JohnS' Smoking Diary 2022


JohnS

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 339
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Posts

I would like to thank those of you who have in turn thanked me for my previous blogs the past three years and have encouraged me to continue with a new chapter in this series in 2022. A number of you

Cohiba Talismán 2017 - Edición Limitada UAO Ago 2017 Do you remember the hype surrounding the release of the Cohiba Talisman 2017 Limited Edition? It was launched in London in October 2017, it so

San Cristóbal de la Habana El Príncipe (circa 2009) I'd like to thank @NSXCIGAR for making this cigar available for me to smoke via trade. After all, a 2009 San Cristobal de la Habana El Principe

On 5/29/2022 at 4:52 PM, JohnS said:

La Gloria Cubana Medaille d'Or No.4 ETP Ene 2016

The predominance of larger ring gauge Habanos cigars since Habanos S.A. sold a 50% share of its business to Franco-Spanish tobacco company, Altadis in 2000 has meant that the appreciation for long-and-skinny cigars, such as the La Gloria Cubana Medaille d'Or No.4, amongst cigar enthusiasts can either sway towards sentimental idealism or over-rated insipidness. So, fast forward twenty years and the Petit Corona and Robusto have been replaced by the Petit Robusto as the quintessential Habanos cigar and every new release cigar is 50 ring gauge or over.

Is there an art to appreciating a 32 or 33 ring gauge cigar? I believe there is. A slim panetela invariably demands your attention when smoking it due to its thin ring gauge and its propensity to overheat and smoke 'bitter' if it's drawn upon too quickly.

The La Gloria Cubana marca has been whittled to one vitola, the Medaille d'Or No.4 and this cigar had been in hiatus since the first quarter of 2018. The La Gloria Cubana Medaille d'Or No.4 has only just recently come back into production last year in 2021, with box codes indicative of late 2020. Unfortunately, it seems that the recent update to pricing by Habanos S.A has seen stock once again diminish. What caused the hiatus since 2018 anyway? In one word, in my view, 500000 sticks of La Gloria Cubana Serie D No.5s in the much-admired (from Habanos S.A's point-of-view) Petit Robusto format certainly contributed to the leaf that would normally go into a La Gloria Cubana Medaille d'Or No.4 been diverted to production for the Spanish Regional Edition La Gloria Cubana Serie D No.5.

This hiatus of La Gloria Cubana product is again temporary as Habanos S.A has announced last year that the La Gloria Cubana Medaille d'Or No.4 will be joined in regular production by the LCDH Glorias, a 49 ring gauge x 156 mm (or 6⅛ inches) in length Flechas and Turquinos, a 50 ring gauge x 141 mm (or 5½ inches) in length Gordito. Unsurprisingly though, Habanos S.A has not managed to release these latter two additions to market quite yet but if you follow these new releases than this should come as no surprise.

The LGC Medaille d'Or No.4 is a cigar enthusiast favourite I believe for two reasons; firstly, it's one of the last truly 'long-and-skinnies' (i.e. a cigar that is less than 35 ring gauge and at around six inches in length or longer) and secondly, it has a complexity of flavours unique to its brand.

In terms of this array of contrasting flavours, these can range from savoury to sweet to spicy. This LGC No.4 began with some fruit and lemon-type citrus (which I quite like) and was soon joined by some wood, almond nut and herbal notes from the end of the first third onwards. It was simply sensational as these are the type of flavours I look for in a LGC No.4 when I smoke one.

I have to admit, in general, that I am biased towards being effusive in praise about this cigar. However, when these smoke like this one today, the accolades are most certainly justified.

As a big fan of LGC MdO4, I really like the herbal and fruity flavor profile of that beautiful long skinny CC 😃! I wish LGC MdO4 box will pop in future 2424 sales more frequently as Monte 1 boxes 😄.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
1 hour ago, JohnS said:

In my mind, when the last third start to develop more creaminess and the flavours have melded from beginning to end, then that's the time when the Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo des Dieux has peaked. We may be a few more years away in the case of the batch of the last run of the HdM Le Hoyo des Dieux from 2013/14.

