La Riqueza No. 5

This stick was sent to me recently by a generous BOTL, and I have been looking forward to lighting it up. I've had the No. 2 (belicoso) before and loved it, but am yet to smoke any of the other sizes. The La Riqueza line by Pete Johnson is designed to be "An Old World medium bodied Cuban style cigar" according to the website, and is made with Nicaraguan tobaccos in a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. This cute little size reminds me of a Party Short or RASCC, which are great for a quick smoke!

Lighting up this morning (couldn't sleep!) with a cup of coffee. Cut with my Xikar and lit with matches.

Lighting up, I'm smacked in the face with strong wood, coffee, and nutty flavors. The smoke is quite thick for such a small cigar, and has a toasty aftertaste. D/A/B are all perfect, the latter with a Cubanesque tug. I am quite surprised at how much depth and clarity there are to the flavors, this cigar is really a treat. As I get to the half way point, the complexity settles down a bit (though adding some spice and molasses to the mix of flavors), while all construction aspects remain flawless. I would give this an 89 rating, and with some age to mellow the slight harshness I tasted towards the end, this will easily be in the 90s. Overall, a great cigar that is going on my 'box purchase when I have money' list!

Ramon Allones Celestiales Finos

The last few weeks have been stressful with school work (summer classes for Co-op- ugh!), and I haven't had the chance to smoke too often. I'm gonna try and make up for that today by pulling out something interesting- the Ramon Allones Regional Edition for the 2009 Asian Pacific, the Celestiales Finos. This stick has a reputation of being on the stronger side, though the wrapper looks a bit lighter than the other RAs I've had in the past few years. Either way, hopefully it turns out well because I am a huge fan of Ramon Allones, and this will be my first special release from the brand.

Smoking outside by the pool tonight, drinking iced coffee and cold water. Cut is a palio, and lit with a torch.

Pre-light - The wrapper is a light brown with an almost orange hue. I have seen a variety of wrapper shades on these, so this isn't surprising. There are a few lumps, but it feels nice and has a great draw- more on the easy side.

First Third - The Celestiales Finos opens with a huge cloud of thick white smoke, some cedary spice, wood, and vegetal-coffee flavors (if that makes sense). The strength doesn't seem too full right away, but the flavor definitely leans toward full bodied. Burn is average, but the draw is perfect. Guess I'm lucky in that area, as many smokers reported a stiff tug. I'm intrigued by the development of the flavors, it is an interesting and well rounded combo.

Second Third - I'm really diggin' the flavors at this point, with hay, wood, cedar and some coffee melding together well. Cuba's typical 'twang' isn't really there the strength had definitely picked up... it is not a cigar for the feint of heart. The burn and ash are still a bit ragged, but the draw is absolutely perfect. Coffee was a great choice for this cigar, and would be highly recommended.

Third Third - The flavors are still holding my attention well, though they have not changed much from the second third; possibly a bit more coffee at this point, though hay still leading the pack. The burn has evened out a bit, while the draw is still flawless. While this stick doesn't show any similarities to the regular production RAs (or many other CCs at all), it is a great experience. Conclusion and Score - I've gotta say that this was quite a 'different' smoke in the flavor department. The flavors of the Celestiales Finos were rich, with a vegetal type coffee, hay, and some wood that were brought together in a refreshing full bodied smoke. Strength was a pretty big factor in this cigar after the first third, and if you can find one, eat a nice meal before smoking it- by far the strongest CC I have ever had. Even with a less than desirable burn/ash, I would give this smoke a 90 rating, with a bit of room for improvement after some aging. As it stands though, a fine example of exotic flavors in young Cuban tobacco. Will be looking for more!