth draw, and a strong cedar aroma also starts to develop in the nose. The taste is somewhat creamy, but not enough at this point to balance the strong tobacco and wood notes. At the one inch mark, there are pronounced cocoa notes and some coffee flavors that seem to linger in the background. This smoke is rather strong and spicy, with more tobacco and wood flavors than I’m used to in a Monte 2. At the 1 ½ inch mark, the cigar is suddenly better balanced with more creamy coffee flavors entering the mix. Just when the smoke seems to be settling down and smoothing out, it suddenly becomes very strong again about halfway through. Strong, almost charred tobacco and wood flavors once again predominate, and the coffee, cocoa and cream flavors recede. The aftertaste, however, always has a nice sweetness to it. Past the halfway point, the cigar once again is better balanced with the typical Monte creamy coffee flavor predominating. The aftertaste, while sweet, also has a spicy zestiness to it. With two inches left some fruity and tangy flavors appear. With only an inch left, the cigar actually mellows out with some nice sweet toasted tobacco flavors coming through. Compared to the ‘07s Monte 2s I’ve smoked, this is a more unsettled and stronger cigar that needs more age. However, I wonder if it might age better if it were not surrounded in cedar as it is in the Seleccion presentation. At times, the Monte 2 had too strong a wood flavor to it, and the cedar aroma was often quite strong in the nose. Does the Monte 2 profile lend itself to this type of storage? Has anyone else smoked Monte 2s from presentations other than the regular dress box? I think the Seleccion presentation helps the aging of the other piramides, but I’m not sure about the Monte. Perhaps ten years of aging in the Seleccion presentation may be required for the Monte 2, but is that the purpose of this presentation? -
Photos of J. J. Fox, London
stever replied to stever's topic in Cigars Discussion Forum "the water hole"
I’m finally getting around to posting photos that Mel39 and I took during our visit to J. J. Fox in London on October 27. Apologies for the delay, but I’ve been at work, and I’ve also been busy brewing up various batches of stout to get me through the cold winter months. I’m posting this while smoking a Partagas 898 from an excellent box that Czar Roberto selected for me, and drinking a Cherry Stout (Charlie Papazian’s recipe) that I brewed in August. Mel and I in front of the walk-in humidor built this past January where the cigar museum used to be. The museum is now downstairs. I smoked one of my favorite cigars, a Ramone Allones Belicoso Fino. I believe Mel was smoking a Partagas, if memory serves me correctly, a Lusi. J. J. Fox was a favorite hang-out of Sir Winston and we both felt it appropriate to pay homage to him. Mel sitting in Churchill’s chair in the cigar museum. The museum is definitely worth a visit as it contains all sorts of ancient cigars and curios. The staff at J. J. Fox is very knowledgeable and friendly. Spacious, warm surroundings with free coffee and water. Smoking, errr I mean, "sampling" is allowed and encouraged. Bill graciously showed us the original PL magnums! They belong to a client who stores them at the shop. Alas, these are well beyond my reach, but at least I can console myself with the forthcoming PL Robustos. BTW, my thanks to Czarina Lisa for her work in getting the PL Robustos out. Needless to say, Mel and I had a very memorable time at J. J. Fox and I encourage all to pay this fine establishment a visit. Mel’s a true gentleman and I look forward to meeting up with him once again when I next visit London, hopefully in the Spring. Also hope to see Graham there. -
-
Romeo y Julieta Petit Piramides EL 2005 (3 Box Codes)
stever replied to stever's topic in Cigar Reviews (Text & Photo)
Over the course of the past week, I smoked three R&J Petit Piramides from three different vendors and three different box codes: FIM MAY 05 from the UK; FIM JUL 05 from Switzerland; and FIM ABR 05 from Australia (not Czar). The photos in this review are from the first R&J PP I smoked, FIM MAY 05 from the UK. All three examples look pretty much the same, except the one from Australia is a bit drier in appearance than either the UK or Swiss examples. The Swiss example is perhaps the darkest and oiliest of the three. Otherwise, the construction of all three was excellent, and each burns pretty much the same way. Each sample created a first ash that is about two inches. This cigar sports a dark rich brown wrapper with a light sheen. Smell at cold is of wet leather, chocolate, and dark berries. Near the foot there is a discernible dark cherry note overlaying the wet leather and rich tobacco aromas. BTW, the odor from the box is primarily of chocolate cherries with an underlying