2020 Regular Production Marevas Side-by-Side Review Comparison

[JohnS]

There's something about the size of a quality marevas which I just adore (notably the 42 ring gauge, which I love but I do adore the Coronas Grandes and Lonsdales sizes just a tad more!) so I've spent the last couple of weeks smoking some after I acquired a tin of Romeo y Julieta Club Kings and Partagas Capitols with the purpose of reviewing these sticks and comparing them side-by-side.

For the purpose of these reviews below I will utilise the standard 100 point grading, with the image below, courtesy of Cuban Cigar Website, serving as a guide in reference to other grading systems.

Incidentally, this is my 8888th post so I wanted to acknowledge some dear friends who would appreciate the significance of the number eight, namely @Fuzz and @jay8354 (By the way, what do you think about this thread being posted on the 9th of the 9th?). There is a delicious irony in the fact that when the forum was upgraded a few years ago I lost exactly eight posts. But hey, who's counting? After all, how many first-class centuries did Jack Hobbs hit? (Was it 197 or 199?) or RBIs did Babe Ruth hit? (Was it 2213 or 2214?).

[JohnS]

1. Por Larrañaga Petit Coronas LGR Oct 2019

The Por Larranaga Petit Coronas is noted for having 'bite' or 'mongrel' when young and dominant caramel flavour when aged (as in five to eight years). I've had three cigars from this box code and all have been excellent to outstanding.

At this stage, at under 12 months rested, this PLPC was mainly wood, honey and toast. There was some hints of caramel and in the first third a spicy note like ginger or molasses which dissipated completed past the middle point of the cigar.

So overall there wasn't too much 'bite' to this cigar but its progressing fine and I'm confident it will develop more caramel notes into the future. On a 100-point scale this Por Larranaga Petit Coronas was 90 points (i.e. excellent to outstanding).

2. Montecristo No.4 UEB Ago 2018

The Montecristo No.4 is the highest-selling marevas Habanos cigar in the world. As a result of this they can be inconsistent in their construction and/or flavours but when they are 'on' they can deliver satisfaction like no other Habanos cigar.

This Montecristo No.4 box code has been consistently excellent. Montecristo is known for coffee, cream, cocoa, nut and cream flavours but this box has really shone in its delivery of a wondrous citrus twang, which I simply adore. Make no mistake, this is the Montecristo No.4 at its best.

On a 100-point scale this Montecristo No.4 was 92 points (i.e. outstanding).

3. Sancho Panza Non Plus RUM Abr 2018

The Sancho Panza Non Plus was discontinued in 2019. It was never a big seller in the Habanos catalogue. I speculate the main reason for this is because of the generic flavours the SP Non Plus is known for in its youth. In other words, it needs a really long time to develop its potential, unlike other premium marevas cigars.

So far these Non Plus cigars from my RUM Abr 2018 box have been better than the Non Plus cigars from my SRO Feb 2018 box. Admittedly I've only had three from each box but that's enough to suggest that both boxes have some way to go to smoke like my SP Non Plus cigars from my ABR Sep 2011 box.

This RUM Abr 2018 SP Non Plus had mainly generic toasted tobacco, hints of wood and salt and some floral notes on the edges. It was a solid cigar, but after some time down these can really develop in its floral notes and texture (i.e. it can become creamy).

On a 100-point scale this Sancho Panza Non Plus was 85 points (i.e. very good to excellent).

4. Cohiba Siglo II MUO May 2014

It's often said that to get Cohiba to shine you need a good 5 years. Well, today's Siglo II was a testament to how true that adage is! What made this cigar exemplary today was the lemongrass and citrus combined flavours over a quality cedar core. There were hints of honey on the edges and the beginnings of a creamy texture that wasn't anywhere near as evident in this box code in the past.

Construction was perfect. The solid grey ash, consistent dime-shaped cigar rings and burn line were spot-on.

After smoking and nubbing this Siglo II I had to admit that it was one of the very best examples of this vitola I've ever had, a true joy to savour! On a 100-point scale this Cohiba Siglo II was 95 points (i.e. classic).

