Rafael Gonzalez Panetela Extra MGT Matrch 06

[Guest]

» Drag an unwashed football sock through a hen house and this is the aroma at

» cold of the Panetela Extra.

LOL... great description.

Well written review as well!

[SmokinAl]

» » ...but remained forever present akin to the deranged elderly uncle in an extended family photo.

I'm with Rob. Brilliant review but you've gotta cut back on the Shiraz before 11am!!!:-D

[northo]

Great stuff Rob. These have been my #1 cheap smoke for a while. They seem to have a consistent identity and definition of flavour which is lacking in JLPs. Good to see my (normally worthless) opinion vindicated. :-)

[Daidemo]

» Fired up the foot and this Panetela Extra took easily to flame. The intial

» flavours had that brutal ugliness of youth...green tobacco, bile, and wet

» burning wood. I am only a minute into this cigar and I cursed the bastard

» who asked me to review it

… I was afraid that you was smoking Corona Extra… ;-)

[shrink]

I read Coronas Extra, and then I looked at the first photo... and thought, "Good Lord, his hands are huge".

Actually sorry that it wasn't a CE; with age these are a marvelously sophisticated and complex smoke.

[KWG116]

Hey Rob,

I purchased a box these a few months back, and you picked a fantastic box with a Feb 07 box (I think), They tasted exactly how you described when I first smoked one. I just smoked another a few days ago and all of the youthful taste was gone, they were fantastic. I am going to smoke another this weekend. These are fantastic cigars for the price, and Thank you for picking a great box for me.

Thank you

[mkz]

» I am only a minute into this cigar and I cursed the bastard

» who asked me to review it...

Thank You Sir.

[El Presidente]

Drag an unwashed football sock through a hen house and this is the aroma at cold of the Panetela Extra. Very strong aroma at cold which always brings a stirring to the loins.

Construction was good. Wrapper has plenty of oil and a matt colorado/colorado maduro tinge.

Serrated the cap and the draw perfect. Clean tobacco on the lips.

Fired up the foot and this Panetela Extra took easily to flame. The intial flavours had that brutal ugliness of youth...green tobacco, bile, and wet burning wood. I am only a minute into this cigar and I cursed the bastard who asked me to review it:lol:

3 minutes in and a fightback was under way. The youthfull characters were retreating into the background but remained forever present akin to the deranged elderly uncle in an extended family photo.

There are some very real and clean cocoa flavours throughout the first two thirds of this cigar. I was taken back by the purity of the flavour. Rich, succulent tobacco, cocoa, bitter chocolate. There is still an edge of youth but I have no doubt it will disappear.

The body of the cigar after a full and wild opening has never meandered from pure medium. Smoke quantity is good and the aroma of the smoke reminds me of my mother baking chocolate cakes.

The cigar remained remarkably good right up to the final 1/2 inch. Without a doubt the highlight is the continuous cocoa hit.

These need anothe 24 months to become great. They have the body and the sweet edge curves. If they can just drop the edginess with a little more age we have a winner.

88/100