Stopwatch: Mareva/Petit Corona

[MahDooRow]

Bolivar PC - ULA MAY 15

More bad photos, but another tasty cigar...

My mareva of choice for this stopwatch event was a Bolivar PC from a box that has been smoking very well.  A beautiful wrapper with some nice oil content, excellent construction, and a nice barnyard aroma.  The flavors from start to finish were leather and earth with a bit of pepper and spice.  The smoke was rich and creamy, the draw was just as I like it (easy with slight resistance) and the burn was pretty even throughout.  88/100.

Total smoking time from start to finish was 61 minutes.       

[PigFish]

3 hours ago, soutso said:

Rafael Gonzalez PC - 48 minutes

I smoked this on the way home from work. My treat after a long day. The wrapper was light and smooth And the cigar's construction was excellent. Very consistent from top to bottom. 

You may notice from the pics below that the cigar always had that pencil tip finish once the ash fell. This is always a good sign for me. Incidentally, the ash was quite white.

The first third was all vanilla with that Cuban 'twang' as a background. Lovely. The cigar then evolved into a white pepper type of spice. Always remaining interesting and the 'twang' I described in the first third was still everpresent. 

The final third was less pepper and more savoury spice in flavour. The cigar at all stages was smooth in the retrohale. I hold the H Upmann PC as my no.1 favourite PC and the RGPC a close second. I pray that they keep these going forever. 

Finally I'd like to add that these have been a consistent performer. They need more time acclimatising than most but if you're patient you're rewarded. 

Thanks for reading!

Nice review my friend... RGPC a perennial favorite...!

One thing I think you should have noticed though is that some damn fool put the steering wheel on the wrong side of your car...!

-R

[PigFish]

19 hours ago, zeedubbya said:

I too smoked a Siglo 2 today.  Lit at 2:25 and tossed it below at 3:29 per picture time stamp.  So 1 hour and 4 minutes.  

Was at the local county fair with my 5 year old and my Dad.  There's only one reason I go every year (well my 5 year old too) and it's the Cattle Feeders and Pork Producers.  Hard to decide between smoked pulled pork nachos or smoked Ribeye sandwich.  This year I went with smoked Ribeye.  So good.  They smoke the whole Ribs out back of the building and serve them thinly sliced with juice and onions up front.   If any of you smokers (meat that is) have never done this do it.  It's an incredible sandwich--really.

Oh and the cigar. 

This Siglo 2 was one of the ones I find occasionally which is a full on assault.  It was very strong and full.  Almost seems like this over-powers the flavors.  The sweet citrus, creamy coffee and toasted tobacco is there it's just almost overpowered by the strength of the cigar. I don't know if this is due to too much ligero or whatever in the blend, but it puts the strength right up there front and center.  Was enjoyable enough, but I like these a lot better when they're dialed down a bit.  This is my favorite PC right now and most likely my favorite cigar right now.

Nice amigo... The food I mean! Carny food and a Cuban cigar... Did you try deep friend Robusto?

-R

[planetary]

Cohiba Siglo II (MUO MAY 14) stored at 65F / 66%RH. Paired this morning with a cup of black coffee at 81F / 41% humidity on the front porch accompanied by the quail which reside in the front yard foliage.

Charring light: 10:17am

Draw is perfect - pleasant bit of resistance.  Smoke is thick, and flavors are rich, and what you’d expect from a Siglo II: bit of hay or grass, toasted tobacco, creamy mouthfeel, touch of wood, and an amber honey sweetness.  

Wood, honey took center stage in the second third.  With the creamy character of the cigar, the it’s almost a honey-butter sensation.  The finish of the cigar is sensational, lingering long and delightfully.

The final third saw an emergence of backbone and a bit of pleasant spicy tingle, especially in the retrohale.  Enjoyed increasingly less here as the spice and heat picked up, until I set it down before nubbing it, indicating again how Cohiba Siglos reward the better part of a decade of age.

This is a 92 point cigar right now, with up-side into 2020, I'd guess.