5. Rafael González Petit Coronas UTE Oct 2015

The Rafael Gonzalez Petit Coronas is commonly viewed as an under-rated cigar. Enthusiasts laud it, casual cigar hobbyists and tourists outright ignore it.

At just under five years of age, I especially loved the combination of cocoa, earthiness and baking spice in this cigar, together with a floral mildness throughout. The ash was volcanic white and flaky but this did not detract from the flavours or burn. At this point of its development the RGPC still has legs to develop and change, but I really adored this today as it stood. What a gorgeous cigar this is, I only wish I had this more often!

On a 100-point scale this Rafael Gonzalez Petit Coronas was 90 points (i.e. excellent to outstanding).

6. Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo du Prince SOM Jun 2016

This Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo du Prince might not be a Marevas cigar (technically it's an Almuerzos), but at 40 ring gauge x 130 mm or 5⅛ inches in length it's near enough to qualify for a comparison review in this series, in my opinion. It's hard to believe that it's been nearly three-and-a-half years since this FoH forum favourite was discontinued!

At just over four years of age I still feel that this has some time yet to age. Today's HdM Le Hoyo du Prince had hints of creaminess and vanilla, but mainly it dominated in cedar, forest floor/mushroom-type flavours and spice. In regards to that spice, this was possibly the most spiciest du Prince I've yet sampled, which did surprise me a little, but it did make the cigar interesting for me.

The ash was a little flaky and the cigar needed a couple of re-lights but flavourwise, this was top-notch. I can only see the rest of my box getting better with some more time down.

On a 100-point scale this Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo du Prince was 88 points (i.e. excellent).

7. H. Upmann Petit Coronas LUB May 2014

In comparison to my last few H.Upmann Petit Coronas, this HUPC from this box is now starting to exhibit some early signs of that leather and creamy texture that this cigar is renowned for with long-term aging. The core cedar flavour was there, as was the sweet licorice, light espresso coffee and some white pepper on the edges.

Construction was sound, as was the burn. This cigar was a nice way to end the work day, it really 'hit the spot', so-to-speak.

On a 100-point scale this H.Upmann Petit Coronas was 91 points (i.e. outstanding).

8. Partagás Capitols TUA Abr 2020

There's something sentimental and nostalgic about a new addition to the Habanos regular production cigar catalogue in 2020 when that cigar is a petit coronas vitola and its marca is Partagas. Unlike the Romeo y Julieta marca, with its numerous petit coronas-sized cigars, the only other 42 ring gauge x 129 mm (or 5⅛ inches) in length cigar in the Partagas marca is the Mille Fleur and that's a lower-tiered quality cigar. The question therefore remains; is the Partagas Capitols a premium-quality marevas addition to regular production or not?

One thing I do know prior to lighting up this cigar today is that the original Partagas Capitols was the same length but slightly smaller in ring gauge; a 40 rg Petit Cetros which was also machine-made. So, at least the re-introduced, rebooted Capitols is a handmade cigar!

The image above doesn't accurately reflect the colorado rosado shade wrapper, which I find quite ideal in a Partagas cigar. That made me brood with anticipation that these were produced with a little more care on account of the quality wrappers to the cigars in my tin. How did it taste? In summary, it was quite solid; a dependable addition to the Partagas marca which was faithful to the Partagas DNA core flavours. These consisted of a pleasant sourdough, spice, wood and a little coffee. In comparison to the Partagas Shorts, it lacked that quality leather that you can get in those cigars, but it was a step-up from the generic Partagas Mille Fleur.

The only detraction from this retro-themed cigar is the packaging. Like the Partagas Serie D No.6, with its square-shaped 20-count wooden box, this 50-count, 10 5-pack tinned offering means that the price of these Partagas Capitols is more than the standard marevas cigars which come in conventional dress boxes. This will probably mean that the Partagas Capitols (and by implication the Romeo y Julieta Club Kings) will not sell as well as it possibly can. This would be a shame as I feel that experienced enthusiasts owe it to themselves to sample this cigar; after all, it is a brand new marevas!