light wet leather pungency. Odors are very promising! The cigar appears to be well filled and has a good weight in hand. The draw is a tad on the firm side perhaps due to it being so well filled. The taste at cold is of lightly sweetened and slightly toasted tobacco with a hint of cherry. The cigar leaves a taste on my lips of black pepper. Despite the firm draw the cigar fires up easily, and the first mouthful of smoke produces creamy coffee flavors and wood notes with sweet berry overtones. There’s also a light taste of pepper at the start. Body is at first on the light side, but soon picks up to medium. Smoke volume also increases and soon becomes more than adequate. Mouth feel is lush right from the start, and the flavors are nicely rounded. The cigar starts off as a very smooth smoke with a nice balance of rich, dark flavors. Within a few minutes, the cigar finishes with cedar and sweet toasted tobacco flavors, but it also develops a very noticeable nasal-clearing aspect that I don’t recall having experienced when I last smoked these about 9 months ago. Very promising, and very nice! Within half an inch, the cigar is developing an exotic wood flavor with an almost butterscotch or hard toffee-like note. At the same time, I’m beginning to pick up a burnt cherry flavor mid-palate, and there’s also more of a tangy fruit flavor on the finish. The butterscotch, hard-toffee note is definitely prevalent in my nostrils and complements the nasal-clearing aspects of this cigar. At the one-inch mark, the cigar is definitely hitting its stride. The cherry notes and the butterscotch notes seem to combine into a wine-like or spirit-like flavor that almost makes you think that the cigar has been flavored with a liquor of some sort. Again, this is something that I don’t recall experiencing last time I smoked these. Definitely a lip-smacking, nasal-clearing little powerhouse that has my attention. The initial coffee flavors seem to have given way to dry cocoa flavors which seem to mix well with the wine-like, dark fruit notes. Just before the sweet cedar, pine nettle-like and toasted tobacco finish, I discern a light nutty flavor. Near the halfway mark, there’s more of a rich toasted tobacco flavor and a sweeter, long-lasting finish of wet leather. The first ash produced is nearly two inches in length and nicely striated. The burn is clean and crisp throughout the duration of the smoke. This is a very well constructed cigar. From the halfway point on, the cigar continues to pick up in strength, with more richness and depth of flavors. Overall, this cigar produces a nice mix of cocoa, sweet toasted tobacco, burnt cherry and wine-like flavors, and has a sweet cedar and mint-like finish. The second R&J PP I smoked was FIM JUL 05 from Switzerland. Like the one I smoked from the UK, the Swiss example has a nice nasal-clearing aspect, and a wine-like cherry flavor mixed with chocolate and wood notes. However, the chocolate and cocoa notes are more prominent in the Swiss example and, as a result, perhaps provide a better balance to the cherry and fruit notes. Like the UK example, there are also cedar and wood notes, and the smoke is rich and lush with a sweet after-taste. The last R&J PP I smoked was FIM ABR 05 from Australia. Of the three, this is the strongest and produces dark brooding chocolate, cocoa, earth and wood flavors. However, this example lacks much of the fruit notes, and, as a result, not as complex a smoke. Overall, I find the smoke to be at times flat and somewhat unbalanced. Occasionally it tastes a bit harsh and bitter. It actually improves in the last third when some charred cherry flavor appears and balances the wood and cocoa notes. In my estimation, all three examples still hold promise. The Swiss example is currently the better balanced of the three and the most immediately smokeable; it also has enough strength and richness to age quite well. In addition, it is producing flavors that it hadn’t 9 months ago. The UK example needs more time for the fruit notes to tone down and for the chocolate and woodnotes to develop more. The Australia example holds the biggest question mark for me. First, I received the Australian example in good condition, but not as in as good a condition as either the Swiss or UK examples. Second, while it is very strong in the cocoa, earth and wood flavors, it remains to be seen the extent to which these flavors will mellow out and allow the fruit flavors to come through. Hopefully, those fruit flavors will still be there a few years down the road. It is promising, however, that the charred cherry flavor did come through in the last third of the Aussie cigar. Find a box if you can from a reputable vendor who keeps cigars in good condition. The R&J Petit Piramide EL 2005 is a satisfying and fun smoke. I hope to revisit all three examples in another 6-9 months. -
