So how are your 2006 aging? Calling on Reviews and Opinions

[El Presidente]

How are your 2006 tasting?

One of the great debates in the world of Cuban cigars was that the Cubans played with the fermentation process around this time and it was the reason that the cigars from 2006 onwards had become approachable. Many deemed 2006 onnward as having litle aging potential.

Well we are coming up to 3 years for early 06 and while we are not going to get a definitive answer to the question we are going to get a report cart.

Please review an 06 you may have. In the review make reference/comparison to your initial cigar from that box if you can remember (post each review on a new thread).

For those who do not wish to do a review but have an opinion on how your 06 are developing, let us know on this thread.

[anacostiakat]

The problem I have with my 06's is I have no broken boxes and I dont want to break them.

[Van55]

Cooked!!!!!!

Seriously, the subject of why Cuban cigar are so approachable with so little age has been discussed every year since about 2004 as I recall.

You can google it.

[Guest rob]

I havent got any formal reviews... but all the 06 stock I have smoked in the last 2 months has been stellar.

the list includes:

Partagas SP #2,

Cohiba Robusto,

RA Estupendo and

Partagas 898V

[Sandman]

I can report that the 06 CoRos are coming along very nicely. Very rich, chocolate, and vanilla, with plenty of strength.

[El Presidente]

Cooked!!!!!!

Seriously, the subject of why Cuban cigar are so approachable with so little age has been discussed every year since about 2004 as I recall.

You can google it.

!LOL! I know it well Van. The rumours started around 2003. It was 2006 however that I and most others noted a remarkable richness and approachability to that production year. It has continued since.

[bolivr]

One example for now PL Panetela. OEB Oct 06 in the humi for the past 10 months. Not a lot of change from when first received which is not a bad thing as the caramelly, sweetness is still there. I noticed on the pre-light draw distinct Christmas pudding fruit which I did not notice earlier. Light roasted ground coffee on the nose. Still a light bodied smoke, not expecting much more to develop with time.

Will check the Party Aristos at the weekend. Nice to have an assignment to do!

ok, I'm back . The Partagas Aristocrat was disappointing perhaps completely due to way too much humidity in that storage area I have them holed up in. Flavor was a mash of toasted notes, nothing distinct. Lesson learnt. It was I guess not completely hopeless, still smokable but I will dry them out and hopefully see some improvement.

[Van55]

!LOL! I know it well Van. The rumours started around 2003. It was 2006 however that I and most others noted a remarkable richness and approachability to that production year. It has continued since.

Rumor has it, which I can't personally substantiate, that 2008's are even more astounding as young cigars.

[pnutbutrsangwich]

If my experience is the common one, then I would have to disagree with that claim. The 08s that I've sampled have been bad. They weren't bad in the way that cigars used to be bad when young (ammoina, harshness etc). These cigars have had absolutely horrible wrappers. Some of them looked like they substituted binder leaf (Gold Medals and Monte 2s being the worst offenders). They lacked any kind of enjoyable aroma and the blend was so weak on the GM that it was almost flavorless. The Monte on the other hand was quite stout in strength, but like I said, the aroma was off.

I don't hold out much hope for the 08s. Some might be good now (like the M2), but the raw materials appear to suck massively.

[Don Candido]

I had Monte Robusto EL '06 the other day. It is evolving, but still seems kind of like candy to me... It is not like most Monte blends.

[Colt45]

These cigars have had absolutely horrible wrappers.

Sangy, how dark are these wrappers?

I don't have anything from '08, but have found, generally speaking, that the darker the wrapper, the rattier they tend to look

and feel. I love a smooth, silky deep tan or light brown wrapper.

[bassman]

Very impressed with these 06s..

MC#1 though #5- all top notch

Partagas 898V

BCE, BCG, & BCJ

RyJ EX#3

Disappointed with SLR Serie A. The 02s & 03s are amoung my favorites. The 06s taste like a completely different blend.

[shrink]

A thoroughgoing response to this thead will take a month, or more. Overall, I am delighted with the 2006's I salted away. Bolivars, Montes, Partagas, Cohibas... all good, some very good, and a precious few hover on greatness. I'll start with the Boli's.

I smoked an early 2006 Bolivar Royal Corona tonight. Dark, smooth, oily wrapper. Nice sweet smell at cold. It lit up and burned perfectly throughout. This beauty has mellowed nicely, and produced a smooth, sweet smoke right from the first draw. The medium-bodied profile was pure Bolivar: rich, creamy tobacco flavors with leather, some mineral notes, and a mild earthiness. The distinct citrus tanginess of youth has nearly disappeared. As the cigar progressed, it became more flavorful, with some sweet vanilla and nougat flavors in the finish. A very nicely balanced, mature cigar. I peeled off the band as I smoked it to a delicious nubbed crescendo. This will continue to improve with time. At least a 91 on the Richter scale.

