So ... now that I've recovered and taken stock of what's left after the great cooler disaster of last year - almost all my Punch, Bolivar (sigh), and Montecristo reduced to yard gar status - I've decided to clear out pretty much all my non-Cubans, not buy any new cigars, and slowly smoke through the few boxes that remain by first sampling from each box, and posting my impressions. I'm not going to be "saving" any more cigars. I'll list the ranking/rating from cigars-review.org (CR) as I generally agree with what is posted there.
The first few:
BHK 54 DIC 2010 - smoked Oct 6, 2016
My memory is far from perfect, but this one seemed to be pretty much like the one I smoked in 2011 ROTT - but possibly more intense.
First third - trademark Cohiba "grassiness" very evident. Very enjoyable. Band glue tore the wrapper, annoying.
Second third - much less grassiness, predominant taste almost like an aged Opus X crossed with an aged JdN 1970, but smoother. Felt like the cigar needed a complement, went with Courvoisier V.S.O.P.; good pairing.
Last third - honestly, a bit too buzzed by then. Put the cognac aside. Cuban "twang" - yeah, I know, WTF is that taste - built up slowly and then came on strong like a freight train and then slowly subsided into, well, just plain damn good tobacco, best taken in very slow puffs - but the "show" was over by the last inch and a half. Like before, not a cigar that makes you want to burn your fingers on the nub, but smooth and silky right to the end.
CR ranked 50th @ 8.75/10, and I think that is a fair assessment at this time, given the cigars that are ranked higher/similar/lower that I've smoked. I think that I'll put the rest of the box back to sleep for another five years.
Trinidad Coloniales OUS MAR 10 - smoked Oct 11, 2016
These cigars were flooded in the great cooler disaster last year, but didn't form mold. I guess that the varnished boxes helped protect them. This is the first one that I've had since then, and it seems to smoke pretty decent - but nowhere near as good as before, maybe roughly equivalent to a Por Larranaga Petit Corona.
CR ranked 107th @ 8.46
Saint Luis Rey Double Corona JUN 08 - smoked Oct 13, 2016
The trend these days may be to ligero and strength and big rings, but this 194 x 49 ring cigar is the definition of old school Cuban. Unlike more well-known brands like Cohiba, Monte, Partagas, etc., there is no distinctive brand taste - the cigar is just so balanced. Complex, full flavour, yet on the lighter side of medium-bodied. No spiciness, mild aftertaste. Perhaps uniquely, SLR's use tobacco from the lesser-ranked Semi-Vuelta region as well as the top-rated Vuelta Abajo region. One of best regular-production Cubans that I've smoked, although only sporadically available, and only in half-wheels (bundles of 50) - so you get these to age them.
CR ranked 12th @ 9.16
... to be continued.
Bookmarks