RyJ Dukes

[Jesuscookies]

I just broke into my box, it is still young with a mid 09 box code, but damn! these things are awful. Anyone have a similar experience with this cigar?

Pretty much taste like an already smoked ashtray find.

Your thoughts?

[popsiclepete]

They were great when they came out, highly touted as the best of the 3 EL's for the year. I smoked 6 of my 10 and all were good to very good. I guess that window has closed, you should probably hide that box for another year or 2. Just my 2cents

[adic88]

I haven't had one yet, but i heard they are pretty good right now. Perhaps you got the dud of the box?

[Colt45]

JC, I've only ever smoked one...........

Let's just say that this coming Thanksgiving, I'm thankful I've no more of these in my humidor.

[Jesuscookies]

JC, I've only ever smoked one...........

Let's just say that this coming Thanksgiving, I'm thankful I've no more of these in my humidor.

We've had the same opinions on a couple of different cigars, which leads me to believe that the Dukes are just not in my taste range.. Either that, or they just blow.

[El Presidente]

We've had the same opinions on a couple of different cigars, which leads me to believe that the Dukes are just not in my taste range.. Either that, or they just blow.

I have had crackers and duds.

When picking them I have found to avoid those with a coarse wrapper and lack of sweet aroma at cold. Smoothish reddish brown wrappers are available on these and they are my preference. They can be excellent. Hit rate though in selection (the ones I prefer) is under 10%. Overall, inconsistency has cruelled them. Another nail in the coffin of LE.

[BradNC]

I snagged a PSP box. Smithy verified the aroma at cold for me and I really enjoyed the one I've had thus far. I think in the review video Pres talks about having him pick them to make sure you have the best chance at getting a nice box.

[Puros Y Vino]

I've only had one from my box but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I found it to be medium/bold in terms of strength and it had an interesting flavour profile in that it changed throughout the experience. A lot of folks on other boards have sworn by them and hoard them. They're still easy to find so maybe that says something too.

[laficion]

I must say that I'm very surprised about the outcome on the RyJ Dukes mentioned on these posts.

I have gone through 5 boxes and found them to be spot on as far as I'm concerned , but I haven't

smoked any recently because I 'm not able to keep my cigars that long, I'm not a strong believer in

" keep to age ", especially LE's .

I did it once with the the HdM Magnum 50's, 2005. They were fantastic, smelling like a box of chocolate.

They were so great that I kept a box for 3 1/2 years, When I finnally cracked the box, the cigars had pasted

and were not at all that enjoyable anymore.

To each his own, but for me, I'm not that interested in aging LE's or ER's.

Maybe some, but on the whole I'm not so sure that they have that much potential .

[Cohiba007]

Couple of questions laficion if u don't mind. What does pasted mean? Also, you say you don't age re or le. Do you like aged cigars or just not les. And wow, 5 boxes. That is some big ring gauge loving.

[thechenman]

I've smoked a few Dukes and while they aren't knock your socks off stellar, they were all good smokes. I'd buy another box...

[Colt45]

We've had the same opinions on a couple of different cigars, which leads me to believe that the Dukes are just not in my taste range.. Either that, or they just blow.

I have to believe that my sample (and most likely yours as well) was just a really bad example. Taste is surely subjective, but it helps if a

cigar has some to begin with . As Rob has mentioned, it sounds like these heve been very inconsistent - unconscionably so.

[anacostiakat]

I have acquired several boxes of these. Smoked through one and found them to be quite enjoyable.

I am glad I have the others!

[laficion]

Couple of questions laficion if u don't mind. What does pasted mean? Also, you say you don't age re or le. Do you like aged cigars or just not les. And wow, 5 boxes. That is some big ring gauge loving.

Hi Cohiba007,

Now before I start, let me make it clear that this is only my opinion, for what it's worth

What I meant by " pasted" for me, is that the cigar has lost a lot of it's qualities, the aged tobacco

did not mature well in the blend.

As for Aged cigars, yes, I do enjoy them quite a lot in regular productions but I don't find that the EL's ,

in particulare, age very well .

The EL's are made with tobacco that has already aged a bit, now , depending on the year that it was harvested,

that tobacco can have or not have aging potential. The first LE's were well thought and blended,

there were very little and they aged very well. Not all tobacco age well.

I find that in the last 5 years, there're too many LE's that came out and some blends were too rushed with aged tobacco

that was not sufficiently selected with aging in mind and with that, the disappointments that some will raise in the future.

As for the ring gauge, yes, too big for me normally, but, what can I say ? Only thing is that I enjoyed them a lot.