Quai D’Orsay Imperiales, 2001 Vintage Cigar

Quai D’Orsay Imperiales, 2001 Vintage Cigar

     The Julieta No. 2 factory size, more commonly known as a Churchill, remains one of the preferred sizes amongst cigar aficionados.  The 47 ring gauge somehow pleases the tastes of fans of the smaller gauges, while still being large enough for fans of bigger gauge cigars.  You will be hard pressed to find a cigar lover who will turn down a Churchill sized cigar.  It feels great while holding it, and you know that for the next hour and a half, you will have nice company.

ABOUT THE CIGAR –QUAI D’ORSAY :: IMPERIALES from 2001

     As many of you know, Quai D’Orsay is a relatively new brand from Habanos, having only been created in 1973.  Cubatabaco created the brand for the French tobacco company called “Seita”.  As a matter of fact, on the side of the box, it reads “Seleccion Exclusiva para Seita” (exclusive selection for Seita).  The name Quai D’Orsay derives from the avenue where the head offices of Seita were located.  The first cigar released was the Corona Claro, which is still, albeit very limited, in current production today.

     The Churchill sized Quai D’Orsay was first introduced to the market in 1974.   When it was discontinued in 2015, the brand only boasted one other cigar in regular production, the Corona Claro.  Although the production of the Imperiales was officially stopped in 2015, it was a very rare sighting in most cigar shops.  Most shops in Canada had not had any since the early 2000s.  I never saw a box in Cuba, where I have been traveling to since 1999.  The only time I personally saw these cigars on the store shelves of regular production was in London at the famous La Casa del Habano in Teddington run by our friend Ajay Patel.  I imagine they were available in some markets more than others (like France), however, this remains an under-rated and rarely spoken about cigar.  What better reason to try one that has been ageing for 19 years!

BOX DATE: PEI AGO 01

SIZE:  47 x 7 inches.

FACTORY NAME: Julieta No. 2

1st Part

Quai D’Orsay are notorious for being very mild and tasting cigars.  This 19 year old Imperiales is no exception.  The first third is smooth, mild and is showing a great, sweet Cuban tobacco flavor.

2nd Part

The cigar is smoking very elegantly, taking its’ time with a firm feel but easy draw.  The taste has now gotten even sweeter than the first third.  It reminds me of a very mild honey taste.  Not a common flavor for cigars.

3rd Part

The finale of the cigar was very much similar to the rest of it.  The strength level only increased a little bit, and the flavor, although pleasant, remained the same. 

SUMMARY

     This very mild, 19 year old Quai D’Orsay was an overall fun cigar to smoke.  However, it did not show much body, perhaps having mellowed out during the ageing process.  There were moments when that sweet honey flavor was present, but it did not explode or evolve much further.  I can imagine the cigar having more character if it was smoked when it was 10 or 15 years old.  In a nutshell, it is a cigar that is probably more enjoyable to just sit back and relax, as opposed to one where you except lots of changes in the cigar. 

     If you come across some, at a fair price, they are definitely worth it.  Just be sure to expect a very mild and easy cigar, and not expect too much in terms of strength and explosions of different tastes.

SCORE

Construction: 8 on 10.

Flavor:  7 on 10.

Evolution: 4 on 10.

Overall: 6.5 on 10

PAIRING SUGGESTION: 

     Given that the cigar is so mild, I would pair it with any of these:

Champagne, even a Rose Champagne

Café Latte

Blonde Ale beer

White wine