Juan Lopez Supreme-RE Canada 2011

[cottierm]

I've just finished smoking one of these gems (and truly the stick I picked was that good!). If you like multi-dimensional medium bodied cigar, you are in for a treat; if your taste is more on strong bodied ones, stop reading now .

The Juan Lopez Supreme RE Canada 2011 is a robusto (52 x 135 mm) sold in SLB25; boxes are numbered up to 1000; CAD$ 34.07 including taxes. The one I just smoked was really young (August 2011). I took my time with this one and spent 1 hour and 15 minutes smoking it on an outdoor patio in a beautiful but crisp Toronto morning.

Very good construction with a maduro colorado wrapper. This cigar is well-packed cigar and as a consequence the draw is tight but doesn't cause any problem. Smell and taste at cold: gingerbread.

First third: The very first puff is total bliss: dark but sweet chocolate which gives you a sense of mellowness. The second puff is quite different: a mixture of cream, wood, white pepper and mushroom. To this is added what I would describe as a natural sweetness which is not sugary. After a few more puffs the cigar settles into a light espresso mushroomy taste with progressive addition of herbal flavours. At the end of the first third a taste of chocolate re-appears but a milk one. Burn is good. This cigar does not produce a lot of smoke but the smell is quite enjoyable: leather and gingerbread (this smell will stay constant throughout the smoking experience). We are in the 90 category so far.

Second third: Milk chocolate taste disappears and is replaced by a woody-barnyard flavour; additional leather tones start to appear. In the middle of the second third, a slight touch of cream adds itself to the profile. That profile stays on for quite a few time, will this cigar become boring and one-dimensional? No! Suddenly strong woodiness makes its reappearance and subdues all the other tastes. Then, liquorice adds itself to the taste. However, this whole profile disappears after a few more puffs and we enter now into a dominant marshy-herbal area which leads to a green tea taste. A few more puffs and I can note the appearance of leather coupled with mushroom in the last part of the second third. I really like both the Juan Lopez Seleccion nos 1 and 2 (with a preference for the 2) because of their ever-changing taste and the one I am smoking now is true to its pedigree, but more surprises are to come. At this stage, I grant this stick a good 91-92.

Last third: The slight taste of cream noted just before is replaced but a stronger sour cream taste. This slight bitterness will stay for a short while before the mixture of wood-herb-green tea replaces it again. The cigar gets a linear profile now, again: is it going to become boring? And again, no! Sour cream reappears and adds itself to the woodiness profile. A few more puffs and peppery and leathery notes mixed themselves in. The combination of flavours is truly astonishing by that point (at least as far as I am concerned!). A good 94 by now; is there more to come? Yes!!! And truly the ending of this cigar is magnificent. It starts by an increase of peppery notes and with that the cigar becomes clearly medium-bodied (and will stay like that up to the nub). To a strong peppery taste is suddenly added an herbaceous element, then a leathery one; the mixture of the three gives you a strong liquorice flavour. This is becoming a great experience! Wait a minute, there is also some fruitiness here, which one? Orange peel and bit of sugar, great and that will stay up to the end. Pepper is still there plus leather reappearing. The whole profile gains in both tanginess and tangeriness (if I dare coin this neologism). Added to this a sudden taste of toasted bread and you get the gingerbread profile in taste that you have had in smell through the whole smoking time.

Conclusion: For me this is a 96 cigar which keeps you on your toes up to the last moment with an ever-changing profile. For the moment it is also the best RE of 2011 that I have tested. Why? Because it has all the attributes that those who like the JL nos 1 and 2 are looking for BUT even better! Mind-blowing experience, especially considering that it is such a young cigar. If you can find them, try them absolutely. If you like them, buy a box and you probably won't regret it.

With best wishes to you all,

Michel

[ckearns]

Wonderful review, Michel! You had me drooling from the beginning and if it wasn't for knowing the subject, one might think you were describing a buffet. What an evolution of flavour that cigar went through! Impressive. This cigar wasn't on my radar, but now you've changed my mind. Cheers!

[maverickdrinker]

hhhhmmmmm...... now I am curious...

[cottierm]

And you should rightly be so!

hhhhmmmmm...... now I am curious...

[cottierm]

Thanks for your praise. But honestly all honours should go to the guy who created this blend!

As I was in a bit of hurry, I would like also to point out that this cigar is really made for a one-on-one, that is you and it! This is a stick for those great moments of selfish, self-imposed solitude.

Wonderful review, Michel! You had me drooling from the beginning and if it wasn't for knowing the subject, one might think you were describing a buffet. What an evolution of flavour that cigar went through! Impressive. This cigar wasn't on my radar, but now you've changed my mind. Cheers!

[cottierm]

Sorry for bumping up my review of yesterday afternoon, but I am hoping to have further comments on this cigar by fellow Canadians who are able and willing to try this one.

Best,

Michel

I've just finished smoking one of these gems (and truly the stick I picked was that good!). If you like multi-dimensional medium bodied cigar, you are in for a treat; if your taste is more on strong bodied ones, stop reading now .

