I stuck these cigars in the back of my humidor hoping to forget about them for a while. They were pretty good when I tried them but very young, they needed some time to rest. It's been 9 months since I had my last one, it's time to try another. They come in unnumbered boxes of 10. This Grand Corona is 5.5" (140mm) x 48 gauge. The tobacco used in this cigar was aged 2 years.
This cigar was an absolutely beautiful specimen with it's maduro-like, smooth, oily wrapper. The cap was a little bumpy but otherwise a flawless cigar. The prelight draw gave me spice and nuts.
Once lit....big earth and wood with a hint of sweetness, butterscotch. The burn was off right from the start. A lot smoother than I remembered it with the flavours having settled down through the months but it's still a strong cigar, definitely a Partagas. Passing the first inch and I've had to continually touch it up with my torch. The edge has come off a bit but it's still a solid medium-strong bodied cigar. Passing the second inch, the burn is still off and the ash has fallen on it's own. Getting some mustiness off this cigar now and I picked up a swig of floral but it vanished.
At about the halfway mark the cigar goes out. I pick up some bitterness on the relight but that goes away. Once again I pick up a hint of floral that makes way for flavours of tea and leather.
Goes out again on the last third but is still strong and smooth. It goes out again at the last quarter, the edge has definitely come off this cigar, I wasn't able to smoke it this far down 9 months ago. It picks up strength through the last quarter but is still smokeable. I smoked it until I couldn't hold it comfortably any longer.
This cigar has definitely improved over time and it still has a ways to. It's hard to say how long it will be before it peaks but I predict it will change dramatically and continue to do so for a couple of years at least. I won't be touching another one of these for a while. If you can find them, buy some. In my opinion, of the current EL releases, this is one of the better ones.
This cigar was an absolutely beautiful specimen with it's maduro-like, smooth, oily wrapper. The cap was a little bumpy but otherwise a flawless cigar. The prelight draw gave me spice and nuts.
Once lit....big earth and wood with a hint of sweetness, butterscotch. The burn was off right from the start. A lot smoother than I remembered it with the flavours having settled down through the months but it's still a strong cigar, definitely a Partagas. Passing the first inch and I've had to continually touch it up with my torch. The edge has come off a bit but it's still a solid medium-strong bodied cigar. Passing the second inch, the burn is still off and the ash has fallen on it's own. Getting some mustiness off this cigar now and I picked up a swig of floral but it vanished.
At about the halfway mark the cigar goes out. I pick up some bitterness on the relight but that goes away. Once again I pick up a hint of floral that makes way for flavours of tea and leather.
Goes out again on the last third but is still strong and smooth. It goes out again at the last quarter, the edge has definitely come off this cigar, I wasn't able to smoke it this far down 9 months ago. It picks up strength through the last quarter but is still smokeable. I smoked it until I couldn't hold it comfortably any longer.
This cigar has definitely improved over time and it still has a ways to. It's hard to say how long it will be before it peaks but I predict it will change dramatically and continue to do so for a couple of years at least. I won't be touching another one of these for a while. If you can find them, buy some. In my opinion, of the current EL releases, this is one of the better ones.
