Since we are seeing some aged stock - another top 10

[craigos]

Late last year I asked El Presidente his top ten cigars (years 2005-2007). Since El Pres just sent out a note on PCC aged stock lets open the flood gates again.

El Pres - whats your top ten cigars from 2000-present ...

Craig

[yossie]

I've smoked a few aged cigars ever.

So, I can not realize how aging changes cigar.

Could you tell me how the flavor become better in general.

[El Presidente]

» I've smoked a few aged cigars ever.

» So, I can not realize how aging changes cigar.

» Could you tell me how the flavor become better in general.

Yossie it is very much like wine.

Age can clarify a flavour. The flavours are cleaner, the cigar smoother...the previous sour wood/ coffee / toasted tobacco becomes cream, honey, golden toast.

Excessive Age can also weary a cigar. I like a cigar with a little spice..a little pepper...a little mongrel. Age can rob these characteristics unless a cigar has been blended (and blended well) for the mid term using premium material. Many Upmanns actually increase in strength over time (5 + years). The flavours which were barely noticeable when fresh...explode.

At 5-8 years no premium cigars are expired. Yet if you have a pig of a cigar to begin with (poorly fermented tobacco) it will not improve with age. Again, much like wine. Crap in...crap out.

[yossie]

» Yossie it is very much like wine.

»

» Age can clarify a flavour. The flavours are cleaner, the cigar

» smoother...the previous sour wood/ coffee / toasted tobacco becomes cream,

» honey, golden toast.

»

» Excessive Age can also weary a cigar. I like a cigar with a little

» spice..a little pepper...a little mongrel. Age can rob these

» characteristics unless a cigar has been blended (and blended well) for the

» mid term using premium material. Many Upmanns actually increase in strength

» over time (5 + years). The flavours which were barely noticeable when

» fresh...explode.

»

» At 5-8 years no premium cigars are expired. Yet if you have a pig of a

» cigar to begin with (poorly fermented tobacco) it will not improve with

» age. Again, much like wine. Crap in...crap out.

I may purchase some aged cigars in single unless you or lisa do a great sale:-D

[Sandman]

Thanks for the insight Rob.

[asc]

» Thanks for the insight Rob.

Agreed...thanks so much.

Love the edumacation the prez brings.

[waveball]

Seriously great insight prez. I love this place!!!

[bassman]

And sometimes you get a bad box. My 01 RAGs were very bland. The 02s, howver, have been fantastic. Same experience with the RA 898s.

[El Presidente]

» And sometimes you get a bad box. My 01 RAGs were very bland. The 02s,

» howver, have been fantastic. Same experience with the RA 898s.

I loved RAGS from 01/02/03/. I thought they were remarkably consistent. And then...!POOF!....you swear the blend changed toward the back end of 04.

Remember when RAGS just started showing upafter a long absence....they were hard to come by. 1999/2000?

[craigos]

» » And sometimes you get a bad box. My 01 RAGs were very bland. The 02s,

» » howver, have been fantastic. Same experience with the RA 898s.

»

» I loved RAGS from 01/02/03/. I thought they were remarkably consistent.

» And then...!POOF!....you swear the blend changed toward the back end of

» 04.

»

» Remember when RAGS just started showing upafter a long absence....they

» were hard to come by. 1999/2000?

Thanks so much Rob --- I am like a sponge soaking up water when it comes to cigars - fascinating. Thanks so much for the information. I am glad I managed to get some of those 01 robustos, 03 iglo vi ...

[anacostiakat]

» » And sometimes you get a bad box. My 01 RAGs were very bland. The 02s,

» » howver, have been fantastic. Same experience with the RA 898s.

»

» I loved RAGS from 01/02/03/. I thought they were remarkably consistent.

» And then...!POOF!....you swear the blend changed toward the back end of

» 04.

»

» Remember when RAGS just started showing upafter a long absence....they

» were hard to come by. 1999/2000?

Interesting since I have been contemplating acquiring a box fo RAG. A review might be nice. . . ;-)

[El Presidente]

Tough question Craig and I am not trying to duck the issue.