Set down: 11:12am

Duration: 55 minuttes.  

[Projectal]

For my afternoon cigar today, I chose a BPC from our host. It was very humid today, which I think caused some burn issues. Still tasted great though. 

Total smoke time just over one hour, three minutes.

Sorry for the sideways pictures.

[soutso]

5 hours ago, PigFish said:

Nice review my friend... RGPC a perennial favorite...!

One thing I think you should have noticed though is that some damn fool put the steering wheel on the wrong side of your car...!

-R

Thank you Ray. Now for a bit of history. When I was a kid, a young boy in my class went to Europe with his family and when he came back he had to tell the class about his holiday. He mentioned the fact that they drove on right and our teacher explained why. 

I've done a quick google search and alas, I have found something that supports the old teacher's story!

"In the past, almost everybody travelled on the left side of the road because that was the most sensible option for feudal, violent societies. Since most people are right-handed, swordsmen preferred to keep to the left in order to have their right arm nearer to an opponent and their scabbard further from him. Moreover, it reduced the chance of the scabbard (worn on the left) hitting other people.

Furthermore, a right-handed person finds it easier to mount a horse from the left side of the horse, and it would be very difficult to do otherwise if wearing a sword (which would be worn on the left). It is safer to mount and dismount towards the side of the road, rather than in the middle of traffic, so if one mounts on the left, then the horse should be ridden on the left side of the road.

In the late 1700s, however, teamsters in France and the United States began hauling farm products in big wagons pulled by several pairs of horses. These wagons had no driver’s seat; instead the driver sat on the left rear horse, so he could keep his right arm free to lash the team. Since he was sitting on the left, he naturally wanted everybody to pass on the left so he could look down and make sure he kept clear of the oncoming wagon’s wheels. Therefore he kept to the right side of the road."

Thus, my steering wheel is on the right side of the car, so that I can access my sword in the event of a stoush with a fellow motorist. You have to be a tough bastard to drive on Aussie roads. 

[PigFish]

8 minutes ago, soutso said:

Thank you Ray. Now for a bit of history. When I was a kid, a young boy in my class went to Europe with his family and when he came back he had to tell the class about his holiday. He mentioned the fact that they drove on right and our teacher explained why. 

I've done a quick google search and alas, I have found something that supports the old teacher's story!

"In the past, almost everybody travelled on the left side of the road because that was the most sensible option for feudal, violent societies. Since most people are right-handed, swordsmen preferred to keep to the left in order to have their right arm nearer to an opponent and their scabbard further from him. Moreover, it reduced the chance of the scabbard (worn on the left) hitting other people.

Furthermore, a right-handed person finds it easier to mount a horse from the left side of the horse, and it would be very difficult to do otherwise if wearing a sword (which would be worn on the left). It is safer to mount and dismount towards the side of the road, rather than in the middle of traffic, so if one mounts on the left, then the horse should be ridden on the left side of the road.

In the late 1700s, however, teamsters in France and the United States began hauling farm products in big wagons pulled by several pairs of horses. These wagons had no driver’s seat; instead the driver sat on the left rear horse, so he could keep his right arm free to lash the team. Since he was sitting on the left, he naturally wanted everybody to pass on the left so he could look down and make sure he kept clear of the oncoming wagon’s wheels. Therefore he kept to the right side of the road."

Thus, my steering wheel is on the right side of the car, so that I can access my sword in the event of a stoush with a fellow motorist. You have to be a tough bastard to drive on Aussie roads. 

-LOL

Check your urban dictionary mate... Crossing swords today has a whole new meaning...! -LOL

-Ray

[wabashcr]

Bolivar PC ULA JUN 14

Start 5:16 pm


Hot and humid here today. Last BPC from a stellar box. Humidity hurt the burn, but the flavors were spot on. Such a great little cigar.

Finish 6:22 pm


Total smoke time 66 minutes, a tad quicker than usual for a PC, but not outside my expected range.

