Ramon Allones Celestiales finos

[El Presidente]

for those prepared to put a RACF to the sword I would like to do a group review between today and Monday. It has been 15 months now since the initial release and time to see where they are going. I called these as needing some time laid down (I was talking years) but I have been surprised by some that I have tasted over the last months. Brilliant. Others ruthless.

for those that are smoking them now, your general thoughts how they have performed? Profile? Pro's and cons?

Regardless...let's see if we can complete a review on these britanicas between now and Monday. Post on this thread.

[adic88]

Was terribly disappointed with the stick i had.

http://mycigarblog.org/blog/?p=1256

79/100. Loose draw, tunneling and the flavours just seemed way to young.

[bigfunkyg]

Actually my experience recently has been quite positive. I smoked my first back in August, when my smoking buddy picked up a couple from the local B&M. I wasn't sure what to expect but was very interested. Turned out to be a wonderful experience. Had a lot of similarities to a RASS but more on the fuller side but a great interplay of spice, barnyard, and some very dark expresso. Absolutely flawless construction, perfect burn and draw. I was convinced to purchase a box, which I did (PE from the Czar). It was my cigar of the year.

Smoked my first right off the truck and it was similar to the first but not quite up to the same experience. I chalked it up to lack of time in the humidor. Smoked on about a week ago and them definately needed more time to get back to snuff.

I would say they are good to smoke now but thats my experience. I would love to participate in a group review but don't want to touch my box until at least February again. Love the format and I am just begining to discover Ramon Allones but love the marca and the distinct flavour of the brand.

Garrett

[CanuckSARTech]

Don't have any of these - been watching the LFTH threads to see about picking up a decent box down the line maybe, to put it away and age it for 2 or 3 years without looking at it.

So, not much help on the review aspect, but I'll be looking for everyone's comments with interest. Good luck all.

[BolivarSmoker]

I've got an HQ box I will try to dip into in the next few days.

[BigGuns]

I've enjoyed the few I've had from my box over the last year. Will try to smoke another in the next few days and make an attempt at a review.

[shrink]

Haven't even cracked my box yet. And won't until the prevailing opinion is positive.

[laficion]

A review of ,

Ramon Allones, Celestiales Finos (Britanicas)

ER, 2009, Asia Pacific.

When I hear the name of Ramon Allones, I start drooling all over the place.

What a fantastic Marca, all of the vitolas in the brand are my kind of cigar,

rich, tasty, complexe, a true Habano and a relaxing moment to enjoy. THERE, now

that I've said it, lets get to this RACF ER 2009

I got these cigars when they came out last year and have kept them in my box Humidor since.

I thought that it would be a good time to smoke one, now that Rob is asking for some updates

and reviews on this beautiful looking cigar.

Not only is the Celestiales Finos a gorgous cigar to look at, but the name in itself is reminiscent

of some old Havana names of the 1900's, such as, BOCK Perfectos Finos or HENRY CLAY Fowera.

Many spoke of these vitolas as if they were a name like, H.G. Wells or Frank Lloyd Wright.

OK OK, I'll get back to the subject , LOL LOL Sheeeech, just when it was getting interesting, OH Well !!!!

All of this is nice and dandy but, I will have to get to the bad part, which means ..........The rest of this review !!

The RA CF has a great feel in my hand, the feel is solid and compact maybe a little too compact.I cliped the

well made head and took a pre-light draw . The draw was tight but I've seen worst . The pre-light tastes

are very faint but I can sense a grassy taste surrounded by a distinct woodiness. I paired the cigar with a

naturally carbonated mineral water.

1st Third/,As the pre-light taste, the frist draws are very grassy, wood and what marks the most, a very dry

sensation with small hints of spice, maybe white pepper. On the other hand, the draw stays very tight and

It's not by lack of trying , but there's not much smoke coming out of this cigar.

2nd Thrid/, I had to cut off a bit more of the head so as to get a better draw, ok, It's better but not much.

Right!! Lets concentrate on the flavors then, well, even on that objective I'm finding it hard to be objective.

A little bit of this , a little bit of that, OH stop it Guy, you're not getting more then you were getting from the

start, woody, grassy, faint notes of spices ( still don't know which) BUT IT'S THERE !!!!!...... I swear.

I sometimes get the feeling that my cigars are happy to see me

Last Third/, OUfffff, almost finished.

Since I'm going on this cigar like a madman, I'm still not getting much smoke, the whole thing is starting to

piss me off but also the cigar is heating up and with this, the cigar is getting bitter. As for the taste and

flavors.............Yep, you guessed it by now, Right ? a bit of this, a bit of that.........uHHHH, .............

NADA, RIEN, NOTHING, aside from some faint notes of leather & coffee the smoke is now hot and I'm very

happy that I paired the cigar with carbonated water.

Final comments/, Please don't ask me to note this cigar.

