BOLÍVAR BELICOSOS FINOS RESERVA COSECHA 2016 BEGINS SHIPPING

[El Presidente]

Good to see 

 

https://halfwheel.com/bolivar-belicosos-finos-reserva-cosecha-2016-begins-shipping/386385/

[MrBirdman]

With the Habanos Festival not happening, any idea when they’ll be revealing the 2021 Gran Reserva?

[Kaptain Karl]

Maybe one day I’ll be cool enough to smoke a reserva! 

[Chas.Alpha]

17 minutes ago, Kaptain Karl said:

Maybe one day I’ll be cool enough to smoke a reserva! 

I made a $700 payment on my “cigar” credit card today, barely made a dent in the balance! I doubt that I’ll be that cool anytime soon... ?

[MrBirdman]

If they ever make a Siglo III or V Reserva I’ll need to locate some extra “cool” rapidly. 

[vhampl03]

Not trolling, serious question.  For those of you with experience with Reserva/GR - are these usually worth the markup? (looks like at least 6x regular production).  And a little confused as to the leaf description in HW - are these the 2016 leaf that would have been in  ~ 2017-2018 BBFs (ie, aged BBFs) or a different blend?  Thanks

Vance

[jerrybrowne]

10 hours ago, vhampl03 said:

Not trolling, serious question.  For those of you with experience with Reserva/GR - are these usually worth the markup? (looks like at least 6x regular production).  And a little confused as to the leaf description in HW - are these the 2016 leaf that would have been in  ~ 2017-2018 BBFs (ie, aged BBFs) or a different blend?  Thanks

Vance

I'm sure you will get answers on both ends of the spectrum but IMO, until recently most of them have been worth the markup.  However, recent pricing has been just crazy.  I've stopped buying them. 

[Fugu]

11 hours ago, vhampl03 said:

(looks like at least 6x regular production)

Had been more 3-4x in the past

[Markspring1978]

16 hours ago, vhampl03 said:

Not trolling, serious question.  For those of you with experience with Reserva/GR - are these usually worth the markup? (looks like at least 6x regular production).  And a little confused as to the leaf description in HW - are these the 2016 leaf that would have been in  ~ 2017-2018 BBFs (ie, aged BBFs) or a different blend?  Thanks

Vance

This is probably in the eye of the beholder. As with most any premium offering, there are diminishing returns for the top end of performance. 

Let’s compare to cycling, for example. You can buy a cheap bike, and waste your money. Then there are lots of great bikes to a certain price point that will give 90%+ of riders everything they need and are looking for with respect to technology and weight. Then the price really jumps for the absolute lightest weight, premium components, and finest engineering. The performance only slightly increases for a bike that is 1/3 the cost. But, many riders will pay the premium for the slight edge, or the mental satisfaction that they possess the best that money can buy. 

This is probably analogous to most any high-end product, (whiskey, cars, firearms, fly rods, jewelry, etc.). And, I think it applies here too. My experiences with GR or RR are very good. Worth the money? Well, that’s debatable. I think anyone who tries a Sir Winston GR is going be disappointed, if they are expecting something 4-5 times better than a regular production SW, which is already a great cigar. 

[Puros Y Vino]

12 hours ago, vhampl03 said:

Not trolling, serious question.  For those of you with experience with Reserva/GR - are these usually worth the markup? (looks like at least 6x regular production).  And a little confused as to the leaf description in HW - are these the 2016 leaf that would have been in  ~ 2017-2018 BBFs (ie, aged BBFs) or a different blend?  Thanks

Vance

I  know it sounds like a cop-out, but it really depends on the cigar.

Grand Reserva Series

• CGR.  I was fortunate to grab a fiver of the CGR upon release.  And hands down it was a 100 point smoking experience.  To me the Siglo VI is a 50/50 cigar. It's either going to be great or just "ok".  The CGR was the penultimate example of the cigar.   The CGR was and IMO is the best of the program.
• MGR.  Had two. Best Monte 2'[s I've ever smoked!  But.  I'm not a fan of M2's so the bar is pretty low for me.
• PGR.  Gorgeous looking cigars.  My own 5YO Lusitanias smoked better TBH. The wrappers on there are sublime though.
• RyJWCGR.  Very nice balanced and smooth cigar.  Mine was a freebie.  I find the regular WC to be just as good or better.  I wouldn't chase these down.

Reserva Series.

• Reserva Cohiba box is fantastic. Not a dud to be found amongst the various vitolas in there.
• Reserva Monte 4's are amazing.  Still have a couple left. They are perfection.
• Reserva RyJ Churchill was hot garbage.  Shameful.

Like many boxes. It's a gamble as to what you get inside.  At the right price point for the right cigar, they might be worth it. (see CGR)   There does seem to be quality issues though. And that is pitiful.  The Reserva Churchill I smoked had serious burn issues. At a herf, I watched my friend pull a fresh HdM DC Grand Reserva from the box and pitch it a third of the way through because draw issues were turning him blue in the face. He reached for a second.  Same thing. Draw issues. He lopped of 1.5 inches off the head and it improved. But that he had to go through two badly rolled cigars in a GR box is horrible.  You would think the "best of the best" tobacco would be rolled by someone competent.

[prshah25]

I wish I bought more if the CGR . When they were released the price was unheard off. Now It seems like peanuts. 

[JohnS]

The Cohiba Siglo VI, Montecristo No.2 and Partagas Lusitania Gran Reservas I've had have all been exceptional cigars. 

[Tstew75]

I wonder what proportion of these will end up in China ?

[El Hoze]

I believe I have had all of the Reservas/GRs. They’ve all been very good*. Worth it depends how many bucks you have floating around.
 

*The one exception for me is the Cohiba Robusto but I only smoked one and it was fairly young. I’m also kind of indifferent to Cohiba Robustos in general as well so may be a bias or just not my thing.