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Managed to get away & enjoy an hr & a half in the warm autumn sunshine, down at my local cafe this afternoon. Had been Tues, incase the weather changed before Thurs, my original planned day of the week. As it happens the weather remained fair for Thurs so I went back & expected it to be my last smoke outside this cafe this yr, as I am not back til Nov by whioch time I expect to be using their indoor glass house.
As I didn't manage to post Tues & Thurs's smoke & as they were so damn fine, decided it was worth putting them in this thread, rather than adding belatedly to 'what were you smoking today.'
Tues: I hadn't had a Trini Fundadores for a long time but today felt like the day to taken a well aged Gold banded version along. Smoking this perfect Havana made me think of whether my standard marking system can really do justice to some brands & vitolas. When I rate them, I do so based on my previous experience of others of the same viola/brand/other Hanavas. But surely there must be a way of highlighting that although some cigars are less complex or sophiscated than others they can be at their absolute peak & very enjoyable & remarkable for it?SAM_0940.jpg
This Fund' was from '98 & I know I am not alone in rating the old gold banded sticks higher than ones that followed (haven't had any newer than 5yrs old so don't know if they have improved recently along with many other Havanas in recent times). I guess a large part of what we associate a particular vitola with, is based on our inital experience of it. I first saw these in Mr Frank's in Antwerp on my first visit there, nearly ten yrs ago. I remember entering the walk in humi on a particularly warm day & the Fund's were lying in an opened box, with a generous amount of plume on them. They looked so damn fine, when he brushed a couple off & suggested I should try them, even at E18-19, I had to snap them up. I remember they made a very favourable impression when I smoked them & my initial interest was backed up by this. I have had a few since, not all memorable to be fair but a really good one must be worth it's weight in ... well at least it's price in Euros.
The pictured example, wasn't as strong or as dramatic many other current Havanas of a similar price range but it had a perfect draw, no re-lights, a lovely aroma, suberb flavour & the whole experience was an outstanding example of sheer class. On checking my prev notes I have given 88pts. This of course based on an avge with this vitola & I note I only gave 8.5 for draw & value but this example would merit a 10 for each. I would put this example in the mid 90's but as an example of htis vitola on it own I really think it should be a 100pointer! I always thought James Suckling a little generous with his 100pointers & have never given one myself, of course my experience is much less than James so I keep thinking there many be a better smoke out there & therefore reserve the highest score for this mythical stick. If a 100pointer merely marks a cigar at it's true peak than this indeed was such a stick. And hopefully the others that I have from the same batch will be of a similar standard.
Thurs would have been my Father's birthday; he was a non-smoking teetotaler who died from a cancer that 97% get from drinking & smoking. So re-enforcng my motto of moderation rather than abstention as the way to lead a happy life. For such an occasion I wanted a classic smoke that wouldn't let me down & would be long enough to allow some suitable reflection. I reached into the cave & pulled out a Boli CG 06/02.SAM_0946.jpg These have been very c from my first one of this batch when it was just 2yrs old. I also brought these from Mr Frank & after trying a couple, went back & brought the rest of the cab in batches until I had 24 & the cab itself. I have another half a cab from '07 aging nicely that I shared with a fellow member, who kindly brought them at the Hotel Nacional, after I told him they were sitting on the shelf in their walk in humi.
Of course the '07 are banded but the '02 came as the Tanios intended, naked & all the better for it IMHO. I could feel a slight sheen of oils as I ran my finger along it's length & as usal, no plugs or sponginess was noted. Punched, twice, shown as an example as there have been a few questions about this recently. SAM_0955.jpgTidy, no frayed edges & allowed a perfect draw. The flavours were pure Boli, although the CG is milder than others of this brand, it's smooth & never dissapoints. Another gem.SAM_0949.jpg
So today's smoke was either going to have to be something really extrodinary to beat those or something more unexpected. As it was just a bonus day, I decided to dig deeper into the recesses of the Bolivar Cave & pulled out the ERDM Box of Lonsdales.SAM_3741.jpg These are not popular & like other lonsdales can't be certian of trouble free draws but I took the chance. I always find ERDM do better on sunny warm days, the temp & atmosphere allowing the more delicate flavours of this brand to be apppreciated. This stick was dry to touch, no noticable oils, the wrapper had a slight roughness to touch but it smoked well enough, never going bitter when it reached the band. As a milder cigar I started with a coffee, had a 'Pincher' (a small Stella), followered by another coffee. Not a classic Havana perhaps but I am glad there are more of these in the box as I value having a wide range of Havanas to chose from. '99 is the oldest I have smoked these but they are holding up well, as of course this brand is know for it's aging qualities. SAM_3750.jpgAll in all, a rather excellent smoking week
I will post to save & then add the phots
As I didn't manage to post Tues & Thurs's smoke & as they were so damn fine, decided it was worth putting them in this thread, rather than adding belatedly to 'what were you smoking today.'
