RASS July 2002 Review

[greenpimp]

Ramon Allones Special Selected July 2002

Smooth light cocoa colored wrapper with nominal veining. Smell at cold is cedar, funk, and a sweet, almost fruity undercurrent.

Haven’t had one from this box for a couple years. Been parsing them out. The first one was the first RASS I ever had, almost 5 years ago to the day. Had it after lunch and still remember it. Smoked it in Santa Barbara and it was so strong I was nauseous until evening. A lot of flavor, green flavor with copious nicotine. I thought I would give another a shot today. My luck’s bound to change after another disappointing Genios I smoked last night, which I hadn’t tried for 6 months and will wait at least that long to try another. (Will those damn things ever turn back around!?)

Anyway the prelight draw was too loose for my liking, with an earthy, spicy character to it.

The cigar opened up very nicely, smooth but strong with large plumes of smooth, buttery smoke. Leathery and spicy on the finish, it was a strong medium bodied with excellent smoke volume and broad flavor. Nutty, earthy, with spiciness on the finish instead of sweetness. Perhaps a hint of dry red wine character. But the buttery character of the smoke really highlights it, in mouthfeel and flavor. Quite satisfying and becomes stronger as I smoke it.

The second third grows stronger still, and brings forward a savory, herbal component I often find in the Ramon Allones profile, akin to roasted thyme. The overall character of the smoke is still quite dark and very satisfying. Dark earthy coffee and leather and thyme in huge plumes of cool smoke, with occasional fleeting glimpses of very dry red wine. Hopefully the loose draw will not rob me of the finale, for this is shaping up to be a great cigar so far.

Halfway, the cigar strangely turns very, very smooth. Just the butter and leather components with a long finish. Stark purity and right at medium bodied.

Around the final third mark, the cigar grows spicier and darker again, earthier and stronger. Like a spicy grilled ribeye, in a way, charred and buttery with a spicy Thyme rub. Flavors are well fused but powerful, with a long finish. Near the end, I get a couple tastes of the richest flavor it has to offer, the butter darkened to a seared Foie Gras character, or charred ribeye fat. Luscious.

It started to come undone around the 2” mark or so. I still gingerly fought with it. While it was still quite good, the greatness was gone. Likely stolen by the loose draw. Still a wonderful hour spent with a sterling robusto. 93 points with room for improvement, as I feel it still has room to develop and smooth.

[Fatshotbud]

Thanks for your impressions of this cigar - I keep trying them but still not my earth shaker.

[shrink]

Aged RASS. Yes. 2002 was a great year for RA.

[anacostiakat]

This is exactly why you should buy and hold some of these!

[sepp]

NIce Review.

[El Presidente]

Great review Matt.

A question which intrigues me is how RASS from 2006/7 will develop in 2011/12. There were some brutally unapproachable young cigars prior 05/06 (not all) and ageing was seen as a necessity to smooth them out and to provide time for them to develop. Not so much the case now.