Siglo VI El Laguito (2nds from JO) SSR

[jmg]

This is a Siglo VI 2nds from Johnny O that I received in May of this year. There's a lot of discussion on whether these are actual 2nds from the EL factory or not and I honestly dont know. I'm pretty sure, more experienced people can answer that question. Let me also preface this review with the fact that I've never smoke a "regular" Sig VI.

 

The cigar is well constructed with no soft spots. Wrapper has a slight sheen to it and no visible deformities. I give it a vcut and cold draw is lightly sweet hay. Draw is just right for me.

 

1st third immediately hits me with that sweet hay i got on the cold draw. A burst of citrus, kind of like when u squeeze a lemon peel comes into play along with honey and milk coffee. the cigar is very smooth. the burn is wavy but not anything that needs a touch up.

 

2md third brings in a milk chocolate that matches the milk coffee. the cigar is rich but not bold. the milk chocolate and coffee intertwine and i get that burst of citrus every 5 draws or so.

 

last third, the burn line has corrected itself. the honey is gone, as well as the citrus. im left with the milk coffee that has turned creamier and the chocolate which has become more similar to cacao.

 

overall a smooth and rich cigar. as stated above, ive never smoked a "regular" Sig VI however, ive smoked smoked "regular" COROs and BHK 52s as well as "2nds" of the same and the flavor characteristics are similar enough in the 2nds to justify me buying them. i would be hard pressed to enjoy "regular" Sig VIs but if these are anything close to them, they definitely are special smokes for me.

 

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[nKostyan]

I have never heard that any factory of Cuban cigars released 2nds... or gave torcedors instead of a salary.... But the fact that the photo and tasting-a very good cigar. I do not believe the Cubans, they are very cunning to sell fake or homemade cigars , but I smoked a similar custom rolled Siglo VI allegedly from the factory Partagas

[Lotusguy]

“Seconds”

[Nino]

1 hour ago, nKostyan said:

I have never heard that any factory of Cuban cigars released 2nds... or gave torcedors instead of a salary....
 

^^^^^^

Exactly this. Thanks.

[mk05]

Franzia should start putting their wine into brown boxes and sell via DBA company as "first growth seconds." 

[Nino]

1 hour ago, mk05 said:

Franzia should start putting their wine into brown boxes and sell via DBA company as "first growth seconds." 

Aw, come on @mk05, as I am sure @Ken Gargett will confirm there are zillions of bottles of Petrus, Romanee-Conti, Lafitte, Margaux, etc, etc, plus other Premier "Second" Grand Crus that have been sold as "seconds" with no label and inside a brown bag, directly from the cellars of the Chateau .... ?

I am sure there is a cousin that has an uncle that has a brother that works at the Chateau ....

[Ken Gargett]

2 hours ago, nino said:

Aw, come on @mk05, as I am sure @Ken Gargett will confirm there are zillions of bottles of Petrus, Romanee-Conti, Lafitte, Margaux, etc, etc, plus other Premier "Second" Grand Crus that have been sold as "seconds" with no label and inside a brown bag, directly from the cellars of the Chateau .... ?

I am sure there is a cousin that has an uncle that has a brother that works at the Chateau ....

nino, there are a great many fakes out there undoubtedly, though i've never heard of anyone claiming that they pinched them as seconds from the estate or got them from a relative. 

 

[mbflash80]

Ive never seen these cigars described as seconds...at least not that I can recall.

[zeedubbya]

Nice review.  

I think people not directly involved in this particular custom roll game have created this idea of “seconds”.  The older (and presumably more experienced) I get the less I really care about where they come from.  If it’s a good cigar who cares if it was rolled in India or Indiana.  I suppose if I was posting pics of my unsmoked collection on Instagram I might care about telling someone else a “story,” but to me the provenance is in the smoke.  

EDIT: posted at exact same time as @mbflash80 haha..

[El Presidente]

There are no "first release" VI's. 

There sure as hell aint no "seconds". 

 

ditto for "Behike Seconds"

[mbflash80]

I will say i smoked an EL esplendido from John yesterday...would be as enjoyable as any banded esplendido ive ever smoked...just a great smoke...as stated above who cares what it "really" is...

[El Presidente]

13 minutes ago, crking3 said:

I say who cares as long as it’s a good smoke call it whatever you want !


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Bullshit. 

You don't trade off the marque. 

If a cigar stands on its own, let it stand on its own. 

[LGC]

Bullshit. 
You don't trade off the marque. 
If a cigar stands on its own, let it stand on its own. 

Exactly. You should be raving about it if smoked blindly

[El Presidente]

Billy Blogs or Larry Loco custom cuban robusto/El Diablo, El mango.....I couldn't care less. Good luck to them. 

However it is a very big step to saying something is an El Laguito product, seconds or otherwise. 

 There are a host of operators who have done it over the years (from the US/Canada/Cuba/EU).   "Behike seconds" and the like is straight up misleading if not fraud. 

Good cigars? sure. Behike? no. 

Stop calling them as such. If the cigars are good, they will stand on their own two feet. 

 

 

 

[mk05]

I have learned over the years that it is easier to say less. My older friends have advised me that some times, it is better to be wise than be right. So I have stayed away for several years. But I return and see that it hasn't changed - actually has gotten worse. People listen to charlatans - and believe whatever narratives - as long as the stories befit their ideals, or support their already flawed understandings of the landscape.

At this point, it is easier to put your head down and shrug your shoulders, "smoke what you like, like what you smoke." Instead, I challenge people to be more curious, and learn about cigar culture and history. Because in reality, cigar community (and all these secondary transactions or whatnot) is not about cigars at all - it is about the people.

[kuma]

 In SpainiIIIIIIIII     In Spain 2011 bought my first box of Behike 52's.  Back then a box of 10 were about 250.00 dollars.

They were a sight to behold.  Even better they tasted so smooth and creamy.  To this day the only cigar

that ever came close was a Siglo 6.  Not sure about seconds in the Behike case but why call / make seconds

when theere is so much to lose.  Why take the chance.

[Lotusguy]

Bullshit. 
You don't trade off the marque. 
If a cigar stands on its own, let it stand on its own. 

THANK YOU for saying it so clearly.

I couldn’t agree more.

[mbflash80]

2 hours ago, mk05 said:

I have learned over the years that it is easier to say less. My older friends have advised me that some times, it is better to be wise than be right. So I have stayed away for several years. But I return and see that it hasn't changed - actually has gotten worse. People listen to charlatans - and believe whatever narratives - as long as the stories befit their ideals, or support their already flawed understandings of the landscape.

At this point, it is easier to put your head down and shrug your shoulders, "smoke what you like, like what you smoke." Instead, I challenge people to be more curious, and learn about cigar culture and history. Because in reality, cigar community (and all these secondary transactions or whatnot) is not about cigars at all - it is about the people.

Why? Its a cigar pal...you aint curing cancer by becoming one with the leaf...the cigars are awesome...i am extremely satisfied with them...i dont need some holier than thou BS deep understanding to know that the beer is cold the metal is blaring..and the johnny o ELs are great cigars...but hey i never pretended to want much more than that anyway.

[Ken Gargett]

i'd just like to say woo hoo. a sunday fight and i have not been suspended. progress is a wonderful thing. 

[Hookmaker]

All the above discussion and opinions set aside, - a question to someone who knows a bit and is just not guessing:

What DOES actually happen to El L.. or other factories cigars that do not pass the mark at inspection/QC? - It can't just be the odd cigar, it must be a certain percentage. Are they smoked on site by the torcedores or...?

[Corylax18]

17 minutes ago, Hookmaker said:

All the above discussion and opinions set aside, - a question to someone who knows a bit and is just not guessing:

What DOES actually happen to El L.. or other factories cigars that do not pass the mark at inspection/QC? - It can't just be the odd cigar, it must be a certain percentage. Are they smoked on site by the torcedores or...?

Or......... they box and ship them all as firsts. Youve seen some of the boxes Rob pulls right? Pale, thin wrappers, under filled, no bands, etc. Is that what these customs look like? Even the mighty EL is still in Cuba, reasources arent exactly easy to come by.  

Calling any custom an “EL Second” is deceptive, at best. Doubly so when, as Rob mentioned, there havent been any siglo VI or Behike FIRSTs in a year or more. 

Im sure cigars make their way out the back door of factories. And some torcedores certainly sell their 5 cigar daily allotment rather than smoke them. But turning those trickles into a sustainable cigar export business is alot easier said than done, ask HSA. 

[El Presidente]

44 minutes ago, Ken Gargett said:

i'd just like to say woo hoo. a sunday fight and i have not been suspended. progress is a wonderful thing. 

Sunday hasn't finished yet. 

[Ken Gargett]

6 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

Sunday hasn't finished yet. 

no need for that. 

[El Presidente]

1 hour ago, Corylax18 said:

Im sure cigars make their way out the back door of factories. And some torcedores certainly sell their 5 cigar daily allotment rather than smoke them. But turning those trickles into a sustainable cigar export business is alot easier said than done, ask HSA. 

To be clear, 

You can't wander in to El Laguito or anywhere else and purchase seconds.Seconds slip through the normal channels or are re-rolled. 

If one is purchasing cigars from the factory on a commercial scale then it is called "Theft". 

There is a long line of factory personnel who understandably have taken the bait and have been jailed and or sacked. 

If one is taking custom cigars and calling them El Laguito cigars then it is called "Fraud". 

So the way I see it, things like Behike Seconds are clearly "theft or fraud"  Given there have been no Behikes being rolled, you can take a guess which one it is. 

 

 

 

 

 

[mbflash80]

Prez I completely respect your position...and it surely does make sense...but lets also be clear...us Americans who are purchasing these have already COMMITTED to bending the law through years of buying great to poor quality CCs against the rules. Im not about to get a guilt trip now...apologies in advance.