VAN SPOTTED IN GUILDFORD
stever replied to stever's topic in Cigars Discussion Forum "the water hole"
From one of my London connections: -
Juan Lopez Obus SML OCT 06; Box 385/1200
stever replied to stever's topic in Cigar Reviews (Text & Photo)
I purchased some of the Juan Lopez Obus French regional release while visiting Paris over the Christmas holidays, and promised a while back to post a review. Smithy posted a review last month [link]http://friendsofhabanos.com/board_entry.php?id=50986&page=2&category=Habanos+Review+Forum&order=subject&descasc=ASC[/link] and I thought I would follow up with mine, especially given the different box code and box number. I have smoked quite a few since January and have found some samples to be more intense and flavorful than others. Overall, this is a smoke that seems to be improving, at least the ones that I have from the same box. The cigar is a belicoso and is nicely constructed with a rich brown wrapper with a light oily sheen. At cold there’s an odor of leather, fermented tobacco, cedar and a slight dark berry note. I make a small angled cut and take a few prelight draws to find a medium draw and flavors of sweet scented wood, dark fruit and chewy leather. There’s also a peppery, wet leather taste on my lips. The cigar lights easily and the first draw reveals exotic aromatic woodnotes and mocha coffee flavor. The body is medium with good smoke volume. By the third draw there’s more of a resinous, aromatic sandalwood / teak oil -like quality to the wood flavors, and an unsweetened cream or perhaps an unsweetened cheesecake flavor starts to build in the background. A few nose exhalations reveal sharp oil-scented woodnotes and I think jalapeno pepper! There’s a nice creamy mouth feel and some sweet tea flavor also coming through. Definitely an interesting array of flavors and sensations coming from this cigar and I’ve only had about five draws. I have to say that of the Obus’ I’ve smoked thus far, this one is definitely catching my attention. At this point, I’m finding a medium bodied, but very flavorful profile, with a rich aromatic wood and unsweetened cheesecake core, punctuated by a slightly sweet hot pepper flavor, and finishing with a lip-smacking sweet tobacco and leather finish. Not sure, however, about the overall balance of flavors, but what the hell do I know when it comes to Juan Lopez or the French cigar palate for that matter? At the I” mark a sweet nutty after-taste appears out of nowhere for a few draws and then disappears. The smoke settles down to more of an exotic wood, coffee and toasted tobacco profile, with a lip-smacking sweet tea nuance. There’s a prolonged after-taste of sweet tobacco and rich leather. For a short period near the 2” mark, I encounter a flavor I have never before encountered in a cigar, a strong and prolonged bubble-gum flavored sweetness. My lips also begin to tingle and I suspect that some resin is being produced that is throwing off the flavors. However, unlike most resins, this isn’t bitter or unpleasant and seems to fit the resinous aromatic woodnotes of the cigar. Rather than re-cut the end and disturb the first ash, I wipe off some of the resin from around the opening. The resin production abates and the smoke settles into a peppery, woody, unsweetened cheesecake profile with a prolonged sweet toasted tobacco aftertaste. The first ash comes off after 2 ½’ and produces a good cone. Very soon thereafter, the wood flavors become stronger and more resinous, and I also detect the emergence of a roasted nut flavor. The sweet bubble gum flavor also reappears for a few draws, but it definitely doesn’t fit in with the other flavors. Come to think of it, I don’t think it deserves a place in any cigar profile, but again what do I know? Perhaps this is the highly sought-after holy grail of flavors that I don’t deserve to appreciate. I really think the cigar comes together in the last stage. The profile becomes richer, stronger and more balanced. There’s also a heaviness to the smoke reminiscent of good Nicaraguan cigars, like the Padron ‘64s. The unsweetened cheesecake core has pretty much disappeared, but the woodnotes are more round and mellow, and mix nicely with toasted sweet tobacco flavors. The finish is slightly spicy, with sweet cedar and leather flavors, and the smoke has a very nice lush mouth feel. Definitely a worthwhile hour and fifteen minute smoke, despite some of the occasional odd flavors or flavor combinations. Of the ’06 regional releases, I believe that this is one of the more affordable, and is available in 25 cabs or 10 boxes. My Obus’ have been improving over the last few months. I have not found them to be one-dimensional or light in flavor. I can’t, however, speak to the other box codes or box numbers. How much of a factor either is or should be, I have no idea at this point. -
