So how do 2013 Habanos rate amongst other years?

[El Presidente]

One of the benefits of doing what I do is opening some 10,000 boxes of cigars during the course of a year and smoking through the best and worst of current production. I would estimate some 85% of what I smoke is current production as it is hard to get a feel and make a recommendation for what is good unless you smoke what people are actually seeking to purchase. The balance of what I smoke is predminantly cigars with less than 5 years age. Again, I enjoy seeing the progression in marques/vitolas over time.

An interesting question was raised the other day on the forum as to how can one assess tha aging potential of a box?

Well for me the simple answer (I am a simple person afterall ) is that when smoking from a new box I often relate the experience (good bad or indifferent) to previous years with the same cigar.

A point was made yesterday that the H. Upmann Robusto LE needs 5 years. I agree wholeheartedly with that statement as the Upmann Robusto LE reminds me very much of the R&J Escudos LE of 2007. That cigar was closed, dark and dank upon release. Fast forward 5-6 years and to me it is a cracker. Does it have another 5 years in it?....i am not so sure. my experience with the better LE's is that the flavours that i enjoy tend to peak at that 5-8 year mark. hence if a cigar get's to that 95 point mark then i will smoke through the box. More often than not in the past, if I am enjoying the hell out of a cigar and decide to age it longer then it actually regresses from a 95 to a 93 and below. Is it a worse cigar? not really. It just loses those aspects that I enjoy. Another person will find it a better cigar bringing together those smooth, suave aged charactersitics. yes... I am a barbarian

So back to 2013.

Overall it was another good year carrying on really the progression of good years since 2006. I would rate the tobacco quality as good as any year during that period but the construction is certainly improving steadily and is without too much doubt the best in over a decade. Don't get me wrong, there are still too many construction duds, just not as many as years previous.

There were some really disturbing signs in 2013, none more that one of my favourite cigars, the Partagas 898 having gone backwards in a big way. There asn't a great deal of 898 production in 2013 and so I hope it is just an abberation.

However it is probably fairer to judge 2013 production on the staples and particularly Montecristo Number 2 and Montecristo Number 4. In both cases, this is the best year in terms of consistency that I have seen in a decade. if I was given the choice to purchase blind any box of Monte 2 or 4 from 2001-2013 in order to get the best construction/wrapper...... I know that choosing 2013 would give me less chance of landing a dog.

[lovesmallrg]

Really good read.

Thanks

[Skyfall]

I've been pleased with 2013, in regard to the cigars I like to smoke. I would say best for my preferences, since 2010 stock.

[Jeremy Festa]

Nice insight. Cheers.

Sent from my radPhone

[pbibby]

Thanks for the write up! I'm starting to learn quickly that having a good retailer running this forum is allowing me to learn a ton in a short period of time. Thanks for the info.

[stogieluver]

Enjoyed the read, Prez. Sorry I can't really comment due to my lack of long term comparison experience. I can say that I've been very happy with the 2013 stock I've smoked this year. No complaints here.

[Stanislaw]

2013 has been a great year for cigars for me, thanks to your hard work...

[Bartolomeo]

I have found I enjoyed the 2012 crop over the 2013 IMHO, but both years were still better than 10-11

Bart

[kiwicrusaders]

Any thoughts on the PLPLC Mr President?

[anacostiakat]

Really have only smoked some 2013 Edmundos which I thought were pretty good considering.

Going by your post I guess the year has been a push for me. I didnt acquire (not did I smoke) any Partagas 898V's.

But I also didnt purchase any Monte #2's.

Not a big pyramid smoker. But I may have to rectify that.

[fokker4me]

Thanks for the write up. As of late, I have not gotten into a box from 2013 but appreciate the foreshadowing of what's to come. It's great to purchase from someone who puts this much into his customers and business.

[tmac77]

I have found for the most part that the 2013 boxes have been very promising with respect to consistency and quality. I would say that they are the best since 2008 which was, for me, was another banner box code year.

[sw15825]

I have really liked the 2013 boxes I have smoked from. Edmundos, JL2, M2, RASS, But I have tried .more of various 2012 boxes and is a great year imho. So for me, 2012 Is on fire and 13 looks like it could be some of the same. A great time to be a cc smoker!

[ramon_cojones]

2012 and 2013 have been superb, co-sign on above about a good time to be a cigar smoker

[Andrew11]

Smoked many '13 PSD4 and BRC, all great. Very pleased with 2013 production so far.

[srbbones]

Take my advice: Load up on 2013. Great quality. Habanos is continually raising prices.

[Jah]

Better than 2012.

[PuffDaddie]

The monte no.2 from 2013 is a very good cigar.

[UpInSmoak]

My sample size is extremely small. While I have several boxes from 2013 I have only cracked 2 boxes thus far. HUPC and Punch Punch. Both smoked very well. All signs for me point to 2013 being a great year.