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Rating My Cuban Smokes

J

Jake Bourdon

New Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2010
Messages
20
Montecristo No 4 & 5's - Have had about fifty of the no 4's from boxes dated 07 and 09 and fifteen of the no 5's from 08. These on the whole have been excellent with a creamy woody leather aroma, great enjoyable and the most consistent Cubans I have smoked.

Cohiba Siglo I &II - I have smoked about six of the I's and five of the II's and they seemed to be a mixed bag. When they are good I pick up a toasty buttery aroma with hints of vanilla which are heavenly to smoke. But then I have had a few that just like smoking grassy cardboard. I am hesitant to purchase any more of these as for me it really is pot luck on what you get quality wise.

Cohiba Secreto's - From the two I have smoked they have had a perfect burn and construction and was like smoking dark bitter chocolate all the way through. A enjoyable smoke but a bit boring with no development.

Punch Punch - One of the best smokes I have every had. Very aromatic and floral all the way and I was surprised as I was not expecting much out of this one and it just kept giving me what I like in a Cuban smoke which is plenty of flavor and a aromatic aroma.

Bolivar Petit Corana - I purchased this one as a single and it was the worst smoke I have had to date. It was totally bland and was like smoking dry cardboard. Very disappointed.

Hoyo De Monterrey Epicure No 2 - A single stick purchase which was a very pleasant light bodied for me smoke. Picking up sweet woody coffee notes. I enjoyed this one though it could have done with a extra kick to the pallette.

Partagas D4 - Awesome smokes I have smoked a box of ten which was a spicy woody treat with a hot sweet cinnamon aroma. This was a exciting and very enjoyable smoke though it did pack a big nicotine wallop that can knock you off you feet. The best of this size I have smoked, got to get more of these.

Partagas Shorts - Like their big brother D4's these were a spicy and surprising complex smoke. What I enjoyed about these is they kept shifting from woody cedar notes to spicy sometimes sweet notes. Boring these are not. A great smoke.

Ramon Allones Specially Selected - Had a single one that I purchased which is the second worst Cuban I have smoked. Totally bland and tasteless, well except for a slight earthyness this was so non descript that I had to put it out half way through. These have a great reputation so all I can think is that I must have had a dud which seems all to common in Habanos.

Trinidad Reyes - A medium super smooth chocolate smoke that is a very enjoyable with a coffee. Had a box of ten and I was pleased with every one, these seem to be very consistent. Though I did not really pick up any progression in the taste/ aroma profile, it was a smooth chocolate smoke from start to finish which is not a bad thing especially with these smokes.

All in all I find smoking these Cuban cigars to be to much like pot luck in the quality which is frustrating when you think of the cost. But when you get that one which is above and beyond all is forgiven. I know people say that they have to be aged to get the best out of them. But when I buy cigars I like to smoke them within three months of purchasing them, I guess I need to look for the ones that are great to smoke straight out of the box.
 
I'm slowly learning that a good Cuban is worth the wait. Definitely age them.

I am anticipating trying the CM5 Secretos before too long. The PSD4s are good fresh, but I hear they are fantastic with a few years on them. The Siglo IVs I have had were quite young, but still exhibited the creamy Cohiba flavor and aroma. They will be good to age for a few years.

Your comment on the Ramon Allones was spot on in my opinion. I had two of the Small Club Coronas, and they were absolutely terrible. I didn't finish either one. It was bland and tasteless, and was like smoking a roll of cardboard.

The Partagas Shorts pack a punch, I love those!

I have two Punch Punch in the humi, looking forward to trying them after your notes.

Thanks for your reviews! :D
 
Thanks for sharing your experiences. By the way...I believe the Trini Reyes come in boxes of 12, not seen a 10 count box before. As far as aging goes...well...that is personal preference. There are a lot of CCs that smoke very well ROTT. The Trinidad Robusto Ts come to mind, and many others, if not most others. Really it all comes down to taste and what you enjoy in a cigar. I do find that many CCs benefit from aging...moreso than NCs. But, that is just my taste preference.
 
Thanks for the reviews. They are short and to the point which I like.

I hope you give the RASS another try as it sounds like the one you did have was a dud.

I haven't had much luck with the recent Bolivar PC's I've tried lately. Give the Bonitas or Coronas JR's a try.

I'm enjoying the recent Party Shorts and D4's (late 09) as well.

It's good to hear that the Monte 4, 5's and Trinni Reyes are smoking well. I've always enjoyed them but havent smoked any recently.
 
Youve got a very well balanced list. You can quibble about this or that particular review, but you are generally spot on. I am not a RASS lover, although I do note they are very popular.

The Boli PC probably deserves another try. The can be very powerful little cigar. Better yet, skip to the more flavorful CJ and really get the small Boli experience.

Cheers
Drew P
 
I would give the RASS another chance. I find them to be anything but bland. You may have got a dud. The 08 RASS are smoking great. :thumbs:
 
Montecristo No 4 & 5's - Have had about fifty of the no 4's from boxes dated 07 and 09 and fifteen of the no 5's from 08. These on the whole have been excellent with a creamy woody leather aroma, great enjoyable and the most consistent Cubans I have smoked.
Click to expand...

