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Home > What's New > Connoisseur's Corner, February 2002
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Connoisseur's Corner, February 2002
Posted: Friday, February 01, 2002
February 2002
We found another stash of impressive cigars for this issue's Connoisseur's Corner. The Davidoff Dom Perignon has always been one of Havana's best, but it is a pleasure to unearth a cigar that holds such tremendous flavor after all these years. The Davidoff was equaled by a newer Havana, a Partagas Solomones II with an intriguing history. The cigar was a bit of full-bodied heaven, loading the mouth with rich, luscious smoke.
Looking beyond the two 99-point cigars, this Connoisseur's Corner unearthed several other top aged smokes that delivered all the flavor an aficionado covets. A decade-old Cohiba Robusto was brimming with powerful flavor befitting its legendary pedigree. A Montecristo No. 1 from the same year is finally coming into its prime.
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Davidoff Dom Perignon (1985)
99 An incredibly rich and complex cigar. It has a strong core of silky but lively pepper tones on the palate. There is a strong base of earthy flavors. It is simply a heavenly cigar. Always one of my favorites.
--Marvin R.
Shanken
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Partagas Solomones II (1996)
99 This is the original Solomones created by Christopher Wolters, the dynamic German cigar merchant. It originally was a perfecto, but Habanos, the global distribution organization for Cuban cigars, insisted it be different. So one inch was cut off from the end. The cigar starts off slowly, then bam! It's a blockbuster. A huge smoke that's full bodied with a spicy and dried herb character. A long, long finish. Amazing.
--James Suckling
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Cohiba Robusto
(1990)
97 Wow. What a smoke. It has the richness of a perfectly prepared espresso and plenty of power. Full bodied with lots of tobacco character and a long aftertaste.
--James Suckling
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Bolivar Especial
(1978)
95 This Lanceros-size cigar is no longer made. It is a rich, fine cigar that delivers a punch regardless of its very elegant appearance. Big and spicy for a thin cigar, it shows a floral, cinnamon character throughout. It's full bodied and long with a fresh aftertaste.
--James Suckling
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La Gloria Cubana Soberanos
(1993)
93 This American-made cigar has a beautiful, dark, oily wrapper. In its youth, it was a powerhouse of flavors, and it has retained much of that strength, while delivering a range of dark chocolate and licorice flavors on the palate. A long spicy finish shows what a great cigar it is. It will be another five years before it reaches its peak.
--Gordon Mott
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Montecristo No. 1 (1990)
90 This cigar is just reaching its peak, so if you've got some, 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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