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Home > What's New > Connoisseur's Corner, October 2001
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Connoisseur's Corner, October 2001
Posted: Monday, October 01, 2001
October 2001
The first thing that should strike you in this month's "Connoisseur's Corner" is that we've awarded the first 100-point cigar in the history of Cigar Aficionado. On two occassions we've gone as high as 99 points, but this Dunhill Cabinetta was simply perfect. We couldn't even find a hint of a flaw in the cigar's appearance, construction or its flavor, and it became apparent that this cigar was the gold standard that all other smokes aspire to live up to. Rarely will a cigar's flavor befit a price of over $300 per smoke, but if ever a cigar was worth that kind of money, this robusto-sized Dunhill is it.
Beyond the top-scoring cigar this month are several other classic smokes, both Cuban and non-Cuban. If any of these cigars are in your humidor, now may be the perfect time to enjoy them.
And note the unusual look of this Cohiba band. Prior to 1990, the orange band on the bottom was more narrow than it appears today, and did not include the words "La Habana" in script. A modern-day Cohiba with this type of band would be counterfeit.
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Dunhill Cabinetta
(1986)
100 The perfect Cuban cigar. A robusto with no faults. This cigar hasn't been made for more than a decade, since London-based Dunhill stopped allowing the Cubans to make cigars under their brand name. Yet, it remains a classic cigar among aficionados, sometimes fetching more than $7,500 for a box of 25 in auctions and from cigar merchants. It's a full-bodied smoke with masses of character from espresso to cedar to tobacco, which lasts for minutes in your mouth.
--James Suckling
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Cohiba Corona Especial
(1987)
97 An original special-edition cigar that presaged ones to come in the 1990s. This version had significantly darker wrappers than its regular cousins. The flavors are rich and complex, but have mellowed substantially over the years. The cigar now has an elegance of cedar and earthy sweetness. This finish is so velvety it smacks of understatement to call it memorable.
--George Brightman
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Cuba Aliados Valentino
(1995)
92 This cigar brand was off the market for a few years in the late 1990s. Too bad. This 7 inch by 47 ring gauge cigar is simply delicious. It has a unique creamy earthiness that has mellowed into a sweet leather and robust coffee bean flavor on the palate. There is a hint of sweet spice on the smooth finish.
--Gordon Mott
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Davidoff 2000
(1989)
92 Despite spending a dozen years in a humidor, this Cuban corona is still strong and rich, with a pronounced walnut note. It has firm draw, and about halfway through the smoke, the cigar develops flavors of coffee bean and dark chocolate--David Savona
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Partagas Short
(1995)
92 This is always a great cigar for me. Quick and tasty. Current releases are not bad, either. With six years of box age, it's smoking wonderfully with dark chocolate and cedar with light spice undertones. Medium to full bodied with plenty of flavor and a long mellow finish.
--James Suckling
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Montecristo No. 1
(1990)
90 This cigar is just reaching its peak, so if you've got them, now is a good time to try one. There are solid and deep notes of chocolate with black coffee character that turns slightly cedary on the finish. A very rich smoke.
--James Suckling
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