halfwheel

Review: Cuaba Tradicionales

In late 2011, Habanos S.A. announced their annual list of deletions, which you can read here. It’s still somewhat unclear what exactly the method to the deletions is, but generally, it’s accepted that the cigars that are removed normally aren’t selling well. Amongst the list was a lone Cuaba vitola, the Cuaba Tradicionales. The Tradicionales, [...]

Review: Montecristo Gran Reserva No.2 Cosecha 2005

In 2009, Habanos S.A. released the Cohiba Gran Reserva, the first cigar in the new Gran Reserva line. The cigars in this line are to only be released when Habanos S.A. deems there is enough quality tobacco available and will use tobacco that has been aged at least five years. They also sport a brand [...]

Review: Partagas Serie E No.2

At the end of February 2011, the Partagas Series E No.2 was officially released at the XIII Habanos Festival in Cuba. The Serie E No.2 is the first in a new line of Partagas Serie that will likely be known for its larger ring gauge and unique packaging. The Partagas Serie E No.2 is available [...]

Review: Vegas Robaina Maestros (ER Spain 2007)

Last week I mentioned that there was a Vegas Robaina regional release that was identical in size to the El Rey del Mundo Vikingos that was also released in 2007, the Vegas Robaina Maestros. For those that are unfamiliar with the Edición Regional program, here’s the brief summary from last week: In 2005, Habanos S.A. introduced a new [...]

Review: El Rey del Mundo Vikingos (ER Baltic 2007)

In 2005, Habanos S.A. introduced a new series of limited production releases that would eventually become to be known as Edición Regional (Regional Edition). The program took regular Habanos S.A. brands and gave their regional distributors special sizes that aren’t part of respective brands regular production line-up. In some cases, like the Bolivar Gold Medals, Habanos [...]

Review: H. Upmann Crystales (1940s)

For those of you that don’t know… H. Upmann is a Cuban brand that has a long and interesting history, and the Crystales was a major part of that history until relatively recently. From cigars-review.org: The H. Upmann brand dates back to 1844, when Herman Upmann, a German banker, began using specially imprinted boxes of [...]

Review: Montecristo Compay 95 Aniversario Salomones II

In 2002, Habanos S.A. announced the release of a new release made to commemorate the 95th birthday of one of Cuba’s most famous icons, Máximo Francisco Repilado Muñoz, better known as Compay Segundo. His 2003 obituary in the New York Times reads: Compay Segundo, the salty Cuban singer and guitarist who rose to global fame in [...]

Review: Cohiba Behike (2006)

(Editor’s Note: It’s all downhill from here. The history is written by Charlie, review proper by Brooks. — Charlie.) For those of you that don’t know… In 2006, Cohiba celebrated its 40th anniversary. Like in 1996 (Cohiba 30 Aniversario Humidor & Jar) and 2001 (Cohiba 35 Aniversario Humidor), Corporación Habanos marked the anniversary with a [...]

Review: Cohiba Siglo VI Tubo

I always like to review regular production Habanos when I can because it’s important to know how well some of them are smoking fresh off the delivery truck. It always seems to be the case that Habanos are a fraction of what they can be flavor-wise when they are fresh, but in some cases I [...]

Review: Ramón Allones Specially Selected

A lot of people subscribe to the idea that you absolutely have to age Cuban cigars before you can smoke them, well in my honest opinion these current production Cubans offer a very enjoyable smoking experience and have a rough edge to them that I have come to enjoy lately. Perhaps it’s my love for [...]