I am a cigar lover first. I am also fortunate to pretty much try anything that takes my fancy from current stock and that has been the way since 1996 stock. I am going to stretch your criteria from 1996-2007.

I can get very excited about a particular cigar or box of cigars....say Cobiba Robusto from 01 or Juan Lopez Seleccion No 2 from 06. Both were magnificent....I can close my eyes and still taste them today. Yet when I look at follow up boxes inside and outside of the ones I loved....I can be disappointed...good solid cigars but not to the level of sheer ecstasy I had previously. It may be only a month out. It may be the same box code. That is always why in large volume production cigars I rarely if ever say....GET PLM MAR 06. It is a guide only, not a guarantee and certainly not gospel.

I also fall out of love with cigars.

Loved the HDM Piramides LE. In fact at the time I thought they were to be one of the greats. I traded the rest of my personal stock away last year. They are not the same cigar....still very good...but missing the intensity of first release. Lesson: Cigars change, they evolve and I do believe many people smoke them after they are at their best in the belief that everything aged is good. You may not like the change so sample annualy. I emphasized "You" because each individual is different. Ken still loves his HDM Piramides and thinks I am a moron.

So for me to give you my personal top 10 is a hard thing to do. Also to

say 2001 CR is as useless as **** on a bull. Not all CR in 2001 were good. Yet in smaller production (volume) cigars there were some consistent standouts:

2001 Winstons and SLR DC.

Cohiba Double Corona LE.

2001 Ramon Allones Gigantes

They still haven't made a Punch Churchill (cab) as good as 1998

1998/1999 Lusitanias were magnificent (construction aside)

Partagas Serie D No 3 LE's were a treat from the get go.

HDM Des Dieux pre 03 were somehow sublime. This was always one of my favourite cigars but I have struggled in the past few years to get anything close to the flavour profile of those years.

1998-2003 Sancho Panza Molinos (construction aside). Again a personal favourite.

1998/1999 Rafael Gonzalez Corona Extra. They lost their way post 2003.

Original Partagas Piramide LE's.

1998 Partagas Corona (cabs) and 2002 Bolivar Corona (cabs).

1998 & 2006 Partagas Serie De Connoisseur No 3

2007 Sir Winston (for some reason they have disappeared).

Notice the correlation. In the main these are low production cigars. Excluding the LE's on the list the balance of cigars regardless of the years were not huge sellers ie...not a hell of a lot were made...likely same factory....much of the same blending personel (my assumption).

From a buyers perspective let me have a look at the list below and comment:

1. We won't ship plugged cigars. If we open a box and they are plugged they go back to PCC. We won't send them to you...so don't worry about bad construction years for now. If we get it wrong let us know and we will compensate.

2. Look for low production cigars.

* RG CE

* HDM Dieux

* HDM De Depute and HDM Du Maire (fantastic little 20 minute cigar. Like smoking cream when on.

*Sancho Panza Bachilleres

* Juan Lopez 1's and 2's

* Royal Seleccion 11's and 12's from that period.

3. First 12 months of release of Cohiba Siglo VI were still (to my mind) the best Siglo VI produced yet. Pick up the 2003's as this was the big comeback cigar for HSA. A hell of a lot was riding on it and they ensured it received the best of everything.

4. These were good years (not as good as 98 but good) for large formats (construction an ongoing issue) so look for the Double Corona's and Churchills. The bigger formats lost their way post 03 for two and a bit years. I know it is a generalization and yes I have had great cigars from those years...but it is my personal opinion having sampled many many box codes of the same cigar...... during that period they fell away.

5. Aged Siglo V and Cohiba Robusto. If looking at a box ask Lise to have me have a good look at them and I will tell you if I would buy them. At their best the 01 are as good as any ever produced with a real honey note.

The stock came in yesterday so I have had no time to really look at it. I would love to smoke some Monte 2's because they have the aroma of the real deal but it would be useless to do so at least 30days. I may break that rule tomorrow.

All in all if you are considering a purchase you are not purchasing blind. Lise and I are their to help so use us.