Bill Hayes Posted January 11, 2009 Posted January 11, 2009 The Christmas period is a fruitful time to enjoy a few cigars. This year I had two bucks nights, two weddings, xmas day, new year’s eve etc to have a crack. So I purchased some of Rob’s best of 2008 selections as singles. First was Rob’s ‘go to’ cigar – The Partagas Connie 3. Smoked this after chrissie lunch at my cousin’s pub in country Victoria where the whole clan amassed with an open bar. Loads of those typical Partagas flavours that I know but can’t fully describe but instantly recognise with some fruitiness at the beginning and lots of pepper at the last third. A bit peppery for me but packed full of flavour. A couple of years in the humi to mellow the pepper a tad and these will be rippers if you can keep your hands off them. They’re great now. This was the second best cigar I smoked. Late afternoon I fired up a Punch petite corona. Had all those nutty flavours that you find in a good Punch Punch. The flavour withdrew a little toward the last third. But my palate could have died by then. A fine petite corona if you like the punch profile and medium body. But I reckon I’d still steer towards a trini reyes for a small format cigar. Take your time with them and they smoke like a petite corona. But the Punch could do with a little time in the humi to let the flavours develop and mingle. Next cab off the rank was one outside the President’s selection. A Cohiba Genios at my best mate’s bucks night after a day at the boxing day cricket test. This was a fine refined cigar with plenty of body. I do find the maduro wrapper seems to hide the cohiba flavour profile a tad and change it significantly from a siglo 6 style flavour profile. So it should too. It’s a different cigar. Kind of like smoothing the edges off the corner of a table so your kids don’t hit their heads. Once again, my palate may have died after drinking mid-strength beer at the cricket then finally moving on to fruity ales at a pub, then on to some rum and coke. The cigar was relatively young but it was pretty even in flavour throughout. No real hidden apricots like in the Cohiba Robusto that was on the video review. Kind of like putting chocolate sauce on a banana. The chocolate takes over. Quite strong though. I gave one to the buck and it finished him off. But you could tell it was a quality cigar and probably best enjoyed in different circumstances. Next was the Hoyo Epi 2, smoked at another bucks day. In fact, I smoked 1 and half of these. The first was a little bland. I would love to love this cigar but it always seems to smell better than it tastes but as taste is connected to smell it causes confusion and you don’t know whether you like it or not. It had those flavours of wood and leather and not quite the creaminess yet but you could tell it was there. All it needed was more time in the humi. So I fired up a second one seeing as the buck wasn’t partaking and this one was packed full of flavour. A lot more complexity. I have enjoyed this cigar with an Irish ale before and would definitely re-visit. Unfortunately I had to let it go as we were leaving in taxis for establishments best not mentioned. The last cigar was one of my revered nemesis’. The Bolivar Belicosos Finos. I tackled one in my cigar-smoking youth and she had the better of me. Kind of like a skinny virgin trying to satisfy Serena Williams. But I had to salvage my manhood. Once I fired her up I realised she was up for it. This is a cigar with some body. To me, it’s the cigar that sums up Cuba. You even sound Cuban mentioning its name. This cigar had flavour in spades. Earth, leather, a touch of toast, fruitiness and a hint of pepper. Absolutely loved it. So much so, I waited half an hour and fired up another one. Well, I was in the courtyard of the magnificent Vue Grand Hotel in Queenscliffe Victoria at the back end of another great wedding for another great mate. Pulled up stumps at 3am in the morning with the manhood salvaged. Woke in the morning with the smell of her lingering on my pillow. Quite a touching moment really. 2008 wasn’t such a bad year after all. Bring on 09’. Now there’s only the Punch Super Selection 1, the Por Larranaga Belicoso Extra and the H.Upmann Magnum 50 to go from that batch. I may leave the last two in the humidor for a while though. I love single life. You don’t have to have one box. Just don’t tell my girlfriend I said that. Hope everyone had a great holiday season. I did. Now, if only I could remember half of it.
Tampa1257 Posted January 11, 2009 Posted January 11, 2009 Nice review Bill. I absolutely love the Partagas Serie du Connaisseur No. 3 as well as the No.2 and No.1. There is an "Old School" quality in flavor that is unmatched by anything new coming out of Cuba. Truly spectacular and deserving to be in everyones humidor.
El Presidente Posted January 12, 2009 Posted January 12, 2009 Nice review Bill. I absolutely love the Partagas Serie du Connaisseur No. 3 as well as the No.2 and No.1. There is an "Old School" quality in flavor that is unmatched by anything new coming out of Cuba. Truly spectacular and deserving to be in everyones humidor. Kind of like a skinny virgin trying to satisfy Serena Williams. Great writeup Bill of a hell of a day!!!!!!!!!!!
Ken Gargett Posted January 12, 2009 Posted January 12, 2009 Nice review Bill. I absolutely love the Partagas Serie du Connaisseur No. 3 as well as the No.2 and No.1. There is an "Old School" quality in flavor that is unmatched by anything new coming out of Cuba. Truly spectacular and deserving to be in everyones humidor. guys, could not agree more re the connie 3 but my problem is that i really believe that they blossom with 3-4 years, better still with twice that, and if i ever get any, they never last that long. itiinteresting that whenever we are in cuba, it is no that difficult to find aged boxes. they make a great house cigar but we go through them at a great rate. .
Bill Hayes Posted January 12, 2009 Author Posted January 12, 2009 May have to get some more and attempt to age them along with some connie 1's and 2's. It's a shame the partagas corona is no longer with us. I like that one too. Kind of old school.
kjellfrick Posted January 12, 2009 Posted January 12, 2009 Great reviews! Those were some very good cigars, and you managed to save the best ones (imo) to last. Way to go!
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