Beneath the Band: Quai d'Orsay Corona Claro

[El Presidente]

 

This series to explore whether a particular cigar is humidor worthy. Cost these days is an issue for many so let's see if we can highlight some absolute standouts. This should particularly assist those new to the cigar world.  

To be fair, most of the cigars we have featured to date have scored exceptionally well. Surprisingly well! 

Scoring is: 1-3 (Poor)   4-6 (Average to good)   7-10  (very good to excellent)  Use the Poll. 

You are more than free to comment away 

The Quai d'Orsay Corona Claro is a favourite of mine and of many members here. Yet this opinion is far from universal in the cigar communtiy.  Somehow, this "unfashionable" cigar has managed to miss the Habanos executioners axe over the years and remains in production albeit in very limited numbers. 

Have your say! 

[JohnS]

I must admit that right now I have a 2020 box that has been somewhat unreliable in flavour delivery and construction. Having said this, I've had some stellar ones over the years and I'm a great admirer of the vitola itself.

[Li Bai]

In the last 6 years in France I haven't seen neither a box nor a single of these but I'll keep looking for them...

[dopECM]

1 hour ago, Li Bai said:

In the last 6 years in France I haven't seen neither a box nor a single of these but I'll keep looking for them...

Sometimes they have them at à la civette, been lucky enough maybe to go there on the right day and grab some singles 

[Li Bai]

10 hours ago, dopECM said:

Sometimes they have them at à la civette, been lucky enough maybe to go there on the right day and grab some singles 

That's what happens at A La Civette, you have to be there on Mondays or Tuesday mornings when they receive their Coprova supply, they don't know what will be in it, and when something rare/special comes in it doesn't even make it to the shelf... 

I go there often but I can't say I'm their biggest client given its location in Paris, anyway not big enough to get a call from them when a box of SW, 898, Punch DC or Quai d'Orsay cc comes in.

There was a time in France when you could enter any shop, ask for almost any box and if it wasn't available you could have it within a week, but that time's long gone. 🥲 

[dopECM]

10 hours ago, Li Bai said:

That's what happens at A La Civette, you have to be there on Mondays or Tuesday mornings when they receive their Coprova supply, they don't know what will be in it, and when something rare/special comes in it doesn't even make it to the shelf... 

I go there often but I can't say I'm their biggest client given its location in Paris, anyway not big enough to get a call from them when a box of SW, 898, Punch DC or Quai d'Orsay cc comes in.

There was a time in France when you could enter any shop, ask for almost any box and if it wasn't available you could have it within a week, but that time's long gone. 🥲

Too bad that I got into it after that 😅, happy about my stash but wouldn't have minded a discount and more availability, haha. Sometimes i get decent things from Luxembourg like the LGC Turquinos I received lately, but then again, you never know what and when it's coming in shops... 

[Li Bai]

10 hours ago, dopECM said:

Too bad that I got into it after that 😅, happy about my stash but wouldn't have minded a discount and more availability, haha.

Me too mate, me too...Still, I'm happy I got into it before 2022. 😅

[westg]

2007 boxes were the absolute bomb. Sensational cigars. For me always have been and always will be a Cuban classic.  

[griller]

LOVE this size and blend. Been fortunate with construction that is coming from the 2019 box I'm smoking now. Have another box from 2021 that is untouched; going to try to leave it alone for a while longer (maybe 2031, who knows what can happen between now & then, however). 

[BG318]

Had a couple of singles and loved them. I have a box of '22s that I won't touch for awhile. This cigar was one that I wish came in a 50 cab. They are hard to get.

[BrightonCorgi]

Was a big fan of this cigar and one my favored coronas in the 2001 era. They fell off the map for several years and when they started appearing regularly again, the blend changed and I wasn't as big a fan. The older ones reminded me a cross of Cohiba & ERDM. Not sure how to categorize the modern "re-release". 

