Popular Post Li Bai Posted May 31, 2024 Popular Post Posted May 31, 2024 I've spent the last 30 min or so wondering how to review this cigar and finally found a way to make you understand (maybe ?) what I felt smoking it so, please, once again, bear with me... Well, I used to teach post-graduates a few years ago and I recall one student particularly well. His grades were strong, his understanding and foresight made him look promising. At the end of the year came the time for him to present his thesis and it was going well in the beginning ! Dressed sharply, standing straight as an I, I told to myself "what could go wrong ?" Unfortunately the answer was unexpected. Almost everything went wrong... Was it the stress or something else, I never found out, but he forgot to introduce himself and as for his work, well...spoke so quietly that we couldn't hear him. He knew his subject but his arguments lacked depth and sources. As he was went along, he began sweating profusely and speaking louder, this was probably after the 10th time we told him to speak up. He finally got through it and we were all relieved for him (and for us also as it was painful to witness) but we all knew, him included, that this was way below average. At this point you must have understood that this Qd'O today reminded me of this student and this particular moment. No introduction, almost nothing to offer and a very disappointing finish. This box from the Partagas factory (I did my homework guys) was part of the first batch of Qd'O 52's available in France after their launch and it was the fifth stick I smoked, each and every one of them has been terrible. The sticks are gorgeous and smell incredible, I haven't smoked one from this box for more than a year and I was really eager to light this one up. The stick weighed 16,4g which is quite heavy so I was a bit afraid that the draw might be too tight, but it was just perfect, I mean Cuban perfect. The construction was on point and it wasn't...so bad, but I'm very disappointed because I know what it can offer. After that first box I've bought another one and half of a third one and all the ones I've smoked from these were just wonderful ( I guess you would rate them 95 or 96), probably my favourite cigar of 2023. That first batch though...... 16
JohnS Posted May 31, 2024 Posted May 31, 2024 Li Bai, the inclusion of that anecdote with your student was brilliant. What a great way to explain to us, clearly, how a brilliant student can present themselves poorly and in the same the way, so can a potentially great cigar. Recent Quai d'Orsay releases that have had good and bad batches? Yes, I can relate to that...totally! 1 1
Li Bai Posted June 1, 2024 Author Posted June 1, 2024 Thank you @JohnS you're too kind ! To be honest after picking and sampling that first box I just thought this 52 was worthless. But I came across another box, maybe 5 or 6 months after, and the cigars were so beautiful, shiny, with a smell indescribable...I HAD to pick one. Smoked it right away and came back to the shop the same day to acquire the box. 3
NSXCIGAR Posted June 1, 2024 Posted June 1, 2024 I had a few from the first batches earlier this year and I enjoyed them. I'd say certainly as good as the 54. Quite a large cigar as well. 4
Li Bai Posted June 1, 2024 Author Posted June 1, 2024 On 6/1/2024 at 6:41 AM, NSXCIGAR said: I had a few from the first batches earlier this year and I enjoyed them. I'd say certainly as good as the 54. Quite a large cigar as well. Expand Agreed about the 54, I find them quite similar tastewise (when they're on of course). Do you remember the box code and dates ? Were their wrappers colorado or lighter in shade? I'm investigating 🤔
Li Bai Posted June 1, 2024 Author Posted June 1, 2024 The third box I bought: Sorry for the poor quality but I had never seen such a difference in wrappers inside a same box. I only took the top layer (on the right) as the bottom one had close to no smell and reminded me of my first box. 3 1
NSXCIGAR Posted June 1, 2024 Posted June 1, 2024 On 6/1/2024 at 7:00 AM, Li Bai said: Agreed about the 54, I find them quite similar tastewise (when they're on of course). Do you remember the box code and dates ? Were their wrappers colorado or lighter in shade? I'm investigating 🤔 Expand Don't know the code as they were Mexican and the health stickers cover the bottom. Would have likely been mid-23 as I smoked it in early 24. Wrappers were lighter, closer to your pic on the left. 1
Li Bai Posted June 2, 2024 Author Posted June 2, 2024 On 6/1/2024 at 6:41 AM, NSXCIGAR said: I had a few from the first batches earlier this year and I enjoyed them. Expand On 6/1/2024 at 11:04 PM, NSXCIGAR said: Would have likely been mid-23 as I smoked it in early 24. Expand Alright, the first boxes I've seen were JUN/JUL 22 and that's those I referred to when I said first batch. In France, they were quite easy to find at the time and many compadres share my experience with those early boxes. The wonderful one I acquired later was an UBL DIC 22. In the French community we quite agree that the liga has been changed in the meantime though I can't be sure about that of course. Maybe it was just bad luck with this one box JUL 22 but I've been avoiding lighter wrappers in Qd'O cigars since then.
bmac Posted June 2, 2024 Posted June 2, 2024 It’s wild that a $700 box of cigars is a crap shoot. Don’t know whether they're a dud or not. It was kinda cute when they were $250 a box. 1
Li Bai Posted June 2, 2024 Author Posted June 2, 2024 On 6/2/2024 at 8:51 AM, bmac said: It’s wild that a $700 box of cigars is a crap shoot. Don’t know whether they're a dud or not. It was kinda cute when they were $250 a box. Expand Well this one's a 10 box so it hurts a bit less. In France MSRP was around 200 euros at the time which is not "much" nowadays but still too much for disappointing cigars, or course. A 25 box goes now for 547,50 euros but they're nowhere to be found.
bmac Posted June 2, 2024 Posted June 2, 2024 On 6/2/2024 at 9:14 AM, Li Bai said: Well this one's a 10 box so it hurts a bit less. In France MSRP was around 200 euros at the time which is not "much" nowadays but still too much for disappointing cigars, or course. A 25 box goes now for 547,50 euros but they're nowhere to be found. Expand I see them at 805 usd with online vendors.
Li Bai Posted June 2, 2024 Author Posted June 2, 2024 On 6/2/2024 at 5:27 PM, bmac said: I see them at 805 usd with online vendors Expand I'm talking official retail price in France, shops have to stick to it here.
Garand Posted June 3, 2024 Posted June 3, 2024 I had the 52 recently as well. It was ok, but it didn’t taste like a Cuban cigar. I‘m not a smoker of strong cigars by any means, but this lacked complexity. Although the size is great. The 50s though have been quite good sometimes. 1
Li Bai Posted June 3, 2024 Author Posted June 3, 2024 On 6/3/2024 at 7:14 PM, Garand said: I had the 52 recently as well. It was ok, but it didn’t taste like a Cuban cigar. I‘m not a smoker of strong cigars by any means, but this lacked complexity. Although the size is great. The 50s though have been quite good sometimes. Expand Was the wrapper colorado or lighter on the 52?
Ford2112 Posted June 3, 2024 Posted June 3, 2024 I like the Corona Claro a lot and the 50 is decent. 54 can be real good. I've held off on trying these and will until I hear otherwise. Thanks for the review. 1
Li Bai Posted June 3, 2024 Author Posted June 3, 2024 On 6/3/2024 at 7:29 PM, Garand said: I would say lighter, definitely not Colorado. Expand I've avoided those since my first box, fwiw... On 6/3/2024 at 7:42 PM, Ford2112 said: I like the Corona Claro a lot and the 50 is decent. 54 can be real good. I've held off on trying these and will until I hear otherwise. Thanks for the review. Expand I love the 54, this 52 when it's on is very similar but longer.
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