On a 100-point scale this Partagas Capitols was 87 to 88 points (i.e. excellent).

9. Romeo y Julieta Club Kings RAT Dic 2019

The Romeo y Julieta Club Kings was discontinued originally in the mid-1980s. It actually came in a two formats; the handmade marevas and machine-made petit coronas although only the marevas was offered in a 5-pack tin. (The machine-made petit coronas Club Kings came in a cardboard pack.) This release was actually announced in 2015 but production was delayed, probably due to the packaging.

The cold draw did not give off a refined barnyard aroma like typical Cuban cigars. Instead it was a little grassy, almost like the Nudies custom FoH series, which utilises Nicaraguan tobacco. This 'grassiness' translated into a vegetal flavour upon smoking, but this cigar did have a cherry fruit, RyJ Rosewater and toasted tobacco core element to it which made it quite flavoursome.

In regards to construction the draw was slightly loose because the rolling method used was not the standard entubado method; rather, it looked like the accordion method was used. It was easy to tell this from the way the ash burned and fell. I could understand why the cigar was rolled this way; the accordion method allows torcedors to roll more per day and I wouldn't be surprised to surmise that this release was rushed to market after the aforementioned significant delays.

Overall, the main difference between this Club Kings and a quality Romeo y Julieta Churchill or Wide Churchill would be that the element of cocoa was missing, but the cigar was quite flavoursome and it was a step-up from a RyJ Mille Fleur.

On a 100-point scale this Romeo y Julieta Club Kings was 85 points (i.e. very good to excellent).

10. Bolívar Petit Coronas ETP Mar 2017

The Bolivar Petit Coronas is the one marevas cigar I've had the least of in the last few years as Bolivar is not a marca I normally gravitate to (due to its dominant Earthiness profile), with the exception being the superlative and brilliant Bolivar Belicosos Finos of recent times.

I 'cracked open' this box to address my lack of attention to this reputable and consistent cigar and was glad I had done so after smoking it. At three-and-a-half years of age this still had that Earthiness which I struggled with but it didn't negate the cocoa, wood, leather and dried fruits. Paradoxically speaking, I knew that this was a quality-flavoured cigar despite that one flavour so I persevered and enjoyed it nonetheless.

Using a similar analogy, I normally pair my cigars with milder caramel or cocoa-flavoured coffees but today I drank strong, bold espressos with this cigar. The coffee was good, but not as desirable as my standard 'go-to' choices. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the coffee as I felt the stronger profile complimented this Bolivar Petit Coronas perfectly today.

On a 100-point scale this Bolivar Petit Coronas was 92 points (i.e. outstanding).

[Rhinoww]

John one of my favorite reviews of my favorite vitolas. Thanks you for the side by side. This review should be mandatory reading for new CC smokers. 

[Doctorossi]

Nice stuff, John! Really nice to see the new Capitols and Club Kings in there, too, though it's a little unfair to pit them against their peers with 5-6 years on them.

[rcarlson]

Outstanding post.  

[JoeyGunz]

Great Post @JohnS think I might dig out a PLPC from a box split a few years ago that I've not touched yet. 

[Raskol]

Great stuff... Thanks! John. Would be looking out for the new RYJ Club Kings & Partagas Capitols..

 

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[joeypots]

Well done, John. Great useful reviews.?

[Fugu]

Well done, John, and great to see the Boli coming in second place on par with Monte, given the Cohiba and Monte 'fanatic' that you are. 

[zigarrenziggy]

Awesome stuff, John. I always love it when you put out content, as I always learn something new.

[Fuzz]

[JohnS]

7 hours ago, Fugu said:

Well done, John, and great to see the Boli coming in second place on par with Monte, given the Cohiba and Monte 'fanatic' that you are. 

Haha...yes, so true. One has to always challenge their biases! ?

[Duxnutz]

Wait, what? The SP non plus was discontinued!?!? One of my regular old faithfuls. Damn, and out of stock everywhere. 

 

[La_Tigre]

Very nicely done!! I’m really liking the RG I’ve had and wishing we had stocked up on the island instead of burning up a five pack as walking smokes. 
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