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Just want to let you know that I have gathered a group of great BOTL's that will be doing Blind reviews of 5 Habanos cigars. We have done this in the past and it's been fun to share our experiences with you guys.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
For the Spring session the reviewers are 1) Myself, 2) CF2112, 3) Indyrob, 4) dlavalee & 5) Jolietfire. This is a great group of BOTL's. Some are more experienced than others which IMO makes these reviews fun.
So here we go with cigar No.1. Unfortunalty I had a little mix up so the first four reviews are of a 2008 Diplomatico No.4 and the last review (No.5) is of a 2008 Bolivar Bonita. Sorry about the mix up. It won't happen again in the rest of the reviews.
Reviewer No.1
Appearance: This cigar has a nice med brown shade wrapper with a few small bumps in it. Firm in feel and has a nice looking triple cap.
Drink: My favorite Rum & Coke at the cigar lounge
Pre light: Great pre light draw with a earthy tobacco flavor.
1st 3rd: Lit this cigar up nice and even and it draws like a champ!! I'm blowing clouds of heavy smoke. Right off the bat I'm getting a papery flavor that goes away after a few more puffs and it turns earthy. Kinda reminds me of a baked potato skin like flavor. As I burn down an inch or so more I detect some herbs & spicyness.
2nd 3rd: I'm enjoying the earthy spice with my Rum & Coke. Cigar is burning straight and drawing well. Towards the end of the 2nd 3rd I start to detect some slight sour cream like flavors. Nothing overpowering but slightly sour. One puff would be earthy spice another would be sour cream & earth.
Final 3rd: Cigar is getting a little hot so I let up on it for a couple of minutes. As I smoked it down I detected some woodsy flavors. Especially on the finish. It's pretty much a earthy, spicy, slightly sour at times with a woodsy finish. This cigar had these flavors all the way to the end. Strength wise it is was meduim throughout. I smoked it down to about 3/4 of an inch before putting it down.
Conclusion: A nice cigar that would score a little higher if it weren't for a mild sourness. Makes a nice change of pace when I want something different from my regular rotation.
Score: 88
Reviewer No.2
Cigar#1
Construction is good, after clipping the cap I notice a divot a good sign as most cigars with the divot are great!
First Third:
Starts dry and papery not what I was hoping for, after the first inch it really warms up. Smooth creamy thick smoke with an earthy taste.
Second Third:
Earthy and Cedary. Loads of smoke and a little tongue tingle.
Final Third:
Cedar and spice with a slight chocolate taste. As I near the end it's slightly tannic.
Overall a good cigar, a young Monte 4 is my guess.
Reviewer No.3
First Impression:
Fragile Wrapper, big water spot on wrapper near head. Possibly covered by band after rolling so not really feeling that it's a premium marca in the line. Soft box press, nice tactile feel to wrapper.
Lighting:
Spicy at first and got a little vege/floral taste behind spice. Young and wild, nothing really suggests that it's an older cigar.
Halfway:
Still wild and young tasting. Spice but not feeling Partags or Bolivar spice because there was a definitive Punch profile there.
Last leg:
Wrapper busted up and became bitter.
Best Guess: Punch from 2007 or later.
Reviewer No.4
Blind Habanos Review- Cigar #1
5.0"x42 Corona
Construction/Pre-light
Very firm construction, no spongy or soft spots when squeezed. Nice even light brown color, perfect roll. Pre-light tastes of very faint leather. Can't pick up on much else.
First Third
Lit with wooden matches, very tight draw upon lighting. Smooth start, no pepper or harshness. First retrohale produced a very slight spice and tingle in the sinuses. Within the first 1 to 2 inches, the predominate undertones are herbal flavors, maybe even light wood taste. The best comparison that I can liken it to is a common bowl if proper english blend pipe tobacco; very satisfying and dry mouth feel.
Second Third
Within the second third this cigar really opens up in terms of flavors. Initially I was tasting dry caramel notes and prune/date/raisin, for lack of a better description. There are still hints of grassiness and herbal flavors, but not fresh green tasting types. Cigar held the ash for over two inches before it fell, construction is superb. Beginning to taste, forgive me for this comparison, like a bittersweet chocolate covered cherry. Second guessed myself on this a few times, but this is exactly what hits my palate. No doubt.
