When the Vega Talanga Tercio was first released, I purchased a bundle, which had the cigars uncelloed, and was wrapped in bark from a royal palm tree. (Actually, the bark wrapping is the "tercio.") I enjoyed them very much and about a week ago smoked the last of the original tercio. So I bid on and "won" a bundle at Cbid.

Well, I just took delivery of a bundle of "original" Vega Talangas from Cbid, and much to my surprise, the cigar is not the same as the originals. These are individually celloed with the bundle wrapped in cello, as well. There is no tercio. The originals were a generous 52 gauge. This bundle's sticks are closer to 50, perhaps, even 48. I realize U.S. Tobacco has expanded the line into the Vega Talanga Corojo varieties, but the change from the original Vega Talanga Tercio was quite a surprise. Here's some of the original ad copy from U.S. Tobacco:

The Vega Talanga Tercio has outer packaging called a "Tercio". The Tercio is made by hand with natural bark from the Royal Palm tree and has been used in Cuba for centuries as the ideal packaging material to age premium cigar leaf tobacco. The palm fiber, which is odorless and porous, allows the tobacco to breathe in the tercio and take full effect of the natural climactic conditions for perfect curing of tobacco.

The tobacco used for Vega Talanga is from U.S. Cigar’s Honduran farm in the Talanga Valley. Vega Talanga Tercio cigars are Honduran puros with a pigtail head and untrimmed foot that give the cigar a rustic feel.

I'm wondering if these are seconds, or a change in the product, while retaining the Vega Talanga brand name. I haven't smoked a cigar from the bundle that just arrived. I'll give them a few days to stabilize from their trip. I'd appreciate some input from others who have purchased both the original Tercios and these celloed bundles. Is this the same cigar? or just the same name?

funny you should mention this steve. i got a bundle of the original VT from another etailer a while back that came wrapped in tercio bark just as you mentioned. couple days ago i got a bundle from cbid that was indeed cellophaned with the individual smokes in cello also. i put them away to stabilize and dry down to the rh i like to smoke them at so i havent tried one either.
i also would be interested to hear any info anyone has on this...

I've some VTs in my new tupperdor I made.

I was rearranging and I noticed something wierd. I had two of them...both were in cellophane, but one had a noticeably bigger ring gauge than the other.

Wierd.

The older model was one of my favorites, especially with a few months age on them. I have had about five of the newer version in cello and they have been very disappointing. Not bad, but not as full and rich. Maybe I'm wrong but it does not seem like the same blend. IMHO

DED

deadeyedick: You've reinforced my apprehension. I have the distinct feeling that the celloed VT is a different cigar bearing the VT brand.

I would hope that Cbid would write in their ad copy that these cigars are not the original in tercio, and that they are individually celloed and cello wrapped bundles.

steve- have you tried your celloed vt yet? havent got to mine.

No, Wouldy, I'm approaching them very slowly. I figure if I creep up on them, I'll be less pissed if they're a different stick than I expected.

lol. steve is gonna do a sneak-up.

had one of the old style originals last nite and really liked it. will have to try one of these cellophaned ones soon.

well, had me one of the new cellophaned vt just now and i dont think it is as good as the originals. had traces of the same flavor but it wasnt nearly as smooth. burned and drew ok, just wasnt as good. heres hoping that these will smooth out with rest...

I'm also confused. Had purchased a few of the original sticks at a local store about a year ago and really liked them. Won a bid a few months ago and received in cello bundles just as you described. Don't exactly remember the ring size on the original but these seem to be just slightly smaller. Taste-wise I didn't like the bundle cigars as well as the singles that I orginally tried but now after a few months they seem to have gotten closer to what I remember the first ones I tried. Never contacted Cbid to see what the deal was.

John

It is not the same cigar!

It's a different gauge and blend. I picked up an original, locally, and compared them. The only real similarity is the cap and foot.

Cbid should have noted that this version is not the same cigar as the En Tercio.

CURSES!!! foiled again!