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Old 05-25-2016, 02:38 PM   #1
Ringo
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Posts: 1,895
Well aged pre-release San Cristobal NC

I am not exactly sure when the NC San Cristobal cigars were introduced but it was at least ten years ago. At the time I managed to get my hands on two of them from TOJE (R.I.P.) before they were even for sale. I smoked one not too long after I got it and was decidedly underwhelmed. It just did not go anywhere. I attributed this to youth so the second one sat in my 'dor this whole time, developing the brownest cello I have ever seen. I have had cigars four times as old in cellos that were not as brown. The original and much-hyped San Cristobal was a strong cigar, so I attribute it to that.

I am also not sure of the vitola name for this cigar but it was like a slightly fatter lancero. Lanceros are usually around a 38 ring and this San Cristobal was 40-42. It was like a long corona or a fatter lancero. I think they only made one size at the time.

So - I removed the cigar from its well tanned home of a decade or so. The wrapper looked nice and the double capped end clipped easily with no drama. A pre light draw suggested a slight tightness so I cut it a little larger, then toasted and lit. Once the cigar was ready to smoke I dove in and got - nothing. No harshness or bitterness, but no flavor either. That does not mean much to me - many cigars start out with little to offer but develop into real monsters. I expected good things - after all San Cristobal is a respected cigar that got many positive reviews upon release. And this one was aged to perfection. Being that these are strong cigars, I expected no loss in flavor from the extended aging time. Just some smoothing of the rough spots.

Now, I cannot say if the cigar lost any flavor. My original one was short on flavor so it is hard to say. Be that as it may, this San Cristobal, which started out flavorless, remained so as I smoked. I anticipated the halfway point - that is usually where an underwhelming cigar will start to come out of its shell if it is going to - but at the halfway point it was almost like smoking air. So I awaited two thirds, surely it will have opened up by then. But it was not to be. The cigar remained lackluster. By this time I was just going through the motions. I knew that I was not going to nub this one - what would be the point? After about three quarters in I let it go out and tossed it.

The good? The burn was perfect. The mediocre? The draw was a on the tight side. The bad? The lack of any discernible flavor notes. I mean, it tasted like a cigar, but there were no real flavors to hang a hat on. No spice, pepper, cream, coffee, caramel etc. I really have no way to describe what little flavor there was. Uncool for a strong, aged cigar.

I hate to write a bad review - it means I had to smoke a bad cigar! But what can I say about a smoke that did nothing for me?

Remember that this was a well aged cigar and most likely nobody else has one of these sitting around. Therefore this review is not meant to cover new releases from the brand. Do not use this review to make a decision about a current vitola from San Cristobal. I do have a few of the newer ones in my 'dor and hopefully they have improved. I will probably smoke one next to compare and I will review it when I do. But as for this cigar it gets an 84/100 and it's lucky to get that.

I'm out.
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