[gormag38]

I love the vitola and this cigar in general. However I must say that I had a 2021 and a 2020 box that were both sort of 'meh'. The construction was slightly below average on both boxes and neither did much to impress me. The examples I've had (admittedly all singles) that were the 'old band' have been much better and something I search out. The best examples have had a orange/citrusy type note that is quite unique. 

[Chibearsv]

I’m amazed that I’m the only one so far that didn’t give highest marks for a defining flavor profile. I’d love to hear from others exactly what the defining flavor profile is on this cigar. Although I enjoy this cigar quite a bit, I don’t find a standout flavor in it. 

[CaptainQuintero]

13 hours ago, JohnS said:

I must admit that right now I have a 2020 box that has been somewhat unreliable in flavour delivery and construction. Having said this, I've had some stellar ones over the years and I'm a great admirer of the vitola itself.

I was just about say enquire, it's possibly my favourite cigar. But there was a blend tinkering a few year back, right? Around the time of the new banding. I haven't any boxes from that time onwards so I'm only going off my stock of older boxes.

[BrightonCorgi]

6 hours ago, Chibearsv said:

I’m amazed that I’m the only one so far that didn’t give highest marks for a defining flavor profile. I’d love to hear from others exactly what the defining flavor profile is on this cigar. Although I enjoy this cigar quite a bit, I don’t find a standout flavor in it. 

Been a while since I smoked one. Hay and cream are the primary flavors I associated with QdO Coronas.

[Lucas Buck]

One of my favorites as well but should qualify I haven’t smoked any post 2007. They have been the most consistent reliable Corona for me. 

[JohnS]

4 hours ago, CaptainQuintero said:

I was just about say enquire, it's possibly my favourite cigar. But there was a blend tinkering a few year back, right? Around the time of the new banding. I haven't any boxes from that time onwards so I'm only going off my stock of older boxes.

Yes, exactly. That blend change happened with the re-branding of the marca around 2017/18 and the introduction of the Quai d'Orsay Nos. 50 and 54, which distracted a number of us (and rightly so) at the time for how good they were.

[BrightonCorgi]

1 hour ago, JohnS said:

Yes, exactly. That blend change happened with the re-branding of the marca around 2017/18 and the introduction of the Quai d'Orsay Nos. 50 and 54, which distracted a number of us (and rightly so) at the time for how good they were.

The blend changed before the re-branding.  

[Allroz]

I’m not a fan of the other vitolas but I have been searching to try these - hopefully one day. 

[smashed]

I searched all over for these for quite some time, and finally scored a box in HK this year. I'm not touching them for years, and hopefully I have a pleasant surprise as I've seen rave reviews and have a buddy who swears its a top 10 stick (and he has an extensive collection). There's a certain allure to these with the rarity.

[WestCoastSmokin]

On 12/2/2025 at 8:51 PM, Li Bai said:

Me too mate, me too...Still, I'm happy I got into it before 2022. 😅

And here I am getting into CC at the mid year of 23. 😢🥲

[Li Bai]

3 hours ago, WestCoastSmokin said:

And here I am getting into CC at the mid year of 23 😢🥲

It's more complicated today but still worth it, in my honest opinion. 👌 I was already a cigar smoker when everything was really cheap and available, the BGM would go for 90€ a box, the Cohiba Piramide EL 2006 for less than 200€...I missed all of it and I hear my friends talk about the good ol' times. It is what it is! 

For what it's worth, one day I've stopped looking back and started focusing on the good things. I think for example, most veterans would agree that QC is far better now, I can't remember the last plugged CC I've had!

Above all, as one of my mentors Jean-Philippe told me once, "smoke less, smoke better",. These are words to live by.👍

[El Gato]

Love it. One of my favourite blends. Bought a box as soon as I could after having some singles.

Beautiful morning coffee smoke.

[Arabian]

Citrus/cream bomb. They are great when they hit.

[JohnS]

13 hours ago, BrightonCorgi said:

The blend changed before the re-branding.  

If it did so, it was much more obvious when the Quai d'Orsay Nos. 50 and 54 were released. Up until that point, the Quai d'Orsay marca was languishing somewhat. That changed thereafter.