San Cristobal Tasting Notes

[El Presidente]

On Friday...at the request of Muzza...I put my body on the line to complete back to back tastings of the SC Oficio's, SC Mercaderes and SC Muralla.

The tasting took place over a long lunch with 10 FOH members and including Smithy and Lise who took the afternoon off in celebration of the fact that Jim Lightstone was visiting us from New York.

Muzza's specific question was whether the dark cherry flavour he so enjoyed in the Oficios was equally present in the larger Mercaderes and Muralla's.

I commenced the afternoon with the Oficios which measures 5.3 inches length x 43 ring gauge. All cigars had the same Colorado hue and perfect construction which leads me to believe that this marque has been taken under the wing of someone who has a clear understanding of where he wants the brand to be positionsed.

The beautiful little Oficios was my pre lunch cigar enjoyed with a few glasses of Johnny Walker Black Label and Soda. Mild to medium body, certainly the lightest bodied cigar I have had of late. The flavour varied throughout the cigar from milk chocolate to cherry ripe. I couldn't describe it any other way. It was absolutely enchanting. For lovers of the San Cristobal Principe...here is it's big brother. The one thing I cannot stand in lighter style cigars is whispy levels of smoke. I always want billowing levels of blue smoke swooshing around my head and the Oficios delivered. The only thing I would change is a slightly tighter draw which would have accentuated the exquisite flavour profile even more.

After a fine lunch of Lobster Mornay and a few glasses of Shaw and Smith Sauvignon Blanc, we ordered the crepes and cheese platter and retired to the deck for my second cigar, the San Cristobal Mercaderes - 6 1/2 inches length x 48 ring gauge. Lovely flawless colorado wrapper. Pinched the end to reveal.....again...a slightly too loose draw. Fired up the cigar and once again was hit with that Cherry Ripe flavour. The body of the cigar a touch more medium than light but in essence this cigar was the Oficios in a larger format. I am not sure whether to be pleased or disappointed? Thoroughly enhoyed the cigar and after I consumed my strawberry crepes I looked at the final cigar.

San Cristobal Murallas - 7 inches length x 54 ring gauge combined with a Cointreau on ice seemed like a nice way to finish the day (lunch now running into its 5th hour). Another flawless Colorado wrapper...another slightly too loose a draw. This is a massive cigar which I was looking forward to. Lighting the cigar I was hit with....you guessed it....Cherry Ripe Chocolate on the palate from begining to end. Mild to medium body....just another classic San Cristobal Flavoured cigar.

At the end of the day, I felt slightly cheated in that while all three cigars were excellent...they were all so similar that it felt as if I had smoked the same cigar. I know that I have had three cigars of any other Marque, I would not have experienced such a sameness.

For lovers of that Cherry chocolate profiles in a light to mid body format....for lovers of the Principe......then the Oficios, Mercaderes and Muralla is for you.

I will certainly reach for these as a change of pace. I would like to see an evolution of one of these cigars to full bodied status, one medium body and one light just to get some diversity. This would also give the Marque some serious charachter.

[Colt45]

» On Friday...at the request of Muzza...I put my body on the line to complete

» back to back tastings of the SC Oficio's, SC Mercaderes and SC Muralla.

» enjoyed with a few glasses of Johnny Walker Black Label and Soda.

» After a fine lunch of Lobster Mornay and a few glasses of Shaw and Smith

» Sauvignon Blanc, we ordered the crepes and cheese platter and retired to

» the deck for my second cigar

» At the end of the day, I felt slightly cheated....

the things you put yourself through......

Kidding aside, the cigars sound great. For the sake of discussion, there may be

something to be said for a line of cigars that have the same relative flavor profile,

in different sizes. But I understand your point.

[habanohal]

Thanx Rob!! I guess I wont be disappointed now. Already had Lisa ship out a box of the Oficios and Merceders, just a day ago. I the biggest pyramid, I figure will take much more time to develop for its size. Ageing for me is if I can have a box last more than 6 months :-D

Geatly appreciate it ;-)

[Sir Diggamus]

Great reviews! I love the Principe and La Fuerza and it sounds like these fit right alongside them.

[Tampa1257]

For lovers of that Cherry chocolate profiles in a light to mid body

format....for lovers of the Principe......then the Oficios, Mercaderes and Muralla is for you.

While the "Cherry Ripe" has not been a particular flavor that I have found before in other cigars of the SCDH, it along with the rich sweet molasses that I normally find in the marca sound like a combination that would be not only interesting, but a nice addition to the typical flavors found in SCDH.

Rob, because of the way that you made the statement, do you find the Cherry notes in the Principe as well as the Oficios, Mercaderes and the Muralla?

[anacostiakat]

I am glad to hear this!

I grabbed a box of Oficios when they first came out and have not touched them. I am planning on letting them sit for as long as I can. Maybe another box to smoke now might be in order. ;-)

[habanohal]

This is exactly what I wanted to hear back when I emailed Rob. I love the Oficios and was hopeing that the other 2 sizes were just a bigger rendition of them. So actually wanting them all to taste the same with just differant sizes

If that all makes sense

[El Presidente]

» For lovers of that Cherry chocolate profiles in a light to mid body

» format....for lovers of the Principe......then the Oficios, Mercaderes

» and Muralla is for you.

»

» While the "Cherry Ripe" has not been a particular flavor that I have found

» before in other cigars of the SCDH, it along with the rich sweet molasses

» that I normally find in the marca sound like a combination that would be

» not only interesting, but a nice addition to the typical flavors found in

» SCDH.

