General opinion on 07 stock

[El Presidente]

I was sitting on Kens deck Thursday night and we were both enjoying some April 2007 Bolivar Belicoso Finos which I brought.

During the conversation on cigars (he was singing from the rooftops about 1999 LGC MO2 which he purchased from me a few weeks earlier)....I made the point that i could not remember my last crap cigar. It must be 5-6 weeks the longest " no crap cigar period" since 1998.

Nothing has changed in my routine...average 17 cigars per week over 6 weeks approx 100 cigars in total.

I did smoke 20 or so cigars from the PCC aged list. When I looked at my notes over 60 of the remaining cigars I smoked were from 2007.

These included everything from Bolivar to Trinidad. I certainly noticed a return to form of the BBF, D4, HDM E2.

Most memorable of the 07 stock was Siglo IV which simply blew me away.

To generalise the 07 profile it is rich and smooth (medium/medium full). I have found great flavours in almost all the cigars when young. The wrapper quality is solid if not exceptional. Filler quality is exceptional. Construction is better than 06 which was better than 05...which was... Habanos s.a are heading in the right direction.

2006 was the best year since 1998 in terms of quality and flavour of cigars. The only criticism I have of 2006 was that Jan/Feb/Mar /production was sensational but fell away throughout the year until sep/oct/nov/Dic which was again excellent. There are plenty of exceptions obvioulsy but this was our (czar team) observation both in terms of construction and flavour.

I haven't detected the same in 2007 production. I have found it to be more consistent across the year (consistency in terms of flavour and construction).

It may be a case of more consistent climatic conditions (less rain and humidity during summer) or hopefully it is a sign that Habanos s.a has taken another small step in the right direction.

The first of the 2008's are starting to come through (Sir Winstons of all things). I will try and do a review next week.

[Colt45]

I was thinking something very similar end of last week. I was smoking my last Partagas 898V,

a single from May '07. Such a great cigar - I had three singles - and in a short time, from cigar one

to cigar three, there was marked improvement (most likely simply acclimatization).

This is of course just one cigar, but I do agree that in general, quality has been improving.

[lusitanias]

I've been smoking a lot during 2007, about 400 CC, and i totally agree with President. I've smoked almost everything but cohiba and vegas robaina.

The only problems i've found have been with a couple boxes of RASCC wich were tightly rolled (and the code was POS!). Remember great monte petit edmundos, hoyo petit robusto and epi2, monte 4 (!!!!), BBF, gold medal and RoCor, Jlop 1 and 2, punch petit corona, trinidad coloniales, ramon estupendos, belicoso, SS.

I've been also smoking some 2008, and i must say new Saint Luis Rey double coronas are awesome, with dark oily wrappers and great construction and aromas. Of course too young to judge, but already smokeable.

Hope next years cubans will still improve.