Top 10 Disappointments of 2016

[El Presidente]

Picking my top cigars of the year is fun. Picking my disappointing cigars of the year is a work of pain 

Let me define disappointing.

• Primarily where quality was consistently average to poor.
• Where a cigar has gone backwards in late 2015 into 2016 production in comparison to 14/early 15. 
• Where I inadvertently wince as I move to the mastercase and say the prayer "please God....this time"

Caveat: I find good to great cigars in all marca and vitola throughout the year. The ones below consistently made me raise my eyebrows ....and often it was shipment after shipment of finding a needle in a haystack covered in crap. 

Let's start from Number 10. 

10      Por Larranaga Petit Corona 

          I love this cigar. It is only on this list because quality in 2016 was obviously down compared to 15 and 14 which were great years for

          PLPC. I found plenty of brilliant ones and even an average cab of PLPC is a good cigar. Certainly one of the cigars I would like to see 

          revert to previous years quality. The recent TOS 16's was a great start. 

 

9       Montecristo Edmundo        

         You wonder if they are sometimes just going through the motions with the Edmundo. It is shared around factories like a bottle of rum at 

          a dinner party. I was lucky to find some hot shipments but overall it was a disappointing year with inconsistent construction and plenty 

         of shoddy wrappers. 

 

8        El Rey Del Mundo Choix Supreme    

          We saw hardly any after the first quarter of this year. I suspect they simply gave up and saved the yellow wrappers for domestic 

          Peso cigars. I really only saw a half dozen mastercases in 2016 and of those one was a cracker and the other five are seared into 

          my brain ala a Freddy krueger nightmare.  One of the brilliant cigars when done well. I hope they hold back production until they 

          can actually do it some justice. 

 

 7        Partagas Shorts

          Generally a good cigar but quality was off in 16 compared to 15/14.  Suffered much the same fate as the PLPC and like the PLPC

          an average short is still a good to very good smoke. They need to pick up their game here as in the Shorts they have a benchmark

          minuto. Don't screw with it. 

 

6        Trinidad Coloniales        

           It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out that if you are going to put out a premium cigar with a premium price tag 

           then a little bit of love and attention goes a long way.  The recent SLE codes have been very good in particular and I have 

           found some excellent stock throughout the year. But for the Love of God it is hard work.  I would say that all the other Trini's

           have significantly improved in 2016. They missed the memo on the Coloniales. 

 

5        Partagas Salomones         

          Master rollers my arse.  Underfilled, underweight and pure wind tunnels for way too many of them. I pick the good boxes by assessing 

          the wrapper and then just holding a cigar at a time in the palm of my hand. Some feel like a feather and the follow up pinch test

          sees my index finger and thumb bumping uglies. 

          I have a 50% failure rate in my boxes of Partagas Salomones. Mind you I can't tolerate a wind tunnel. If you see them in 24:24 then 

          jump on them as you have just picked a four leaf clover. 

 

4.       Romeo y Julieta Exhibicion Number 4      

          I love this cigar so much. I know it like the curves of a lover.  it was crap for most of the 2000's and then for close to a year from 2nd 

          quarter 13 it was one of the finest cigars coming out of Cuba. The rosado wrappers were sublime. The flavours so delicate yet 

          complex.  late 2015/2016 hasn't been kind. It is one of the first mastercases I look at simply because I will keep a box for myself. 

          The good news is that Sept/OCT shipments produced some nice PSP/HQ. That doesn't hide the fact that it has been a tough year. 

 

3       Partagas Serie P Number 2

         What in hell are they doing with the P2. there is no consistency to the mastercases. 1-3 boxes of PSP/HQ and then we are into a half 

        

dozen PE and then the crap. I would estimate they would have double the fail rate as the Monte 2  and they produce 1000 times more 

         of those. I just don't get it. I get a headache just going through them. 

 

2.      Romeo y Julieta Short Churchill   

       If the Partagas P2 gives me a headache, then looking through a mastercase of R&J Short Churchill puts me in the foetal position.

         I think I have put up 20 boxes this year in 24:24.  Pitiful.  Long gone are the Rosado wrappers of previous years. 

       Now we have scratchy paperbark rubbish in the main. They need to get back to pre 2014 levels on these. 2015 was a bad year for 

       them, 2016 was annus horribilis

 

1.    Hoyo De Monterrey Hermoso Number 4 Anejado      

      Some of you guys actually enjoy this cigar and God bless you for it. I can only go by my tastes/experiences. 

      This is one cigar where I have copped a fair bit of flack over given the video review and general commentary.  I have even been referred

      to as "uncouth" and "ill informed". Badges of honour I assure you!

      To my mind what we have is snake oil at its finest.  

      "Oh but it is delicate with notes of almond and cream".  

      I don't light an $18 USD cigar for "delicate notes of almond and cream" of which in reality you would need to send a search party to find 

      ...and then you will have as much luck trying to find MA flight 370. 

