Trinidad Fundadores 1998

[mk05]

After smoking an '01 Esplendido and a '96 Coro, My good friend and I dug into one of the Trini fundadores from 98. The Dec 97 are impossible to find as we know. Out of the stock of January, July, August, and September 1998 (OUSU or OSSU or OCSU or ONSU), we are currently sampling the August.

The cigar has a very sweet and decent cold draw about it, very welcoming.

Ice water to start and HC Anejo Reserva during our review.

In the past - my friend said 2 years ago, this cigar exhibited more of a sweet, clean honey flavor to it, much like a cc davidoff.

In the first 3rd we are experiencing a very profound woodiness about the cigar. Very interesting as we were not expecting this profile. No sweetness about it. Very very rustic. Cross of H upmann 46 and a Hoyo E2.

Second 3rd this cigar completely turns it on. The nose makes me feel like I'm at a cake shop. I'm talking vanilla frosting. I could just inhale the smoke because it's so pleasing - it is that evident- cake batter comes to mind. The pedigree of this cigar is, and I am not hyping it, profound. The aroma is sweet, almost marshmellowy, but not sugary. Very...white tea honey sweet. Apologies if you cannot place that - I'm trying my best. Halfway through the second third shows a very strong extra virgin olive oil in the palate - so overwhelming that I cannot place other flavors. At this point, I am reminiscing Rob's reviews of cigars he enjoys where he chuckles and says, "now this is what a cuban cigar is." It is truly, a time capsule.

My old friend has chastised me about not overdrawing it, so I let it sit for a while, approx. 5 minutes. Cigar was still lit.

Final third exhibits that oiliness that a vintage Monte 2 is famous for, but this one, instead of the clean sweetness, portrays a roasted chestnut flavor. Smacking my lips I get almonds - that sweetness in the past comes about. Chesnuts subsides and I am left with more oiliness in my mouth. The power definitely ramps up in the end. Mild to medium at the finish.

All in all, this cigar is in a class of its own. Much akin to the Partagas SdC #1 from 94, if I had one word to describe it, it would be "suave." The complexity, the potent nature of flavors...the post 00 vints just dont touch this calibre.

With a 75 being a good average cigar (ERDM CC/RASS come to mind), and the 1982 Monte #2 - the standard to which I gauge all cigars with a rating of 96 - I must reward this an 92 (flavors 90, experience 92, construction 92, calibre (worthy of aging) 94).

I plan on reviewing the 2000 Monte Robusto EL next. I will attach pictures next time. This cigar is bound to be excellent.

Happy new year to all by brothers at FoH.

[Elfort]

Wow mk05! Thanks for sharing the experience. It made my mouth water. It also made me think of the last couple of Cohiba Lanceros from 1990 I have left...

[CanuckSARTech]

Awesome review.

I've been looking for a while now for a nice box of '98 era Fundy's, but I've only really been able to find them through unsure/previously-unused sources that I felt iffy about (and if I feel iffy at all, it's a no-go for me).

But, I'm still looking. If anyone has a good source for these (or are willing to sell any that they're aging/investing on), please PM me (MK, take note! ). I definitely want to source out a full box from '98 or so.

EDIT - look at that, my 3000 post! Let's hope it's a lucky one!

[aavkk]

quite the review, thanks for sharing. These managed to elude my humidor but sound delicious.