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As mentioned on the Swap/Trade forum, I aquired these from EugeneSax on Fri 13th Aug & tried one the same day at Boisdales to celibrate my best mate's 50th.
I don't know anything about this brand (so would be interested if anyone can tell us anything about it) & have never had a Pre-Rev cigar before. I wasn't expecting much as I have read that sometime very old cigars are just very mild & sometimes as past it, as a bottle of wine can be over the hill.
Perhaps this low expectation allowed us to be genuinely impressed with this frankly, rather unattractive stick.
As you can see from the photos they are short & stubby & show they age abit. But the proof is in the smoking so after a rather excellent 28day hung steak & a bottle of le Dome 2003, we headed upstairs to the cigar terrace, leaving the ladies to their just desserts.
With the last of the wine and a coffee, I carefully clipped two stix & passed one to Alan & had a pre-light draw on mine. Good draw & not dusty at all. I light with one of the provided cigar matches (a Blazer would have reduced this in seconds
). The flav came through straight away, which given it's short length was just as well. But the flav increased after the first half inch & then stand pretty consistant strenght to the end. THe flav was not particular but still a medium, certianly not mild. The burn was faultless & the just dropped once. It wasn't smothered by the wine or the coffee & really was perfect smoke for th eoccasion. My friend was suitable impressed too. I gave it a 90pt score which is pretty amazing considering it's looks & size.
Of course it could never be more than a short smoke & laid out a fair whack for the evening's entertainment so far, I knew I would have to follow it up with another smoke; as if we went back down to the ladies then, we probably wouldn't get to sneak away again.
So I gave Alan a Hoyo PR & I tried the '80's H.Upmann Aromaticos. Now I wouldn't have really looked at this if it wasn't so well aged. I don't really appreaciate the brand, the only one I have enjoyed was the original Mag 50. I was leaving myself open to a little disappointment after being so happy with the first but that was not to be.
It certianly had a better appearence, even through the cellophane, which I noted was stained yellow by the oils. It was machine made but a respectable stick emerged when I carefully removed the cellophane. Clipped & lit easily & again flav from the off. Nearly 30yrs of age had mellowed any harshness but still left more flav than most H.Up's I have had previously. I often think those older smokers who say that Cuban flav's used to be stonger & more consistant are not just suffering from a rosy memeories.
We had a lager with our second smokes & it matched fine, lasting nearly an hour. Being outside (although very protected on the terrace) the good medium strength kept up & rounded off my evening perfectly. So much so when we then proceded down to re-join the ladies, just as the live jazz started @ 2200, I hardly blanched at all when the I noted the bill included cocktails for the ladies at ?12 a shot! Oh the price of a quiet smoke eh
I'd certianly try both again & will keep my eye out for more vintage smokes ( I have had one from the 70's before) as I think they have a difference worth paying for & perhaps justify their cost more than some of the expensive RE's & LE's today. Cheers Eugene
I don't know anything about this brand (so would be interested if anyone can tell us anything about it) & have never had a Pre-Rev cigar before. I wasn't expecting much as I have read that sometime very old cigars are just very mild & sometimes as past it, as a bottle of wine can be over the hill.
Perhaps this low expectation allowed us to be genuinely impressed with this frankly, rather unattractive stick.
As you can see from the photos they are short & stubby & show they age abit. But the proof is in the smoking so after a rather excellent 28day hung steak & a bottle of le Dome 2003, we headed upstairs to the cigar terrace, leaving the ladies to their just desserts.
With the last of the wine and a coffee, I carefully clipped two stix & passed one to Alan & had a pre-light draw on mine. Good draw & not dusty at all. I light with one of the provided cigar matches (a Blazer would have reduced this in seconds
). The flav came through straight away, which given it's short length was just as well. But the flav increased after the first half inch & then stand pretty consistant strenght to the end. THe flav was not particular but still a medium, certianly not mild. The burn was faultless & the just dropped once. It wasn't smothered by the wine or the coffee & really was perfect smoke for th eoccasion. My friend was suitable impressed too. I gave it a 90pt score which is pretty amazing considering it's looks & size. Of course it could never be more than a short smoke & laid out a fair whack for the evening's entertainment so far, I knew I would have to follow it up with another smoke; as if we went back down to the ladies then, we probably wouldn't get to sneak away again.
So I gave Alan a Hoyo PR & I tried the '80's H.Upmann Aromaticos. Now I wouldn't have really looked at this if it wasn't so well aged. I don't really appreaciate the brand, the only one I have enjoyed was the original Mag 50. I was leaving myself open to a little disappointment after being so happy with the first but that was not to be.
It certianly had a better appearence, even through the cellophane, which I noted was stained yellow by the oils. It was machine made but a respectable stick emerged when I carefully removed the cellophane. Clipped & lit easily & again flav from the off. Nearly 30yrs of age had mellowed any harshness but still left more flav than most H.Up's I have had previously. I often think those older smokers who say that Cuban flav's used to be stonger & more consistant are not just suffering from a rosy memeories.
We had a lager with our second smokes & it matched fine, lasting nearly an hour. Being outside (although very protected on the terrace) the good medium strength kept up & rounded off my evening perfectly. So much so when we then proceded down to re-join the ladies, just as the live jazz started @ 2200, I hardly blanched at all when the I noted the bill included cocktails for the ladies at ?12 a shot! Oh the price of a quiet smoke eh
I'd certianly try both again & will keep my eye out for more vintage smokes ( I have had one from the 70's before) as I think they have a difference worth paying for & perhaps justify their cost more than some of the expensive RE's & LE's today. Cheers Eugene
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