[soutso]

47 minutes ago, PigFish said:

-LOL

Check your urban dictionary mate... Crossing swords today has a whole new meaning...! -LOL

-Ray

I'm just flattered to have 'it' referred to as a sword!

[Philc2001]

Bravo on the timing and the history lessons. I've been smoking a 2002 Partagas Luistania now for nearly 3 hours while I catch up on some reading. I don't usually pay too much attention to how long it takes, but surprised myself that it has lasted this long without going out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dominattorney]

2003 punch petite corona, forgot the box code. Enjoyed with a cold brew ice coffee and bourbon with sweet cream. Cigar was perfect, all leather and cedar with earth. Kind of a grandpa's closet taste in a good way. Not much evolution through the stick, but final third intensified the earth flavor. 

Started off at 603 and put it down at 714, for a total of one hour, 11 minutes, and 45 seconds. Could have milked it for another 5 minutes, but dinner was calling my name. 

[brybts]

I have been lurking out here for quite a while, but because this is my favorite size out of Cuba I decided this was a good time to come out of the shadows.  I smoked a little H. Upmann Petite Corona - one of my favorite cigars (RIP.  I'll be trying to make the 3 boxes I have last as long as I can.)

Overall I find these to be really enjoyable.  I like them paired with coffee (maybe even more than a Monte 4) or as an afternoon smoke when I have a short break from work.  Today's cigar was pretty quick - just an hour - due to some tunneling at the very end when it went out.  Usually I can stretch it another 15 minutes.

Review below:

Pre-light: color is a nice colorado wrapper; not particularly dark or oily; draw is a little tight for my taste but not bad; flavors are sweet, grassy, some dark fruit

First third: sweetness, toasty tobacco, little bit of twang, graham cracker

Second third: Cinnamon, baking spices, a little bit of pepper flavor but no heat; approaching the halfway point some creamy sweetness comes in which is really my favorite feature of this cigar

Final third: Most of the flavors have faded into the clean tobacco note;  the creamy sweetness is still present as well as some toastiness

Closing thoughts: I really like this cigar.  It and the Mag 46 are probably my top two cigars out of Cuba, although most of my experience the last few years is Non-Cuban.  I am truly sad that this cigar was discontinued this year as I only recently discovered it (in January).

Final smoke time: 1 hour exactly

[planetary]

20 minutes ago, brybts said:

I have been lurking out here for quite a while, but because this is my favorite size out of Cuba I decided this was a good time to come out of the shadows.

Excellent first post.  Welcome!

[mkz]

Punch PCdP OPM MAR 09

Running low on these little gems as well. 

And I have never found any difference between PC and PCdP...

 

1/3 Opens up with a perfect draw. Dry walnuts and pepper in a very tasty combination.

 

2/3 Mild pepper, honey and walnuts. What a combo!

 

3/3 A generous doze of nicotine down the end, but still lots of tasty honey and walnuts. Great finish. As for ageing. These has many good years to give.

 

Smoking time: 50 minutes.

[ChrisMG]

PLPC

EML-MAY-14

First third- Nice toasted tobacco flavours with hints of sweetness

Second third- lots of sweet cream. Not a lot of evolution but no complaints! The sweet cream continued into the final third

Final third -Woody notes with a hint of sweetness.

A little harshness set in but it was still enjoyable to the end.

Really looking forward to seeing how these evolve with some age.

Smoke time: 1 hour 17 minutes

[MahDooRow]

Entry #2: PLPC (TOS FEB 16)

After submitting my smoking time of 61 minutes for the Boli PC I was curious to know how that time would compare with another mareva of a different marca.  I pulled a PLPC from a very nice cab (acquired from our host) and went down to the marina to watch the sunset.  When I first sampled a stick from this cab several months ago I was pretty underwhelmed.  However, based on much feedback posted to the forum about the PLPC, this was to be expected.  Two to five years of age seems to do wonders for the PLPC, so I've been patiently waiting in hopes that these sticks would start to blossom.  The cab is still seven months shy of the two-year mark, but I figured (in the interest of science of course) it was time to check on the PLPC to find out how they've progressed.  

