MrGlass

This cigar had the tightest draw of any I've had from this box so far - still manageable (for me at least), but only just. It opened with cocoa and black coffee, although the coffee was only there shortly before disappearing. Throughout the opening third, the draw eased slightly, and while still tighter than I would prefer, it did get a lot better. Towards the end of the first third, a sweetness developed that turned into chocolate chip cookies that stayed with me all through the second third. Going into the final third, the cigar remained sweet but with a citrus twang and creaminess coming through, making me think of a lemon meringue pie. There was the occasional bitter element that popped up every now and then, but these would only last for a puff or two before fading again. The total smoke time was 1:50, achieved with burning fingers. Despite the less than favourable draw, this was by far the best cigar I've had from this box, and one of the best cigars I've had this year. I only picked this box up last year, amazed to find something this age hidden away in the Dubai airport. But I think I'm going to have a difficult time letting these age any further.

This review is simple - black tea with sugar. The cigar opened with black tea, then a few minutes in there was an intense bout of sweetness, just like a mouthful of sugar. I can't remember ever smoking anything that exhibited a sweetness like that. Sadly that sweetness only stayed for a minute or two before the cigar settled back down to black tea with sugar, fairly light in flavour through the first half, getting a little more powerful around the halfway point, and then picking up again just before the end. Total smoke time was just shy of two hours. This was one of only a few robustos I had on hand for this review weekend, having picked up a three pack of these at an airport at some point in my travels. I haven't had a huge number of the Cohiba Robusto, and while I did enjoy this one I honestly have never seen what the fuss is all about with this particular cigar. I genuinely feel there is better value in the other robustos on offer and can't see the justification for the extra premium these command.

She's only trying to get my attention so she can take that now empty first class seat. I'm not falling for that.

Torn between doing a review on this or the No. 4, I decided to go with the No. 3 because I figured there would be less of them (plus that box of 4's have had a lot of sticks with super tight draws). The cigar opened with toasted tobacco, and this was quickly followed with hints of cocoa and pepper on the palette. Going into the middle third, the chocolate notes of the cigar became very pronounced, with the cigar becoming extremely creamy as well. Through the final third, the chocolate gently faded while an almond nuttiness came through, and that creaminess reverted back to pepper. The total smoke time was around 1:20. I've really been enjoying this box, and this cigar was no exception. While nothing from this box has ever blown me away, they have all been solid performers so far.

Extra crunchy ideally. Never actually tried smooth - have absolutely no interest in it.

Montecristo Number 1 from May 2008 found in the Dubai duty free last year. I had to go digging to find them. When the guy working there saw it and asked me if I liked the aged cigars, he started to proudly show me the Anejados series, but was soon disappointed when I said I wasn't interested in those.

I think they have been on 24:24 at least half a dozen times in the last two years, but they do seem to sell out pretty quick when they come up. They are still producing them, but clearly not that many. I'd just keep an eye out for them.

Of those two options, CD as it's much more practical.

I'd take the Bugatti for two reasons - firstly, it's the only chance I would ever get to even sit in one, and secondly, I already have a Daytona that I could subsequently take to its limit once I was done.

I spotted this chapel during my visit to Lagos, Nigeria.

It sounds stupid, but I get a little thrill from smoking indoors simply because it is such a foreign concept to me. By the time I started on cigars, indoor smoking had been outlawed in Australia, so the opportunity to smoke indoors is something I very rarely experience. That being said, outdoors is still very much my preference.

That's the one. Alegria is one of my favourite Cirque du Soleil shows (super disappointed I never got the chance to see it live), and I watched both it and Corteo that night with that cigar.

I was watching Alegria. That was specifically the fire twirling act.

1) Ramon Allones Petit Corona (1979). I was lucky enough to be on the deck when Stu Fox brought these over, and even luckier to be given the chance to try one. This was the oldest cigar I've ever smoked, and the first (and likely only) time that I've got to smoke a cigar older than me. Between the cigar and the environment, it was a truly fantastic experience. 2) Cohiba Lanceros (2016). This was the cigar that I smoked for the 46 South Review Weekend, and was my first Cohiba Lanceros (which I had been saving from the 2017 Christmas sampler). That cigar sung its heart out for three hours and I was still sad when it finally ended. The fact that that review won the weekend competition (and the extremely generous prize cigar Rob gave me) just made it even better. 3) Cohiba Esplendidos (2016). Another first time experience (and another review competition), this was a cigar I had been saving for the right occasion. In this case, it was belated celebration for taking my first flying trapeze trick out of safety lines. 4) Ramon Allones Specially Select (Blind Tasting 2018). This was the cigar from round 2 of the 2018 Blind Tasting competition and it was almost worth entering just for this stick alone. The fact that I had no idea what it was while smoking it probably made it even better. 5) La Gloria Cubana Medaille d'Or No.4 (2016). While all of the other cigars mentioned here have been stand-alone shows, this little trooper has taken the stage for me more than any other cigar throughout 2018 and delivered time and time again. For this, it deserves an inclusion as the MVP of my list.

According to the Member Map, I'd say @earthson over on Easter Island. I suspect it isn't entirely accurate.