Cigar Weekly

Prof2B · 01-09-2002, 11:52 PM

Cigar: Trinidad Fundadores, cabinet selection
Vitola: Gran Panetela, 7.5x40
Tobacco: Cuban (puro)
Age: about two years
Review Date: 1/09/02
Street price: $20-$25

Appearance: Very good. Light brown wrapper, colorado-claro, with a few water spots. Finely veined.

Construction: Excellent. Perfect curly head cap, no soft spots. Tightly wrapped and straight as an arrow.

Burn: Excellent. Burned perfectly throughout.

Problems: None.

Draw: Very good. Just a little tight at first, but after the first inch it opened up a bit. Comfortable draw thereafter.

Ash: Dark grey to grey, very firm.

Smoked to: Just before the band. It got a little hot for my tastes at that point. About 80 minutes.

Strength: Medium to Medium/Full. I had a large meal beforehand, and I nonetheless got that classic Havana headiness at about the 2/3rds point. Not at all overpowering--quite pleasant, in fact.

Aroma: Exquisite. Pre-light aroma was enticing and unique, almost toasty. Once lit, the aromas of roasted almonds, cashews, and subtle spices filled the room, and from time to time I swear I could smell hints of licorice.

Taste: Very good. A smooth tang throughout, with flavor shifts every couple inches. It started off with soft spices, mostly nutmeg to my palate. Every now and then I'd get a hint of red pepper, and as the cigar developed the finish lingered longer, leaving just a bit of tingling. Various elements would move in and out of the flavor profile as the cigar progressed, keeping me guessing as to what would happen next.

Overall: Top of the line smoke!

General comments: This is probably one of the more complex cigars I've ever smoked. I'm still not quite sure how a 40 ring gauge gran panetela could deliver the array of flavors I normally expect from a churchill or double corona, but somehow it did. And the aroma--wow, for that reason alone I'll be smoking more of these when I can afford them. Construction is top notch: the cigar smoked like a dream. The Trinidad Fundadores is one of the best Cubans I've ever smoked, and offhand I can't think of any non-Cuban that can even come close.

The mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.

Vegas1 · 01-10-2002, 04:17 AM

Very nice review Prof2B!

A simply fantastic smoke. In all my years of smoking these, I've never ever had a bad one.

Vegas1
"Viva Las Vegas"

Thomkm · 01-10-2002, 06:34 AM

Nice job, Steve

Damn!!! Now I have to go digging thru the 'dore to find one of them [Yum][Yum][Yum]

Frohlich · 01-10-2002, 06:47 AM

Yes, these are a nice treat. To me not as earthy or twangy as many ISOMs but very complex as you mentioned :P :P

Frohlich · 01-10-2002, 06:47 AM

Oh oh, looks like I double posted. Sorry.

Edited by - Frohlich on 01/10/2002 07:48:10 AM

MetsFan · 01-10-2002, 07:03 AM

Nice review.

I too really like how this cigars morphs as you smoke it.

Let's Go Hawks!

punchme · 01-10-2002, 08:17 AM

Nice review. I especially like the way you broke it down, using Taste and Strength, and avoiding the general term Body. (I'm assuming Strength refers to nicotine only, i.e. the buzz factor.)

"How about a nice Habana Punch!"

Then I asked myself, WCWTWD?

TommyBB · 01-10-2002, 12:10 PM

Great review, but I didn't get the rush I thought I would. I do agree with your overall findings, however, and Frohlich's also. Like you I had time to smoke nearly to the band. One of the best I've smoked although the draw was a bit tight.

"You come out of the tunnel. Everyone is screaming. Everyone is going crazy. You can smell the bourbon." LSU QB Rohan Davey on running onto the field in Tiger Stadium

Then you ask yourself, oh sure, but WWTD? WALT!

sambo · 01-10-2002, 12:27 PM

Damn You

Now I gotta go and smoke the one Frohlich pitched to me :0

Nice review :0

"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake."
- Napoleon Bonaparte

mrdiver · 01-10-2002, 12:33 PM

Thank you!(I think)