      "almonds and cream?".....pay half as much, get a box of young Hoyo De Monterrey Epicure Especial and have your palate assaulted with

      almonds, cream, stonefruit and cake. 

      Pure Snake Oil. 

      

       

 

 

 

[Blazer]

Excellent review, thanks for the candid comments!

[Porch Smoker]

Thanks for the write up. Agree with@Blazer, we appreciate hearing the cigars to avoid as much as the cigars to go after. Thanks for taking the time to write this up.


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[BarryNY]

This is good info.  I've bought a number of boxes here and just a few blind elsewhere - most that I've never tried before.

Luckily - none are on this list.  

I will say though that a PLPC I received in a FOH sampler was not impressive at all....

[BuzzArd]

I actually have all but the ERDM and Hoyo in my collection, and Prez, I appreciate your efforts in sifting through the crap for me and sending me the good stuff so I don't have to buy blind. 

Thank you, Sir. 

[BMWBen]

I always enjoy these posts considering just how much stock you see throughout the year, thanks Prez!

[jazzboypro]

The only box i bought from this list is the Partagas Salomones and i bought it from our host a few months ago. I have not smoked one yet but i am pretty sure they will be just fine.

[gr8eman]

7 hours ago, El Presidente said:

  I have even been referred to as "uncouth" and "ill informed".

 

Would I be breaking forum etiquette if I labeled your accusers "anus horriblus"?

[Puros Y Vino]

Haven't smoked too much recent stock in the past year.  This is what disappointed me though.

Montecristo Anejado Churchill. Great vitola to add to the marca, poorly executed.  I've only smoked one. It was a bit acrid and the aroma coming off of it was not pleasant.  Very gun shy about trying another. The price point doesn't help either.

The La Escepcion Don Jose.  Don't get me wrong, IMO it is a great smoke, not as epic as the SF but when originally announced, IIRC, it was supposed to be a Churchill.  I would have preferred that. 

In general, the list of upcoming releases from Habanos.  Too short / too fat.  Not much under 50RG. 

[Morgan]

My worst box of the year was the Cuaba Distinguidos. Actually I cannot state if they were disappointing because I never had them before so I thought I'd try them and I did and won't try them again.

[PigFish]

As most of you know, I am not really a current cigar smoker. However I did buy cigars this year, moving out of hiatus status.

From what I can see, in the cigars that I have purchased, almost all 42 ring or less, the rate of soft and undefiled, under weight cigars has crossed all brand boundaries and I cannot say that I have one box purchased this year where all the cigars were firm. Every boxl had weight variations that I considered unacceptable.

You simply cannot build a consistent cigar where such 'inconsistencies' exist. Consistency begins and ends at the rolling table, and if you cannot even get the formula ratio and aggregate component weight to a correct proportion and weight (within reasonable limits), you don't have a recipe, you have random built cigars, constructed to whim not plan, and there will never be consistency.

MHO! -Piggy

[stevem]

Biggest disappointment of the year was the sight unseen box of Monte #2 I purchased, fortunately it was only a 10 count box but given there are actually 10 I will nominate them all as a combined failed effort.

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[clutch5150]

The ones you nailed right on the head I have smoking experience is the HDM #4's..Are they REALLY aged with this tag they put on it? Out of ALL the other branded Anejado's, this and the Monte Anejado have left me with the same "snake oil" feeling!  Where's the aged cream I get out of all the other Anejado's I've smoked?? 

As for 8 more, I do not have the smoking experience of many here, but including the 2 above, here's a few more.

2013 and 2016 Siglo VI.  Just too many damn tightly rolled sticks out of the 2 cabinets I had. For those prices a huge disappointment for me.

Behike 56 a huge disappointment with the 2013 and recent releases. 2010 was ok, but so many other brands I've smoked have beat the 56 down. The present (outside of Cuba) pricing for a box of 10 sticks is nearing the Partagas Grand Reserva and the Siglo VI GR's (15 sticks) and both these smokes (especially the Parta GR IMHO) beat down the 56 all day long, but this smoke beat down much of everything I have smoked.  This does NOT apply to the 52 and 54's, especially the 52 which is exceptional IMHO, but the Parta GR is still king for me. 

I will also add the R&J Belicocos, have a ALO OCT 15 and not sure what all the hype was with these. Been a bit harsh and dry since the day I got them. Never been a fan at all.

[NSXCIGAR]

I've not smoked all the cigars on this list, but of the ones I have I'm in agreement for the most part.

RyJ Ex 4 had a small window of greatness that wasn't present in the 15 and 16 examples. I have also noticed the drop off in 15 and 16 Party Shorts and PLPC.  

Edmundos have never been good for me and for the life of me I cannot figure out why the Petit Edmundos seem to always be better than the Edmundos. Only HSA...

As far as the Anejados, I am definitely not disappointed. This is because I never had any expectations from the start. These things had snake oil written on them from before release IMO. I was highly skeptical the moment I was aware of their existence and I see that my concerns were well justified.

