Late 2005 vs. 2006

[Professor Twain]

Rob, you have mentioned the changes that were instituted for 2006 cigars. Is it your sense that these were instituted immediately at the start of 2006, or gradually rolled in? Would you expect that DIC 05 and ENE 06 would be much different, or that this change would be more consistent by June 06?

[gyosa]

i'm curious as well ....

whith what box dates did they start freezing the cigars , and what box dates started using the more "aged" tobacco ... an educated guess is ok ...

inquiring minds want to know .......

-bk

[Tampa1257]

I believe the issue being asked about is when the blend change occurred. That being when did Habanos begin using the 3 year old Ligero, 2 year old Seco and 1 year old Volado. Which would make a very dramatic change in the taste and flavors in the cigars produced. From reading Rob's reviews of the late 2005 cigars, and those of the 2006 versions of the basically same cigars, it would appear to an outsider that beginning very early on in 2006, that the cigars have been very tasty or more approachable in their youth than those from late 2005. Perhaps different vitolas were transitioned into the new blend at a different time table, but at least to me looking from the outside in, consumers should be able to taste the blend change starting from early 2006 and certainly by mid 2006 most if not all the vitolas have under gone the transition.

[El Presidente]

» Rob, you have mentioned the changes that were instituted for 2006 cigars.

» Is it your sense that these were instituted immediately at the start of

» 2006, or gradually rolled in? Would you expect that DIC 05 and ENE 06

» would be much different, or that this change would be more consistent by

» June 06?

PT, I am hoping to have a definitive answer to this question by next week.

What I have been trying to do over the last few months is smoke a late 05 of a particular cigar and then an early 06 of the same cigar the next day. What I have found is the difference is chalk and cheese. The only cigar I did not recognise a huge difference was the Punch Punch.

My sample size now would be near 40 different formats of cigar. Until the Punch Punch I was concluding the changes were across the board in ENE 06.

[shrink]

Until the Punch Punch I was concluding the changes were across the board in ENE 06.

The only exception I have yet identified is the Romeo Cazadores. The DEC05 box I have is outstanding, and is uncharacteristically approachable, which leads me to conclude that it contains the aged fillers. My FEB06 box tastes identical.

I have been very pleased by the improvement in quality control over the past few years. However, the incorporation of aged fillers, beginning on or about JAN 06 is easily the most dramatic development in the relatively short time I have been smoking Habanos. I have been doing comparisons, and have been very surprised to discover that in a number cases, I am actually preferring recent 06 issues to the same vitolas which are up to five years old. Stunning. And quite costly, I might add...

[broozer]

i have only smoked one cigar from '06 and it was a cohiba sig I that i smoked in london this past weekend. i didn't like it and it had that usual "way-too-young-to-be-smoked" taste to it. my friend in london agreed with me as he was smoking one too.

bruce

[El Presidente]

» i have only smoked one cigar from '06 and it was a cohiba sig I that i

» smoked in london this past weekend. i didn't like it and it had that

» usual "way-too-young-to-be-smoked" taste to it. my friend in london

» agreed with me as he was smoking one too.

»

» bruce

Bruce.

I have been told that the changes were in the Havana factories first and have since spread to all factories. Changes were phased in which goes part way to explaining the inconsistency.

Some of the stuff coming out of Upmann and Habanero factories have been remarkable. Don't ask for the factory codes as I can not divulge them :-|

[phxkev]

» » i have only smoked one cigar from '06 and it was a cohiba sig I that i

» » smoked in london this past weekend. i didn't like it and it had that

» » usual "way-too-young-to-be-smoked" taste to it. my friend in london

» » agreed with me as he was smoking one too.

» »

» » bruce

»

» Bruce.

»

» I have been told that the changes were in the Havana factories first and

» have since spread to all factories. Changes were phased in which goes part

» way to explaining the inconsistency.

»

» Some of the stuff coming out of Upmann and Habanero factories have been

» remarkable. Don't ask for the factory codes as I can not divulge them :-|

What are the factory codes?

[El Presidente]

»

»

» What are the factory codes?

....seriously...I would be hung and quartered.

[phxkev]

» »

» »

» » What are the factory codes?

»

» ....seriously...I would be hung and quartered.

Quartered I understand. But what's wrong with being hung?