Final Third
Body is building from mild to a solid medium, and beginning to develop a little harshness in the back of my throat. Not unpleasant in the least, but cigar is building up a bit ever since the second half. Draw is tightening up a bit as well. Burn line is holding very well, straight almost the entire cigar with speckled dark grey and black color. Flavor has not changed much since second third, only change is the woodsy/oaky flavors seem to be strengthening the slightest bit.
Total burn time: 1 hr, 10 minutes
Overall, a very satisfying cigar. All the flavors and signature taste one would come to expect from a habanos smoke. If I had to venture a guess for the marca, I would say either Hoyo de Monterrey or Partagas. Haven't had quite enough CC smoking expereince to pinpoint the factory, but from what I have smoked it is most similar to these two. Hopefully my palate will develop a bit more over time so I can differentiate a bit further.
Reviewer No.5 2008 Bolivar Bonita
Blind CC Review #1
Prelight cut:
This cigar measures 5x40 ish. With a triple cap, nice seams and a claro wrapper but with just a tinge of green blended in. One thing I notice when feeling the cigar is the hardness of the cigar in general.
Cut: Sliced with my palio cutter. The Draw seems to be very tight.
Prelight draw: Cigar seems to have some age on it at least at prelight. No spice but some sweetness and just a older tasting habanos.
1st in: The cigar has given flavor right off the first draws of a general sweetness. No spice and some very nice roasted tobacco.
1st3rd: First this cigar is very good in terms of quality of tobacco. I still think it has a few years(maybe many) on it. But the draw... damn the draw!!!!! No guesses on Marca but I think its of a stronger lineage with years on it.
2nd: Cigars draw is helped with a couple pokes from the draw tool. More smoke and more flavor. Strength has kicked up to a solid med. Tons of sweetness and rich tobacco. The flavors are long lasting on the palate in between draws. My gut is saying Partagas (overall flavor and color of older Party wrappers)
3rd:
Well once again I think this cigar has had some very good aging and very good tobacco. The aroma is killing me it is so good. Spice is still there and that honey sweetness as well. Some milk chocolate with leather as well. I want to say party so bad but in the last 3rd with the strength kicked up and leather I'm going to say a aged Bolivar Bonitas. And if thats the case it's going to make me sad because I was never able to grab a box!!!!!! I could only imagine how much better this cigar would of been with a more open draw!
Score: 90
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
For the Spring session the reviewers are 1) Myself, 2) CF2112, 3) Indyrob, 4) dlavalee & 5) Jolietfire. This is a great group of BOTL's. Some are more experienced than others which IMO makes these reviews fun.
So here we go with cigar No.1. Unfortunalty I had a little mix up so the first four reviews are of a 2008 Diplomatico No.4 and the last review (No.5) is of a 2008 Bolivar Bonita. Sorry about the mix up. It won't happen again in the rest of the reviews.
Reviewer No.1
Appearance: This cigar has a nice med brown shade wrapper with a few small bumps in it. Firm in feel and has a nice looking triple cap.
Drink: My favorite Rum & Coke at the cigar lounge
Pre light: Great pre light draw with a earthy tobacco flavor.
1st 3rd: Lit this cigar up nice and even and it draws like a champ!! I'm blowing clouds of heavy smoke. Right off the bat I'm getting a papery flavor that goes away after a few more puffs and it turns earthy. Kinda reminds me of a baked potato skin like flavor. As I burn down an inch or so more I detect some herbs & spicyness.
2nd 3rd: I'm enjoying the earthy spice with my Rum & Coke. Cigar is burning straight and drawing well. Towards the end of the 2nd 3rd I start to detect some slight sour cream like flavors. Nothing overpowering but slightly sour. One puff would be earthy spice another would be sour cream & earth.
Final 3rd: Cigar is getting a little hot so I let up on it for a couple of minutes. As I smoked it down I detected some woodsy flavors. Especially on the finish. It's pretty much a earthy, spicy, slightly sour at times with a woodsy finish. This cigar had these flavors all the way to the end. Strength wise it is was meduim throughout. I smoked it down to about 3/4 of an inch before putting it down.
Conclusion: A nice cigar that would score a little higher if it weren't for a mild sourness. Makes a nice change of pace when I want something different from my regular rotation.
Score: 88
Reviewer No.2
Cigar#1
Construction is good, after clipping the cap I notice a divot a good sign as most cigars with the divot are great!
