Long & skinnies ?

[Joker]

Over the years I have tried many cigar brands and viotolas, but have never tried any "long skinnies" ie. Laguito / Especial.

My current rotation consists of;

Minuto - RASCC

Petit Corona - PLPC, Dip 4

Robusto - RASS, SLR Regio

Pyramide - SC La Punta

I was wondering if within the one brand the Especial viotolas have similar flavour profile to say a Robusto?

Is there more variance in flavour due its length, or not as complex due to the smaller gauge?

Do any members of FOH smoke both viotolas, and if so would appreciate any feedback.

Thanks in advance for any comments

Happy Smoking

[El Presidente]

In my opinion, the long skinnies have a personality all of there own but there are lineages. The very good fundadores (which are hard to find) resemble in flavour the new Trini "T" Robusto. Outside of that I am struggling.

part of the reason is that there are so few Long skinnies remaining as well as the fact that skinnies and robusto's are smoked so differently. A skinny should be smoked as if it were the very last cigar you will ever have...slowly...lovingly..treasuring every whisp of smoke.

The benchmark Long skinny currently is the Montecristo Especial. Remarkable cigar of immense quality, flavour and personality.

[lemmycaution]

I really love the Laguito #2, but there aren't many left...

[Michel1968]

Monty Especial #2 is one of my fav's.

As El Presidente wrote, you really do need some time and attention to get the best out of them, it's 'technical' smoking where one can tweak a lot with different styles of 'draw'. In all... very rewarding experience as you can go from utter complexity to raw power! But keep in mind 'bitterness' is a real issue when you smoke just that tiny bit to fast. For me the fun part is to smoke them 'on the edge' where the bitterness is just below the surface. You can sense it, but it's not there - yet.

Too bad we loose quite some marca's in this vitola range (LGC, Partagas) although some Regionales (Boli Especial #2 for Germany jump to mind as I have a box) offer hope in the small gauge range...

[Kangaroo495]

Also love the Monte Especials (1&2). If you can find some Rey del Mundo Grandes de Espanas - that would be good too.

Partagas serie du Connoisseur.

Cohiba Coronas Especiales

All in my top 10 cigars.

[Arzakon]

Not a Cuban, but I like the Oliva Serie V Lancero (7*38) whereas I really could care less for it in larger gauges.

A big benefit to me is the low maintenance smoking a 38ga cigar is. I don't know if its just the Serie V but they seem to burn more evenly and stay lit. You do have to watch your lap a little more closely though.

[bob25]

Another amazing lancero (non cuban) is El Triunfador.

It packed so much flavor in it...yummy.

[jacksfull]

Here are excerpts from an interesting treatise on the subject. I found this on the website of a very well known US vendor (therefore I won't link it). The focus, of course, regards NC's and the writer goes on to mention a few smaller rg recommendations from that ilk. Considering that the vast majority of their stock is now larger rg's, I think it's extremely noteworthy that this longtime tobacconist shows more than a little disdain for the current trend of massive ring gauge cigars.

"Many smokers dismiss narrow ring gauges, opting only to smoke 50+ diameter cigars. This seems to be particularly true of the newest generation of American cigar smokers, who seem to overwhelmingly prefer stocky Robustos, Toros, and Gigantes. Many cigar makers have recently released 54-60 ring cigars, attempting to cater to this "bigger is better" philosophy subscribed to by American smokers. It seems as though everything has become bigger in America: Big Gulps, Super-Sized Fries, and now, Monster Cigars.

Personally, I think this is a huge mistake (pun intended). Massive 56+ cigars are unwieldy in the hand and tragically uncomfortable in the mouth. These mammoth-size cigars tend to burn so cool they are often difficult to keep lit. And finally, their size actually tempers much of their flavor...

