Por Larranaga Petit Corona RAT FEB20 (SNOWRW)*

[TobaccoRoad]

Smoke Now or Wait? Definitely a dilemma, especially when you are relatively new CC smoker and don't have a lot of aged boxes ready to smoke. I received this box about 6 weeks back and had intended to wait until spring before trying one. But the smoke now or wait review contest gave me a great excuse to try one now. 

This cigar had a light wrapper, very veiny and a very tight pack. The cap was a little crooked and it had a small bit of damage to the foot so it was the obvious sacrificial smoke for this contest. I went with a straight cut and it produced a tight but workable draw. The cold draw was subtle. Just tobacco and a touch of hay.

1st third: The first few draws were a little spicier than expected with a little pepper on the retrohale but it settled quickly into a muddled sweet tobacco flavor. Nothing real distinctive but tasty nonetheless.

2nd third: The flavors still remain sort of muddled. Sweet and nutty flavor especially on the retro. But no hint of the famous caramel that I've heard so much about. The draw remains firm and the smoke output is on the light side. 

Final third: The flavors are still the same and good but nothing really stands out. A slight almost bitter leather on the tongue. The draw loosens up and the smoke output increases. Even with the lack of change or transition in the flavors. I'm enjoying every puff. 

Construction: Even with the slightly tight draw this was an eminently smokeable cigar. Perfect burn line, long tight ashes, absolutely no touch-ups. I could only hope that every cigar I smoke from this box burns as well. I could've hoped for a little more smoke output but that's really being hyper critical. This was a well constructed cigar.

Conclusion: Smoke now or wait? The answer- Yes. Smoke on occasion and continue to enjoy them as they mature. While hopefully having enough willpower to have some left to age into the "caramel sticks" of legend. Good thing they come in cabs of 50. I might have a shot at it.

[PuroDan]

Nice review

[chris12381]

Nice job.

I've always felt "smoke now or wait" internal debate is made much easier with 50 cabs.

[TobaccoRoad]

9 hours ago, chris12381 said:

Nice job.

I've always felt "smoke now or wait" internal debate is made much easier with 50 cabs.

I think the debate would be much easier to resolve with another cab sitting beside this one. Hopefully I can make that happen sometime soon.

[Rhinoww]

Nice review and welcome to some real madness. 

[SCgarman]

In my experience so far with this cigar the "caramel" flavor is a fallacy. I have a 2017 cab, and there has been NO evolution of flavors. Just straight forward toasted tobacco and very one dimensional. I am not impressed and this will be likely my last purchase of these cigars. There are just too many other Marevas for the same coin that yield superior flavors. 

[bigkev]

17 hours ago, chris12381 said:

Nice job.

I've always felt "smoke now or wait" internal debate is made much easier with 50 cabs.

Agree and have a cab on the way I purchased on here. Look forward to trying them and see how they compare to my favorite; Part Shorts.

[Cairo]

1 hour ago, NYgarman said:

I have a 2017 cab, and there has been NO evolution of flavors.

Please save this post, and see what you think in a couple of years.  ?

[WalterG]

My 18 cab is getting a little bit better but I think they need another 2 years. About 4 years ago I had one gifted to me by a friend (unknown box code) and it was the sweetest cigar I've ever had. So smooth and creamy. It was as if I was smoking caramel. I hope to achieve this with my cab in a few years! 

[Bijan]

2 hours ago, NYgarman said:

In my experience so far with this cigar the "caramel" flavor is a fallacy. I have a 2017 cab, and there has been NO evolution of flavors. Just straight forward toasted tobacco and very one dimensional. I am not impressed and this will be likely my last purchase of these cigars. There are just too many other Marevas for the same coin that yield superior flavors. 

I have some 2008 singles I managed to acquire and a 2018 cab, and I agree. Definite differences in the aged ones, but not much in the way of caramel. Not in the same way as RG Perlas are sweet, or PLMC has caramel.

[PuroDan]

5 hours ago, Cairo said:

Please save this post, and see what you think in a couple of years.  ?

