7 replies to this topic

[SkyKing]

Johnathan Drew did a fly-by in this forum and asked if anyone had tried his Undercrown Corona Viva!s

A dealer sent me a couple as a bonus sample with my order. I lit one up last week. It shares the positive qualities of the other smokes in the Undercrown line: easy light; crisp burn, beautiful construction, balanced flavor.

But unlike the others, the Viva! is aggressively full bodied from the start and the pepper and spices dominate the creamy base for the duration of the stick. But nothing is free in engineering. The Viva! lacks the subtle flavor profile crescendo present in its siblings.

Which is better? IMO, that would be determined by your taste. Fortunately, we don't have to choose. I would smoke the original Undercrowns in the morning or as the first smoke of the day. I would smoke the Viva after dinner or anytime I wanted a more full bodied smoke.

I've recently started to buy smokes based on how they might best balance or compliment the stock in my humidor. Most were very full bodied smokes. I'm now buying a few mild to medium boxes, e.g., Oliva Serie G and O; AB Prensados (which taste damn good although the burn is always a bit ragged).

Cabaijuan gifted me with a La Aroma de Cuba at our Herf Friday night and I was very impressed with it. I plan on trying one or two more and see if they taste as good as I remember.

Edited by SkyKing, 14 August 2012 - 07:52 AM.

[JHolmes763]

Viva is my favorite. More because of the size than anything else. They all smoke great.

The La Aroma are good smokes, too.

[vortex]

Always up to try a new PC. Thanks for the heads-up!

[Jonathan Drew]

Thanks for the review SkyKing. I like your style.

JD

[SkyKing]

Thanks for the review SkyKing. I like your style.

JD

Thanks for the compliments. I like your style of smokes.

I've shared a few Undercrowns with friends at my regular herfs and they uniformly praised the smokes in all vitolas. But it is easy to like almost any hand-made cigar when it is free. We can review, evaluate, and grade cigars until we get nicotine poisoning but the real litmus test is where we put our money.

It is probably immodest, but I will quote myself: "And the final verdict can be readily determined by only one factor. Did you like 'em enough to put out the bucks for more?

I wasn't sure until the last minute which of the Undercrown line I liked best. But yesterday, when I opened my wallet for a box, it was the Corona Vivas' I chose, and with no buyer's remorse. (Except my wife's)

Later, when the wallet is fatter, I hope to add a box of the Liga Privada Undercrown Corona Dobles' to the humidor. Or maybe I'll hold off until I can try the infamous LIga Privada No 9s that have spoiled so many CP members.

But meantime, thanks for recommending the Corona Vivas.

[Jonathan Drew]

Thanks SkyKing.

When you write, it feels like your right in front of the person.

Best,
JD

[SkyKing]

Thanks. I had a few years experience as an Associate Editor with the Washington Post company. Wrote technical reviews and industry analysis. Writing about cigars is a LOT more fun.

[MarkJr]

One of the things that I love about cigars is present in your review. Although I like the Undercrown smokes, I think the Viva! is my favorite so far! I think that the larger ring guages of the original sizes have turned me off. The MUWAT had the same effect on me, until I tried the baitfish. That really changed my thoughts on the line. And the fact that one person would love the larger sizes and I like the smaller is what this hoby is alll about. Smoke what you like and like what you smoke!