Smaller-ring-gauge cigars have taken a beating in mainstream print publications over the last decade . The common charge is that they burn too hot and are not as complex in flavor. Personally, I say, "Hogwash!" Narrow-ring cigars offer a wide array of experiences to the smoker, and such generalizations are devoid of truth. So while the entire US cigar industry works to get you to try larger cigars, I am suggesting just the opposite and proudly champion the narrower classic Corona, Lonsdale, and Cuban Corona Gorda sizes.

These 40-46 ringed parejos provide some of the best smoking in the world; you are really doing yourself a disservice by not sampling these smaller vitolas. Yes, I concede they tend to burn hotter, but this, in itself, is not necessarily a negative. In fact, I argue that, in many cases, it is a positive attribute. Many blends that you find dull on your palate in a larger-ring gauge prove to be dream smokes in a smaller format. The increased combustion can convert a ho-hum blend into one of your spicy, full-flavored favorites. I often find that the cigar blends I usually think of as snoozers in a 50 ring, are delightful when smoked in a smaller ring.

Your fathers smoked them, cigar makers smoke them, and you will discover that most long-time American cigar connoisseurs regularly prefer a narrower 40-46 over the larger vitolas. Monster-size cigars are seldom smoked by seasoned smokers, except as a novelty."

[Michel1968]

Amen to that very well known US vendor!!!

oh... Illusione Epernay Le Elegance (40 gauge) proofed to be one on the best NC smokes I had. Worth looking for!!

[cigaraholic]

Still getting used to being one of the old guys but I have always loved the long and skinnies. When I fell in love with CC's in 1970 I tried everything I could get my hands on, brand and shape. My least favorite size was robusto because it seemed the easiest to smoke hot, short cigar with big hot foot. For me the longer cigars cool the smoke and deliver more flavor.

Habanos catering to American tastes, crazy!

[PigFish]

Considering the loss of our friend Chuck I suppose I have been relegated further into the minority in my love for slender cigars. One would only have to read many of my posts to know my love of the breed.

While I have to agree that modern CC's, even larger rings, are more robust than years previous, they (larger ring cigars) simply don't perform the same way as slender cigars. The way I see it there is an optimum "mass flux" of air supplied by the average mouth and average human physiology. That "mass flux" of the average puff is well suited to cigars in a range from about 38 to 44 ring. Outside of that range, it is difficult for the average person to either completely burn tobacco in larger ring cigars, or overheat smaller ring cigars. This is of course nothing more than theory. Empirically, I have proven to my self satisfaction that cigars in the 38 to 44 range are the best of the best.

Even the shortest small ring cigars consistently smoke well for me. Bigger when it comes to cigars is not often, if rarely better. The packaging does not make the cigar and neither does the filler tobacco. The more pungent tobacco leaves provide the majority of the pungent, robust flavors that I enjoy in tobacco. If the filler supplies the more subtile tones, so be it. That is not what I enjoy. While the flute and oboe create beautiful music I tire of them quickly. Subtile tobacco tones, while enjoyable in the short term must be chased by a greater flavor concentration to keep me interested. This characteristic is of course the earmark of a well constructed cigar. I prefer a mix of the brash with my pastels. The unctuous nature of tobacco lends itself to concentrated flavors, not the insipid flavors of Pablum. What better a method to deliver the concentrated complex flavors of fine tobacco then via a pipette? While one does not beer bong fine whiskey or liquor there is little reason to enjoy fine tobacco via a fire hose! A bonfire is not required to enjoy tobacco; you only need to experience some fine slender ring cigars to discover this for yourself.

-

[Puros Y Vino]

For me, Cohiba Lanceros are fantastic smokes. A nice non-Cuban Lancero is the Casa Fernandez. Great price, very flavourful.

[dcse]

I love the Bolivar Especiales no 2 RE GE, with the Monte Especial as the preferred regular production cigar. The fundis are also great, although it can go months between sampling the beauties. Both the Montes and the Trinis have some age one them, so the Bolis are the only recent production cigars I have enjoyed lately.