Top cigars of the last few weeks.

[El Presidente]

I have had some excellent cigars over the past few weeks culminating in the recent trip to Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Others can chime in on their most enjoyable October cigars to date but I will kick it off.

Upmann Magnum 50 (Jul 08).

I am still blown away by the flavours, ballance and mouthfeel of this cigar. Throughly enjoyable and I can't see any reason why the batches released to date will not become classics.

Punch Petit Corona (Jun 07)

I bought five of these over two days at the Cohiba Divan at the Mandarin in Hong Kong. I love this little Divan and the manager Simon was as friendly and professional as always. Rich, sweet, medium / full bodied cigars. Perfect.

Punch Petit Punch (Jul 07)

I had a handfull of these which I took to Shanghai. Shared one with Guillaume who agreed with my comments that this is perhaps the best half corona currently. Complex, medium/full, sweet. The perfect 25-35 minute cigar.

Vegas Robaina 5th Anniversary Lonsdale

Gifted to me by Hamilton in Shanghai while enjoying lunch at La Luna.

Old style cigar. Medium bodied, with a core of wood and milk coffee. Super smooth and builds in intensity with a stunning last third performance.

Por Larranaga Robusto (Asia Regional Release). This was from the first release and they are coming along beautifully. The caramel sweetness is starting to develop with a floral overlay. Medium bodied and in the process of opening up. Another 12 months should see these as crackers.

[Colt45]

Bolivar Corona Gigantes 03

RA 898V 00

There's not much I can say anymore about either of these - rock solid.

[jdbrown]

06 BCG

Mag 50

RA 898

Also agree that the Punch Petit Punch is the most consistent half corona.

[mkz]

Definitely Punch Petit Corona.

[Evo03]

I've had a few Hoyo du Princes from April 06. Creamy, cocoa, good draw, and lots of smoke.

Partagas Serie du Conn #3 (Feb 07), and PSD4's from October 06. These have been great.

[shrink]

Juan Lopez Seleccion No. 2 (SML ENE06). After being in something of a funk for the past year, this has come back with a vengeance. Right from the first draw, this nondescript robusto simply exploded with flavor. A rich core of caramel and creme, with lemon curd on the side. One of very few vitolas that I would describe as a "dessert" cigar, it was tangy and sweet on the finish.

Montecristo No. 1 (TGP FEB06). I love this cigar, and have come to prefer it to the venerable No. 2. This elegant lonsdale packs quite a punch, showing a medium/full profile of bittersweet spice with an earthiness that Monte hasn't shown in a decade. The classic Monte profile, only MORE of it. One of my current favorites.

OK, OK, the new Upmann Magnum 50. It's as good as they say, but it would be better with a denser roll, and a year or two in the humi.

[Spartan]

Of all the sampling i've been doing for the past 3 months the Mag 50 is by far the most consistant and outstanding! :-D

[Vinny]

would say Mag 50 too, cause it tastes great with bubbles :-D

but also Cuaba EL 08 which is a great surprise! It's been a long time I haven't been fill with enthusiasm like that for an EL.

Siglo VI '03, a blast

trinidad reyes '06, greatest 40 minutes cig for me, another great one with bubbles ;-)

and last but not least Boli Legendarios, for those who knew the colosalles, almost the same but stronger and tastes more like bolivar.

[asc]

» Upmann Magnum 50 (Jul 08).

» Vegas Robaina 5th Anniversary Lonsdale

Both of those are on the wish list!!! The VR description especially...wow!!!

[greenpimp]

Juan Lopez #2 from 2007, and a ERDM Choix Supreme from early 07 as well. Both very stout in flavor, rich and strong with a broad spectrum of flavors and they keep getting better. Better than most of the robustos I'm aging in the humidor. Wish I'd bought more cabs.

Bolivar CG from 2003. Down to only a few of these. Gaining elegance, still a cracker of a finale.

ERDM Grande de Espana 1997. Absolutely love this smoke. Heavy but balanced earthiness. So satisfying. Great sunset smoke.

[cigarros]

Vegas Robaina Padrino (7 1/2 x 56)

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Bl...695,214,00.html

and

http://www.cigarros.ru/tastings/53.html

Montecristo Edmundo Dantes ER 2007 para Mexico

Link here:

http://www.cigarros.ru/tastings/54.html

Oh! I forgot - some links on russian........

[habanohal]

Mag 50

Mag 50

2001 Vegeros #1

[bassman]

ABR 06 MC#2

JUL 06 BCE

JUN 03 BCG

JUN 06 Party 898

All consistantly delicious.

[craigos]

» I have had some excellent cigars over the past few weeks culminating in the

» recent trip to Shanghai and Hong Kong.

»

» Others can chime in on their most enjoyable October cigars to date but I

» will kick it off.

»

» Upmann Magnum 50 (Jul 08).

» I am still blown away by the flavours, ballance and mouthfeel of this

» cigar. Throughly enjoyable and I can't see any reason why the batches

» released to date will not become classics.

»

» Punch Petit Corona (Jun 07)

»

» I bought five of these over two days at the Cohiba Divan at the Mandarin

» in Hong Kong. I love this little Divan and the manager Simon was as

» friendly and professional as always. Rich, sweet, medium / full bodied

» cigars. Perfect.

