Which cigar didn't live up to your expectations in 2015?

[HIM*]

You guys saying the Tat TAA were a let down gotta let those babies rest. You'll be wishing you had more in a few years if you've liked the past TAA releases.

Caldwell Last Czar was a real let down. I also have mixed feelings about the Sobremesa. I absolutely love the profile through the 1st half but then it sort of mellows and drifts away from my wheelhouse. Still quality just sort of loses me.

 

[ChuckMejia]

You guys saying the Tat TAA were a let down gotta let those babies rest. You'll be wishing you had more in a few years if you've liked the past TAA releases.

Caldwell Last Czar was a real let down. I also have mixed feelings about the Sobremesa. I absolutely love the profile through the 1st half but then it sort of mellows and drifts away from my wheelhouse. Still quality just sort of loses me.

So you are ok with buying new releases that require "rest" upon release?

 

[bostoneo]

So you are ok with buying new releases that require "rest" upon release?

Require rest? They blend this stuff and test it before resting. Whoever blended it must of thought it was good when it was released.

 

[ChuckMejia]

Require rest? They blend this stuff and test it before resting. Whoever blended it must of thought it was good when it was released.

huh?


bro

 

[THEMISCHMAN]

So you are ok with buying new releases that require "rest" upon release?

I would say he is. There are tons of people who buy Opus and put those down for a few years and no one bats an eye. The few TAA 2011's I smoked this year made me wish I had a Delorean so I could go and buy a few boxes.

 

[ChuckMejia]

I would say he is. There are tons of people who buy Opus and put those down for a few years and no one bats an eye. The few TAA 2011's I smoked this year made me wish I had a Delorean so I could go and buy a few boxes.

True

 

[Yarddog]

Well, here's living proof that there's truth in the old adage "There just ain't no accounting for taste"...
Biggest disappointment? Opus X Lost City...for $37, I expected the heavens to open, and the Angel Gabriel to come down and play a rockin' cornet solo for me. Nope. Didn't happen. Not a bad ceegar. But I've had two buck sticks that rocked the world better than this one did. I'd accept another...which is how I got this one...but to buy one? Ohhhh nooooo Misterrrrr Billlll!

Tatuaje Black Label...meh.
Padron 1926...meh.
Liga Privada #9...meh

Allow me to qualify on these...none of these were bad ceegars...they were all good...maybe even 'pretty good'. But I'm one of those that ties price point to the overall enjoyment of the stick. If I get the same reaction from a $30 stick as I do from a $2 stick...well, that means that the cheap stogie rocks my world, and expect the expensive stick to do everything including swallowing! Ya know?

And regarding Gurkhas...well, they aren't on my list of sticks that must occupy my humidor. But there are several damn good sticks! A WHOLE lot better than the overpriced, legendary units referred to above, given that in my world, price point is a factor! Ya see, one thing that DOES NOT factor in on my personal enjoyment parade is the marketing strategy of the cigar. I could not care less about that, because I don't buy into it. Because of one very simple factor...many of the vaunted, expensive ceegars aren't any better than the run of the mill sticks that I like. So, it's like, who cares?

 

[ChuckMejia]

Well, here's living proof that there's truth in the old adage "There just ain't no accounting for taste"...
Biggest disappointment? Opus X Lost City...for $37, I expected the heavens to open, and the Angel Gabriel to come down and play a rockin' cornet solo for me. Nope. Didn't happen. Not a bad ceegar. But I've had two buck sticks that rocked the world better than this one did. I'd accept another...which is how I got this one...but to buy one? Ohhhh nooooo Misterrrrr Billlll!

Tatuaje Black Label...meh.
Padron 1926...meh.
Liga Privada #9...meh

Allow me to qualify on these...none of these were bad ceegars...they were all good...maybe even 'pretty good'. But I'm one of those that ties price point to the overall enjoyment of the stick. If I get the same reaction from a $30 stick as I do from a $2 stick...well, that means that the cheap stogie rocks my world, and expect the expensive stick to do everything including swallowing! Ya know?

And regarding Gurkhas...well, they aren't on my list of sticks that must occupy my humidor. But there are several damn good sticks! A WHOLE lot better than the overpriced, legendary units referred to above, given that in my world, price point is a factor! Ya see, one thing that DOES NOT factor in on my personal enjoyment parade is the marketing strategy of the cigar. I could not care less about that, because I don't buy into it. Because of one very simple factor...many of the vaunted, expensive ceegars aren't any better than the run of the mill sticks that I like. So, it's like, who cares?

That Tat black CG was great to me this year. But I did hear of a few people getting jars with plugged sticks and bad construction.

 

[THEMISCHMAN]

Require rest? They blend this stuff and test it before resting. Whoever blended it must of thought it was good when it was released.

