Who here has smoked a CC Reserva or Gran Reserva....and what were your thoughts?

[El Presidente]

Who here has smoked a CC Reserva or Gran Reserva....and what were your thoughts? 

Let us know your experience?

Which, when, where?

Memorable experience?.....Above or below expectation?

Let's kick them around from the earlies to the latest 

 

To refresh your memory.....From Cuban Cigar Website

 

 

 

Releases

List of Reserve cigars

 

2003

Cohiba Coronas Especiales
Cohiba Espléndidos
Cohiba Media Coronas
Cohiba Pirámides
Cohiba Robustos

2005

Partagás Serie D No.4

2007

Montecristo Montecristo No.4

2012

Romeo y Julieta Churchill

2014

H. Upmann Upmann No.2

2016

Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.2

2018

Cohiba Robusto

2020

Bolívar Belicosos Finos

2022

Montecristo Edmundo

2024

Romeo y Julieta Short Churchills

Releases

List of Grand Reserve cigars

 

2009

Cohiba Siglo VI

2011

Montecristo Montecristo No.2

2013

Partagás Lusitanias

2015

Romeo y Julieta Wide Churchills

2017

H. Upmann Sir Winston

2019

Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona

2021

Partagás Serie E No.2

2023

Cohiba Espléndidos

2025

H. Upmann Magnum 50

 

[chasy]

This is basically bait for the cigar influencers lurking beneath the surface. If Jazzmin is a member, this will lure him out.

[Puros Y Vino]

I splurged on a few CGRs when they came out. I've had great Siglo VI's. The CGR was/is an epic smoke. Flawless construction. Flavor journey throughout.

MGR. Best Monte 2 ever! I don't care much for Monte 2 in general. This was a step above. but not as noteworthy as the CGR is to. Siglo VI

PGR. My 5YO at the time Lusitania's smoked way better. Gorgeous wrappers on these though.

RYJWC GR. Excellent but not much better than an aged WC.

Monte 4 Reserva. Outstanding. 

Cohiba Reserva line. Had at least one of each. Excellent release. The Esplendido is the star.

 

[rcarlson]

Had a R&J GR Wide Churchill about a 2 months ago. Very good; not great. Thankfully, a gift. Certainly not worthy of the price tag and designation. Incredible packaging and construction. Otherwise unremarkable.   

[targa88]

Lusi (many years ago when the LCDH was still open in Montreal) - seriously over priced.

In no way was it anything better than it's regular brethren.

[LordAnubis]

Never understood either program and why people would pay money over say the PCC aged program which would be same crop just aged as a cigar instead of as a bundle of loose leaf. Had a few singles here and there and while sure they have all been great/ very good cigars I’ve had equally as good experience with the same cigar in regular production. 

Safe to say there will never be a time again I smoke a GR/RR. 

[Chibearsv]

I’ve still got a few of the Sir Winston GR from a box I bought a few years ago. I’m not sure they’re worth the extra money, but I’m not sure they aren’t either.  I think they were around $2200 at the time. The best way to describe the cigars is they are the perfect version of Sir Winston. Flawless in construction and looks. I’m happy every time I smoke one, but that’s pretty true for every SW I’ve smoked. If I want something special, the GR certainly doesn’t disappoint. 

[Lucas Buck]

The ‘03 Cohiba Reservas are phenomenal. Just smoked one of the Esplendidos recently and it was awesome. 
The Monte 4’s are exquisite. I love Monte 4 but these are another level. 
The Monte 2’s are nothing special unfortunately. I’ve had far better regular production over the years. 
PGR Lusis are outstanding. Lusis are a favorite and these are next level. They rival ‘97/‘98 cab versions. 
PGR E2 are very good. 

If I’ve smoked any of the others, they didn’t make much of an impression. 

[Fuzz]

Partagas Lusi GR. First one was smoked with @El Presidente when they were first released. My god that was a long time ago, back before Rob learned of the shower cap on the smoke alarm trick... Absolutely brilliant cigar. If the Lusi GR entered the Olympics, it'd be banned for performance enhancing. Might have 2 or 3 left. Should take one out for a smoke.

