Ramon Allones Allones Specially Selected - ASR JUN 17 (VVRW#1)

[saltbox]

Rested at 62RH for about 5.5 months, 3 years 8 months box age. This box was a 24:24 aged HQ purchase from last year as I was eager for any opportunities to get a jump start on aging.

First third: Opens with a mix of cream and cedar with some light sweetness on the finish. I was hoping some of that cedar had would've faded with age, as so far this is smoking quite similarly to a TUA FEB 20 box I have. Some of that characteristic plum and pear tartness joins the mix, and the creaminess takes on more of a creamy almond note.

Middle third: The cedar fades back a bit into more of a hay, and the middle third is a pretty linear mix of creamy almond, hay, and that plum-y note.

Last third: The sweetness had faded back a bit, but a touch of caramel sweetness reappears on the finish. Over the course of the third, that sweetness intensifies and the cigar takes on a really intense rich vanilla creaminess.

Overall: The last third was the best third by far, and that portion of the cigar was my first experience with Ramon Allones that showed what the marca can be with some age/rest allowing the cedar to fade and not mute the other flavors. 90/100

[Glass Half Full]

Thanks for the great review!  I agree entirely, though my aged RASS experiences are with a box from 2015.  (I've had much younger ones, which are very good too, but the complexity is so much better with the added years.)  The only problem I've ever had with a RASS is that you wish the whole smoke lasted just a little longer  

[saltbox]

3 hours ago, Glass Half Full said:

Thanks for the great review!  I agree entirely, though my aged RASS experiences are with a box from 2015.  (I've had much younger ones, which are very good too, but the complexity is so much better with the added years.)  The only problem I've ever had with a RASS is that you wish the whole smoke lasted just a little longer  

I've got a box of OER NOV 19 Gigantes that I'm excited about but haven't dipped into yet for that exact reason!