Tues: I hadn't had a Trini Fundadores for a long time but today felt like the day to taken a well aged Gold banded version along. Smoking this perfect Havana made me think of whether my standard marking system can really do justice to some brands & vitolas. When I rate them, I do so based on my previous experience of others of the same viola/brand/other Hanavas. But surely there must be a way of highlighting that although some cigars are less complex or sophiscated than others they can be at their absolute peak & very enjoyable & remarkable for it?SAM_0940.jpg
This Fund' was from '98 & I know I am not alone in rating the old gold banded sticks higher than ones that followed (haven't had any newer than 5yrs old so don't know if they have improved recently along with many other Havanas in recent times). I guess a large part of what we associate a particular vitola with, is based on our inital experience of it. I first saw these in Mr Frank's in Antwerp on my first visit there, nearly ten yrs ago. I remember entering the walk in humi on a particularly warm day & the Fund's were lying in an opened box, with a generous amount of plume on them. They looked so damn fine, when he brushed a couple off & suggested I should try them, even at E18-19, I had to snap them up. I remember they made a very favourable impression when I smoked them & my initial interest was backed up by this. I have had a few since, not all memorable to be fair but a really good one must be worth it's weight in ... well at least it's price in Euros.
The pictured example, wasn't as strong or as dramatic many other current Havanas of a similar price range but it had a perfect draw, no re-lights, a lovely aroma, suberb flavour & the whole experience was an outstanding example of sheer class. On checking my prev notes I have given 88pts. This of course based on an avge with this vitola & I note I only gave 8.5 for draw & value but this example would merit a 10 for each. I would put this example in the mid 90's but as an example of htis vitola on it own I really think it should be a 100pointer! I always thought James Suckling a little generous with his 100pointers & have never given one myself, of course my experience is much less than James so I keep thinking there many be a better smoke out there & therefore reserve the highest score for this mythical stick. If a 100pointer merely marks a cigar at it's true peak than this indeed was such a stick. And hopefully the others that I have from the same batch will be of a similar standard.
Thurs would have been my Father's birthday; he was a non-smoking teetotaler who died from a cancer that 97% get from drinking & smoking. So re-enforcng my motto of moderation rather than abstention as the way to lead a happy life. For such an occasion I wanted a classic smoke that wouldn't let me down & would be long enough to allow some suitable reflection. I reached into the cave & pulled out a Boli CG 06/02.SAM_0946.jpg These have been very c from my first one of this batch when it was just 2yrs old. I also brought these from Mr Frank & after trying a couple, went back & brought the rest of the cab in batches until I had 24 & the cab itself. I have another half a cab from '07 aging nicely that I shared with a fellow member, who kindly brought them at the Hotel Nacional, after I told him they were sitting on the shelf in their walk in humi.
Of course the '07 are banded but the '02 came as the Tanios intended, naked & all the better for it IMHO. I could feel a slight sheen of oils as I ran my finger along it's length & as usal, no plugs or sponginess was noted. Punched, twice, shown as an example as there have been a few questions about this recently. SAM_0955.jpgTidy, no frayed edges & allowed a perfect draw. The flavours were pure Boli, although the CG is milder than others of this brand, it's smooth & never dissapoints. Another gem.SAM_0949.jpg
So today's smoke was either going to have to be something really extrodinary to beat those or something more unexpected. As it was just a bonus day, I decided to dig deeper into the recesses of the Bolivar Cave & pulled out the ERDM Box of Lonsdales.SAM_3741.jpg These are not popular & like other lonsdales can't be certian of trouble free draws but I took the chance. I always find ERDM do better on sunny warm days, the temp & atmosphere allowing the more delicate flavours of this brand to be apppreciated. This stick was dry to touch, no noticable oils, the wrapper had a slight roughness to touch but it smoked well enough, never going bitter when it reached the band. As a milder cigar I started with a coffee, had a 'Pincher' (a small Stella), followered by another coffee. Not a classic Havana perhaps but I am glad there are more of these in the box as I value having a wide range of Havanas to chose from. '99 is the oldest I have smoked these but they are holding up well, as of course this brand is know for it's aging qualities. SAM_3750.jpgAll in all, a rather excellent smoking week
I will post to save & then add the phots
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