[Mycroft]

Rob,  When did you see the PLPCs drop off? The TOS nov 15s I have seem to be hitting the mark ok. Start a bit, slow then absolutely explode with flavor.   Beautiful looking cigars also. 

[El Presidente]

12 minutes ago, Mycroft said:

Rob,  When did you see the PLPCs drop off? The TOS nov 15s I have seem to be hitting the mark ok. Start a bit, slow then absolutely explode with flavor.   Beautiful looking cigars also. 

TOS has been a cut above in the PLPC. 

third quarter 15 to second half 16 has been patchy for PLPC. Still plenty of good cigars but down on previous years in terms of quality. 

[golfgar]

Thanks for the thread and input, for me the biggest disappointment was a 2016 HU Connie #1, granted I picked what looked like the worst cigar on the top, nasty mottled dry wrapper and not much flavor of any kind, a hint of anything pleasant would have been nice.  Leaving the rest for much later and after some years of prayer perhaps there will be some decent smokes in the rest of the box. 

[JohnInCleveland]

Not to be a kiss ass, but I haven't had any disappointments in 2016, I leave that to the Pres and I let him sift through the crap and I go after what's left.  Hasn't failed me yet.

[Notsocleaver]

Disappointments this year have been with good cigars that just aren't my cup of tea even when they are on. Excellent boxes of Dip #2s and RyJ Churchils that I can understand why people love, but I just cant get excited about personally.

[Bohn007]

7 hours ago, PigFish said:

You simply cannot build a consistent cigar where such 'inconsistencies' exist. Consistency begins and ends at the rolling table, and if you cannot even get the formula ratio and aggregate component weight to a correct proportion and weight (within reasonable limits), you don't have a recipe, you have random built cigars, constructed to whim not plan, and there will never be consistency.

Thus the reason for Habanos pushing to make larger ring gauge cigars. The do not require the same skill to make the smaller rg cigars, IMHO

[Duffer]

Other than a RyJ Piramide Anejedos I smoked early this year, the only cigar I've found to truly miss the mark is the Monte Edmundo.  I've had a few and they never really brought any flavor.

[El Presidente]

8 hours ago, PigFish said:

 

You simply cannot build a consistent cigar where such 'inconsistencies' exist. Consistency begins and ends at the rolling table, and if you cannot even get the formula ratio and aggregate component weight to a correct proportion and weight (within reasonable limits), you don't have a recipe, you have random built cigars, constructed to whim not plan, and there will never be consistency.

 

An yet they do. Magnum 56 and Bolivar Corona Gigante are cases in point.  In 2016, they neared if not quit matched the highest levels of  NC construction and blend consistency (Padron/) (except they had flavour complexity). 

Such an immense gulf between their best and their worst (talkng consistency) comes down to the passion, inspiration, leadership abilities of the Factory management team.   Some just don't give a rats and it shows. Others do and it shows. 

[kuma]

Rob thanks for shedding light on the various reasons why certain marcas have nose dived and others have raised above

the fray since 2013 / 2014.

Some of my fav.'s like the RyJ Ex. #4 and the RyJ Short Churchill were not offered by you since around

the begining of 2015 and now I know why.  I kept waiting for these at the PSP level to pop up but

now i see why they have not.  I guess we can only wait for Habanos to get it right again.

I sure do miss the 2013 / 2014 quality that seemed to define Cuban cigers at thier best but am very

happy that because of your effort I could smoke such fine smokes.  Still have some from

above mentioned yrs but they are slowly running out.  Also one thought,  could some of this

quality issue be that americans are starting to flood Cuba in droves and the cigar market

is not able to keep up coupled with some bad growning seasons (floods) in Cuba?

Cao

 

[dangolf18]

Telling it like it is....much respect.

[El Presidente]

1 hour ago, kuma said:

  Also one thought,  could some of this

quality issue be that americans are starting to flood Cuba in droves and the cigar market

is not able to keep up coupled with some bad growning seasons (floods) in Cuba?

Cao

 

Quality this year is overall only slightly below 2015 and 2014. My opinion only. 

The drop off has nothing to do with the increased demand from US travellers or burgeoning online and expanding market demand (Asia/eastern Europe etal). 

The back to back poor growing seasons have had a significant effect in volume of production (ie cohiba) and to date a marginal/minimal effect on quality. 

They deserve some Kudos here. If they tried to maintain quantity/volume across their top end and specialty lines I think we would be seeing a significant drop in quality. 

So in many ways the test of their management is now through 2017/18 as the tobacco supply stress comes to bear. 

We mentioned that TOS PLPc were excellent as were many EML (same factory). SOM is a winner as well but the top factories of the year is another discussion. 

Cigars such as the D4 had an excellent year. HDM Epi 2 some of the best seen. JLS2, most DC's and there are plenty of others. 

My gut feel is that there have been plenty of internal factory management changes throughout 15/16 and that has had as much impact as anything else.