»

» Punch Petit Punch (Jul 07)

»

» I had a handfull of these which I took to Shanghai. Shared one with

» Guillaume who agreed with my comments that this is perhaps the best half

» corona currently. Complex, medium/full, sweet. The perfect 25-35 minute

» cigar.

»

» Vegas Robaina 5th Anniversary Lonsdale

»

» Gifted to me by Hamilton in Shanghai while enjoying lunch at La Luna.

» Old style cigar. Medium bodied, with a core of wood and milk coffee. Super

» smooth and builds in intensity with a stunning last third performance.

»

» Por Larranaga Robusto (Asia Regional Release). This was from the first

» release and they are coming along beautifully. The caramel sweetness is

» starting to develop with a floral overlay. Medium bodied and in the

» process of opening up. Another 12 months should see these as crackers.

am getting me some of those Magnum50's El Presidente!! Just sent an email to Lisa. Sound great. Please help her find me a couple of good boxes.

[hoyopr]

Over the past few weeks three come to mind, all were great cigars.

Bolivar CE, PMR Jul 05 this from 3 singles I got from Lisa a year ago.

Diplomatico #3, OEB Feb 06, half way throught the box and everyone has been great, just recieved 2 more boxes of the same code last week.

Punch Royal Selection No 11, GSO Jun 06, this one I was smoking as I landed a 5 foot sturgeon on the Fraser River last week end.

[ksblazer]

Here is a list of cigars that really stood out recently:

99 Punch Corona- Draw was a little tight but these are very complex cigars

08 H Upmann Mag 50- Best young cigar I've smoked in a long time

06 Partaga 8-9-8- Quickly becoming my favorite Partaga

01 ERDM Lonsdale- A nice and complex cigar that really suprised me.

[Guest rob]

06 and 07 Partagas 898 Varnished are the bee's knees right now!

[kmax]

08 Trinidad RE classic Trini medium body

07 Short churchil

07 Partagas SDC #1

[Ginseng]

I had a Reynaldo mareva 2007 that was really quite excellent. Strong, extracted, well-rolled. Reminded me of a VR Familiar with a touch of a good Monte 4 piquancy. A very enjoyable cigar.

Wilkey

[Van55]

06 and 07 Partagas 898 Varnished are the bee's knees right now!

For what it's worth:

The alt.usage.english FAQ

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"the bee's knees"

(Phrase Origins)

A bee's "corbiculae", or pollen-baskets, are located on its

tibiae (midsegments of its legs). The phrase "the bee's knees",

meaning "the height of excellence", became popular in the U.S. in

the 1920s, along with "the cat's whiskers" (possibly from the use

of these in radio crystal sets), "the cat's pajamas" (pyjamas were

still new enough to be daring), and similar phrases which made less

sense and didn't endure: "the eel's ankle", "the elephant's

instep", "the snake's hip". Stories in circulation about the

phrase's origin include: "b's and e's", short for "be-alls and

end-alls"; and a corruption of "business".

Source: [Mark Israel, 'Phrase Origins: "the bee's knees"', The alt.usage.english FAQ file,(line 4407), (29 Sept 1997)]

[rafa]

It's pretty frustrating to hear everyone rave about the Mag 50. I've now bought 3 cabinets of 10, all from 5th Avenue. All soft and underfilled. All flavorless. I'll ask the question again -- do different distributors (PCC, 5th Avenue, Hunters & Frankau) get different boxes? I've noticed a big difference in the Punch Punch's. And a wide and disparate variety of Diplomaticos (brown wrappers, greenish wrappers).

I've never tried they (I'm not a H Upmann fan) ,but this week i saw they in two different shops. In one of them they have a very good appearance (...but i didn't buy). After this, i went to a different shop thinking to give they a chance , and there they were awful, uglies , underfilled or too tight , very bad construction...totally different. How can be so differents? why? Rolled with differents hands? No quality control in one shipment ? I don't know , but i believe will not give they a chance.

[jayro75]

I was told by 5th Avenue that they're making this cigar "in every factory in Havana except El Laguito", therefore inconsistent appearance, size, weight, labels, bands, second bands. Apparently, it is a "hot" cigar. It may be that forums like this one are helping to create the high demand (and cigars-review.com, et al).

I've smoked 6 now, from 3 different cabinets -- and I don't get it. And I usually see a silver lining in even the poorest efforts (Punch Super Robustos RR's: "they may taste like carboard, but that's really good cardboard").

I've smoked a handful of these and can say not one of them, has been any good. I haven't even seen any future potential in them. I've been actively trading the rest of my box away!

[Guest rob]

Well researched there Van

Sometimes I forget that English isn't always entirely universal.

[tandblov]

I am going with the PL Lonsdale, Diplomatico #2, RAG, and a 98 VR Famoso.

[asmith]

I have had some excellent cigars over the past few weeks culminating in the recent trip to Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Others can chime in on their most enjoyable October cigars to date but I will kick it off.

Upmann Magnum 50 (Jul 08).

I am still blown away by the flavours, ballance and mouthfeel of this cigar. Throughly enjoyable and I can't see any reason why the batches released to date will not become classics.

Upmann 50 has been the stand out, although a close second is every other cigar I smoked from the humidor that Ayala didn't make me pay for. Thanks mate