The pre-light draw was very sweet and sugary.  Very nice.  After lighting the foot my first reaction was "WOW! This tastes fabulous."  There was a pronounced (almost honey-like) sweetness against a backdrop of toasted tobacco.  In the 1st third the flavors were not well-defined (and I can't say that I got that classic caramel flavor associated with the PLPC), but what I got was very pleasing.  The strength and body were just shy of medium, the draw was perfect and the burn was even.  The ash was a dark charcoal color.

In the middle third the strength picked up to a firm medium, the sweetness mellowed and the toasted tobacco flavor moved to the fore.  Entering the final third the sweetness increased slightly, but it was fleeting.  Bitterness quickly emerged as the burn line neared the band.  This is where the PLPC really showed it's youth.  I held on for another 1/2 inch or so and allowed the cigar to burn as cool as possible, but it was to no avail.  Bitterness had set in and it was not going to let go so I called it quits.  I'll let this cab continue to rest and will check in again at the two-year mark.

Total smoking time was 62 minutes, one minute longer than the BPC.   

        

 

[losttrailer]

For science ( and only for science ) i smoked a SP Non Plus on Friday and it took me 1 hour, 22 minutes and 19 seconds from the first puff till lay down.

The JL Sel. No. 2 yesterday took me 1 hour, 12 minutes and 50 seconds, but about 1 cm more left.

So i'm with Fugu on this, about the same time as a Robusto.

[Eternity]

RyJ Mille Fleur from a sampler. Really smooth and creamy smoke.

Start time: 8:17 pm

 

End time: 9:25 pm

 

1 hour and 8 minutes

 

[earthson]

This is the last from a 2007 or 08 aged box split I was part of several years ago. I didn't know I had any left and am surprised this little bugger survived in my smoke-now humidor for so long without attracting any attention. Today is the day.

 

 

60% RH and 69 deg showing on hygrometer. Humi is kept pretty danged consistent.

Dry draw all cedar

Lit 1:13p with cedar spill

First puff is creamy cedar turning to familiar PL caramel.

 

I divided this cigar much more than I normally do as each segment was consistent for some time and stuck around long enough to be characterized, before dissolving into the next stage in the cigar's development.  It presented a journey of flavor and aroma development in a series of distinct packets of time.

 

SEGMENTS (approx. 3/4 cm in length each)

1st

Light forest floor and earth, slightly creamy caramel, toast, light toasted tobacco, giving way to a dry, cedary finish

Retrohale is dry and cedary

 

2nd

Creamy caramel explosions, earth, finishes sweet and lasts for an appreciable amount of time, before finally trailing to the familiar dry cedar

Retrohale is sweeter kitchen spices (cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, maybe)

 

3rd

Kitchen spices from retrohale are now in the flavor, finish is sweet, creamy caramel, again. Sweetness is sometimes candy sweet, helped perhaps by the trailings of the caradmom/coriander

Retrohale is musk - all deep, decadent Havana tobacco musk!

 

4th

Earth and pepper! Slap and tickle before fading to sweet, creamy caramel, biscuit and toast. Finish is dynamic, alternating as it fades between dry wood (more non-descript and less cedar) and a sweet, creamy note.

Retrohale is powerful earth and musk.

 

5th

Dry biscuits, moist and sweet caramel and cream, light earth, toast, light wood, fading as a complex unit.

Retrohale is sharp cedar, sweet kitchen spices and musk. Cigar begins to exude the scent of cream.

Mouthfeel is noticeably dry at this point. Despite the "moistness" of the sweet, creamy note, the overall cigar is definitely dry. Ice water appears to be my ideal pairing for these kinds of cigars.

 

6th

Complex wall of flavor: biscuit/wheat toast, creamy caramel, sweetness (almost sugarcane), wood, with a sweet, cedary finish

Retrohale is sweet kitchen spices with a new floral nature.