I have a Monte 2 GR that was gifted to me that I have yet to smoke.

[JohnS]

I had a Cohiba Siglo VI Gran Reserva Cosecha 2003 with Trevor Leask in April 2016 and we both agree that it was the best cigar we have ever smoked. We even chatted about it last month when we caught up.

I had a Partagás Lusitanias Gran Reserva Cosecha 2007 in 2018 and it was an exemplary cigar also. Very memorable. No regular production Partagas Lusitania has since come close to it.

As for the other Gran Reservas and Reservas I've smoked, they're notated below:

[El Presidente]

8 hours ago, Puros Y Vino said:

I splurged on a few CGRs when they came out. I've had great Siglo VI's. The CGR was/is an epic smoke. Flawless construction. Flavor journey throughout.

MGR. Best Monte 2 ever! I don't care much for Monte 2 in general. This was a step above. but not as noteworthy as the CGR is to. Siglo VI

PGR. My 5YO at the time Lusitania's smoked way better. Gorgeous wrappers on these though.

RYJWC GR. Excellent but not much better than an aged WC.

Monte 4 Reserva. Outstanding. 

Cohiba Reserva line. Had at least one of each. Excellent release. The Esplendido is the star.

 

Except for the Lusi I concur Frank.

My Lusi GR experience has been superb

[Stevieboy]

I was in Nice back at the time and found a part box of Monte 2 GR and I only bought 2 singles...moron. They were €27 each which was a lot of dosh to me back then. Should have bought them all. The box and all the paperwork was there too...*sob*

Great, great cigar. Really was quite a cut above the regular No.2.
 

[BrightonCorgi]

I had a Cohiba GR once as a gift for helping a friend move. Best cigar I have ever smoked. Was gifted an Upmann No. 2 GR by a generous local collector and that was an outstanding cigar. Clearly better than the regular Upmann No. 2 which I adore.

So far on my limited experience; if you got it like that they are for sure worth it.

[Ciscojohansson]

The Epi 2 Reserva was OK and the BBF Reserva was amazing. Maybe the best cigar I ever smoked.

[El Hoze]

I have smoked the Reserva Monte 4, the RyJ Churchill, the HU #2, the Hoyo Epi #2, the CoRo, and the GR Sig VI, Monte #2, Lusi, SW, and Hoyo DC. Every one I have smoked has been a fantastic, notably good cigar. I am a believer. Value is a personal decision. 

The standout for me is the HU #2. I have two boxes, one with the top row already gone. I might attribute that to me being a big HU fan, but the GR SW I have smoked have not wowed me as much (higher expectations maybe?), SW are my favorite cigar. The biggest disappointment for me would be the CoRo. I have probably smoked 3? I am also not a huge CoRo guy (I write that as I am smoking a Coro). Siglo VI is probably the best cigar I have ever smoked in my life if I had to pick one, I smoked four of them. 

Would love to try the BBF. Such a rich cigar at the Reserva level it must be killer. Espy too but my expectations would be so high that if I wasn’t let down my wallet would be in serious pain. 

[Havanaaddict]

Over the years I have smoked at least 5 boxes of the 03' Cohiba Reserva Selección, and I can tell you that every year they only got better and better!

Partagás Serie D No.4 Reserva Cosecha 2000 - Outstanding

Montecristo Montecristo No.4 Reserva Cosecha 2002 - Outstanding

Montecristo Montecristo No.2 Gran Reserva Cosecha 2005 - ok

Partagás Lusitanias Gran Reserva Cosecha 2007 - Outstanding

[sv_ontour]

I’ve had a couple PSD4 Réserva and still have a couple left (just discovered them hiding in  a random JL box)…pretty enjoyable from memory but not mind blowing. I hadn’t smoked a lot of PSD4 at that stage. 

I still remember all those Cohiba Réserva Selección boxes that always seemed to be available from a couple of different sites going for about $1,500 each. I never pulled the trigger but did end with a couple of boxes of CGRs from Baranow’s, pretty happy with that decision. Funny thing is  I’ve never manage to smoke any…gave a couple away though. Might be time to light one up.