Your thoughts/recommendations on current production Prominentes?

[FireDigger]

Hi everyone,

I have not bought or smoked that many cigars for the past ten years, but in the last few months, I did start to smoke more from my stock which is mostly 2008-2010. The renewed interest in cigars is leading me to look into buying another box or two of some regular production large format cigars, mainly Prominentes. I've been a big fan of the Partagas Lusitania, but want to know if the Hoyo DC, Punch DC, or RA Gigantes have been better of late? Also, have any of the above had any significant blend changes in the last ten years? Any other info would be very appreciated. Thanks!

[GavLew79]

Have the Don Alejandro's had the chop? 

[FireDigger]

17 minutes ago, GavLew79 said:

Have the Don Alejandro's had the chop? 

Yep, chopped in 2017 according to Trevor's website. The SLR DC was axed in 2013 which leaves only the four I listed. Unfortunate, but that's just the direction Cuba is going.

[BrightonCorgi]

Hoyo all the way for current production.

[FireMedic]

With the exception of the Punch DC, I've had all the others recently and they are smoking fantastic. I voted Hoyo just because I like it the best, can't go wrong with any of them to be honest.

[JohnS]

6 hours ago, BrightonCorgi said:

Hoyo all the way for current production.

Yes, I concur with this. Current Hoyo de Monterrey Double Coronas are 'hot'. In general, I've found Prominentes vitolas quite reliable flavour-wise and construction-wise, and they tend to be on the milder side. After the Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona, I've got a 'soft spot' for the Partagas Lusitanias, which I'd consider the flagship cigar of the Partagas marca (which is why the Gran Reserva Cosecha 2007 was a Lusitanias, I guess!)

Having said this, I'd have no qualm with having a Ramon Allones Gigantes or Punch Double Corona, although of these 4 vitolas, the Punch Double Corona has been harder to source of late. It's possible that the Punch DC is currently on hiatus.

[Connoisseur Kim]

I really like the Partagas Lusitanias, but it is the only DC I had so far. Still, I think it is one of the greatest and highly recommended DCs IMO.

[SmokeyGigi]

11 hours ago, JohnS said:

Yes, I concur with this. Current Hoyo de Monterrey Double Coronas are 'hot'. In general, I've found Prominentes vitolas quite reliable flavour-wise and construction-wise, and they tend to be on the milder side. After the Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona, I've got a 'soft spot' for the Partagas Lusitanias, which I'd consider the flagship cigar of the Partagas marca (which is why the Gran Reserva Cosecha 2007 was a Lusitanias, I guess!)

Having said this, I'd have no qualm with having a Ramon Allones Gigantes or Punch Double Corona, although of these 4 vitolas, the Punch Double Corona has been harder to source of late. It's possible that the Punch DC is currently on hiatus.

Exactly what I think 

[David88]

I don’t think you can go wrong with most prominentes. My favourite is the Punch DC, but I tend to smoke more lusitanias. 

I have found the hoyo DC to be the most hit and miss for me personally. There are plenty of people who rate them very highly though so I won’t give up on them yet. 

[Chibearsv]

I haven't tried the Punch DC but I found myself huffing on the RAG and the HdMDC just to get some flavor out of them and I'd end up keeling over from the buzz.  I am learning to slow down on them and enjoy that they are very mild early and build flavor later.  The Lusitanias have enough flavor that I don't have to make a conscious effort on how to smoke them.  Just normal slow pace and they have more flavor from beginning to end.  

[FireDigger]

14 hours ago, JohnS said:

Having said this, I'd have no qualm with having a Ramon Allones Gigantes or Punch Double Corona, although of these 4 vitolas, the Punch Double Corona has been harder to source of late. It's possible that the Punch DC is currently on hiatus.

Slightly unrelated to your point as it's not current production, but there is a cab of Punch DCs from 2015 on BondRoberts though no bidders. I thought there would be interest since the cab has been discontinued for Punch DCs.

[FireDigger]

1 hour ago, Chibearsv said:

I haven't tried the Punch DC but I found myself huffing on the RAG and the HdMDC just to get some flavor out of them and I'd end up keeling over from the buzz.  I am learning to slow down on them and enjoy that they are very mild early and build flavor later.  The Lusitanias have enough flavor that I don't have to make a conscious effort on how to smoke them.  Just normal slow pace and they have more flavor from beginning to end.  

That's a good point which I never thought about! I'm a fast smoker too, going through a DC in under two hours (often under 90 minutes). I know it would/should last smokers three hours, so maybe I need to slow down.

[BrightonCorgi]

RAG and PDC are stunners when aged; old the better.  Lusi's I am just not as hot on as others.  I don't dislike them, but I wish they were more to my liking.

[saintsmokealot]

I'm impartial to Punch

[CampDelta369]

Lusitanias for me but it’s been sampled the most over last 12 months. I had 2014 aged PCC program and some 2019 off 24:24. Partagas is in my flavor wheel. I had one Young HDM DC PSP and it was excellent but not enough experience. I hope to light a Punch DC one day so I can form a better opinion. 

[Chas.Alpha]

On 5/16/2020 at 8:49 AM, FireDigger said:

Slightly unrelated to your point as it's not current production, but there is a cab of Punch DCs from 2015 on BondRoberts though no bidders. I thought there would be interest since the cab has been discontinued for Punch DCs.

When was the Punch DC cab discontinued?

[JohnS]

10 minutes ago, Chas.Alpha said:

When was the Punch DC cab discontinued?

It was announced as discontinued sometime in 2017, alongside the Punch Punch 50 cab packaging, however 50 cabs of Punch Double Coronas have been sighted since with 2018 box codes.

[Chas.Alpha]

2 hours ago, JohnS said:

It was announced as discontinued sometime in 2017, alongside the Punch Punch 50 cab packaging, however 50 cabs of Punch Double Coronas have been sighted since with 2018 box codes.