Ramon Allones 8-9-8 Varnished

[ChanceSchmerr]

Here we go with my first ever Ramon Allones 8-9-8 Varnished cigar from my Dubai-supplied box! I don't have a box date for this cigar, but the greening of the band indicates some decent age on these. To the review!

Appearance - A deep colorado hue, spotted with various oily marks - this cigar looks good enough to eat!

Prelight Draw/Aroma - This is a tight draw. The construction doesn't feel tight or overbunched, but it's not going to be an easy smoke. The aroma is sweet fruit with a caramel overtone.

First couple of puffs - Yummy! An aged woody overtone, with a raw sugar flavour - all I can think is......blockbuster!!!

First Third - A Mid to Full bodied smoke, this is excellent for an aged cigar. Just excellent. There is a raisin sweetness I've noticed before in a RA Canadian RE, and the aged tobacco woodiness that I enjoy. Last and best of all, every so often I note a stewed fruit taste that I've read about in other review - this cigar is meeting all expectations! The only drawback remains the tight draw, which doesn't improve at all.

2nd Third - This cigar keeps on trucking - Still Mid to full, sweetness abounds with more woody notes than in the first third. Close the end of the middle third, the cigar lightens considerably, almost tasteless for a half inch or so. I didn't know quite to make of it.....but the aged wood taste came back as before. That was a close one! Still a damn tight draw.

Last third - Started to fall down with an inch and a half to go, as the final third was characterised by periods of nothing, followed by periods of intense flavour. The best I can come up with is that this might be erased by a month more rest in my humidor. Perfect - I'm going away for 3 weeks, they ought to be ready to go when I come back! I finished up with under an inch to go.

Construction/Draw - The Draw, as I said, was not great at all. Tight throughout, I found it difficult to smoke occasionally, but it was so worth it when I could! The burn was razor sharp, never angled or canoeing.

Overall Impressions - 2 things prevented this from an easy 95 point smoke - the tight draw, and the perplexing empty periods near the end. Even without those - this was still a hell of a cigar, HELL of a cigar! I can't wait to enjoy these over the next few years - they definitely have the legs to hold out for a long time yet. 92 Points, awesome!!!

[CigarmanTim]

I am green with envy. Great review.

[partagasd4]

Thanks for the detailed review. Sounds like a great smoke

[gk404]

Great review Chance, thanks!

[lemmycaution]

I'm glad they turned out to be great. Enjoy every last one of them.

[cvm4]

Smoked one recently and they're definitely in their stride with room to go. Thick smoke, heavy on the pallet. Stone fruit throughout with a little cedar. Pure genius.

[dicko]

sweet as bro! looks and sounds great!

[josie67]

Excellent review...I have about 20 left out of a box from 3/02, and I agree that this is a hell of a cigar....Mine have had a perfect draw, and these have legs to go on for YEARS. My favorite lonsdale.

[shrink]

Glad you enjoyed it! These continue to be in the running for my favorite regular production cigar of all time.

I've never seen anything like the green spots on the anilla before. Looks like ink, or wax.

[MontrealRon]

Another brilliant review, Chris !!

I've never seen anything like the green spots on the anilla before. Looks like ink, or wax.

I believe this is due to oxidation of the copper powder that is used to fake the look of gold

on modern anillas. Not unusual on aged cigars, though rarely is it so pronounced.

[ChanceSchmerr]

Thanks Ron, everyone!

I'm really looking forward to try these again now that I'm back from vacation, see if the additional few weeks of rest made them even better!

I agree with Ron's comment on the green spots, thats what I thought it was too.