Gloves Off: Fundadores V COLA

[El Presidente]

 

Trinidad Fundadores V Cohiba Lancero

Answer the poll questions assuming age of the cigars and construction quality being equal 

Of course, answer only if you have tried both. 

 

 

[JohnS]

Oh c'mon, I can't choose both? Okay, Cohiba Lancero it is then.

[Puros Y Vino]

This is like choosing between parents. But yeah, CoLa wins. Now I have to go tell my Fundy boxes they're special in their own way.

[Chibearsv]

My Lancero samplings are a bit young at 5-6 years old. I've sampled Fundies that were 8-10 years old. The Fundies are more complex and refined at this age. A bit of mongrel tugging at my pant leg still with the COLA. Maybe not a fair fight, but gloves off is gloves off. Fundie wins!

[Dlowil]

Having tried neither, all I can currently go on is the DNA of the Marca and a bit of imagination. Fundadores for me.

[ender.lmm]

For me, CoLa are better younger, Fundies with age... As supply goes, Fundies wins.

Sent from my CPH2451 using Tapatalk
 

[cnov]

I had to vote Fundie all the way as I've never laid eyes on a CoLa, let alone had the opportunity to smoke one. 

Will gladly trade a Fundie or two if anyone is weighed down with too many. 

[Chas.Alpha]

Fundy wins the race for me! By a hare…🐇

[westg]

Love the Fundadores to pieces. Cohiba is an  easy decision if I had to choose between the two however. Alluring, attractive, exquisite, ravishing, wonderful cigars!  

[Ford2112]

CoLa never have grabbed me. I feel like they need a lot of age. Fundies have always delivered. I am not shelling out the dough anymore but I have been lucky to have smoked a bunch of both.

[BrightonCorgi]

I like the size better of the Fundadores but everything else I prefer the Lancero.

[Namisgr11]

Admittedly, my sample size is very small: just one CoLa and three Fundies. But on that basis, the Fundadores is an easy winner. The flavor profile is incredible, balanced, nuanced, and complex. Unique. The transition from subtlety to deeper flavors is gradual and enjoyable. Both a 2021 and a 2018 vintage were terrific. Unfortunately, I didn't get any of that from my lone experience with a 2021 CoLa.

Certainly, more experience with both is needed. 😉

[gormag38]

Tough call. For me the COLA wins out though; assuming it's rolled well. Too many times it has been 'sucking a golf ball through a garden hose' with COLA. I have not had the same experience with fundies; almost certainly due to the larger RG. Both can be very special smokes but only COLA has made me stop and think 'this is a heckuva cigar'

[BG318]

So far it's COLa in a photo finish! Please send them to the address below.

I remain.

[MrBirdman]

This is like asking which of your children you like more, as both sit in the pantheon of world-class Cuban cigars. 

My first Habano was one of the original gold-band Fundadores back in the early 2000’s. When I got into CC consistently about a decade ago, the Fundi was a different animal. The blend profile had shifted and, at least in my experience, the QC of Fundis at that time was pretty poor. I remember a lot of underfilled cigars and some dodgy wrappers. The CoLa was a consistent winner, OTOH. 

My current boxes of both are from 2019-2022, and the quality is much more even (for the better). Fundadores can be rather out of sorts when young as others have said, but with time it can become every bit as refined as the Lancero. 

Overall I give the nod to the CoLa, partly because I adore the profile and equally for its distinctiveness: while both cigars excel at what they do, the Cohiba has an inimitable flavor profile, whereas a Trini hits notes you can find in other CC and even some NC. To me that makes smoking a Lancero more of a special experience. I think that distinctiveness helps explain why some smokers find the Fundi underwhelming in comparison.

[LizardGizmo]

I have to say the Cohiba Lancero takes it for me. I've found the Fundadores to be less and less impressive as time goes on. It just doesn't deliver a world class experience for me. We did a group buy of boxes from '16-'21 (with the exception of 2020) and split them up and all have been good - some have been excellent - but none have been great. The other guys have found their experiences to be similar.

Cohiba Lancero, however, has been a rising star for me since '22. I might be biased, though, as I have many fond memories of sitting on our rooftop in Cuba, right off the Malecón, and having an unbanded Lancero with breakfast each morning. I wish I could time travel back to some of those days.

The only problem with both, of course, is the ~15-20% that are going to fight you with bad draw.

[MrBirdman]

22 minutes ago, LizardGizmo said:

We did a group buy of boxes from '16-'21 (with the exception of 2020) and split them up and all have been good - some have been excellent - but none have been great.

Fundis from 2016-2018 were pretty underwhelming in my experience; my 2019 box is a major step up. Our different experiences highlight that quality (again, in my experience) is much more variable across boxes of Fundis than Lanceros.  I’ve assumed that’s because the latter are rolled at El Laguito whereas Fundi production is more dispersed. I have no boxes from after 2022 though.

Curious whether others have similar experience, especially with 2023+ boxes.

[Lucas Buck]

Love both but the Cohiba is a few levels above the Trinidad. Consistent flavor bombs that long age in to greatness. 

[El Hoze]

I have had some great Fundies but would say my experience with them is mixed. CoLa for the easy win for me. 

[Chitmo]

Can’t say I’ve ever had a CoLa, Curious to see how this shakes out though. 

[Fuzz AI]

Fundy for me. Nearly every CoLa I've had has been great (same with every Fundy), but I find the Fundy flavour profile more to my liking. 

[Darco]

CoLa for me.

I have tried many of both from boxes from the 90s till recent (2024) ones. Can’t remember any of them to be less than 85-ish, but can’t also remember any Fundadores above 95. On the other hand, I have smoked few out-of-this-world Lanceros. 

[avaldes]

It's been a LONG time since I had one, and I liked Trinidads, but CoLa for sure. The original release '97 Trinis were a different animal and might be a different result, or even today's cigar. But for me the CoLa just pushes all the right buttons.

[Boxer31]

Haven’t had either in 10+ yrs but is was definitely CoLa.