What's your latest NC purchase?

[ElLoboLoco]

On 10/17/2025 at 5:45 PM, JDoughty said:

I just did a quick search and it seems to be out of stock everywhere. Small Batch has the Apprentice but not the Ambassador. That said, a cigar would have to be absolutely world class to go head to head with the BR 109 #1. Immensely generous, creamy smoke volume to the point that the mouthfeel is almost juicy, huge complexity of flavor, elegant structure. This is the kind of cigar that I would expect to pay a very high premium price to smoke, the experience is truly on par with the greatest Davidoffs and Padrons that I've paid too much for. It's going to be pretty hard to beat IMO. I've been rummaging the top shelves of my local well stocked shops for $50-$60+ sticks in those marcas to smoke in an attempt to give my BR 1 boxes time to rest and age a bit. While they're undeniably good, perfect construction, elegant flavor structures, enjoyable smokes, the BR 1 is a better smoking experience with greater flavor complexity and evolution for 1/3 the price. 

Edit: Aha, found it! LA Aficionados Cigar Collective has the Ambassador. 

JD, that’s a huge statement right there. Huge!

[JDoughty]

Just now, ElLoboLoco said:

JD, that’s a huge statement right there. Huge!

I stand by it. While I am a casual cigar dabbler at best, not any kind of expert, I've been privileged enough to taste some truly amazing examples of the craft over several decades. My palate is serviceable enough to have qualified as a sensory judge for world competition tastings in other arenas. The BR #1 holds its own in terms of flavor evolution, elegant balance and structure, mouthfeel and texture of the smoke and evolution over the length of smoke against any cigar I have tasted, including the old Cuban Davidoffs and Dunhills. I have a rich sensory memory of a few historical cigars that would equal or better it, and every one of them is unobtainable today. I don't think any of the modern Davidoffs are better, though I do think there are some similarities in the elegance and balance of their flavor structure. It's not so much that the flavors themselves are similar, just the delicacy and elegance of how they present in the smoke. Some well aged modern Cubans could definitely go head to head. I haven't been this impressed by any cigar in a very long time though. 

[ElLoboLoco]

On 10/18/2025 at 1:26 AM, JDoughty said:

I stand by it. While I am a casual cigar dabbler at best, not any kind of expert, I've been privileged enough to taste some truly amazing examples of the craft over several decades. My palate is serviceable enough to have qualified as a sensory judge for world competition tastings in other arenas. The BR #1 holds its own in terms of flavor evolution, elegant balance and structure, mouthfeel and texture of the smoke and evolution over the length of smoke against any cigar I have tasted, including the old Cuban Davidoffs and Dunhills. I have a rich sensory memory of a few historical cigars that would equal or better it, and every one of them is unobtainable today. I don't think any of the modern Davidoffs are better, though I do think there are some similarities in the elegance and balance of their flavor structure. It's not so much that the flavors themselves are similar, just the delicacy and elegance of how they present in the smoke. Some well aged modern Cubans could definitely go head to head. I haven't been this impressed by any cigar in a very long time though. 

Do you think the BR have enough legs for longer term aging? They are more subtle leaning and I worry about them becoming too subtle in 3+ years.

Where you at on this?

[El Presidente]

On 10/18/2025 at 1:51 AM, ElLoboLoco said:

Do you think the BR have enough legs for longer term aging? They are more subtle leaning and I worry about them becoming too subtle in 3+ years.

Where you at on this?

We are 3 years into our original batches. 

So far, the Petit 109 and 109 have aged superbly. The Petit 109 the real surprise of the two. 

[ElLoboLoco]

It’s so interesting to see how similarish Honduran tobacco is in some ways to Cuban tobacco. They seem to have the same ability to hold up over time it sounds like. 

I am also hearing, buy a cabinet. 🤣😂

My wife would send Rob a nasty pm.

[JDoughty]

On 10/18/2025 at 1:51 AM, ElLoboLoco said:

Do you think the BR have enough legs for longer term aging? They are more subtle leaning and I worry about them becoming too subtle in 3+ years.

Where you at on this?

The real expert on them has weighed in and knows better than me for sure! That said, I definitely think the #1 has long legs. I am guessing that some of the delightful fresh stone fruit and in your face buttery pastry notes may subside, but a cigar with that much creaminess and delicate balance of flavor structure won't generally lose those things even if the intensity lightens. Older cigars can streamline down in flavor and become elegantly whispering ghosts of past power. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. I don't know how long that might take for this cigar. @El Presidente will know much better than me.

I don't quite understand the Petit 109 yet. I intend to rest mine some more and keep giving them chances because of how amazing the 109 is. 

[ElLoboLoco]

Thanks for your thoughts. 👍🏼

[JDoughty]

56 minutes ago, ElLoboLoco said:

I am also hearing, buy a cabinet. 🤣😂

My wife would send Rob a nasty pm.

That sounds like excellent advice to me. The cabinet purchase I mean, not the nasty pm. 🙃

[ElLoboLoco]

I am sitting about a box of each, I have a hard getting to them because the Trinity Robustos have crack in them. 🤣

[Hoosh]

My experience with the No.1 was less amazing than what’s being discussed. It wasn’t “bad” by any stretch (is having to use my PerfecDraw because of its horrible draw “bad,” or just reminiscent of the Cuban cigars it’s trying to emulate?), but I wasn’t immediately hitting the repurchase button again either. I’m open to what the rest have to offer, but I’m not as hyped as I was at first. 

I will add that out of the package, I’ve not smelled as good a cigar.

