Vegueros Belicoso & Vegueros Cepos

[El Presidente]

Vegueros Belicoso & Vegueros Cepos

Both of these cigars were generous gifts from Bruce (Broozer) who has a passion for Vegueros. Unfortunately I have never shared the same passion and I have not really had a Vegueros I could ever say that I have fallen in love with. There were a couple of Especial No 2’s which I think I convinced myself were excellent cigars but then again in retrospect I was kidding myself. Solid…..yes. They had all the hallmarks of the 2am supermodel at the bar who at 7am suddenly turns into Kathy Bates.

The Vegueros Belicoso was the first of the two I tried. Lovely Beli in the hand, well rolled, good oil and a reserved aroma of slightly damp forest floor. This Belicoso came from the 2002 Collectors Humidor.

Clipped the cap and took a long deep pre light draw. Just clean fields of hay on the palate. The draw was perfect.

Fired up the cigar and it took easily to flame and burned well throughout requiring only the rare touch up. The body for the opening two thirds was light medium and the flavours a mix of long grass stalks, light milk coffee and just the slightest hint of occasional honey. I cursed my Billy Goat Palate for not “getting these”. The flavours (for me) are too weak, too insipid. There is a lack of definition, progression, personality.

The final third was an improvement. Body picked up and with it there was a pulse to the cigar which was not apparent earlier. The pulse was feint but it was there in some charred wood and deeper black coffee. Too little too late.

84/100

I wasn’t looking forward to the Vegueros Cepos. This Corona Grande was released in the 2003 Vegueros humidor and it was the morning after the Vegueros Belicosos that I finally decided to give it a crack. Construction on this one was immaculate ad the aroma at cold was “sweaty leather”. Beautiful wrapper, dark and oily. Clipped the cap and the draw was a dream but also the flavours at cold were very complex (cream, grass, quality tobacco).

Fired up the foot and found almost instantly a medium full bodied cigar of the highest quality. Cream, toasted tobacco and black coffee lashed the palate in wave after wave of controlled titillation. The experience was unlike any Vegueros I have ever had before. Intensity, complexity in spades. There are cloves and aniseed drifting in and out of the flavour mix. The burn is sharp, the smoke plentiful and beautifully fragrant.

The second third of this cigar was one of the finest cigar experiences I have had in 2008. Sheer quality and clarity of flavour. The core is still toasted tobacco but the cream and coffee blend and evolve into a salty brandied butter. Into the final third it transforms again…full bodied with a slight pepper bite to clear the senses and provide a final twist in the tail.

96/100 and a cigar I would hold in my top 5 rotation if I could lay my hands on them. To say I am stunned is an understatement.

Thanks Bruce for opening my eyes!

[shrink]

I am dreaming, or did you just rate a Vegueros Cepos a 96/100? You must be seriously intoxicated. Bruce has been touting these on ICC for years, and I always humor him, thinking "The dude is a musician, he must be stoned on his ass". OK, now there's gonna be a run on these. I hope you're getting a laugh out of this, Rob.

[El Presidente]

I am dreaming, or did you just rate a Vegueros Cepos a 96/100? You must be seriously intoxicated. Bruce has been touting these on ICC for years, and I always humor him, thinking "The dude is a musician, he must be stoned on his ass". OK, now there's gonna be a run on these. I hope you're getting a laugh out of this, Rob.

I never thought I would see the day.....and I don't even sell them

[shrink]

Rob, did Bruce send you more than one Cepos. I'd sure like to read Ken's take on this one. In fact, why don't you guys do a video review? From what I hear, Bruce has stocked up a lifetime of these things. Maybe he can wholesale 'em to you! Cigar Czar... the world-famous Vegueros King!

[El Presidente]

Rob, did Bruce send you more than one Cepos. I'd sure like to read Ken's take on this one. In fact, why don't you guys do a video review? From what I hear, Bruce has stocked up a lifetime of these things. Maybe he can wholesale 'em to you! Cigar Czar... the world-famous Vegueros King!

I am a long way from being the Vegueros King

Truly excellent cigar and I do have one remaining which I am happy to pass onto Ken if he commits to a review. Ken has been rather slack in posting reviews of cigars I have gifted him to do a review on

Ken is a very busy man.

[Guest rob]

Taking into account that you probably smoke as many cigars in a single day that many of us may be lucky enough to smoke in a week - a score of 96, and a review like that, makes this cigar truly worth trying in my opinion.

I know you don't talk cigars up unless they truly command your attention like that.

I don't know where I would even look to even get one... but should I ever come across one I will definitely take the opportunity to try it out.

[Don Candido]

That was interesting and a nice change of pace.

[broozer]

i'm very glad you like the cepos rob. i have about 40 of them left and i'm thinking i better spend another 3 years tracking down another humidor. it was well worth the price i paid, that's for sure.

bruce

[broozer]

I am dreaming, or did you just rate a Vegueros Cepos a 96/100? You must be seriously intoxicated. Bruce has been touting these on ICC for years, and I always humor him, thinking "The dude is a musician, he must be stoned on his ass". OK, now there's gonna be a run on these. I hope you're getting a laugh out of this, Rob.

i doubt there will be a run on these shrink considering it took me 3 long years to even find one of these humidors. hell, it's easier to find and buy dunhills than this humidor.

bruce

[shrink]

i doubt there will be a run on these shrink considering it took me 3 long years to even find one of these humidors. hell, it's easier to find and buy dunhills than this humidor.

OK, Bruce... now I get it. These are from the humidor that you purchased early this year. The vitola "cepos" didn't ring a bell until now. I looked up your first review and you were disappointed. Guess they've come around. Now you're the proud poppa! It's a very nice humi; you should post the pics for the rest of the crew to ogle. Have you tried any of the other sizes out of the humi?

[broozer]

OK, Bruce... now I get it. These are from the humidor that you purchased early this year. The vitola "cepos" didn't ring a bell until now. I looked up your first review and you were disappointed. Guess they've come around. Now you're the proud poppa! It's a very nice humi; you should post the pics for the rest of the crew to ogle. Have you tried any of the other sizes out of the humi?

i have not smoked any of the other sizes from the humidor because they are the 4 in regular production. maybe i'll smoke one of each this week to see if they have the same blend as regular production.

here is the thread i posted with pics when i got the humidor back in march:

http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/inde...c=76159&hl=

bruce