America's #1 Online Cigar Auction
first, best, biggest!

Last post 6 months ago by KingoftheCove. 21 replies replies.
Blend changes over years
Jump to Bottom | Previous Topic | Next Topic
CamoRoon Offline
#1 Posted: Wed, Apr 26 2023, 9:07 AM EST
Joined: 03-04-2015
Posts: 153
I often read cigar reviews that are several years old and sometimes almost ten years old. This leaves me wondering how consistent a cigar blend can be. Certainly the leaves from any field will vary to some degree from crop to crop. Secondly, if the sales of a particular blend start to drop off, does the manufacturer change the blend to lower his cost? Does anybody have examples where a beloved blend has changed noticeably? Was it always for the worse or have some actually gotten better from one year to the next?
ZRX1200 Offline
#2 Posted: Wed, Apr 26 2023, 9:20 AM EST
Joined: 07-08-2007
Posts: 60,617
Too many to list.

Fuente and Tatuaje Brown label are the most consistent IMO, LFD is close.
RiverRatRuss Offline
#3 Posted: Wed, Apr 26 2023, 9:24 AM EST
Joined: 09-02-2022
Posts: 1,035
Good question... In the past, I started leaning more towards the Nic/Honduran blended cigars as their flavors resembled those of the Cubans (which were banned from US)
But Dave, at John Hay's Cigars could probably give a better answer to your question???

Dave, Isle 9... Herfing
deadeyedick Offline
#4 Posted: Wed, Apr 26 2023, 11:13 AM EST
Joined: 03-13-2003
Posts: 17,103
There is no change to the RP 1990 and 1992 that Rocky claimed he found forgotten in a warehouse back in 2003. Musta been a large stash.
delta1 Offline
#5 Posted: Wed, Apr 26 2023, 12:09 PM EST
Joined: 11-23-2011
Posts: 28,797
Too many variables to say definitively that any cigar blend remains consistent; tastes the same year after year after year. One variable to keep in mind is that your palate, sense of smell and taste, may change as you age. So even if a cigar may be consistent, it might taste different to you a few years later. The taste of a leaf of tobacco can/will also change as it ages.

That's why I appreciate cigar makers who label the blends by year, like Crowned Heads does with Las Calaveras and a few other offerings...or ascribe a number to a batch like LGD does with its Small Batch line. Having smoked several of each, I've noticed that cigars from the same year or batch don't always taste the same.

Let's not even get into individual memories...are you sure you remember exactly what a cigar tasted like four years ago?

Like my buddy MACS said: "I just go by 'is it good or not?'"

His way of saying his palate has changed and cigars change, so why try to worry yourself about how close they match in flavors?
Stogie1020 Online
#6 Posted: Wed, Apr 26 2023, 12:29 PM EST
Joined: 12-19-2019
Posts: 5,346
Every single Padron 3000 maduro and Oliva V I have ever smoked tasted exactly like every other 3000 and V I smoked. I don't know how they do it. Come to think of it, maybe I don't smoke those two cigars much anymore becasue they are so predictable and unchanging...
CamoRoon Offline
#7 Posted: Wed, Apr 26 2023, 4:46 PM EST
Joined: 03-04-2015
Posts: 153
delta1 wrote:

Like my buddy MACS said: "I just go by 'is it good or not?'"


That's my point. I accept that the ones bought a year ago may have just arrived and the ones bought this year may have been on the shelf quite a while. I accept that they may be made from different crops. My concern is when you enjoyed the ones you bought last year and this year, not so much or not at all. I am a believer in aging, so I accept that some flavor may be sacrificed for smoothness and balance.
frankj1 Offline
#8 Posted: Wed, Apr 26 2023, 10:01 PM EST
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,222
Stogie1020 wrote:
Every single Padron 3000 maduro and Oliva V I have ever smoked tasted exactly like every other 3000 and V I smoked. I don't know how they do it. Come to think of it, maybe I don't smoke those two cigars much anymore becasue they are so predictable and unchanging...

Padron for sure never change.
BuckyB93 Offline
#9 Posted: Wed, Apr 26 2023, 11:10 PM EST
Joined: 07-16-2004
Posts: 14,209
frankj1 wrote:
Padron for sure never change.


One reason Padron and Oliva brands are in my top list of favorites. They hit my taste, strength, body profile perfectly. Or maybe my profile evolved based on those characteristics (chicken or the egg thingy). They are a steady smoke with solid construction. You know what you're getting with them day in and day out, box after box.

You know what you are getting even before you place the order.

Some may say that it's boring but for a majority of the time, I like to get something that is rock steady and know what to expect when I spark it up.

NINE!
Palama Offline
#10 Posted: Thu, Apr 27 2023, 12:20 AM EST
Joined: 02-05-2013
Posts: 23,709
BuckyB93 wrote:
One reason Padron and Oliva brands are in my top list of favorites. They hit my taste, strength, body profile perfectly. Or maybe my profile evolved based on those characteristics (chicken or the egg thingy). They are a steady smoke with solid construction. You know what you're getting with them day in and day out, box after box.

