The Club Allones EL 2015

Seems like we have been on a Ramon Allones vibe lately since we are now following the LCDH Superiores review with the Limited Edition Club Allones which was released in 2015.  We had previously reviewed this cigar, a few years back, on our blog and thought that the time was right to revisit this “forgotten” habanos. Ramon Allones doesn’t come out with Limited Editions very often but when they do aficionado’s around the world are anxious to get their hands on it and light up. I have myself smoked this cigar when it was originally released and was quite satisfied with the showing of the cigar even considering how young it was. Now four years older, let’s see how this Ramon is doing.

A 2015 release, the cigar is a Grand Corona vitola ( 47 Ring Gauge X 141 MM) presented in a dress box of 10 sticks.

The cold draw is showing sweet tobacco notes with exotic wood. Draw is a bit tight but hopefully it will loosen up a bit upon lighting. Now it’s time to smoke!

The beginning

Initial taste is presenting woody tones and a kind of peanut skin taste (not my favorite taste). The mouthfeel is not too creamy and the draw is still tight… I am not getting a very “ample” smoke coming out of the Club Allones. The exotic wood and nuttiness are dominant in taste and peanut skin taste seem to have disappeared.  There is also a slight earthiness to the smoke that is starting to show up. Cigar is getting into a very nice vibe…balanced, elegant and tasty but would expect just a touch more complexity.

The middle

Getting towards the middle and I start to have some issues with the smoke. The cigar is starting to crack making me fear the worse…Taste wise it is continuing on what I tasted on the first third but there is a slight evolution to the cigar, the woodiness is taking over the nuttiness. Strength is slightly picking up. Interesting enough, cocoa beans notes are showing up towards the end of the second third.  And thank god, that crack has burnt up and didn’t become too much of an issue.

The end

Evolution is progressing and taste is concentrating. The woodiness is mixing up some earthiness, you really feel the strength picking up but not overpowering the cigar. The earthiness felt is starting to become the predominant taste and that peanut skin taste I got at the start has showed up again. Seems like the elegance is fading away and the time to put down this cigar has come.

The conclusion

Ok, so the cigar was good but it wasn’t my favorite Ramon smoke…Having smoked this in the past, I guess I had a preconceived idea of it’s taste. Don’t get me wrong, this cigar was good and had a elegance to it but I was expecting a bit more Ramon personality in there especially when it comes to a much anticipated Limited Edition. Draw wasn’t the best and I guess that’s what maybe made it crack at some point. The good news is that it didn’t get any worse. Was is the box that was slightly off, the cigar I had, the conditions I was smoking it in…I mean there are so many variables!

Honestly, I would let these rest another year or two and revisit them to taste the evolution. Overall a good smoke and enjoyable moment but with a minor disappointment on the lack of Ramon personality.

Cheers,

Simon-Pierre Bailly-Vallée