2019 vs 2020 quality

[Bri Fi]

Anyone have an opinion of the 2020 batch coming through? I’m more willing to buy a box of something from 2019 than I am from 2017/18 because of the quality. I don’t have anything from 2020 yet. Anyone know how these are now that we are halfway through the year? Better/worse/same? 

[NSXCIGAR]

Only seeing Jan & Feb 20 coming through at the moment but it seems that what little has been smoked is least as good or better than 19.

We should also start to see more seco from the 17 harvest and some ligero should start to trickle in from the 17 harvest late in 20 so I would expect there to be no reduction in quality for the next several years since it's been all rainbows and lollipops harvests 17-20. One of the best runs of harvests in anyone's lifetime. 2020-2025 has a chance to be a real golden period. 

[Bri Fi]

Thanks @NSXCIGAR  I trying to figure out if 2020 is worth buying or if I should stick to 2019. I haven’t heard any complaints just a curiosity...

[El Presidente]

No difference from what I am seeing and I am seeing 2020 as late as ABR currently. 

[Tstew75]

19s have been absolute fire...some of the prettiest wrappers I've ever seen. I hope it continues well into 20/21.

[NSXCIGAR]

15 hours ago, Tstew75 said:

19s have been absolute fire...some of the prettiest wrappers I've ever seen. I hope it continues well into 20/21.

You must be getting all the good ones. The wrappers on the 19 PLPC, Connie 1 and La Fuerza I keep getting are rough as hell but man, they smoke great. Especially the La Fuerza. Seems the uglier the wrapper the better they smoke. 

Better to have ugly cigars smoke great than vice versa.

[rcarlson]

5 hours ago, NSXCIGAR said:

You must be getting all the good ones. The wrappers on the 19 PLPC, Connie 1 and La Fuerza I keep getting are rough as hell but man, they smoke great. Especially the La Fuerza. Seems the uglier the wrapper the better they smoke. 

Better to have ugly cigars smoke great than vice versa.

Ha.  Same here.  My ugliest have smoked the best.   

 

 

[garbandz]

yesterday I received the first box from '20,  Hoyo Coronations from January.

These will not see daylight for several years.

the box code is RAT ENE 20

you code collectors need to keep watch for December boxes.............

[djrey]

7 hours ago, NSXCIGAR said:

You must be getting all the good ones. The wrappers on the 19 PLPC, Connie 1 and La Fuerza I keep getting are rough as hell but man, they smoke great. Especially the La Fuerza. Seems the uglier the wrapper the better they smoke. 

Better to have ugly cigars smoke great than vice versa.

Very similar experiences with the PLPC. Out of curiosity are yours pretty mild for the first half? They are lovely cigars but don’t seem to have much flavor until the last half. 

[Tstew75]

12 hours ago, NSXCIGAR said:

You must be getting all the good ones. The wrappers on the 19 PLPC, Connie 1 and La Fuerza I keep getting are rough as hell but man, they smoke great. Especially the La Fuerza. Seems the uglier the wrapper the better they smoke. 

Better to have ugly cigars smoke great than vice versa.

With PLPC, stick with LGR codes. Every 19 box i've opened (12-ish?) has been magnificent...def PLs home factory.  Connie 1s dont seem to get the best Upmann wrappers in my experience, but i havent seen any 19s to compare to the relatively nice looking 17/18s. Connie 1s seem to sell slower, an older codes tend to ship- My most recent blind buy came in as BRE AGO 17.

Other examples from 19 that have been gorgeous: MSU D5s, P2s. All UAO Cohibas. MSU BBFs. Most QDO 50s. MSU RAS. LGR Epi 2s

 

4 hours ago, djrey said:

Very similar experiences with the PLPC. Out of curiosity are yours pretty mild for the first half? They are lovely cigars but don’t seem to have much flavor until the last half. 

These need age badly. Very much like Cohiba, they don't really shine until about year 4. I do sometimes smoke them young, but age really straightens them out.

[djrey]

3 minutes ago, Tstew75 said:

These need age badly. Very much like Cohiba, they don't really shine until about year 4. I do sometimes smoke them young, but age really straightens them out.

Good to know. This is my first cab of PLPC (another on the way) and was expecting some mongrel in it. Excited to have them with some age. 