You know what you are getting even before you place the order.

Some may say that it's boring but for a majority of the time, I like to get something that is rock steady and know what to expect when I spark it up.

NINE!


I’mma purdy sure I can say that every Padron I’ve smoked has met or exceeded expectaions, regardless of series or vitola. In the last year and a half-ish I’ve purchased higher end Padrons for specific special occasions and they definitely delivered the goods.
JGKAMIN Offline
#11 Posted: Thu, Apr 27 2023, 6:15 AM EST
Joined: 05-08-2011
Posts: 1,403
deadeyedick wrote:
There is no change to the RP 1990 and 1992 that Rocky claimed he found forgotten in a warehouse back in 2003. Musta been a large stash.

LOL! Or the Fuente Opus X Lost City which was tobacco grown out of season for the movie, a one off that somehow keeps on supplying cigars 19 years later.
CamoRoon Offline
#12 Posted: Thu, Apr 27 2023, 11:45 AM EST
Joined: 03-04-2015
Posts: 153
BuckyB93 wrote:
You know what you are getting even before you place the order. NINE!


We are not that many years removed from a time when most cigar smokers had loyalty to a brand and perhaps, just as likely, a blend from that brand. Granted, there were not so many brands and blends available as there are today. My gut tells me the proper way to buy cigars is by-the-box and only a few favorite blends but my brain tells me to keep looking for a surprise smoke or the actual pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, an economically priced smoke that knocks your socks off. If history tells us anything, the number of brands and blends will probably retreat to far less than we see today in 10-20 years as regulation, social standards and economics take their toll. If you see that coming start stocking up on your favorites. One other thing, just as all the brands are shifting their blends to appeal to the newer generation of cigar enthusiast, they will one day shift away from your favorite blends for the next generation.
KingoftheCove Offline
#13 Posted: Thu, Apr 27 2023, 6:27 PM EST
Joined: 10-08-2011
Posts: 7,637
Stogie1020 wrote:
Every single Padron 3000 maduro and Oliva V I have ever smoked tasted exactly like every other 3000 and V I smoked. I don't know how they do it. Come to think of it, maybe I don't smoke those two cigars much anymore becasue they are so predictable and unchanging...

This ^^ for me, With respect to the 000 Series maduro ( and the Londres, Delicias, etc), and Oliva Master Blends.
I’m sure the higher end Padron maduros are consistent as well.
ZRX1200 Offline
#14 Posted: Thu, Apr 27 2023, 7:53 PM EST
Joined: 07-08-2007
Posts: 60,617
JGKAMIN I thought they continued it by using the Opus blend but with a different wrapper.
KingoftheCove Offline
#15 Posted: Fri, Apr 28 2023, 5:59 PM EST
Joined: 10-08-2011
Posts: 7,637
Another favorite daily type smoke, that for me has been extremely consistent over the years, is the Jaime Garcia.
Jakethesnake86 Offline
#16 Posted: Fri, Apr 28 2023, 6:50 PM EST
Joined: 12-29-2020
Posts: 4,154
^ they’re winners
jespear Offline
#17 Posted: Tue, Jun 6 2023, 9:25 AM EST
Joined: 03-19-2004
Posts: 9,464
La Perla Habana Black Pearl Morado

DPNewell was banned for questioning the blend of the re-release.
(Actually, it was just a re-banding, according to CBid.)
Palama Offline
#18 Posted: Sat, Oct 28 2023, 2:08 PM EST
Joined: 02-05-2013
Posts: 23,709
Ah, here it is! Herfing
LeeBot Offline
#19 Posted: Sat, Oct 28 2023, 8:05 PM EST
Joined: 07-08-2020
Posts: 2,009
Someone was actually banned for questioning a blend? Who banned him? How does that violate the rulz?
KingoftheCove Offline
#20 Posted: Sun, Oct 29 2023, 7:38 AM EST
Joined: 10-08-2011
Posts: 7,637
LeeBot wrote:
Someone was actually banned for questioning a blend? Who banned him? How does that violate the rulz?

Oh boy….
Yeah, there used to be a dungeon below cbid offices.
We would get banned for several different offenses, most of them having to do with any mention of…

Platinum Membership

Then of course you could be banned for…
-Competitor references
-Disparaging remarks about cbid CS
-“Inappropriate” posts in general, typically involving sexual stuff or slamming another member
-a variety of other transgressions

I was once banned for jokingly saying a CS gal came into work hungover.

I miss La Princessa…
KingoftheCove Offline
#21 Posted: Sun, Oct 29 2023, 7:46 AM EST
Joined: 10-08-2011
Posts: 7,637
LeeBot wrote:
Someone was actually banned for questioning a blend? Who banned him? How does that violate the rulz?

Now to answer your Q…

It was DP Newell, the “Master” of online cigar auction bidding techniques.
It was because cbid was pushing a cigar that used to be great, and had high ratings, but was now pretty much a yard gar. DP was calling them out on this fact, kind of inferring that it was fraudulent.
Think he still has some scars from La Princessa’s spiked heels…..
Users browsing this topic
Guest
Back to Top