HdM Petit Robustos SLB's vs Cardboard Boxes

[dshot]

I wanted to put this out there to the community. Over the course of the last few years I've found that the Cardboard Boxes 5x5 for HdM Petit Robustos have been way better quality. I dunno if it's just me or you guys/gals find the same thing. Where I get that very defined sweet sugarcane/clean tobacco taste from 5x5's plus better construction vs the 25 cabs it's very muted and almost has burnt sugarcane taste plus the construction isn't as good. I estimate I've gone thru about 3 cab's and about 4 5x5 boxes in the last 4 years. Is there something to this where HSA puts better cigars in cardboard or is it just me? If the consensus is the 5x5's are just better quality then I'll stick to keeping those in my stash.

[nKostyan]

Everyone talks about the advantages of SLB, but I have never heard that cardboard has spoiled the taste. At least we can say that for short time storage, cardboard does not affect the taste of cigars.

As for personal experience, I have these cigars in a cardboard pack of ALO MAR 17-extra hot strong black pepper and not a gram of sugarcane

 

[NSXCIGAR]

It's just whatever's smoking better. 

Box codes on the petacas?

[Cigar Salute]

I burned through a cardboard 15 pack of of ALO Nov 16 HDM Petty Robos last year.  Despite some very noticeable color difference between some packs, they were consistently sweet, smooth, and reminded me of some aged Epicure no 2 I had loved.  I frantically ordered a cabinet when I burned the last of them.  I was excited to see that I was sent an August 2016 cabinet by the merchant, but was disappointed at the lack of sweetness compared to the cardboard packs that made me fall in love with the cigar.  Now, I try more to appreciate them for the floral & woody qualities they have.  Hoyos seem random in their flavor profiles at times, but when you get a sweet batch....Hell yes!  I have a handful of Du Maire left from a 2018 cabinet that are basically little flowery pixie sticks at this point.