This cigar was a true disappointment , so much that I can't write it's name one more time, it's too hard.

Anyway, it was the worst I've had this year. I just can't believe that this cigar was a Marca that I really love.

Maybe it needs a lot of time to get there, at least 5 years in my opinion, but, I don't want to waste THAT much

time, I'll get there much faster simply smoking the regular production, NOW.!!!!!!!

Above all I don't want to discourage anyone who wants to smoke one, it could have been me or just this box

or the water or the time or ...............well, it could be anything really.

I'll be very interested to see what experience other members of FOH have had with this ER, I just hope it's

not the same as mine.

Thank you for enduring this review.

[greenpimp]

I am reticent to try one from my box that sat in my FOH locker for a year, but I will if pressured...

Guy, my personal opinion is that the draw ruined that cigar and a retry is in order. When there is little to no smoke it is hard to objectively review it's merits.

Of course, that cigar DID suck because it was poorly made. I'm just sayin...

[Leopolis Semper Fidelis]

I had one of these earlier this year. There was no problem with the draw, but the cigar from the outset was far too harsh, and became even worse down to the nub. If this was an example of what the CF is like now, then it still has far too many rough edges, and needs several years of maturation before it becomes - one hopes! - a great smoke and a classic.

[Bartolomeo]

Was a cigar I absolutely hated last year when smoked, absolute dog rocket, so I thought this thread was a great chance to re-visit this cigar. I love this brand just had bad luck last time out. I bought a box from Czar last year to sit on.

Today's smoke was a STA JUN 09

I smoked this with an open mind as I do with all of my reviews

Construction was fine, I enjoy the CF shape of the cigar

Pre-draw flavor was pretty blah,nothing stood out to me

Initial taste is very bitter

1/3 was a little bland, some cardboard/woody taste with nodes of spicy leather

Ash is layered like levels of a Tibetan temple with the CF tip as the starting point

2/3 is a tad better but not much

Lingering aftertaste is bitter and harsh, some charcoal-ash taste, just not very pleasant, some rhubarb perhaps

Solid med-full at 2/3, not smooth at all

Not recognizing any regular RA flavors currently IMHO

Last 1/3 is harsh still but with better flavors like sweet leather and some tannins

Cigar still not ready for years, definitely not now IMHO

Bart

[Ginseng]

Smoked more than a few handfuls of these last year. Ugh. At best, far from ready. At worst, crap blend. Too harsh AND bland.

Wilkey

[Bartolomeo]

Smoked more than a few handfuls of these last year. Ugh. At best, far from ready. At worst, crap blend. Too harsh AND bland.

Wilkey

I agree

[ronin]

I have smoked two out of my box so far. These won't be ready for at another five years. Harsh, and very uneven tasting with flashes of RA taste. Roll and draw was good though. I am going to bury them and try another in a year.

[Guest rob]

I must have been extremely lucky... or have the pallete of a billy goat - I love mine!

[olotti]

I bought a fiver a while ago and of the five 3 were awesome. Very full flavored, rich and strong but very balanced. The other two were straight nicotene which is fine as I like a full bodied smoke but these were blow your head off strong. So I guess in a box as I have one on the way I hope to get a variety of the two as I would lay em down anyway but I was very satisfied even after smoking the two stronger smokes. I guess to each their own and everyone's palate is different.

[TrickNick]

I have found these extremely inconsistent. Some are harsh as can be with flavors that do not strike my fancy while some have some great flavors and just seem to need some time. I have found the construction to be inconsistent as well from plugged sticks to underfilled ones.

[xxxbusa]

I went through 2.5 boxes of these, only because they really weren't that good, And smoked them up as every day smokes. The wrapper is overly delicate, With tendicies to split after toast and light, keep at or near 68 hum 65-70deg. None of my others had this issue from my storage locker. Always and at the very best some earth tones flavors and slight coco, After the first half these are strong and stronger to the end. Nothing to get excited about, And I doubt what I have left will be worth a darn in 5 or so years.

[olotti]

I have to give a current review of this cigar if I may. I have an HQ box from 09 and this is the tenth of this box I've smoked since purchasing them. At first they were so strong my head would spin and I love strong cigars but now this smoke is really leveled out. Oh it's still a heavy hitter but more flavors of fruit are coming through as is typical RA. Burn is perfect, love absolutely love the format every marca should have a perfecto like this!! 2nd half is more fruit gobs of flavor I mean it coats the mouth but it is still really strong, love it. Last third is more of the same, I see atleast another 5yrs on these before they truly mellow out. I'm guessing this is what the older blends used to be like all the time ie the pre 95 blends when most cigars were so strong they were unappraocheable before 5yrs. I'll prob have another 6 months from now when it's summer here in the midwest and see how they evolve. So far I luv em all the way around.

[shrink]

Thanks for the update, Olotti.

[Bohn007]

So have these improved with time? Saw them on the 24/72