Your experience with aged/vintage Vegas Robaina?

[El Presidente]

There is an aged box of VR Unicos coming up later today in the daily auction and I wanted to pick your brains as to your experience on how the marque ages. 

I have had excellent results with long term aging of the Don Alejandro and the Famliares (construction issues aside on the latter) but rarely have I let Famosos or Unicos go past 8 years. 

Your experience on aged VR? 

[Chibearsv]

My only experience is with a box of Maestros which were 12-13 years old.  Really had no pizzazz at all.  I don't know if that's common to that particular cigar but it was bland and boring.

[JohnS]

I've only just saw this topic, and we've never discussed this subject specifically El Pres (on aged Vegas Robaina), but @99call can attest to my recent appraisal of a box of AEM May 2015 Vegas Robaina Famosos that I've been smoking in the last 12 to 18 months that has been truly 'other-worldly' at times (okay, not quite like 'a third heaven' that the Apostle Paul alludes to in 2 Corinthians 12). The quality lush grass and tobacco, well...it's just something else. I've had recent 2020 Vegas Robaina Famosos and they've been awesome, but I would still prefer my 2015 VR Famosos (and only just).

Similarly, my late-2015 Vegas Robaina Don Alejandros have been fantastic when I've invariably smoked one in the past year or two. Luscious cocoa and baking spice. In fact, I should pull one out of my humidor to smoke!

[Hammer Smokin']

Classicos are splendid!

I've had many that were 8+ years (up to 15 years old) and every one of them was magnificent. 

[Bijan]

I had two or 3 dead clasicos last year. 2 had construction issues too. Bad luck or bad storage by the vendor most likely.

[lordlister]

I have a 2008 box of PSP Unicos which are pure bliss. I have smoked from a few boxes of the 2006 Famosos art edition which are almost as nice.  From my limited experience they age very well

[ha_banos]

Tried a 1999 Familiares a few years ago at JJ fox. Peppery AF. Also tried a 2012 much less pepper. Good old consistency.

 

 

[Chas.Alpha]

Unfortunately, I had a baaaad experience with the early 2000 Don A’s. I was blessed with a box of the famous fireproof wrappers. I still have a couple in case of nuclear catastrophe...

[KCCubano]

51 minutes ago, lordlister said:

I have a 2008 box of PSP Unicos which are pure bliss. I have smoked from a few boxes of the 2006 Famosos art edition which are almost as nice.  From my limited experience they age very well

Those 08 Unico's were insanely good for sure! Nice to hear still smoking well

[teamrandr]

07 Unico was one of the best I have ever smoked.  I only smoked one but it was incredible.   

[99call]

13 hours ago, El Presidente said:

I wanted to pick your brains as to your experience on how the marque ages. 

I think it's interesting to pick up on your thread a week or so ago, about never having an 'expired' Cohiba, but that you've had your fair share of Monte's and Sancho's that have fallen off the cliff. 

For me cigars like Sancho's and VR need to be aged and smoked with just a few more notches of RH than other marcas.   I think it's so easy to lose that spectrum of bold flavours that are delivered in such a soft mild manner, but that are full of finesse.  One of those blends, that really typifies that argument between what is strength and what is body. 

I think the FOH team and members hit the nail on the head with all those, Tiramisu, prune, milk chocolate, high quality lush earthy grassy flavours,  but I do think VR is one of those marcas that if age even slightly on the dry side,  do become papery and spent. 

Like a few have already mentioned, I've also had my fair share, of lifeless/dead Classicos, and Familiares.  Although these are cigars I hadn't aged myself, and had probably changed hands a few times/done lots of air travel, etc etc.          Like any cigar I think they can be magic aged, but I do think like Sanchos they are easy to ruin,  and why I think harsh reviews are sometimes received. 

[BrightonCorgi]

VR, I am big fan of the line up in general and Unico's are the best of the standard Piramides.  They have stuffing to go the long haul. 

[Puros Y Vino]

Was smoking 06 Unicos around 2011/12 and they were spectacular.  Since then I've bought a few boxes to age myself.  They are definitely worth waiting for.  Otherwise, not much experience with aged VR's.  I had a 5YO DA that was absolutely putrid. Some 98 Clasicos I had smoked pretty well but I expected more given how well the younger Unicos were smoking.

[Doctorossi]

This thread just reminds me that Clasicos and then Don Alejandros were discontinued and I don't have very many left of either.  😔

[BrightonCorgi]

1 hour ago, Puros Y Vino said:

  I had a 5YO DA that was absolutely putrid.

I have an older box of DA's (will have to dig out for the year) and they are average compared to other DC's I have.  Not as bad as yours, but I wouldn't be hot to buy another box.  Hoyo seems to rule the DC's at present.

[Puros Y Vino]

1 minute ago, BrightonCorgi said:

I have an older box of DA's (will have to dig out for the year) and they are average compared to other DC's I have.  Not as bad as yours, but I wouldn't be hot to buy another box.  Hoyo seems to rule the DC's at present.

It was one DA. It was part of a sampler I bought from another vendor back in 2009. I didn't smoke it until 2013/14 when I brought it down to a resort in Mexico.  I remember it distinctly. My wife and I settled down to watch the evening show and I lit up the DA.  My wife doesn't love the smell of cigars but she puts up with it for me. But not this time.  A few minutes in this look of disgust appears on her face and she turns to me and whispers. "Did you just shit your pants?!".    While that risk is always present in Mexico. I did not.  After noting that it was the worst smelling cigar she's ever encountered I proposed that she take a few puffs and I walked away. Sure enough. It smelled of burning dog turds and sewage.  As the smoker the carrying aroma didn't faze me.  Oddly enough it was bland so I put it out and pulled out a CoLa instead. 

In terms of DC's.  Never found the Hoyos to be special.  Same with SLR's.  The Punch and Lusi do it for me.  As for DA. I would have liked to give it another try as the one I had could have been a bum cigar. 

[BrightonCorgi]

51 minutes ago, Puros Y Vino said:

In terms of DC's.  Never found the Hoyos to be special.  Same with SLR's.  The Punch and Lusi do it for me.  As for DA. I would have liked to give it another try as the one I had could have been a bum cigar. 

I wasn't a big Hoyo DC fan until about 5-6 years ago.  They revamped line and quality is better than 10+ years ago.  I am indifferent to Lusi's and like Punch better.

It would be the Hoyo that I would buy a 50 cab of if current production.  Been waiting to see one that looks the business to buy.

[Puros Y Vino]

13 minutes ago, BrightonCorgi said:

I wasn't a big Hoyo DC fan until about 5-6 years ago.  They revamped line and quality is better than 10+ years ago.  I am indifferent to Lusi's and like Punch better.

It would be the Hoyo that I would buy a 50 cab of if current production.  Been waiting to see one that looks the business to buy.

Interesting.  I think the last Hoyo DC I had was about 10 years ago.   Maybe I'll give them another shot. 

[dshot]

The "18 box of Famosos I have was like a light switch this year. It was way, way to strong and mushroomy for me when I got it a few years ago. Very unbalanced and a Nicotine bomb. Now it has just turned a corner after 3. I think another year or two will be at it's peak. 

[Jack]

Picked this box of Don Alejandro's up a few years ago, out of curiosity.  Never did get around to even opening them.  Maybe now?