Nicotine strength is felt in the stomach a bit. I don't smoke many NC these days, so I am used to the strength of Havanas and typically feel it in most cigars I smoke.

At 2:05, I have to remove the band to continue this journey into the benefits of patience (and forgetfulness). I took the time here to meet the "below the band" metric. Personally, I smoke these much shorter, so I only include this time in the interest of the crowd that follows Davidoff's recommendations.  There's just too much good tobacco left to go to waste.

 

7th

Complex, cool flavors of kitchen spice, sweet caramel, hints of cream, candy, sugarcane, earth and all leading to a sweet, creamy finish accented by woodiness and earth.

Retrohale is cream and more savory (less sweet) kitchen spices.

 

8th

Sweet, creamy caramel eclipsed by earth and pepper, fading to a complex finish of kitchen spices (sweet and savory), woodiness, cream and earth.

Retrohale is kitchen spice, pepper, and a cool, complex wall of varying flavors which at one time or another had made an earlier appearance in the cigar.

 

9th

Wet earth and pepper, wood and toast, leading to a sweet, creamy caramel finish accented by some leatheriness.

Retrohale is kitchen spices.

Strength is firmly felt in stomach, body and head. Not too much, but a nice, moderate nicotine buzz - it is a very nice finish to the cigar. I lay it to rest at 2:33.

 

People bandy about "100-point" cigars a bit. I don't see how this cigar could have been any better, unless it had been longer in length. 100 points.

Time to band: 52 minutes

Time to "where I was comfortable": 80 minutes

What's with the "No 1" on this band, instead of the range of ring gauges? If they ever released a Por Larrañaga in, say, the Montecristo No 1 size, I'd need a whole new cooler!

[targa88]

Similar results to the Robusto.

Just because I keep track of this 90 mins- 2 hrs

Typically depending on how firm the construction/draw is.

Best in class (for me):

Upmann PC

PLPC

Bolivar PC

[zeedubbya]

1 hour ago, earthson said:

If they ever released a Por Larrañaga in, say, the Montecristo No 1 size, I'd need a whole new cooler!

Ronnie--they did make this--the PL Lonsdales and if you're able to fill a cooler full of them let me know please (even if it's just a small cooler) ..

[El Presidente]

H. Upmann Petit Corona 

LEP NOV 16

Start Time: 

3:05 pm

Finish Time 

4.17 pm 

Total: 72 minutes. 

 

I have had plenty of Upmann Petit Corona this year and in general they have been full bodied and robust in their youthful enthusiasm. I love them. 

If you could soak a sponge cake with espresso coffee then you would have the profile of the HUPC. 

They will age magnificently and yet an occasional dalliance with them in their youth will put a smile on your face. 

I normally take an hour or just over with a PC and this one was no different. 

Wrapper and construction was superb. 

[earthson]

2 hours ago, zeedubbya said:

Ronnie--they did make this--the PL Lonsdales and if you're able to fill a cooler full of them let me know please (even if it's just a small cooler) ..

Have never seen one. Would love to have HSA start some sort of "retro" program where they attempt to bring classic sticks of the past to life. PL Magnum? Upmann Lonsdales or Naturales? Ramon Allones Palmitas? Shush, that would be amazing!

[SignalJoe]

Bolivar Tubo #2 

ULA JUN 15

1st third

Medium full in strength, wonderfully complex.  Notes of brown coffee, leather, wood and spice.  

2nd third  

Medium in strength, predominantly brown coffee and leather notes.  

Final third

Medium in strength with leather and coffee.   

Overall

This cigar started off with great complexity and strength and then decreased in both flavor and strength as it was smoked.  Almost like the reverse of most cigars and a little disappointing.  

88 points  

Start time: 2334

Stop time: 0035

Total time: 1hr 1 min 

 

[Guest Nekhyludov]

Monte 4. Previously reviewed:

Total smoking time: 75:44.22

Score: 18.8th percentile