First Third:
Starts dry and papery not what I was hoping for, after the first inch it really warms up. Smooth creamy thick smoke with an earthy taste.
Second Third:
Earthy and Cedary. Loads of smoke and a little tongue tingle.
Final Third:
Cedar and spice with a slight chocolate taste. As I near the end it's slightly tannic.
Overall a good cigar, a young Monte 4 is my guess.
Reviewer No.3
First Impression:
Fragile Wrapper, big water spot on wrapper near head. Possibly covered by band after rolling so not really feeling that it's a premium marca in the line. Soft box press, nice tactile feel to wrapper.
Lighting:
Spicy at first and got a little vege/floral taste behind spice. Young and wild, nothing really suggests that it's an older cigar.
Halfway:
Still wild and young tasting. Spice but not feeling Partags or Bolivar spice because there was a definitive Punch profile there.
Last leg:
Wrapper busted up and became bitter.
Best Guess: Punch from 2007 or later.
Reviewer No.4
Blind Habanos Review- Cigar #1
5.0"x42 Corona
Construction/Pre-light
Very firm construction, no spongy or soft spots when squeezed. Nice even light brown color, perfect roll. Pre-light tastes of very faint leather. Can't pick up on much else.
First Third
Lit with wooden matches, very tight draw upon lighting. Smooth start, no pepper or harshness. First retrohale produced a very slight spice and tingle in the sinuses. Within the first 1 to 2 inches, the predominate undertones are herbal flavors, maybe even light wood taste. The best comparison that I can liken it to is a common bowl if proper english blend pipe tobacco; very satisfying and dry mouth feel.
Second Third
Within the second third this cigar really opens up in terms of flavors. Initially I was tasting dry caramel notes and prune/date/raisin, for lack of a better description. There are still hints of grassiness and herbal flavors, but not fresh green tasting types. Cigar held the ash for over two inches before it fell, construction is superb. Beginning to taste, forgive me for this comparison, like a bittersweet chocolate covered cherry. Second guessed myself on this a few times, but this is exactly what hits my palate. No doubt.
Final Third
Body is building from mild to a solid medium, and beginning to develop a little harshness in the back of my throat. Not unpleasant in the least, but cigar is building up a bit ever since the second half. Draw is tightening up a bit as well. Burn line is holding very well, straight almost the entire cigar with speckled dark grey and black color. Flavor has not changed much since second third, only change is the woodsy/oaky flavors seem to be strengthening the slightest bit.
Total burn time: 1 hr, 10 minutes
Overall, a very satisfying cigar. All the flavors and signature taste one would come to expect from a habanos smoke. If I had to venture a guess for the marca, I would say either Hoyo de Monterrey or Partagas. Haven't had quite enough CC smoking expereince to pinpoint the factory, but from what I have smoked it is most similar to these two. Hopefully my palate will develop a bit more over time so I can differentiate a bit further.
Reviewer No.5 2008 Bolivar Bonita
Blind CC Review #1
Prelight cut:
This cigar measures 5x40 ish. With a triple cap, nice seams and a claro wrapper but with just a tinge of green blended in. One thing I notice when feeling the cigar is the hardness of the cigar in general.
Cut: Sliced with my palio cutter. The Draw seems to be very tight.
Prelight draw: Cigar seems to have some age on it at least at prelight. No spice but some sweetness and just a older tasting habanos.
1st in: The cigar has given flavor right off the first draws of a general sweetness. No spice and some very nice roasted tobacco.
1st3rd: First this cigar is very good in terms of quality of tobacco. I still think it has a few years(maybe many) on it. But the draw... damn the draw!!!!! No guesses on Marca but I think its of a stronger lineage with years on it.
2nd: Cigars draw is helped with a couple pokes from the draw tool. More smoke and more flavor. Strength has kicked up to a solid med. Tons of sweetness and rich tobacco. The flavors are long lasting on the palate in between draws. My gut is saying Partagas (overall flavor and color of older Party wrappers)
3rd:
Well once again I think this cigar has had some very good aging and very good tobacco. The aroma is killing me it is so good. Spice is still there and that honey sweetness as well. Some milk chocolate with leather as well. I want to say party so bad but in the last 3rd with the strength kicked up and leather I'm going to say a aged Bolivar Bonitas. And if thats the case it's going to make me sad because I was never able to grab a box!!!!!! I could only imagine how much better this cigar would of been with a more open draw!
Score: 90
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