Description
Tasting Notes: On the body I get apple cider vinegar and dried peach. The foot is rich tobacco and dried peach. Cold draw is very Cubanesque, like dried apricots and fruits with beautiful woods. Upon lighting I get florals, like a dryer sheet (common in Cuban cigars), sharp cedar and faint dried peaches on the retrohale. White pepper and cedar pick up on the retro and the smoke is very velvety. Theres light notes of vanilla and woods, faint baker’s spices and maple syrup along with florals and woods. Holy cow is this thing balanced to perfection! The second third transitions to more fruit forward notes, brighter citrus and sparkling water. Crisp effervescence. Leather enters the equation, it’s sweet and ramping up in the body. Dried mango? Maple syrup? Whoa! I even start to get an over-ripened banana bread. The final third is still fruity and banana-like with breads and nutmeg and cinnamon and woods. WOWOWOWOW! Pairing Notes: Cognac. French red wine. French food. French anything!
lmmurillo (verified owner) –
Fantastic cigar!! Wow, amazing smoking smoke!
Geoffrey Brown (verified owner) –
I went back and reread the review/tasting notes for this cigar and realized that my two favorite cigars from Privada so far were made by the same guy, Jochy Blanco. Uncle Paulie’s and this one. Very different, but both really flavorful. I rarely smoke a cigar down to the last inch. Like never. But this one I did.
Marcus Jones (verified owner) –
Finally lit this up. A very good smoke. Jochy Blanco is on the money with this one. Have the other two to get to now. Learning to pick up flavors a nice hint of pepper. Wonderful.
Joshua Cruz (verified owner) –
Smoking this cigar as I’m doing this review and I have to say this probably this best cigar to have chosen to start the New Year with 2021. On New Year’s Eve day this cigar is giving me so much enjoyment. I thank Jochy Blanco and Privada for bringing this cigar to me and us in the club.
Todd Clark (verified owner) –
My review as posted to the Cigar Geeks forum…
Humidor time: 615 days
Humidimeter reading: Head – 65, foot – 69
Appearance and construction: A few veins, an oily sheen, a moderately firm pack with no soft spots, and a large gold foot band covering the lower 2/3rds of the stick… Gave it a wide-ring punch and PLD was open. (13/15)
Flavor: PLA gave a whiff of rich tobacco. The light gave a medium/full profile with a slightly spicy retro and notes of wood, spice, and a hint of coffee. The spice in the nose faded quickly with the other flavors remaining mostly consistent through the remainder with the body receding a bit towards medium territory through the first third and the coffee ramping just a bit in the last third. My description doesn’t do this stick justice, though, as there was a richness to this profile that doesn’t translate easily into words. These sticks are advertised as being six years aged and this one came across as being made with very high quality tobacco, so age and quality are about the best I can do to describe the experience. Pretty much right in my wheelhouse for a medium to medium/full smoke. Strength was about medium. (24/25)
Smoking characteristics: The light produced a moderately easy draw, smoke volume on the low side of optimal, and an even burn to start. Draw and smoke output both improved to optimal about 1″ in. The burn stayed even through the first third with the tight ash falling at 1 1/4″ leaving a cone. Things were then very uneventful down to the nub. Draw and smoke output remained optimal from the first third on. (24/25
Overall impression: This one came as a monthly selection from Privada Cigar Club some time back and may be an exclusive for them, although they don’t advertise it as such. I’m not seeing these anywhere else, though, and the notes that came with this one say that Jochy Blanco had these in his private stash and allowed PCC to take most of them after they’d been aging for six years, so I suspect that they’re not available anywhere else. Either way, this one was a banger of a smoke and now I think I better get some more while they’re still available. There are three other blends in this “collection”, all of which are available through PCC. Can’t wait to try those as well! (33/35)
Burn time: 1:39
Rating: 94
Dave Chandler (verified owner) –
Remarkably good – and its obvious that there’s plenty of the right kind of age on this stick. Complex and well-integrated – I’ve never seen any of the French Collection expressions anywhere aside from Privada but these certainly won’t disappoint and offer excellent value – as I’ve paid four to five times as much for sticks of lesser quality.