Sunday, March 9, 2008
Cigar Review February: Gran Habano 3 Siglos and Don Juan Urquijo
Posted by Eyeluv Seagars at 10:46 PM
Against better judgement I tried a new cigar that I had a funny feeling about. I am not usually right, but I like not to waste my rations. Gran Habano 3 Siglos is one of those cigar makers that tauts an expensive cigar in the hopes that one would be foolish enough to equate cost with quality. I was said fool this month. Visiting Sacramento for a conference, I stopped by a local cigar shop. You know, pay those ridiculous prices so that I could help out a local cigar retailer. Well the cigar turned out to be as much of a disappointment as the owner!!! This Honduran disaster was terrible from the first inch, to the last. (Actually, I did make the first inch the last. This is "loop hole" to the 2 a month edict.) The draw was tight, not due to it being moist, but because of poor construction. The ash was very dark almost as if the cigar was not aged well. Once again proving that price IS NOT AN INDICATOR FOR QUALITY. Lesson learned...again.
However, I did have a pleasant suprise as a fellow cigar brother came back from the mother land (Philippines) and got me a national delight. Don Juan Urquijo is a cigar that is totally made in the PI from PI leaves. My friend told me to be honest so I will not pull any punches. (I would apologise in advance but what do you expect from a Spurs fan...) Seriously, although the cigar was harsh from beginning to end, it did shock me that there was no accompanying after taste. The morning after was proof positive of the excellent balance of strength and smoothness. It was no Montecristo, or La Flor, but it is definately worth trying again. The draw was easy indicating that the construction was not bad at all. Ash was very dark, perhaps a bit on the wet side. But I could not really draw a taste from it. It was not earthy, or spicy at all. Definately no sweetness. It just seemed to lack flavor. If it would have been wrapped with a maduro leaf (meaning getting the leaf at a more of a "ripe" stage, this process matures all of the natural oils and sugars from the leaf), perhaps that sweetness would have made a nice balance to the strength of the cigar. Hopefully someone like Don Pepin, expert blender from Cuba, can explore possibilities there in the islands and take PI cigars to another level. Overall, I will give my people props for delivering.
So there it is. We close February and welcome March. (See bro, that review wasn't too bad huh?) Shortly after writing this I read a review that not only confirmed my experience but made me think if these cigars were babies? If you ever get a fresh cigar, fight all urges to smoke them right away. Cigars need to age to get all of the residual moisture out of the stems and veins and then undergo that fermentation process. This coupled with using Spanish Cedar will give the cigars that oaky, cedar smell and taste. So if my generous friend is out there, let these babies age for 4-5 months. And if I didn't burn any bridges, I hope to burn another cigar with you.
1 comments:
It is useful to try everything in practice anyway and I like that here it's always possible to find something new. :)
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