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Home > What's New > Connoisseur's Corner, August 2009
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Connoisseur's Corner, August 2009
Posted: Monday, August 31, 2009
By CA Staff
Just how long can one age a cigar? We get that question all of the time. The answer is a tricky one: it depends on the cigar. The highest ratings in this selection went to a 40-year-old Por Larrañaga and a 17-year-old Cohiba. The latter retained its considerable power, and taster Gordon Mott noted that it has “years of life left.” The pair, accompanied by a Fuente Fuente OpusX and two Cuban Partagas cigars from the 1990s, joined our ranks of classic cigars, scoring 95 points or higher. n Each of the cigars here were delicious in their youth—one shouldn’t expect a bad cigar to transform into a masterpiece with a few years (or even decades) in a humidor. While age can make good cigars great, and can turn great cigars into classics, a poor cigar left to age will simply become a poor, old smoke.
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Cohiba Esplendido (1992)
98
An unbelievable powerhouse of a cigar, 17 years after it was made. It is packed with
a smooth leather quality, and a pronounced spiciness with a blackberry note on the
long finish. A great cigar that has years of life left.
--Gordon Mott
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Por Larrañaga (1959)
98
This smooth, medium-bodied smoke is just what you’d expect from a 40-year-old
cigar. It has nice tobacco flavors, with hints of chestnuts and dried wood. This is
a real charmer.
--Marvin R. Shanken
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Partagas Lusitania (1991)
97
This cigar looks like perfection. It has a perfect draw and burns great. There are
wonderful cinnamon and nutmeg flavors that come through on the palate with
gusto. A fantastic cigar.
--Marvin R. Shanken
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Fuente Fuente OpusX Perfecxion 'A' (1996)
95
From one of the early batches of the ground-breaking Fuente Fuente OpusX brand.
This 9 1/4 inch cigar has begun to show its age, with pronounced cedar flavors
dominating a smooth, elegant smoke. As it warms up, there’s an almost perfect
balance overlaid with the slight sweetness of the cedar notes.
--Gordon Mott
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Partagas 150 Aniversario Corona Grande (1995)
95
This is very, very spicy with lots of nutmeg, white pepper and tobacco character on
the nose and palate. Full and rich with loads of flavors that continue onto the long
finish. What a smoke. So fresh and fine.
--James Suckling
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Punch Super Selection No. 2 (1994)
93
This cigar (from a cedar cabinet of 50) delivers wonderful spicy, peppery and tobacco
aromas and flavors. It’s full bodied and super rich with loads of character. Long and
fresh with a dried nut and cedar undertone.
--James Suckling
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