This is my blind review with a cigar from Bri:
Another beautiful day here in SoCal, after several windy, cold and rainy days.
This is the view from the other side of my home:
Now, let's get down to business!
This is a rustic and beautiful looking cigar, that is very dense and hard. You can tell it is very tightly rolled…
It has a triple cap and it's a size that I am not familiar with…
I am pairing this today with some ice water, which is customary for me when reviewing a cigar.
Cold draw, grass, sweet hay and a bit of honey…
First few puffs, very, very tight, but I can tell this is Cuban, without a doubt...
Finally, one inch into the first third, and I am getting some smoke... Some tartness, like sour cherries, and a bit of earth...
Thank goodness this is my first cigar in 5 days, and my pallet is very sharp…
Midways through the first third, some chocolaty orange flavors, with a bit of mint on the retro hale, medium strength.
Halfway, and some delicious stewed fruit is upfront, with honey and mint in the background. Draw is really opening up now, allowing me to taste the full flavors of this gem... At this point, since this is one of, if not my favorite brand of cigars, I want to say Ramon Allones, but the size is throwing me off... It tastes just like the rare and wonderful 2005 RA Belicosos Finos I smoked a week ago.
I start doing a little research online (is that legal
) and there is a RA version of this sized cigar, in 2005, and re-released in 2007. Because I am convinced this is a RA, I am going to guess this as a RA Eminencia, regional edition, either 2005 or 2007. This is a rare cigar and it would pleasantly surprise me that a newbie like Bri would have some of these... if I am correct.
Almost through with the second third, and still getting the stewed fruit flavors that I love so much, combined with a touch of coffee, and a little sweet honey flavor.
Still medium profile and minty on the retrohale - what a great cigar so far...
Into the final third now, and although I am still getting the stewed fruits, I am now getting some nice white pepper with the mint, combining nicely.
Halfway through the final third, and the wrapper starts to crack... Typical of our low humidity… but it doesn't affect the smoke or the flavors, which at this point is white pepper, ginger and mint. The stewed fruits are now in the background and a bit of coffee on the retrohale...very nice indeed.
Nearing the end of this wonderful cigar, and very spicy at this point, with black pepper and ginger, finishing off very cool and sweet... The spitting image of the great RA Belicosos Finos... I can't wait to see what it is…
And the answer is:
Do I detect a bit of trust issues here
2005 Ramon Allones Eminencia RE Suiza!!
I was RIGHT (with a little help from the internet)
Damn good cigar, and I wish I had a box of these… Thank you Bri for this amazing treat.
Final thoughts:
· This cigar took 1 hour and 30 minutes to smoke
· When I first lit it, it was so tight, that if it had been one of mine, I would have chunked it.
· I am so glad I continued smoking it, as it was one of the best cigars I have had this year
· There were only 1200 boxes of these put into production, and are very rare… I am wondering how I can coax more out of Bri
· It is crazy how similar this was to the RA BF… Definitely same year and same tobacco…
Final score 97 points
I figured you had pretty much everything under the sun, or at least tried them, so I figured I'd send you something a little more hard to find. Apparently my trust issues are warranted if you had to use google to help you cheat 
