Craig's mini-reviews

[craig]

Punch Royal Regional Edition for Benelux in 2009 - BLO JUN 09 - smoked 15 Oct 2016
The "Regional Edition" Cubans are, for the most part, nothing special like the Limited Editions. Some have been huge successes, but most are the "normal" brand blend in unusual sizes. The Punch Royal is a "Gordito" vitola - 141mm x 50 ring - basically a robusto that is a half-inch longer. Unfortunately, this cabinet suffered greatly in the flood - the bottom inch of all of the cigars is black and withered. Solution: cut off the bottom inch! The result retains the Punch "Punch" but the 'leather' richness is absent. Surprisingly, the slight cherry note/accent that I've only found in Punch is still present (or, perhaps just as likely, I'm imagining things). Overall, and considering the cigars that I smoked from the cab per-flood, just a basic robusto, but now vaguely reminiscent of a box of over-humidifed-at-the-shop Bolivar Royal Coronas that I had a few years ago. I'm glad to be able to salvage something smokeable. No rating at CR.

Montecristo Especial #2 - LBT SEP 09 - smokred 15 Oct 2016
Perhaps an elegant lancero is not the best cigar to follow the robusto Punch, but the Especial #2 is oh soo creamy and delicious. No ligero, no harshness, and traditional Montecristo taste. Perfect construction, flawless wrapper. If you like big, bold cigars with lots of smoke, this cigar is not for you - but if you want a cigar that you stare at and think, holy sh*t this is high-quality tobacco, then it doesn't get much better than the 152mm x 38 ring Especial #2.
CR ranked 25th @ 8.96/10

[craig]

Ortega Serie D No. 12 Maduro - original 2012 release - smoked 18 Oct 2016
A break from Cubans to finish off this box of 10 from Eddie Ortega. These were made by Pepin Garcia IIRC right after the Espinoza-Ortega (EO) brand was wound up. The cigar is very much like a Padron 1964 Maddie, but creamier. Like Padron's, they smoked very consistently after the first year or so ... I don't think further aging changed the cigar at all. If you like Padron Maduro's - and who doesn't? - then you'll like this cigar. I don't know if they are made anymore, so you might find them on clearance somewhere sometime.