b.dawgson
Official BeeDog inductee!
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2009
- Messages
- 1,499
Gifted to me from a BOTL here, I have a Ramon Allones Brioso from around 1995 or 1996. From the info I can find online this cigar has a Dominican grown La Vega Especial wrapper, broadleaf binder, and Nicaraguan, Piloto Cubano, and Mexican ligero filler. The weather outside is pretty warm but not unbearable, about 86 degrees. It's about 4:00 in the afternoon and what a perfect time for a cigar!
Looking at this cigar is rather appealing. The nice band and foot band wrapped around a cedar sheath is aesthetically pleasing. Removing the cedar sheath from the cigar revealed something I haven't personally experienced, plume! You'll see a picture below but it basically looks like a film of dust covering the wrapper which is removed easily with a swipe of a fingertip. The wrapper was a nice caramel color with some darker spots intertwined. There are plenty of prominent veins and the cigar feels firm all the way down. Smelling the wrapper doesn't give much aroma, just tobacco and a very slight barnyard at the foot.
1st Third:
After cutting and toasting (which was done effortlessly), the first thing I notice is the tight draw. Hopefully it will loosen itself up a bit. The flavors start off very smooth and light. A mild nuttyness and woodsy tones, which remind me of the A Fuente Sungrown Chateau I have had before. The aroma has just a quick hint of cashews but I couldn't catch it again. Toward the end of the first third, the ash fell and the body very quickly hit a full mark with lots of pepper in the sinuses and back of the throat.
2nd Third:
Early in the second third the body has dropped back to a medium with a mainly earthy flavor with a slight bit of spice and a very faint sweetness. The finish stays rather short with bits of woodsy flavors. The woodsiness stayed throughout the end of the 2nd third as the other flavors diminished.
Final Third:
Toward the end of the smoke the flavors reminded me of a ham, like a smoked saltiness. That is about the point the cigar started taking a turn. The cigar was becoming very harsh and I decided to purge. After the purge, the flavors returned to a light nuttiness like the beginning but quickly turned harsh again and I had to let it rest. I was pleased with the hour and a half smoke time and didn't mind letting it go at about an inch and three-quarter.
Overall was a very pleasant smoke down to the point of harshness if you have $3 and 10+years. I don't know that I'll buy any in the future but wouldn't turn one down. If you have a Ramon Allones in your humidor, let it sit for a while and see what you think!
PLUME:
Looking at this cigar is rather appealing. The nice band and foot band wrapped around a cedar sheath is aesthetically pleasing. Removing the cedar sheath from the cigar revealed something I haven't personally experienced, plume! You'll see a picture below but it basically looks like a film of dust covering the wrapper which is removed easily with a swipe of a fingertip. The wrapper was a nice caramel color with some darker spots intertwined. There are plenty of prominent veins and the cigar feels firm all the way down. Smelling the wrapper doesn't give much aroma, just tobacco and a very slight barnyard at the foot.
1st Third:
After cutting and toasting (which was done effortlessly), the first thing I notice is the tight draw. Hopefully it will loosen itself up a bit. The flavors start off very smooth and light. A mild nuttyness and woodsy tones, which remind me of the A Fuente Sungrown Chateau I have had before. The aroma has just a quick hint of cashews but I couldn't catch it again. Toward the end of the first third, the ash fell and the body very quickly hit a full mark with lots of pepper in the sinuses and back of the throat.
2nd Third:
Early in the second third the body has dropped back to a medium with a mainly earthy flavor with a slight bit of spice and a very faint sweetness. The finish stays rather short with bits of woodsy flavors. The woodsiness stayed throughout the end of the 2nd third as the other flavors diminished.
Final Third:
Toward the end of the smoke the flavors reminded me of a ham, like a smoked saltiness. That is about the point the cigar started taking a turn. The cigar was becoming very harsh and I decided to purge. After the purge, the flavors returned to a light nuttiness like the beginning but quickly turned harsh again and I had to let it rest. I was pleased with the hour and a half smoke time and didn't mind letting it go at about an inch and three-quarter.
Overall was a very pleasant smoke down to the point of harshness if you have $3 and 10+years. I don't know that I'll buy any in the future but wouldn't turn one down. If you have a Ramon Allones in your humidor, let it sit for a while and see what you think!
PLUME: