Ramon Allones Club Allones EL EML JUN 15 SSR

[earthson]

Why is this special?  Well, after much experimentation, I'm fairly confident that these will be my last EL purchase.  For me, the novelty and quality have never aligned with the price.  While I have not been blessed to have the Cohiba DC or original Upmann Mag 50, I have tried at least one of most other EL that have been released since 2009 to disasterous results.  Poor burn, ugly wrappers and a flavor profile approaching a mid-shelf Nicaraguan are not what I'm looking for when I'm lighting up a Havana.

I bought a box of these upon release and slowly went through the first 5.  Each one was harsh, underfilled and generally without character.  Again, if I smoked it unbanded, I would have assumed it was a Don Nobody from Nicaragua bought off of an auction site touting its Cubanesque character.  After having a promising Club Allones in the last month, I began to have a little hope that I wouldn't totally regret my purchase, but decided to see whether they would ever blossom into the rich smokes a lot of people praised them to be.  So how did this cigar stack up?

1st puffs: Raisin and toast with cream occluded by a dense oak.

1st third: Cedar and pencil shavings (graphite) giving way to oak with raisins and creaminess and sweetness.  The profile attempts to shift to a slightly spiced honey and musty bread I find in RASS, but it all finished with a heavy wall of oak.  If I wanted oaky, I would be smoking a Dominican.  Ash falls every centimeter or so and the filler is burning concave.

2nd third: Tannic oaky finishes continue, but a luxurious and complex sweet spice palette is able to randomly overcome.  Hints of cocoa and chocolate cake appear from time to time and the finish is creamy and sweet.  There is a barnyard note that combines with the others to remind of the Cohiba Maduro line.  As a matter of fact, I've always thought the Cohiba Maduro always had an element of the EL program in them.  Ash continues to fall in one centimeter increments.  Forest floor and the faintest hint of mushroom (wood ear) appears.  Faint cinnamon and baked goods show up; when it conjoins with the cream, it does taste like a holiday pastry.

Final third: The final third begins with a boatload of earth, a very full body and a tingle on the tongue announcing a dose of nicotine.  Cinnamon graham cracker with slight raisin undertones gives way to a minty cool finish - one of the most elusive and alluring notes I enjoy.  Pepper shows up - both black and red - and my old nemesis, The Occluding Oak, defines the finish.  I still haven't gotten to ash this cigar once as it continurs to fall before the centimeter mark.  A toothpick eases the draw and breaks up the knot of tobacco sitting one inch past the head.  Raisins and prunes appear in the mix as does a faint hint of honey that typically is such a large part of my favorite RASS. All creaminess has left the picture.  With less than an inch left, I toss the stick, choosing to halt the growing onslaught of pepper and oak rather than wait for a late-in-the-game revival of the notes I did enjoy.

Pros:
Had enough of the RA profile to not be "Your Average EL"
Would be a good change of pace if I ever got tired of the RASS profile (hasn't happened in 10 years)
Can stand up to a stiff drink (poured some Dickel 9-year Single Barrel to test and can confirm)

Cons:
Price
Oak, oak, oak, miserable, boring oak
Price
Your Average Construction issues (first 5 out of the box were underfilled and burned wonky), which is frustrating given the second band
Price
Appearance
Price

I have 3 left and am curious to see whether they continue to improve into something that makes me regret not buying more, or go the way of the RA Extras, which seemed to be on the verge of greatness, only to slide into an ashy, full-bodied, mild-flavored exercise in boredom.  While unhappy with how these turned out, I do have a morbid curiosity and will continue to check in to see whether the profile turns more towards something I enjoy.
 

[99call]

great honest review, cheers

[Born Habano]

I had to reply to this post because these are to date the only EL I have purchased and my experience was of course almost identical to yours.  Offering a "spoiler alert" here about those last three sticks........don't be disappointed if they are just like the seven before them.  Part of the reason I jumped on them is that the price for an EL was actually not too bad.  Still high enough to warrant a well constructed cigar though and that just didn't happen.  Going from memory now because it's been about 4 or 5 months since I put the last one out of it's misery, your flavor review is more generous than my own.  I remember a very monotone cigar mostly consisting of earth and wood and nothing like the RASS that I had hoped it would emulate.

Have a great week!

 

[prodigy]

I've had a few, and they were extremely good. I have a box I haven't touched yet. I hope they are good and it's just a subjective issue and not a quality issue. Thanks for the honest review!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

[Wailbait]

I really appreciate this review.  This happens to be a cigar that I own a box of and quite like (to be fair I have only tried 2).  It does appear to be fairly divisive. I know some that love them and some that hate them.  Curious to hear others chime in.

[shrink]

Good, honest review, earthson. I bought a box of these, and have only smoked a few. The last one was the only one I felt was worthwhile. That is because aging has smoothed the rough and tannic character of these cigars, and brought just a bit of sweetness to the fore. I think they will continue to improve. If I recall correctly, these were reputed to be a "classic blend", similar to those of decades ago. Perhaps...

[99call]

I really enjoyed the box i smoked through, when i bought them in Geneva, I had to go through about 20 boxes, before I found anything decent.

I think getting that almost plum purple hue to the wrappers is key, but it does look from the images like you have a bit of that. 

[earthson]

6 hours ago, prodigy said:

I've had a few, and they were extremely good. I have a box I haven't touched yet. I hope they are good and it's just a subjective issue and not a quality issue. Thanks for the honest review!

 

More than any other release or family of releases, the enjoyment of an EL is definitely a subjective experience.  Many deride them, but they continue to sell, so there you go.

3 hours ago, shrink said:

Good, honest review, earthson. I bought a box of these, and have only smoked a few. The last one was the only one I felt was worthwhile. That is because aging has smoothed the rough and tannic character of these cigars, and brought just a bit of sweetness to the fore. I think they will continue to improve. If I recall correctly, these were reputed to be a "classic blend", similar to those of decades ago. Perhaps...

OK, I'm very interested in hearing more-experienced members' take on this.  Is the Club Allones a throwback to how Ramon Allones used to taste?  I have not had a RA older than 98 or so.

3 hours ago, 99call said:

I really enjoyed the box i smoked through, when i bought them in Geneva, I had to go through about 20 boxes, before I found anything decent.

I think getting that almost plum purple hue to the wrappers is key, but it does look from the images like you have a bit of that. 

There is a bit of red/purple, yes.  I don't think I've seen it in any other EL I've had.

EDIT: I could hear the ETP JUN 16 RASS calling to me today, "Traitor! Buffoon!" I picked one out and gave it a whirl.  My palate still feels battered a bit from that EL over 24 hrs ago, but I'm one third in and this thing is shining on.  Dry draws of raisin and a creamy toast, leather, sweet spice and very floral honey are assuaging my humors, reminding me that there is wisdom in buying cabs and cabs of what is easily my favorite robusto.  Retrohales of cardamom send me to the zenith of content.  Different strokes for different folks, to be sure.  Crappy picture to juxtapose a perfect cigar!