San Cristobal de La Habana El Principe EMA NOV 07.

[PigFish]

Like many of you I have been smoking these cigars for a number of years. They are a welcome inclusion to my varying array of diminutive 30 minute cigars. These cigars have a powerful niche in my smoking arsenal and for those of you who don’t stock them I would suggest giving the ElP a chance.

This box of ’07 is varied and diverse. The last cigar that I smoked out of it was the first cigar that I consumed after my heart attack. That ten days was the longest no smoking binge I have had in recent memory. The cigar I remember well; it was strong, I was not! Saying I was faint of heart does not do justice my perceived strength of that cigar.

This sample was completely different than the cigar described above. Although I enjoyed the cigar for its complex character and personality and even though the flavor was good it was as though I was smoking a “flavored” cigar.

I chose the cigar closest to the right of an open box. The cigar was noticeably smaller in diameter from its siblings. The sample was firm with no soft spots, nicely acclimated and ready to smoke. I was somewhat fearful of the cigar being plugged as it yielded little as I caressed and squeezed the cigar up and down its linear axis. The color was medium colorado and the condition of her skin was average and acceptable but not stellar. The prelight aromas were muted and the most significant aroma was that of spent nitrocellulose. In a broader term the cigar was redolent of spent munitions; uncanny!

The cigar cut slightly less than clean, my own fault no doubt but the draw was acceptable but on the stiffer side. All that was noticeable in the prelight draw was that of honey… not at all what I was expecting.

The cigar took to flame like a duck to water and we were off. The smoke was lacking but the flavor was quick to deliver. The complexity was amazing and this clearly could have been an extraordinary smoking experience with the exception of tobacco! Yes you read that right. Even though the flavors of cinnamon, almond, mint and clove were dancing like perverted goblins about my mouth they had no leader. The familiar taste of tobacco was all but nonexistent. To round out the experience the cigar was also sweet, perhaps overly with only a little bite above the tonsils.

I enjoyed the cigar for what it was. The cigar percolated gobs of aromatics yet it really did not develop into what I would classify as a cigar. For 30 minutes or so I was treated with smoking a type of incense! I will reiterate enjoying the cigar, it was just not what I had expected. This would have been a wonderful dessert cigar but I do expect my teeth bloodied some by a battle with a great cigar and this one lacked both the tobacco bark and bite. As a result no blood was drawn.

I still rate the cigar highly and this one scores for complexity and character but lacked development and progression. If someone could bottle this stuff for your morning pancakes it would be a winner although it was not classic El Principe. Cheers. -Piggy

[aavkk]

nice review Piggy. I cant recall smoking a cigar which lacked the core tobacco background, that sounds really interesting. Maybe the roller was having some fun that day and decided to put a wrapper around one of those "acid cigars" or something.

[thechenman]

Thanks for the review Piggy. The cigar sounds delicious...

[smll2]

Nice job Piggy...stay thirsty and healthy my friend!!!

I've got some Dips coming my way from your ranting. I will need to check these out.

Thanks Tom