[pnutbutrsangwich]

Sangy, how dark are these wrappers?

I don't have anything from '08, but have found, generally speaking, that the darker the wrapper, the rattier they tend to look

and feel. I love a smooth, silky deep tan or light brown wrapper.

The ones I've seen have mostly been quite dark. The one exception that I can recall was a very early release Mag 50 which actually had a really nice wrapper on it. In fact, that whole cigar seemed to have been made from really first class tobaccos. Unfortunately this seems to be more the exception than the rule.

As for correlating dark wrappers with a rough appearance, I'll agree that there is some truth to that. However these wrappers go beyond just the normal "rustic" appearance of a nice maduro wrapper. They lack any appreciable amount of sheen (kinda like the fireproof H2000 wrappers, though these will actually burn) and have a rough, sandpapery appearance.

I know that not all of the 2008 production can be fairly generalized, especially after only a few test examples. Suffice to say I am far from impressed.

[hoyopr]

Of the 06’s I’ve had a few of, the following are smoking nicely,

Diplomatico #3 – OEB Feb 06, I’ve gone through most of a box this year. I wouldn’t say there has been a great deal of change from the first one I tried about 18 months ago to the one I smoked yesterday, this is a well balanced and smooth cigar now and then, I won’t be looking to stash a box away for 10 years down the road.

Bolivar Royal Coronas – POS Jul 06, half way through a second box of these, they have stayed relatively the same over the past year, very enjoyable but I don’t think they have the back bone for any deeper development.

Hoyo des Dieux – PTS Feb 06, only had 3 of these but each was excellent, I don’t recall if I felt there was a lot of potential for long term aging.

Punch Super Sel No.1 – OEB Dec 06, the three I’ve had were outstanding, and definitely had further to develop.

Bolivar Inmensas – POS Jan 06, fantastic sticks had 4, and these I believe could develop further although great now.

These 2 need more time IMO, I’ve smoked about a half dozen from these and have decided not to try another until next summer, both have been ok when I’ve had them but definitely will benefit from more age yet.

Partagas Conn #1 – GSO Sept 06,

Punch RS #11 – GSO Jun 06

[Lanthor]

Had one of my '06 Boli CE tonight, think it is a May or June code so not quite three years. Really enjoyable, sweet cream with a nice kick of spice and leather, great cigar.

[GP012]

I've been very happy with SLBs of PLM AGO 06 Siglo II's. Also have had good luck with mixed boxes of late 05/early 06 RyJ Ex 4's.

I did enjoy a POS JUL 06 box of BBF's last year, but they seem to be sick at the moment.

[BigSlick]

A thoroughgoing response to this thead will take a month, or more. Overall, I am delighted with the 2006's I salted away. Bolivars, Montes, Partagas, Cohibas... all good, some very good, and a precious few hover on greatness. I'll start with the Boli's.

I smoked an early 2006 Bolivar Royal Corona tonight. Dark, smooth, oily wrapper. Nice sweet smell at cold. It lit up and burned perfectly throughout. This beauty has mellowed nicely, and produced a smooth, sweet smoke right from the first draw. The medium-bodied profile was pure Bolivar: rich, creamy tobacco flavors with leather, some mineral notes, and a mild earthiness. The distinct citrus tanginess of youth has nearly disappeared. As the cigar progressed, it became more flavorful, with some sweet vanilla and nougat flavors in the finish. A very nicely balanced, mature cigar. I peeled off the band as I smoked it to a delicious nubbed crescendo. This will continue to improve with time. At least a 91 on the Richter scale.

Agreed! Got a box of these when they first came out and knew I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off of them for the long haul. I'm 3 into my second box and refuse to smoke anymore until 2011. Well, maybe one or two....

Looking forward to see how these develop. Hell, if they get no better, I believe they will remain stellar.

[Phailure]

PLPC OEB feb 06

When these came out, there were some wrapper color variations. I have the darker wrappers if anyone cares.

Nose: really nice dusted cinnamon and chocolate

Taste: still some youthful edge. a touch of green still. chocolate and caramel. some earthiness. still needs aging.

When i tried these initially, they were very rough, green, and strong. They have calmed down some but they still need a couple more years in my opinion. I'd be interested to hear other opinions.

[ksblazer]

The 06's that really stood out IMO are:

Monte #5's

Boli CJ's & CE's

Cohiba Siglo I