The Juan Lopez Supreme RE Canada 2011 is a robusto (52 x 135 mm) sold in SLB25; boxes are numbered up to 1000; CAD$ 34.07 including taxes. The one I just smoked was really young (August 2011). I took my time with this one and spent 1 hour and 15 minutes smoking it on an outdoor patio in a beautiful but crisp Toronto morning.

Very good construction with a maduro colorado wrapper. This cigar is well-packed cigar and as a consequence the draw is tight but doesn't cause any problem. Smell and taste at cold: gingerbread.

First third: The very first puff is total bliss: dark but sweet chocolate which gives you a sense of mellowness. The second puff is quite different: a mixture of cream, wood, white pepper and mushroom. To this is added what I would describe as a natural sweetness which is not sugary. After a few more puffs the cigar settles into a light espresso mushroomy taste with progressive addition of herbal flavours. At the end of the first third a taste of chocolate re-appears but a milk one. Burn is good. This cigar does not produce a lot of smoke but the smell is quite enjoyable: leather and gingerbread (this smell will stay constant throughout the smoking experience). We are in the 90 category so far.

Second third: Milk chocolate taste disappears and is replaced by a woody-barnyard flavour; additional leather tones start to appear. In the middle of the second third, a slight touch of cream adds itself to the profile. That profile stays on for quite a few time, will this cigar become boring and one-dimensional? No! Suddenly strong woodiness makes its reappearance and subdues all the other tastes. Then, liquorice adds itself to the taste. However, this whole profile disappears after a few more puffs and we enter now into a dominant marshy-herbal area which leads to a green tea taste. A few more puffs and I can note the appearance of leather coupled with mushroom in the last part of the second third. I really like both the Juan Lopez Seleccion nos 1 and 2 (with a preference for the 2) because of their ever-changing taste and the one I am smoking now is true to its pedigree, but more surprises are to come. At this stage, I grant this stick a good 91-92.

Last third: The slight taste of cream noted just before is replaced but a stronger sour cream taste. This slight bitterness will stay for a short while before the mixture of wood-herb-green tea replaces it again. The cigar gets a linear profile now, again: is it going to become boring? And again, no! Sour cream reappears and adds itself to the woodiness profile. A few more puffs and peppery and leathery notes mixed themselves in. The combination of flavours is truly astonishing by that point (at least as far as I am concerned!). A good 94 by now; is there more to come? Yes!!! And truly the ending of this cigar is magnificent. It starts by an increase of peppery notes and with that the cigar becomes clearly medium-bodied (and will stay like that up to the nub). To a strong peppery taste is suddenly added an herbaceous element, then a leathery one; the mixture of the three gives you a strong liquorice flavour. This is becoming a great experience! Wait a minute, there is also some fruitiness here, which one? Orange peel and bit of sugar, great and that will stay up to the end. Pepper is still there plus leather reappearing. The whole profile gains in both tanginess and tangeriness (if I dare coin this neologism). Added to this a sudden taste of toasted bread and you get the gingerbread profile in taste that you have had in smell through the whole smoking time.

Conclusion: For me this is a 96 cigar which keeps you on your toes up to the last moment with an ever-changing profile. For the moment it is also the best RE of 2011 that I have tested. Why? Because it has all the attributes that those who like the JL nos 1 and 2 are looking for BUT even better! Mind-blowing experience, especially considering that it is such a young cigar. If you can find them, try them absolutely. If you like them, buy a box and you probably won't regret it.

With best wishes to you all,

Michel

[mbrody]

Great Review. BIG JL2 Fan here! Anyone care for a split? Or have a source to share so I can order a few? This is a must try for me.

[cottierm]

Not me unfortunately! The price at the LCDH is too steep for a box and, as far as I am aware, none of my regular sources has it in its catalogue. That said, if I can put my hands on a few of them and if you happen to visit Toronto in the near future, I would be more than happy to share one with you.

All the best,

Michel

Great Review. BIG JL2 Fan here! Anyone care for a split? Or have a source to share so I can order a few? This is a must try for me.

[mbrody]

Not me unfortunately! The price at the LCDH is too steep for a box and, as far as I am aware, none of my regular sources has it in its catalogue. That said, if I can put my hands on a few of them and if you happen to visit Toronto in the near future, I would be more than happy to share one with you.

All the best,

Michel

Michel, Thank you for the offer. Looks like I won't be in Toronto anytime soon, but I will keep my eyes peeled in the event they become available by other means...Thanks again for the review. M

[cottierm]

No problem. YOUR cigar is waiting for you and is currently sitting in front of me! Although I do not plan to visit the States in the very near future, I may manage an envoy if you give me your postal address (see my e-mail address in my profile). However, it is not going to happen before the end of the holiday season (too much postal traffic jam which I prefer to avoid for such a delicate product).

All the best,

Michel

Michel, Thank you for the offer. Looks like I won't be in Toronto anytime soon, but I will keep my eyes peeled in the event they become available by other means...Thanks again for the review. M

[mbrody]

Michel, Email sent through FOH...

[bigfunkyg]

I have got these on the to try list for this year. Still seem like they are pretty difficult to find however.