[Silverstix]

The bulk of my stock is 17/18.....guess I'll just throw them out 

[inter4alia]

8 minutes ago, Silverstix said:

The bulk of my stock is 17/18.....guess I'll just throw them out 

I have exactly the same problem. I keep reading about how 19 and 20 are some of the best sticks in several years. Guess I stocked up a year too early. 

[Bri Fi]

I started my stock with 17/18/19 as well. I have to say 19 stands out as a much better vintage. I do have some quality 18 boxes but almost exclusive to MSU being the saving grace of 18. My 17 boxes are meh.
 

As to wrapper quality producing a better or worse smoke... 99% of us would choose a box with better looking wrappers but I have found flavor is not dictated by the wrapper quality. Contrary to popular belief, which I think CA put Out an article a while back attributing 60% cigar flavor to the wrapper. Don’t quote me on this I just remember reading something along those lines. Any takers on this position? Or if better looking wrappers indicate better rolled cigars? 

[djrey]

10 minutes ago, Bri Fi said:

As to wrapper quality producing a better or worse smoke... 99% of us would choose a box with better looking wrappers but I have found flavor is not dictated by the wrapper quality. Contrary to popular belief, which I think CA put Out an article a while back attributing 60% cigar flavor to the wrapper. Don’t quote me on this I just remember reading something along those lines. Any takers on this position? Or if better looking wrappers indicate better rolled cigars? 

I’m still pretty lost to the effect of the wrapper myself. Even after reading back though many many posts on FOH and elsewhere. The consensus leads me to believe dark and oily win and that’s what PSP (generally) gets you. However I have seen many people say they like lighter wrappers with brand ABC and darker with XYZ. 
 

Personally I have had good cigars with light and dark. But the dark seems to be richer generally. I think so much of it comes down to individual tastes which is why we’ll never have a definitive opinion. 
 

As for ugly stick I have little experience. I stocked up heavily in 2013-2014. I just now got back into it for 2019. I can’t say I’ve smoked an ugly stick except my 19 PLPC which are more just average. 

[Silverstix]

2 hours ago, inter4alia said:

I have exactly the same problem. I keep reading about how 19 and 20 are some of the best sticks in several years. Guess I stocked up a year too early. 

Nahhh, we're good.  So far I've been very happy with the sampling I've done 

[SCgarman]

13 hours ago, NSXCIGAR said:

You must be getting all the good ones. The wrappers on the 19 PLPC, Connie 1 and La Fuerza I keep getting are rough as hell but man, they smoke great. Especially the La Fuerza. Seems the uglier the wrapper the better they smoke. 

Better to have ugly cigars smoke great than vice versa.

Just received a box of Connie #1 BRE OCT19 from Switzerland and they look and smell absolutely beautiful. They had UK warning stickers on the top and bottom of the box. Peeled them ugly things off first thing. 

[LLC]

9 hours ago, Silverstix said:

The bulk of my stock is 17/18.....guess I'll just throw them out 

Better to burn them

 

8 hours ago, inter4alia said:

I have exactly the same problem. I keep reading about how 19 and 20 are some of the best sticks in several years. Guess I stocked up a year too early. 

I’ve had and have some excellent boxes from 16,17 and 18.


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[NSXCIGAR]

On 7/30/2020 at 12:20 PM, NYgarman said:

Just received a box of Connie #1 BRE OCT19 from Switzerland and they look and smell absolutely beautiful. They had UK warning stickers on the top and bottom of the box. Peeled them ugly things off first thing. 

Yeah, beats mine. 19 Connie 1, PLPC and La Fuerza: all dog ugly and smoking great. 

[Hammer Smokin']

that connie 1.

 

wow.

[NSXCIGAR]

42 minutes ago, Hammer Smokin' said:

that connie 1.

 

wow.

Excellent construction I might add. Whole box 92-94 pointers.

And they were clearance from Rob. Good thing I could care less about what a cigar looks like.

[havanaclub]

These need age badly. Very much like Cohiba, they don't really shine until about year 4. I do sometimes smoke them young, but age really straightens them out.

Wait... you have 12 50 cabs of 2019 plpc? Well done sir.


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[Tstew75]

10 hours ago, havanaclub said:

Wait... you have 12 50 cabs of 2019 plpc? Well done sir.


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Yea they've on sale alot in that $230 range, and LGR 19 has been fire. This is one of those cigars everyone always wishes they had bought (& aged) more of...