It's funny I can't help but wonder just how many DD's have been smoked long before they were anywhere near ready,  Last 14 I smoked was like death by woodshed, with a big nic hit to boot,   I agree with you totally John, although enjoyable now,  the last batch still have another 3-5 yrs to go. 

I have 2 boxes + 2 loose sticks left.  Will likely smoke them all or give to friends, as strangely the auction sold prices for DD's is nowhere near there actually worth.....The last BR box up for sale went for $530 ......seems like an absolute snip compared to where other prices are at. 

Great review as always

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, 99call said:

I have 2 boxes + 2 loose sticks left.  Will likely smoke them all or give to friends, as strangely the auction sold prices for DD's is nowhere near there actually worth.....The last BR box up for sale went for $530 ......seems like an absolute snip compared to where other prices are at. 

It's changing a bit now that prices are up across the board. But in general a lot of discontinued cigars are undervalued at auction (relatively, they're still expensive), because they've been gone 5+ years and the new folks bidding don't know about them. Some small exceptions like BCG, and the LGC Md0 (because even the #4 that is left is unobtanium), but otherwise there's a bump up in the price of discontinued cigars right after discontinuation and then they sort of fall off.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Bijan said:

It's changing a bit now that prices are up across the board. But in general a lot of discontinued cigars are undervalued at auction (relatively, they're still expensive), because they've been gone 5+ years and the new folks bidding don't know about them. Some small exceptions like BCG, and the LGC Md0 (because even the #4 that is left is unobtanium), but otherwise there's a bump up in the price of discontinued cigars right after discontinuation and then they sort of fall off.

Agree,  and would expect that 'fall off' from other forums,  however the majority of FOH members either know personally the quality of DD's or have been exposed to the specific FOH hype on these cigars.    I'm not saying they should be hugely over where they are, but if I have to value them personally, in the current market, I would say around the $800 - $850 mark. 

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

58 minutes ago, 99call said:

Agree,  and would expect that 'fall off' from other forums,  however the majority of FOH members either know personally the quality of DD's or have been exposed to the specific FOH hype on these cigars.

I think there are a fair bit of non-FOH die-hards bidding on BR. Certainly not a lot of us with the coin for the $10k+ boxes at least...

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1038193944_2022-06-0514_23_59.jpg.023630e7238a66be44f1f93f8fbb81ee.jpg
Ramón Allones La Palmera 2016 - Edición Regional Emiratos Arabes Unidos SOM Dic 2016
The Ramon Allones La Palmera is a 2016 U.A.E Regional Edition which was released to market in early 2018. According to Cuban Cigar Website, this cigar made first use of a new regional band for the United Arab Emirates with the text Emiratos Arabes. Previous releases wore a band with E.A.U.
With a 54 ring gauge x 164mm length (or 6½ inches)  the RA La Palmera is a Sublimes vitola, the same size as the 2004 Cohiba Sublimes and 2008 Montecristo Sublimes Limited Editions and LCDH Bolivar Libertador. It comes packaged in a 10-count semi boite nature box.
This cigar has become somewhat of a 'guilty pleasure' for as I have quite enjoyed every one I've had, even if their construction has been inconsistent. They've tended to be more a touch under mild-medium to mild, so nothing like a youthful Ramon Allones Specially Selected in strength or body, more like an aged Ramon Allones Superiores. I've mentioned in previous reviews that I've tended to find the flavours are unique to this marca, something similar to the 2017 Montesco-sized Asia Pacifico Regional Edition Silver Jubilee. Again, there was no cocoa here whatsoever but it did have a delightful combination of baked bread, walnut and apple and pear citrus. The wood notes have dissipated as this cigar has aged and it has built a more definable citrus note as it's got older, in my opinion.
This was a long cigar to smoke, around two hours and twenty minutes. Again the ash was flaky but this time it only occurred in the second half of the cigar. In the first half, the ash held together really well.
So, in summary, I wouldn't call this a complex cigar but its simple concoction of flavours resonated well with my palate. I have one more in my humidor which I intend to smoke soon!

From my first box, I’ve had four. Two were great and two only ok because of slight under filling. Hopefully the balance of this box and the others are not under filled because when there not, they really are very good.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

Community Software by Invision Power Services, Inc.