»

» Rob, because of the way that you made the statement, do you find the

» Cherry notes in the Principe as well as the Oficios, Mercaderes and the

» Muralla?

In regards to the Cherry Ripe flavour of the SC line, I find it a regular feature. It is a mix of molasses sweetmess but with a definate stewed fruit base. This is concurent with an almost Montecristo milk coffee flavour.

[gersonmorelli]

» In regards to the Cherry Ripe flavour of the SC line, I find it a regular

» feature. It is a mix of molasses sweetmess but with a definate stewed

» fruit base. This is concurent with an almost Montecristo milk coffee

» flavour.

Sounds great, Prez! BTW, do you have the Mercaderes and the Muralla available? Didn't see them at the website, and wanted to place a new order! :-D

[Moglman]

I'm holding on to a box of each, as I did not think they were ready to smoke, put them away and basically forgot about them, after gifting two of each to another generous botl. I have smoked an oficios that I received as a gift and I got a little molasses along with some spice/pumpkin. Since the date codes on my boxes are Nov05 and Dic05, I definitely think it's time to break them out. Thanks for the tasting notes Rob.

[habanohal]

» » In regards to the Cherry Ripe flavour of the SC line, I find it a

» regular

» » feature. It is a mix of molasses sweetmess but with a definate stewed

» » fruit base. This is concurent with an almost Montecristo milk coffee

» » flavour.

»

» Sounds great, Prez! BTW, do you have the Mercaderes and the Muralla

» available? Didn't see them at the website, and wanted to place a new

» order! :-D

Just email Lisa ;-)

[genevapics]

El Prez, I am astonished at the great lengths you will go through to provide us with these wonderful reviews. Your complete disregard for your stomach to bring us these detailed and informative tasting notes, time and time again, is simply amazing!

Seriously, it sounds like the SCdH line will prove to be a nice change of pace cigar. The thought of tasting ripe cherries on the palate is tantalizing! Once again, thanks for the review.

5 hour lunches, Lobster Mornay, Sauvignon Blanc, crepes, cheese, Cointreau... sheesh, who does this guy think he is? Oh right, he's El Kabong... err, El Prez!:-D

[El Presidente]

» 5 hour lunches, Lobster Mornay, Sauvignon Blanc, crepes, cheese,

» Cointreau... sheesh, who does this guy think he is? Oh right, he's El

» Kabong... err, El Prez!:-D

It is important to set the scene before undertaking the serious job of a tasting at a clients request. It was all Craig Muzzey's fault for asking me if the same flavour characteristics are present in the three new SCDLH releases

[habanohal]

Thanx Rob!! But it was really the answer I was looking for :-D

[jadawin]

Very nice review, its great to see the comparisons of the different sizes, even if they end up being very similiar.

[purosdave]

I smoked an Oficios from Jan '06 this morning on the way in to work. I usually don't smoke on the ride in, but watching the traffic report this morning with a cup of coffee I realized todays commute was going to be longer than usual (3 car accident on the other side of the bridge). The cigar is not as pleasing as when I first got the box back in the early Summer, so I think they are coming up on their sick period. The fruit was muted and the smoke was dominated by a creamy/cedar flavor throughout. Because the cigar is entering into its sick period it also had a unpleasant tannic flavor present. I may smoke one more soon to make sure this isn't a fluke, but I have a feeling my two boxes will be going to the back of the Petroglyph for a long nap.

[purosdave]

I would also add that none of the Officios that I have smoked thus far have had a loose draw, for what its worth.

[DrAlejandro]

san cristobals are awesome, no doubt about that. I have a box of principes ive been working through and Ive tried nearly all of the other vitolas, havent had a bad one yet :-)

[habanohal]

» I smoked an Oficios from Jan '06 this morning on the way in to work. I

» usually don't smoke on the ride in, but watching the traffic report this

» morning with a cup of coffee I realized todays commute was going to be

» longer than usual (3 car accident on the other side of the bridge). The

» cigar is not as pleasing as when I first got the box back in the early

» Summer, so I think they are coming up on their sick period. The fruit was

» muted and the smoke was dominated by a creamy/cedar flavor throughout.

» Because the cigar is entering into its sick period it also had a

» unpleasant tannic flavor present. I may smoke one more soon to make sure

» this isn't a fluke, but I have a feeling my two boxes will be going to the

» back of the Petroglyph for a long nap.

I have the same code on one of my boxes that I have been smokeing from. I have one every other day and they are still great.

I havent run into any "sick" cigars from 05 or 06 yet

[bgoodz]

Nice review Prez and thanks. I really enjoy all the SC's but it would be a difficult decision to have to pick between the Lobster and a SC :-D :-D I'm glad you forced your way through the 5 hr ordeal ;-)

[anacostiakat]

I have a box of Oficios I have not touched.

But, I am smoking my first Muralla with some Spanish Sonomtano vino tonight.

Prelight draw all cherry for sure.

Went to a sour cherry candy throught the middle and now returning to a ripe or black cherry.

A refined smoke that I am thinking will be fantastic aged. I also am thinking the Oficio will be even more to my liking. But I won't know for some time. :-D

[dragon]

Those Oficios sound really good, hopefully by next spring I'll have enough money saved up for a 3-pack.

[avid toker]

The Oficios are currently my favorite in the line. I like the size and the corresponding blend.

[n2advnture]

» The Oficios are currently my favorite in the line. I like the size and the

» corresponding blend.

Totally agree, so far my fav of the group as well!

~M