Ramon Allones Specially Selected (POS MAR06)

[shrink]

Ramon would be proud...

I have never enjoyed smoking a young RASS... until now. Last night, I smoked the last of a sample of four. Smiled. And promptly ordered a box.

These were nice looking cigars. The wrappers were an oily, dark brown oak. They were firm to the touch, and well-filled, too. Not those squishy soft robustos we've seen in the past couple of years. And they smelled great: rich, fermented tobacco, spice, and a fruity aroma.

All four were still a bit damp, so they were a little hard to keep going. Still, I never needed to use the flame, and all burned cleanly to the band. The draws were firm, and required a pull or two to get a good volume of smoke. Not to worry. They'll open up nicely with a little humidor time.

Ahhh... the first few mouthfuls were good and spicy. Along with the pepper were distinct flavors of cedar, leather, raisins, and a dusting of cocoa, all wrapped up with a slightly sweet citrus finish. I wouldn't call this a strong cigar, but it certainly is full-bodied, with an exceptionally deep and complex flavor profile. Almost every draw revealed something new. The most complex '06 I've had so far. And I almost hate to admit, these taste better now than the '04s I've had aging for two years.

Still, I wouldn't recommend them to smoke ROTT. Yes, they're impressive, but more in terms of their potential than for the short run. For my tastes, they are still somewhat unbalanced, and a bit "sour" in the finish. In a couple of years, these are simply going to explode with flavor and complexity. Highly recommended for aging.

[Colt45]

» Not those squishy soft robustos we've seen in the past couple of years.

Unfortunately, that describes a box I have from '05. To date, they've been a

disapointment. I've left them alone for some time, and will continue to do so.

I'm hoping they'll eventually come around.

Thanks for the review.

[olotti]

Shrink you mimick my experiences exactly with these young RASS. I have a box of POS MAR06 and time and time again when I want something satisfying these are what I reach for, I just can't see this box ageing at all. I guess this is what we get with the new aged ligero and in fact just talking about it makes me want to light one up so I'll see you all later and I'll report back.

[genevapics]

Thanks for the review Shrink. I have a RASS sitting in the humidor that was gifted to me. Not sure what the date is, but I am looking forward to putting the flame to it one of these days. Yours sound delicious... hopefully mine will taste good also.

[andymiami]

Nice review and thanks for the good news. I had almost written this stick off over the last couple of years because of so many sub-par smokes. Your post gave me a glimmer of hope. These were one of the first Cubans I smoked years ago and I really liked them. I thought my palate had changed, but it became clear that they just had a dip in quality.

One more to add back to the list!

[Ginseng]

That sounds very promising, Bob. Looks like another winner from 06.

Wilkey

[chef2275]

my box is of the same...the two that i have smoked have been pretty much the same profiles. The biggest thing i fight everyday is not to smoke them. Iwant to have two years on them but...i probably will be getting another box.(or two)lol. The 06s of alot of brands have been pretty damn good smokes. That is the reason i have been buying the 06s instead of the aged. Not as smooth as an aged but man...

chef