I really like the Cohiba Exquisito from ‘03 that I reviewed last November, so I decided to acquire some ’07, primarily to age. My earlier review is at [link]http://friendsofhabanos.com/board_entry.php?id=38460&page=0&category=Habanos+Review+Forum&order=subject&descasc=ASC[/link] Exquisitos are typically pricey, especially for a 4.75” x 36 cigar, but they are IMHO an excellent smoke. The ’07 sample is dark brown, slightly mottled and oozing oil. Construction is excellent, and there’s a very well crafted and discernable triple cap. There’s some weight to this cigar and a definite resiliency to the touch, qualities at this point that can be attributed to the cigar’s youth. The cigar is definitely wet, and the aroma is heavy and rich with wet hay, leather and mocha notes. The Exquisito just looks and smells like a classy cigar. At cold, the draw is medium, but tending on the firm side, with sweet hay and leather flavors. The cigar lights easily, and, right from the first draw, I’m greeted by a rich, hearty, and slightly sweet smoke with all the characteristic Cuban tobacco and leather twang. This Exquisito announces its Cuban origin right from the get-go. Despite the firm draw, smoke volume is excellent and the aroma intoxicating. The smoke is heavy and dense, and has a great mouth feel. By the second draw, there’s a creamy, lush, hay-like sweetness, leading to a peppery tang, and finishing with rich tobacco and wet leather. There’s also a slight tang at the back of the throat. Overall, the cigar starts out with great flavors that are very well balanced. At the one-inch mark there’s more of a floral, aromatic aspect to the smoke and I start to detect some toasted vanilla notes. There’s also more of a grassy sweetness on the finish and the tang at the back of the throat disappears. The burn is very good, despite how wet the cigar is, and the draw actually improves. The ash is a dirty grey color and striated. First ash is about an inch and a half. At two-inches in, the cigar is producing sweet grass and vanilla notes with fleeting hints of orange citrus. At the halfway mark, there’s a flavor of rich wet leather -slightly peppery- that is balanced by hints of burnt sugar. The flavor combinations are nicely rounded and lush in the mouth. In the last third, toasted tobacco and leather flavors intensify, and I can taste some licorice. Strength and body increase, and the aftertaste is also more drawn-out. Near the end, cedar flavors appear, and interestingly enough, the vanilla bean and citrus notes reappear. A sweet grassy flavor also appears as a prelude to a rich tobacco and chewy leather finish. Smoked this down to the nub. A very satisfying one-hour that I think will mirror, if not surpass, the ’03.
-
Thanks for the honest review. Too bad these lack character. I've really enjoyed some well-aged ones, but I would like to get some more recent production. Have you had any good ERDM Demis from '06 or '07? Are they not benefitting from the new blend?
-
EL REY DEL MUNDO - CORONAS DE LUXE Made by hand - REC OCT ?
stever replied to rafa's topic in Cigar Reviews (Text & Photo)
Nice review. I've liked the '05s I've smoked so far. -
Saint Luis Rey Double Corona ('06 & '07)
stever replied to stever's topic in Cigar Reviews (Text & Photo)
» Interesting that I have both codes you reviewed. I'm quite pleased with the » MAR 07 & think they are the best SLR DCs I've smoked since the fabled 01s. » The SEP 06 to me wasn't as strong or intense in flavor, though I must » admit I haven't smoked one of these in about 6 months. Bassman: I've smoked AEP SEP '06 SLR DCs from two different cabs and there are differences. However, it's been about 6 months since I tried the other cab and I may now have to do so. Could also be that the Mar '07s I have are not as flavorful as yours. -
It's been awhile since I've posted a review here. So here goes SLR DC (AEP MAR '07): Last Tuesday night at 7 pm it was hot and pretty humid with the thermometer registering 90, but really feeling like 100. Our dogs, despite being well hydrated, endured about ten minutes out on the deck with me. I, on the other hand, being too tired after an exhausting day at work running around in the heat and perhaps just a tad too stupefied thanks to nurse maid Margarita, refused to move and instead continued with my plan to smoke and review an SLR DC (AEP MAR 07 and part of Czar's '07 sampler pack). Not really what I would consider to be a warm weather smoke, but I’ve been putting off reviewing and smoking this smoke for too long. The sacrifices one must make for the benefit of the board! This is a very well constructed cigar with a nice weight in hand and sporting a nice medium brown wrapper with a light sheen. Near the middle section of the cigar the wrapper has small raised and