Wow I sure haven't found this to be the case with me. Some are great and smoke won't even smoke from the same box.
 
I agree with many of your experiences.

Some of the ones you may want to re-visit with age are the HdMs, RASS. and Siglos. HdM benefits quite a bit! Also, the Partagas Corona Especiale is cheaper and, IMHO, better than the Party Short.

A couple of short smokes that smoke well at a somewhat younger age are the Monty Petite Edmundo and the HdM Petite Robusto.

Edit double entry.
 
Thanks for the responses and I will give the RASS another go as you can not judge a cigar brand by just one stick. I failed to mention the Cohiba Clubs which were very good. I had a box of ten and for a short 10 minute smoke they have beaten some of the Siglo I and II's on taste and flavor. Who would have thought those small clubs would deliver, but they did.lol
 
I like all of those. When they are flat, I stop smoking them, and let them sit longer. I have come to think that this is a sick period. Not sure. I could swear I read something by MRN that stated that Cubans will go through this "flavor lock" (I think that was the term used) after about a year.

I had a box of 2006 PSD4 that went through that flat period. The flavors kept changing until sort of coming around full circle to very simiar to the fresh profile, but without the nasties. Took about 4 years. Someone told me to give them another year, but they were so good, I smoked all of them remaining sticks in a week.
 
I have just smoked a Monty Petit Edmundo which I had been saving from last month. You know when you have had a desert like treacle pudding for example and half way through you find it way to sweet that you cannot continue, that is what smoking this cigar is like. It is like smoking caramel which has a dusty character to it's nature that drys out the back of your throat. Nice to begin with but way to sweet for my pallette and I just could not smoke these ones on a regular basis.
 
thevalkrye said:
Treacle..isn't that cow intestine????
Click to expand...
You're close Duncan, treacle is the generic name for any syrup made during the refining of cow testicles.

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Nice observations JB, I have had similar experiences as you on most of them.

I also find Cohibas hit or miss and not worth my dollars. Sometimes I feel like the Cohiba maduros taste like a cheap Dominican maduro...although the Secretos is the one I have had favorable experiences with.

The Epicure #2s have been my go-to morning smoke for years.

I'm not much of a RASS fan to date and I've smoked them from various years, they taste bitter to me....maybe I haven't hit a good box yet.

The Montis you describe are spot on...although, when I get a flat #4 (like this morning), they really blow.

I love Bolivars in general...if they wrapped cow treacle in a nice wrapper leaf and slapped a Boli band on it, I'd love it!

I still feel that PSD#4s taste like asphalt driveway...I don't know, I can't shake that description. I was sent one and by a CP BOTL and I've been so hesitant to try it...I guess I'll give it another try.

The Trinidad Reyes have a very distinctive taste, you either like them or hate them...I like them fresh myself.

Your Punch Punch tasting notes were similar to mine...but then again I like a floral, grassy tasting smoke.

Great thread, I love reading everyones different opinions...it's what it's all about!
 
Bolivar Royal Corona Red Tubed - Have just finished smoking one of these robustos and I was picking up spice and rich tea notes with a sweetness weaving in and out of these two notes. A strong smoke with lots of flavor and very enjoyable the second best behind the Partagas D4. Though I always feel like I have had my ass kicked after I have smoked a robusto.

Cohiba Behike 52 - Had one of these with a coffee and I am sorry to say for me it was a pretty awful substandard smoke. The burn was uneven and even though I only cut the cap off it was slightly coming undone at the bottom. The smoke was like grassy cardboard with hints of buttery vanilla here and there but it was muted and pretty bland. I only got this as I wanted to experience what all the fuss was about with these special smokes. I am not going to buy any more Cohibas as I have had to many that were like smoking grassy cardboard. I'm just glad I only bought the one, from my experience Cohibas are not worth the money. I would rather have a Hamlet cigar than a Cohiba. lol
 
Monte No 2 - Wow what a great cigar I could not believe how big this one was. Lots of cream and cedar which smoked bitter sweet , took me over a hour to smoke it. Great enjoyable cigar a big thumbs up.
 
Bolivar Belicosos Finos - Rich and full of many different flavors every time I take a puff. This is a very complex smoke which keeps on giving , good cigar.


The Best Smoke Of Them All

After trying a wide range of Cuban smokes and a few non Cubans the cigar I have enjoyed above all others is the Montecristo No 5. I think I have been on a quest to find my Holy Grail smoke and this is the one that comes the closest. It is small and manageable and burns good and gives me that creamy leather aroma/taste all the way through to the nub. Because I like to smoke slowly to get as much pleasure out of every puff this stick lasts me for just over a hour. Also the price is very good and these smoke pretty consistent. The only negative is that the draw on some sticks can be tight and sometimes you can get a plugged one. I have had a lot of sticks that have a great reputation from different makers that just do not deliver or are just not my cup of tea. But in these Monte 5's I find everything I'm looking for in a good smoke.
 
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