Imo it takes a bit more than 5 years to really get the pure caramel experience. More like 7

[Sandman]

20 hours ago, Bijan said:

I have some 2008 singles I managed to acquire and a 2018 cab, and I agree. Definite differences in the aged ones, but not much in the way of caramel. Not in the same way as RG Perlas are sweet, or PLMC has caramel.

I agree with both of you. I was hoping to hear a glowing review of fresh 20 PLPC, and actually just asked the question of how they are smoking on a different forum. I love PL cigars, but for the most part, I dislike PLPC. So many other cigars out there that are ready to go. The PLPC is never ready to go fresh, at least not in my experience. It takes forever to age, and even then there’s no guarantee. To me this is a cigar that is way overhyped. 

[SCgarman]

16 hours ago, PuroDan said:

Imo it takes a bit more than 5 years to really get the pure caramel experience. More like 7

That is simply too long for a cigar to become "enjoyable", IMO. Heck, I will be 55 this year, perhaps I will be dead before the caramel arrives, LOL. In my opinion there are simply too many other petit coronas that are very enjoyable WAY before the 7 year mark at a similar price point. I hypothesize that the PLPC is likely made with lower grade leaf as compare to others such as Monte4, RGPC, Upmann PC and others. 

[Bijan]

I think people like the ugly duckling story

And they come in 50 cabs.

And they're just a bit cheaper per cigar than BPC, Monte 4 and RGPC (assuming you get a fair price).

While the price of aged ones has skyrocketed (just look at Bond Roberts), this is probably one of the CCs that has least appreciated in terms of retail price in the past 20 years. Other cigars are more and more ready to smoke young these days, and these are not, and even when aging them, as others have said, there are no guarantees...

[JohnS]

2 hours ago, Sandman said:

I agree with both of you. I was hoping to hear a glowing review of fresh 20 PLPC, and actually just asked the question of how they are smoking on a different forum. I love PL cigars, but for the most part, I dislike PLPC. So many other cigars out there that are ready to go. The PLPC is never ready to go fresh, at least not in my experience. It takes forever to age, and even then there’s no guarantee. To me this is a cigar that is way overhyped. 

How about some reviews of late-19 glowing PLPC? Granted, they're not all rich in caramel, but they are mostly 'glowing', on the whole.

[PuroDan]

2 hours ago, NYgarman said:

That is simply too long for a cigar to become "enjoyable", IMO. Heck, I will be 55 this year, perhaps I will be dead before the caramel arrives, LOL. In my opinion there are simply too many other petit coronas that are very enjoyable WAY before the 7 year mark at a similar price point. I hypothesize that the PLPC is likely made with lower grade leaf as compare to others such as Monte4, RGPC, Upmann PC and others. 

Lol !totally agree with that. Like the BPC. I do enjoy a well aged PLPC and sometimes the caramel never comes to be. A good PLPC is worth the wait imo though as a change up in the rotation

[djrey]

I’m definitely one of the few that looks for cigars that take years to develop. I will generally avoid cigars that are good to go now. I have no problem waiting for something to properly develop.  

[Zaxeiler]

It’s funny, some replies here saying these take too long to develop. But we had a thread not too long ago that Cuba was only producing cigars that smoked well young, and that people missed vitolas that would age well. 
 

Seems we want it both ways ?

[Cairo]

5 hours ago, NYgarman said:

I will be 55 this year, perhaps I will be dead before the caramel arrives,

I am a _lot_ older than you, and I plan to age some boxes a long time.     When you get to be my age, you need at least one hobby that makes you demand a tomorrow.     

I have tasted the "caramel" on one humble four year old PL Panatela, and it totally blew me away--totally worth the wait imho.

 

 

[Sandman]

5 hours ago, NYgarman said:

I hypothesize that the PLPC is likely made with lower grade leaf as compare to others such as Monte4, RGPC, Upmann PC and others. 

Wouldn’t surprise me one bit to find that this is a fact. 

5 hours ago, Bijan said:

 

And they come in 50 cabs.

 

I believe this plays a large roll in its popularity. 
 

Bottom line is as always, smoke what you like.