oily smooth bumps the size of hair follicles. Perhaps these are the beginnings of resin nodules that could lead to some nice blooms forming on the wrapper? The aroma at cold is slightly sweet and slightly spicy, with odors of leather. At the foot, there is more of a sweet barnyard and rich stewed fruit aroma. The draw at cold is medium-firm and tastes of sweet tea-like tobacco, dark fruit and light leather. Upon lighting, the initial draw reveals a myriad of subtle flavors including sweet, high quality tobacco, light leather, some white pepper, lightly toasted nuts, baking spice and a sweet undercurrent that is sharp, not mellow and rounded. It’s almost as though the sweetness is infused with liquor, like Grand Marnier, and definitely contributes, along with the spice and light pepper flavors, to make the SLR DC a rather heady and very aromatic smoke. At the onset, the flavors are rich and unusual, but lacking depth and longevity IMHO. The flavors are strong on the front of the palette, but somewhat lacking on the finish. While the draw seems adequate, smoke production is at first on the light side. At the one inch mark, the flavors definitely develop more depth, smoke production increases and, overall, the smoke becomes more “chewy” with better mouth feel and longer lasting flavors. Flavors include sweet leather, lightly toasted nuts, stewed dark fruit, light gingerbread, baking spice, and slightly spicy and peppery tobacco. By the two inch mark, the smoke has become richer, with stronger leather-like flavors, and a more intense and heady liquor-like sweetness. Smoke production has definitely increased, and the cigar is practically smoking itself with nice wisps of smoke curling up through the back-end long after I take a draw. The first ash is two inches and is dark grey and well striated. The burn is fairly even and razor sharp. The SLR DC is definitely kicking itself up a notch in terms of smokeabilty, flavor and strength. At the end of the first third, the cigar has increased in body and the flavors are better balanced. There is more of a leather and spice flavor, and a light sharpness that I attribute to the cigar’s youth. By the midway point, the smoke has become heartier with more gingerbread and leather flavors. The heady underlying sweetness that I discovered in the cigar from the onset gradually dissipates by the beginning of the last third, but there continues to be an underlying rich sweetness right through to the end of the smoke. The smoke lasts two hours and actually turns out not to be that bad of a match for a hot and somewhat humid evening, especially if complemented with a nice cocktail, such as a Margarita or a Pimms Cup, and, of course, some ice-cold water. In terms of the SLR DCs that I’ve smoked, I would rate this one fairly highly, and I believe that it has very good aging potential. This may not be a cigar that appeals to everyone’s palate, but it is, nonetheless, a very good quality and flavorful cigar, that everyone should at least experience a few times, at least. So far, I’ve found that late ‘06 and early ’07 production appears to be very good. SLR DC (AEP SEP '06): Smoked an SLR DC (AEP SEP 06) from a Cab that hails from Czar to compare it to the ’07 (AEP MAR 07 and also from Czar) that I smoked last week. Like the ’07, this is a very well constructed cigar with a nice weight in hand, and has a dusky brown wrapper with a slight reddish tinge. The cigar has a nice resiliency to the touch and sports a perfect triple cap. The aroma at cold is rich and heady with aromas of leather, sweet pepper, baking spice and light barnyard. As with the ’07 sample, at the foot, there is more of a sweet barnyard odor and also an aroma of rich stewed fruit. The draw at cold is medium-firm and tastes more of fermented hay, stewed dark fruit, and some pepper and sweet spice. The cigar leaves a peppery and tangy taste on my lips. Upon lighting, the initial draw is of strong leather and good quality rich tobacco underpinned with a sweet spiciness reminiscent of what I typically find in a good Partagas Lusitania. Smoke production is at first light, but continues to increase as the smoke progresses. Given the humidity in the air, after a cooling afternoon thunderstorm, I should have perhaps dry-boxed this cigar for another day or two. The burn on the cigar was razor sharp and the first ash was about 1 ½ inches, dark grey in color with a slight yellow tinge, and well-striated. As you can see from the photo, the first ash was a bit of a bender, but subsequent ashes were straight and didn’t have the dirty yellow tinge to them. Overall, in the first third, this smoke reveals a complexity of flavors including pepper, baking spice, leather, clean tobacco, light cedar and mellow wood, as well as a clove-like, woody flavor that marries well with the tobacco