rate 92

“Cohiba Behike 54 BHK”

I was thinking i should do something special with this cigar, being a Behike, despite my usual ritual of toasting with my trusted Dupont torch lighter. So I opened up a box of cedar matches and one by one toasted the cigar. With the Behike in one hand and a glass of Pinot Noir in the other, let the tasting begin…

This cigar is nothing like its younger brother. It’s light bodied and milky, with a citrus finish. There is milk on the draw, citrus on the tongue, coffee in the aftertaste and a delightful light sweet toasted scent. I rate it 92 based on a single stick dated 2010.

I would compare the taste to the Bolivar family.

“Bolivar Royal Corona”

This is my favorite bitter oak and sweet cedar cigar. It is loaded with lots of citrus on the draw, which can be more grassy if the cigar is young. The smoke is thick and building on the oaky base is a lovely creamy nutty taste. It is medium bodied and well rounded. The second inch is more sweet then sour, reminiscing of chocolate. Lovely!

This is the tubos edition from 07/2009 and a premium robusto. Absolutely one of the best from Bolivar. The Bolivar Belicosos Finos is almost the same in taste, but missing that lovely sweet and sour bit. The smoke comming from the wrapper is just heaven and delightful. I rate it 92.

“Cohiba Pyramidas EL 2006”

I am allways excited about a Cohiba cigar. I find the siglo line to be a bit grassy and boring. But Cohiba’s EL’s and the “Maduro 5″ line is simply some of the best cigars in the world.

This is an old friend which has been resting in my humidor for a speciel event. Today I just signed a new exciting contract, starting a new job. It is time to take the pyramidas under the torch…

Salty maduro wrapper on the lips. Light cocoa and caramel on the first puff. The first inch gives me green pepper, more caramel and cocoa. A bit of sweetness and lots of oils. The spicy salty taste has a light licorice nuance but keeps coming at you in a heavy warm bitter cocoa and spicy caramel flavour as the smoke progress.

The second inch is heavy on sour espresso and more bitter cocoa. This is really a full body cigar with lots of nuances. Be careful not to burn your tongue. It took about an hour to finish the smoke down to the nob and there is a long aftertaste of sweet chocolate. I rate it 92 from a box dated 12/2006.

“Cuaba Pyramidas EL 2008”

These beautiful shaped and gorgeous dark maduro cigars have been resting in my humidor for a couple of months. Basking side by side with the Cohiba Pyramidas EL 2006. Two masterpieces from cuba. Today I wanted to take it for a ride and se if it was worth using space in the humidor for the next many years of aging.

From pre-lidt to the first puffs, this is a very smooth smoke. Very floral/vegetal. Medium fruit to full floral with a bit of cedar and vanilla. Very sweet maduro taste. The first inch is burning straight with white ash and the flavours are released heavyli in a thick cloud. This is still a young cigar but is allready tasting great. With some aging this will be a perfect desert cigar for a special event. I will rate it 92.

“Partagas Salomónes”

I bought a box of 10 from 09/2009 and without any rest I smoked the first one. Just wonderful without any humi time. But now a couple of weeks has gone by since they arrived and the time for a true tasting is at hand.

There is something about the shape that I find mesmerizing and this is my first time trying out this figurado. Do I lit it as it is, or do I clip the bottom? I took it as it was and lit the narrow end of the cigar.

The first couple of puffs was spicy and very peppery. After the cigar opened op, I got alot of floral and sweet fruit. A bit of vanilla and sudden occoasions of leather. There is almond on the draw, pepper on the tongue and floral in the aftertaste. This is a beautiful and oily smoke. And each cigar releases hidden treasures. Very complex. The burn, the wrapper, the size is just perfect engineered. I will rate it 92.

“Partagas Serie P #2”

The Partagas brand is a true favorite of mine and when in doubt, Partagas! The D #4 and the P #2 is just some of the best premium cigar on the market if your are looking for a smooth spicy/earthy cigar. It’s a shame that D #1 and D #2 are limited editions (2003/2004). I am so wishing for them to be regular production cigars.

I like the pyramidas, it’s a great shape and makes a good hour go by in the company of a fine smoke. And the best of the best pyramidas is surely this Partagas P #2 from 06/2008.

First puff delivers coffe, pepper, milk and hazelnut. A wonderful creamy/earthy start. Second puff transform this cigar into what it’s really about, heavy on coffee, almost espresso, with lots of pepper and almond. There is almond on the draw, pepper on the tongue, espresso in the aftertaste and cocoa in the scent. An overall creamy/earthy bitter, sour and in moderations, a sweet smoke in a full body. I will rate it 92.