01-09-2002, 11:52 PM	#1
Prof2B Starting Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Waltham, MA USA Posts: 78	Cigar: Trinidad Fundadores, cabinet selection Vitola: Gran Panetela, 7.5x40 Tobacco: Cuban (puro) Age: about two years Review Date: 1/09/02 Street price: $20-$25 Appearance: Very good. Light brown wrapper, colorado-claro, with a few water spots. Finely veined. Construction: Excellent. Perfect curly head cap, no soft spots. Tightly wrapped and straight as an arrow. Burn: Excellent. Burned perfectly throughout. Problems: None. Draw: Very good. Just a little tight at first, but after the first inch it opened up a bit. Comfortable draw thereafter. Ash: Dark grey to grey, very firm. Smoked to: Just before the band. It got a little hot for my tastes at that point. About 80 minutes. Strength: Medium to Medium/Full. I had a large meal beforehand, and I nonetheless got that classic Havana headiness at about the 2/3rds point. Not at all overpowering--quite pleasant, in fact. Aroma: Exquisite. Pre-light aroma was enticing and unique, almost toasty. Once lit, the aromas of roasted almonds, cashews, and subtle spices filled the room, and from time to time I swear I could smell hints of licorice. Taste: Very good. A smooth tang throughout, with flavor shifts every couple inches. It started off with soft spices, mostly nutmeg to my palate. Every now and then I'd get a hint of red pepper, and as the cigar developed the finish lingered longer, leaving just a bit of tingling. Various elements would move in and out of the flavor profile as the cigar progressed, keeping me guessing as to what would happen next. Overall: Top of the line smoke! General comments: This is probably one of the more complex cigars I've ever smoked. I'm still not quite sure how a 40 ring gauge gran panetela could deliver the array of flavors I normally expect from a churchill or double corona, but somehow it did. And the aroma--wow, for that reason alone I'll be smoking more of these when I can afford them. Construction is top notch: the cigar smoked like a dream. The Trinidad Fundadores is one of the best Cubans I've ever smoked, and offhand I can't think of any non-Cuban that can even come close. The mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches. __________________ Zeal for your house consumes me.

01-10-2002, 04:17 AM	#2
Vegas1 Club Member Join Date: May 1998 Location: CT Posts: 3,824	Very nice review Prof2B! A simply fantastic smoke. In all my years of smoking these, I've never ever had a bad one. Vegas1 "Viva Las Vegas" __________________ "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy" - Benjamin Franklin

01-10-2002, 06:34 AM	#3
Thomkm Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: NW, Ohio USA Posts: 485	Nice job, Steve Damn!!! Now I have to go digging thru the 'dore to find one of them [Yum][Yum][Yum] __________________ Tom

01-10-2002, 06:47 AM	#4
Frohlich Club Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Cincinnati, Oh Vatican City Posts: 2,457	Yes, these are a nice treat. To me not as earthy or twangy as many ISOMs but very complex as you mentioned :P :P __________________ Will work for ISOMs

01-10-2002, 06:47 AM	#5
Frohlich Club Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Cincinnati, Oh Vatican City Posts: 2,457	Oh oh, looks like I double posted. Sorry. Edited by - Frohlich on 01/10/2002 07:48:10 AM __________________ Will work for ISOMs

01-10-2002, 07:03 AM	#6
MetsFan Herf God Join Date: Jun 2000 Posts: 12,223	Nice review. I too really like how this cigars morphs as you smoke it. Let's Go Hawks!

01-10-2002, 08:17 AM	#7
punchme Club Member Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Tighnabruaich, Scotland, Unite Posts: 1,032	Nice review. I especially like the way you broke it down, using Taste and Strength, and avoiding the general term Body. (I'm assuming Strength refers to nicotine only, i.e. the buzz factor.) *"How about a nice Habana Punch!"* Then I asked myself, WCWTWD? __________________ GOD bless the USA!

01-10-2002, 12:10 PM	#8
TommyBB Editor-in-Chief Herf God Join Date: Aug 1998 Location: Metairie, LA Posts: 86,650	Great review, but I didn't get the rush I thought I would. I do agree with your overall findings, however, and Frohlich's also. Like you I had time to smoke nearly to the band. One of the best I've smoked although the draw was a bit tight. "You come out of the tunnel. Everyone is screaming. Everyone is going crazy. You can smell the bourbon." LSU QB Rohan Davey on running onto the field in Tiger Stadium Then you ask yourself, oh sure, but WWTD? WALT! __________________ +In Memory of E.Guevara(Cubano67)W.Orlando(Shadow) A.Morris (Knife) D.Odom (dodom) D.Revermann (dgr) S.Bouchard (sb1396) M.Cole (Matt76) S.Faccenda (TOJE) R.Smith(IBMer) V.Vandermeer (van55)M.Davis(boxdoctor)S.Singer(bassman)K.Doetze l (drillrk1)D.Hart(garme1962)J.Coleman(John C 81)T.Gossett(Dartplayer1)J.Bolt (jb)E.J.Ferralles(CaballoPinto)M.Cataldo(FVFanMC)K Payne(SanchoPanza)F.Seltzer(Mowee)+LB+Connor Olson+Micah Kercheval+Maggie Bonefas+Karen

01-10-2002, 12:27 PM	#9
sambo Herf Meister Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Senior Lefty, KKKali Djibouti Posts: 6,791	Damn You Now I gotta go and smoke the one Frohlich pitched to me :0 Nice review :0 "Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake." - Napoleon Bonaparte __________________ Stop ruining my ideology with you logic!

01-10-2002, 12:33 PM	#10
mrdiver Herf Meister Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Clearwater, FL USA Posts: 9,931	Thank you!(I think)