flavor. Like the ’07, there is an underlying heady sweetness to the smoke, but unlike the ’07, it is not as prominent and is more mellow and not as heady. The liquor-infused sharp sweetness that I found in the ’07 is more subtle in the ’06 and eventually evolves into a spicy lip-smacking round sweetness. This cigar is very aromatic, and when exhaled through the nose, has very nice nasal-clearing aspects. Near the end of the first third, draw and smoke production are exactly where they need to be, and the cigar develops a sweet dessert-like spicy richness with tangy leather and mellow wood flavors. Mouth-feel is lush and chewy, and although the cedar and wood notes mellow out, the smoke definitely picks up in strength. Halfway through the second third, the tangy leather flavor seems to be enhanced by a sweet, nut-like flavor that is more prominent on the finish. I’d also say that the spicy nasal-clearing aspects of the smoke get kicked up a notch, and the clove-like and baking spice flavors that quickly follow on the heels of the tobacco flavor also become more prominent. The second third is where this cigar hits its stride and becomes a better smoke IMHO than does the Mar ’07 example. The transition between flavors is definitely apparent and there as is a depth and richness to them that should continue to build with even more aging. In addition, there is more of a sweet peppery spiciness and more leather and mellow wood flavors than in the Mar ’07 example. In the last third, the smoke continues to build in strength and smoke production, but never becomes bitter or harsh. I had to relight it a few times, but this is not surprising given the ambient humidity and the fact that at this point I had been smoking it for close to 2 hours. The tobacco flavors become more rich and mellow, with more prominent wood notes, but the pepper, baking spice, and light clove flavors have definitely receded into the background. Nonetheless, there is still enough of a nice sweet roundness to the flavors, although without as much spice, to merit smoking the cigar down to last ¾s of an inch. Both the ’06 and ’07 examples have very good aging potential, but my impression is that the ’06 may have better legs. Regardless, both the AEP SEP ’06 and the AEP MAR ’07 SLR DCs are excellent cigars that currently exhibit some differences between them. My palate, as it currently stands, gives the nod to the ’06, in large measure because of the intriguing combination and balance between the pepper, spice, tobacco, leather and wood flavors, and how these flavors play out against a mellow and round sweet background.
-
Alright! Haven't smoked one this aged, but they are one of my favorite churchills when they're on.
-
Winner of the review Comp
stever replied to El Presidente's topic in Cigars Discussion Forum "the water hole"
Well done, Caddy! -
H. Upmann Sir Winston - DTF MAY 03
stever replied to Kingantz's topic in Cigar Reviews (Text & Photo)
Great review! Time to revisit my '03s. -
Amazing! Keep up the excellent work. When do you start taking orders?:-D
-
Great to be back ;-)
stever replied to El Presidente's topic in Cigars Discussion Forum "the water hole"
Welcome home! Looking forward to the stories. -
Ramon Allones Eminencia RE (TEB DIC 07)
stever replied to Mike33's topic in Cigar Reviews (Text & Photo)
Thanks for the nice review. I've smoked a few of these and have really enjoyed their creamy sweetness, despite their youth. Just like the other Ramone Allones Regional Editions that have appeared in the last few years, this is a high quality, well constructed cigar, that has great aging potential. I wonder if the '07 edition contains the aged blend of tobacco that Habanos started using in '06? It will be interesting to eventually compare an aged '07 to a '05. -
Help..Cubans cigars in Rome??
stever replied to Fatcigar's topic in Cigars Discussion Forum "the water hole"
» » Anyone can recommend good retailers in Rome?? Help... » » I can't make a personal recommendation, but from the LCDH website » http://www.lacasadelhabano.cu/ » » Zone : Europe » Country : Italy » City : Rome » » » Address : Via Colonia Antonina 34 00186 » Phone : 39.06 678 5508 » Fax : 39.06 679 3996 » EMail : ffincato@hotmail.com » I've been to Finacato a number of times. Massimo, upstairs, is very accommodating. Great shop for pipe smokers, too. I have always been impressed with the quality of their cigars. Prices are pretty much set by the Italian government. -
Greetings and welcome!
-
Smoke of the Day Wednesday Feb 27
stever replied to gostgost's topic in Cigars Discussion Forum "the water hole"
Sancho Panza Belicoso '01. Much richer and creamier than I had anticipated! Surprisingly good smoke. DC: What year is the Tainos? -
Salve Alberto! In Settembre, mi sono fatto un giro de Napoli prima di visitare Pompeii. Devo ritornare!