The latest cigar to surprise you on the upside?

[El Presidente]

The latest cigar to surprise you on the upside? 

I think we have all been there. When  run our hand over the humidor selection looking for the right cigar and our hand somehow 8 times out of 10 gravitates to the same 2-3 cigars.  

.....there are also those cigars that the hand has passed over for years 

In my home singles humidor (about 300 cigars of every type), the Romeo y Julieta Petit Corona is one of those. I had about 5 singles in there that looked rather pale and sickly. Seconds. That is no doubt why I brought them home all those years ago. My singles humidor looks like a home for infirmed cigars. 

Looking for a PC Friday evening, I noticed that I had run out of the Nudies N4 and Monte 4. My go to's in the PC world currently. I was disappointed but with no expectation reached for the R&J Petit Corona. 

Wow. 93. 

I smoked the rest over the weeekend. All 92 points +. 

Your last cigar to surprise you on the upside?  

[GoodStix]

Recent production Epi 2s.  More flavour than I expected.  Pleasantly surprised.

[99call]

Vegueros Tapados.  Loads of people slag them, but I would genuinely be interested to work out how many of that number have actually tried them?  I bet very few.

Some people say they taste like Cohibas......! What terrible slander!  I will have none of it.

Cool smoke. light caramel mixes with a sweet pea puree, hay, mint slight VR balmyness/lushness.

I'm not saying they are 90+ cigars, but Jesus compared to some of the crap Hoyos, Cohibas, R&J's that get churned out. They do not deserve the shit that get flung in their direction.

Again I dare say a good 80% of their impassioned detractors have never even had one.

[Tunkat92]

I had an ‘18 RyJ Regialas de Londres lying around my singles humidor forever and it really surprised me. Very complex, smooth, and pleasant smoke, everything I wanted out of a small winter cigar.

[99call]

Partagas Aristocrats. Salty, meaty, old school partagas style. Blending at complete odds with the current sweet creamy style of most of the rest of the catalogue.  Like a mini 898

 

 

 

[El Presidente]

2 hours ago, 99call said:

sweet pea puree, hay, mint

You nailed some essential flavour characters of the cigar 

They are however divisive! You either love them or hate them. 

[99call]

18 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

They are however divisive! You either love them or hate them. 

That's the strangest part of it. Stuff like Fonseca's and Vegueros, to me they are so mild mannered and well behaved. Even if someone disliked them I would struggle to imagine them getting too animated about it.

Although that said.... I do bloody hate Latte's and everyone that drinks them. Ha!

[El Presidente]

5 hours ago, 99call said:

That's the strangest part of it. Stuff like Fonseca's and Vegueros, to me they are so mild mannered and well behaved. Even if someone disliked them I would struggle to imagine them getting too animated about it.

I think the difference (my opinion) between Fonsea and Vegueros is that Fonseca doesn't have that vegetal nuance that is pronounced in Vegueros. 

We all have a different set of taste buds. Vegueros (I am generalising) really is front of palate in that vegetal space. It can be (for me) almost overwhelming at times. For others it is perfect/welcome. 

vive la difference!!!!

[Ford2112]

Jose L Piedra Brevas. I was surprised how much I liked them.

[JohnS]

I haven't had a conisistent run of the smaller El Rey del Mundo Demi Tasse and Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo du Maire cigars in the last few years, so it was a pleasant surprise to find the last ERdM Demi Tasse I smoked about a month ago, aged seven years, was full of wonderful lemon citrus, shortbread and fruit flavours, as well as a touch of honey sweetness. Of course, it did help that the cigar was properly rolled! 😉

[joeypots]

Bolivar Tubos #3. Given to me I don’t know how long ago. I didn’t even look at it for years, too small, too skinny. If only all Cuban cigars were that good. 

[MagicalBikeRide]

I tried a SP Non Plus a couple weeks back. Same as other stories, it was buried in a box down the back of my storage. Never had any fond memories of it and it was great. Have smoked 5 or 6 more since and all been super. 

[SCgarman]

2 hours ago, MagicalBikeRide said:

I tried a SP Non Plus a couple weeks back. Same as other stories, it was buried in a box down the back of my storage. Never had any fond memories of it and it was great. Have smoked 5 or 6 more since and all been super. 

Sancho has one of the best aromas out of any cigar. The lingering aroma in my garage after a Non plus or Belicoso is sublime. Unlike any other cigars. On the palate those Non plus sure can be salty when young. They mellow a bit over time. Wish I had about 5 boxes tucked away. 

[MagicalBikeRide]

Yup - sure wish I had more now!

Only have one box of NP, but some Beli stashed away too. Neither pops up in B&M’s here very often and until maybe late last year, this is where I bought the overwhelming portion of my smokes. 

[El Presidente]

10 hours ago, joeypots said:

Bolivar Tubos #3. Given to me I don’t know how long ago. I didn’t even look at it for years, too small, too skinny. If only all Cuban cigars were that good. 

Joe, I had a partial plugged box that I put away for .....it must be a decade. 

Started smoking them earlier this year and went through them in 4 weeks. Brilliant. 

[Glass Half Full]

This evening I thoroughly enjoyed a Monte No. 1 -- truly the best one I've ever had -- BUM Abr 2015 -- thanks to @cigarnv and @yadegari6.  

The first third was as expected but on the highest end of my experiences -- loads of milk chocolate and walnuts.  But it was the 2nd third that was stunning -- so full-on baking spices, creaminess and sight citrus -- frankly, if it weren't for the band and the size I could have mistook it for a 10+ year old fundi ...except for the lingering chocolate notes.  

Really remarkable; that 2nd third was one of the best thirds of any cigar for this year.  Much appreciated. 

[Monteverdi]

H. Upmann Majestic...

A few days ago I smoked the first of a purchase of 5 sticks that I had found somewhere during the last Easter in Greece with box code RSG MAR 22.

It was the best and strongest Majestic I've done full-bodied, intense, full of roasted aromas, (nuts, coffee) with lots of sweets, honeys, leather, etc the aftertaste an hour+ after the smoke was over was still there as a sensation that brought me back to it and the hour of pleasure it gave me, maybe another 6 months might be needed.

PS I regretted not buying the full box

[MagicalBikeRide]

Have noticed the HU Majestics disappear very quickly these days. Above explains why 👌

[LordAnubis]

On 11/27/2023 at 5:50 AM, 99call said:

Vegueros Tapados.  Some people say they taste like Cohibas......! What terrible slander!  I will have none of it.

Cool smoke. light caramel mixes with a sweet pea puree, hay, mint slight VR balmyness/lushness.

I am in the Cohiba bandwagon. I like the vegueros line. Especially with some age to them. I think the hay is more the smell of a garden full of knee high weeds that you get the brush cutter out and hack to death. That gentle mix of freshly cut weeds and that hint of 2 stroke. I like it! 😁

[Dwamon]

Just opened a box of PSP P2 last night from last year and was blown away with a 94-95 pointer. Tremendous smoke.


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[X-Man]

This very young and delicious QDR50. Tremendous aging potential, already very good with just 10 months of age.