[JDoughty]

On 10/18/2025 at 4:01 AM, Hoosh said:

My experience with the No.1 was less amazing than what’s being discussed. It wasn’t “bad” by any stretch (is having to use my PerfecDraw because of its horrible draw “bad,” or just reminiscent of the Cuban cigars it’s trying to emulate?), but I wasn’t immediately hitting the repurchase button again either. I’m open to what the rest have to offer, but I’m not as hyped as I was at first. 

I will add that out of the package, I’ve not smelled as good a cigar.

The first one I smoked was really that incredible. Another I tried was cracked through and unsmokable due to damage in transit, alas. I tried Ciglue but the damage went too deep despite not initially looking that bad. This purchase was promptly replaced when I showed the damage even though it wasn't their fault. Another was, I am guessing, just not quite rested enough since it was good but not transcendentally good like that first one. I am trying to be patient with the boxes I ordered and rest them under perfect conditions so that I have a hope of duplicating that first magnificent experience. They do not smell quite ready to smoke yet, not like that first one, and there is a lot of aroma variance between the fresh boxes. I trust that time will tell on these. 

[Odessa]

On 10/17/2025 at 4:54 PM, El Presidente said:

The Petit 109 the real surprise of the two. 

Hi Rob, could you please elaborate on the statement above? What surprises you in Petit 109 vs 109? Thanks.

[JDoughty]

I am also keenly interested in knowing more about the Bond Roberts cigars, how they age, how they were formulated, what's in the blend, etc. Do tell! Everything you can that isn't a trade secret of course. 😆

[El Presidente]

7 hours ago, Odessa said:

Hi Rob, could you please elaborate on the statement above? What surprises you in Petit 109 vs 109? Thanks.

What surprised us (on the upside) is the level of development in the Petit 109 over a two year period. We make very good cigars to be enjoyed after acclimatisation in your humidor. What we didn't know was the journey/development (complexity) that those cigars would take. 12 months ago I was consistenly asked when in London/Germany/HK/Miami etc, how will the cigars age? I was always honest in saying that "we didn't know". I can confidently say now that they age beautifully to the three year mark. In a year's time, we will know about the 4 year mark. Right now we are very confident and hence the reason we do limited runs of all BR cigars in 50 cabs. 

[Latt22]

BR 109

[Ford2112]

Tatuaje Havana VI Angeles, Oliva Serie V Lancero, and Toscano Originales. 

[Chibearsv]

21 hours ago, Ford2112 said:

Toscano Originales

Have you tried the Originales before? Post up some notes when you get into those. I'm curious how they will compare to the Classico or Antico.

[Ford2112]

@Chibearsv I have not and was curious. Having tried the Classicos and Anticos, I was curious about these. I favor the Classico for that smoky sweet date flavor. Anticos did not make a lasting impression so I never revisited. I will do a review when I smoke one!

[Chibearsv]

18 hours ago, Ford2112 said:

@Chibearsv I have not and was curious. Having tried the Classicos and Anticos , I was curious about these.  I favor the Classico for that smoky sweet date flavor. Anticos did not make a lasting impression so I never revisited . I will do a review when I smoke one!

I'm in full agreement with your assessment on the other 2. Looking forward to the review.

[Hoosh]

Picked up some extras after looking for the AG cigars. Excited to compare with the BR. Also been looking for the Stolen Throne Preakness for a while and we already know what the JDN is all about. 😉

[M777]

On 10/19/2025 at 9:00 PM, El Presidente said:

What surprised us (on the upside) is the level of development in the Petit 109 over a two year period. We make very good cigars to be enjoyed after acclimatisation in your humidor. What we didn't know was the journey/development (complexity) that those cigars would take. 12 months ago I was consistenly asked when in London/Germany/HK/Miami etc, how will the cigars age? I was always honest in saying that "we didn't know". I can confidently say now that they age beautifully to the three year mark. In a year's time, we will know about the 4 year mark. Right now we are very confident and hence the reason we do limited runs of all BR cigars in 50 cabs. 

I’m now very exited to try at the one year mark and beyond, all from the 50 cab run from this past summer! 

[NYGuido]

Just got these two gorgeous boxes in the mail. I'm going to let them sit for 30 days in my tower, unless @El Presidente recommends even longer (I keep my tower at 68F and 62%RH). Gotta say, the smell on these is fantastic and the packaging is both simple and classy. Stoked for sure!

[BG318]

I have been keeping up with the Nudie, MOFOH, and BR releases, mostly opting for a sampler, then going in on a couple of boxes. The only one I don't have in my possession is the Corta Suave, which I will get around to eventually. Today I received my 109's, Lonsdale, and the Sovereign Suns. I'll give them 60 days, so I'll be smoking them around Xmas time. I'm looking forward to it.

[JDoughty]

13 minutes ago, BG318 said:

The only one I don't have in my possession is the Corta Suave, which I will get around to eventually. 

Doooo it. The Corta Suave is a superb little dessert confection. Really good to have in the rotation when you want something to start or end the day with. Chocolate buttercream and cappuccino all the way down, with toasted shortbread, graham cracker, nuts and a light woodsy backbone to hold it together. Delectable. 

[BG318]

11 hours ago, JDoughty said:

Doooo it. The Corta Suave is a superb little dessert confection. Really good to have in the rotation when you want something to start or end the day with. Chocolate buttercream and cappuccino all the way down, with toasted shortbread, graham cracker, nuts and a light woodsy backbone to hold it together. Delectable. 

I'll grab some when the Fenomenos are released. Appreciate the heads up!