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Bill's best of 2015

CigSid

CigSid

Love this place...
Joined
Jan 25, 2014
Messages
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Many here think of me as a Cuban cigar snob... I just think of myself as NC and DC challenged :)

Back in the early nineties, I started smoking cigars, initially to replace cigarettes, then because I fell in love with them... I started with Olivia, Perdomo and Rocky Patel, eventually migrating to Padrons, Opus X's and Davidoff... I thought these were the best you could get at the time. Then one day in 1996, while traveling to Cancun, I wanted to check out the very first LCDH in the world (opened in 1990) and ended up purchasing my first Cuban cigars... I'll never forget perusing through 100's of boxes, and settling on some Bolivar Belicosos Finos, and Partagas Coronas. I purchased 2 of each. When I lit the BBF, I thought to myself "wow" this is incredible! I smoked all 4 cigars in a day and a half... I was in heaven... I went back to the LCDH and purchased 5 boxes of the BBF's, and 2 50 cabs of the Partagas Coronas, and mailed them back to myself. I have smoked only CC's since...

2014 and 2015 have been great years for CC's, so much better than 2000 through 2013. These are my top 5 for 2015, which includes one late 2014 as well:

1. Bolivar Belicosos Finos - PMS ENE 15 – OLM MAY 15 – RAE MAR 15 – Amazing cigars. These immediately brought me back to Cancun in 1996. They are strong but smooth, creamy and spicy. Definitely worth stocking up on, especially if you can find these box codes.

2. Cohiba Esplendidos - UBA JUN 15 and UME ABR 15 – Very close to the top spot for quality and flavor. Typical Cohiba flavors, amplified with creamy leather and spices. Great cigars…

3. Cohiba Siglo VI - ARG JUN 15 – Reminds me of an aged Esplendido, with tremendous amounts of sweet hay, chocolate and spices. One of the best Siglos I have ever had…

4. H. Upmann Connoisseur A - LUB ABR 15 – Reminds me of some of the best old school Sir Winstons, and the best the marca has to offer. Creamy, peppery, with black tea, and bits of caramel…Big and tasty.

5. Romeo y Julieta Churchills - PLA OCT 14 – It has been a while since I have enjoyed an R y J Churchill… These are incredible, with milk chocolate, cherries, sweet tobacco, and I believe in another year or two, these will be a 96 to 97 rated cigar…

A “banner year” as they say, and I believe it is time to stock up. I don’t think this quality can be repeated, and I hope I am wrong, but judging from my 20 years of experience, I am betting I am right…


I would love to hear about the favorites of my friends here for 2014 and 2015, please let me know.


Bill
 
I've been plowing through BRC's and PSD4's. Nothing fancy, very reasonably priced, but solid, fantastic smokes...even young. Boxworthy ++, to be sure.

Monte #2's are a little hit and miss, but there were some fantastic ones out there over the last two years. Also very boxworthy, IMHO.

With a couple more years on any of these, they should be fantastic.
 
I have loved the BRC's lately (ULA OCT 14), and they barely missed the top 5... The PSD4's have been a bit disappointing, compared with the 2008 thru 2010 versions... Maybe I need some better box codes :) The Juan Lopez No 1 and 2 are great, along with the Party Lucys and the QdO Corona... They definitely would have made the top 10...
 
I think all that I've smoked from 2014-2015 has been some Petit Upmann. From the first puff it was evident that something, imo pretty drastic, had taken place with the tobacco.
Tastes like it was aged more, or better, than I'm used to. No peppery lip sensation either.

That said, I have had some fresh CCs, from earlier years, that were very tasty, albeit slightly brash.
It's nice to be able to taste these fresh. Gives me a much better idea of the blend character.

Love reading this sort of post. Thanks, Bill.
 
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Great top smokes list. This only means I'm gonna have to hunt some of these down. If any one is considering buying these selections, you can not go wrong! If you don't like them and they're from a trusted, reliable source, someone here will gladly take them off your hands.
 
CigSid said:
I have loved the BRC's lately (ULA OCT 14), and they barely missed the top 5... The PSD4's have been a bit disappointing, compared with the 2008 thru 2010 versions... Maybe I need some better box codes :) The Juan Lopez No 1 and 2 are great, along with the Party Lucys and the QdO Corona... They definitely would have made the top 10...
Click to expand...


Ahem... Can a request be made for Bill's bargain smokes of 2015? I think you have great selections already that would go on that list.

:)
 
With my limited exposure, I did get to try a Bolivar Super Corona 2014 LE recently. I thought it had some nice flavors going on and am considering a box. It still had a brashness that some age might tame.
 
Bill, thanks for the list! It's quite reaffirming that it's all regular production; I've always enjoyed the rank & file Habanos more that the ELs/REs.

I'm almost through my last '10 BBFs... time for a box purchase I suppose. Glad to see the JL1s get an honorable mention as well- second best Habano of the year for me.
 
I'm really, really liking my '14 RyJ Cazadores...burning through a lot of them in a hurry. A little rustic, smorgasbord of flavors. Fun smoking right now, but I can only imagine they'll still be great as the flavors mellow and marry together.
 
zeemanb said:
I'm really, really liking my '14 RyJ Cazadores...burning through a lot of them in a hurry. A little rustic, smorgasbord of flavors. Fun smoking right now, but I can only imagine they'll still be great as the flavors mellow and marry together.
Click to expand...
I heard these are good, and are going to be great... I have a box that is sleeping in my aging cabinet, and was not going to touch them for a few more years...
 
CMontoya79 said:
Ahem... Can a request be made for Bill's bargain smokes of 2015? I think you have great selections already that would go on that list.

:)
Click to expand...
C, I am working through my notes, and will have this up in a bit...
 
CigSid said:
I heard these are good, and are going to be great... I have a box that is sleeping in my aging cabinet, and was not going to touch them for a few more years...
Click to expand...

I would say that sitting on them for a few years is the best route, based on my experience they'll be fantastic. Right now they just have that wild and crazy flavor rollercoaster character that has my Nicaraguan pepper blasted palate very entertained :D.
 
I have to agree with cigars 2,4 and 5 being amazing with those box codes. I kept missing out on the BBF's and Siglo VI every time they came up for sale. Hopefully I'll get my hands on a few here shortly to try.
 
Great list. For the money, I just think it is damn hard to beat the BBF. That cigar is just amazing and is just perfect with a cup of coffee.
 
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