Agreed. The blender puts the tobacco together to get the flavor and transitions he's looking for but that doesn't mean that it won't get better with age. I think the whole cigars needing, or getting better, with some downtime can be related to wine or even food for that matter. It gives it time for the flavor to meld and allows the tobacco to mellow. A lot of good cigars, new releases or old, can taste like shit ROTT(either right after delivery or without proper acclimation) because they have been in transit and in various states of flux as far as temp and humidity are concerned.

Ok, thread derail complete. Now back to your regularly scheduled topic.

 

[Yarddog]

Although I realize that online cigar retailers who must over-humidify their product prior to shipping to ensure that they don't dry out, I should pretty much be able to smoke a cigar without 'rest' or 'aging' when I purchase it. In my opinion, B&M's need to maintain their humidors at an effective RH to insure that will occur. No excuses. If they think that something needs aging, they need to handle that before offering them to the customer, and make their buying strategies accordingly. But when I trot in and buy one, well, I'd dern well be able to light it up as soon as I pay for it!

I have a little different expectation for my on-line purchases. I generally find them a little too moist for my liking right off the truck...but a week or two in my 65% humidor should pretty much do the trick. If I need to age it for several months or years...nope...I'm spending money ahead of the game, kinda like loaning money to the retailer, if you take it to extremes! 'I'm advancing you money for something I can't use for two years'...Nope. Ain't happening! Now then, maybe they'll get better with age and I'm ok with that...but that better be MY decision, not somebody elses! Age 'em before I buy 'em...that's on you, sellers/manufacturers!

 

[tengel78]

Ratzilla. Bought into the LP hype and bought two boxes before trying one and didn't like it at all. Luckily, I was able to trade them off.
The other would have to be Johnny Tobacconaut.

 

[eeven73]

I would recommend another try at the LC15 for those that didnt like first try. I was down on them vs 14 as well. Smoked a couple over the last month and they are developing nicely

 

[bostoneo]

I would recommend another try at the LC15 for those that didnt like first try. I was down on them vs 14 as well. Smoked a couple over the last month and they are developing nicely

Mine still have all that barnyard funk

 

[ChuckMejia]

Mine still have all that barnyard funk

Same with mine had one a few days ago it was rough.

 

[HIM*]

So you are ok with buying new releases that require "rest" upon release?

I understand where your coming from on this and personally I have mixed feelings about it at times. Just saying Tats are known to age well especially the TAA blends. The last '12 I had was insanely good.

 

[ChuckMejia]

I understand where your coming from on this and personally I have mixed feelings about it at times. Just saying Tats are known to age well especially the TAA blends. The last '12 I had was insanely good.

3 years of aging is a gamble tho.

 

[knw247]

I've had a few sticks this year that were less than stellar.

• Olivia V Melanio-
  • I had High Hopes for the Olivia V Melanio. It really let me down, It tasted like I got kicked in the teeth. You know that taste of Iron you get when you have a bloody lip or tooth.
• Red Label Tat-
  • I don't know if it was the fact that I was smoking on an empty stomach or because the stick was ROTT, but this stick had to get snubbed after just the first inch. It felt like I was mainlining tobacco.
• Opus FFOX-
  • This stick had 7 years of age on it. I really thought it was going to be spectacular. It was ok. Had some nice notes of aged tobacco, but still not something I'd buy and invest that much time into. (Note, I also had an Opus Angel's Share that only had 30 days rest from Case Fuente and it was Great- but again, not worth $30.... I'd buy these at $12-$15)
• Psycho from Ventura Cigars-
  • Got this at a local trade show.... Tasted like it was rolled in a toilet roll tube.

There were a few others that I were so unpleasant, I had to cut my losses mid stick, but my old brain has already recycled that information.

 

[Zmilin]

Only two that I can recall...
Tatt Whore was underwhelming. Im hoping they get better with some age on them.
Las Mares Rebeldes was a let down for me but I think I hype it up too much in my own head. I have not tried the other vitola yet and I hear that one is much better.

 

[joe45]

Every once in a while there is a cigar that I am anxious to get my hands on but it turns out that it doesn't meet the high expectations that I had for it. For me in 2015 that cigar was the L'Atelier Cote D'Or. I am a real L'at whore and was so anxious to buy a box of these. As it turns out I am glad that there were only 10 in a box. What about you brothers?

I was disappointed by the same one, Dave.

 

[joe45]

Every once in a while there is a cigar that I am anxious to get my hands on but it turns out that it doesn't meet the high expectations that I had for it. For me in 2015 that cigar was the L'Atelier Cote D'Or. I am a real L'at whore and was so anxious to buy a box of these. As it turns out I am glad that there were only 10 in a box. What about you brothers?

I was disappointed by the same one, Dave. That and the jackal. Just didn't impress me, although I only had one jackal.