Produced: 1997
Made by: Campanas
Size: Belicoso
Ring Gauge: 52
Length: 5 1/2 inches
Purchased: TomTom Cigars, London, UK, 2006.
Date: September 16th, 2006
Time: 8:00 PM Pacific
Location: Pasadero Country Club, Salinas, California
Conditions: Warm and balmy evening, 80 degrees
The Purchase
This is a spare cigar I picked up at TomTom’s when I was in London a couple of months ago. It was from a box that was acquired in Barcelona back in 1998. I had enjoyed these in the past and decided to see how well they have aged.
The Locations
We are on our way back down the peninsula to attend L’s 25th high school reunion in Salinas. We check-in to The Tradewinds Inn in Carmel, a “Balinese” themed studio hotel that welcomes Amber with a cookie and all the creature comforts. Saturday we have lunch with the M-in-law at my favorite casual place, Casanova’s, after which I have a nap in preparation for the big trip back in time.
Class reunions are an eerie study of life’s twists, turns and decisions. There are the winners, the losers, the near misses, the regrets and even the departed. As L met people, some for the first time in 25 years, one could instantly read assessments of how they had faired in the game of life. The performance metrics for men are slightly different for women. With men, it’s all about the hair line, the waist line, the line of credit, and if your mate selection “has legs”. For women, it’s about the lines on your face, the lines of jewels and if the mate selection has been “fruitful”.
To make life interesting, I donated the five-pack below to the silent auction. It managed to reach $300 before the spinach salesman bagged them.
There were all types of characters (and creatures) at the event. Most of which trying to relive the “glory days” that had long gone. There was Mike, the guy that thinks he has done better than everyone else, but really hasn’t. Strutting around like a peacock, he donated more than 90% of the silent auction prizes trying to showcase his net worth in some bizarre display of self-promotion. Then there was Brent the insurance agent that is a straight shooter who was funnier as he became more inebriated and pinned everyone’s name tags on his jacket.
There was the born-again Christian who sang (off-key) some period ballad from 1981, the guy who never got married “hitting on” old class mates, the spinach salesman from Salinas fretting about e-Coli bacteria, the teacher that was staring at any available cleavage, the “business development consultant” looking for pity and handouts, the snobby wife paralyzed with embarrassment when her husband, dressed like Wyatt Earp (with 10 gallon hat and long jacket), told me he would prefer to be in the hills oiling his guns.
It was an unbearably long evening of being the dutiful husband. The salad was limp, the steak was blue and the desert melted… all this for a $100 a seat, what a deal! As I watched ageing, intoxicated, balding, flabby men “making passes” at L, I could only delight in the wrath they would incur from their wives who were also witnessing their Neanderthal slobbering. I decided to make my way to the 18th green to smoke this Habanos.
The Smoke!
This brand does have a fairly long heritage. First registered in 1848 by the same German who registered the El Rey del Mundo, it was named after Don Quixote's faithful servant. The cigar actually dissappeared in 1898, but was revived in the 1920's. After being bought and sold over the years by multiple merchants, by the 1950's it became the most popular brand Spain.
After the revolution, the cigar has lost most of it's popularity. This is mainly due to the fact that they do require ageing to be enjoyed. Sancho's are still popular in Spain, which is where this one came from, but now only 7 models remain.
This Belicosos is renowned for being one of the mildest pyramide shape cigars. This specimen is in excellent condition. Slighly waxy feel to the wrapper, it is well constructed with a particularly sharp point on the cap. I make a traditional cap and it lights up very easily. I immediately taste a very strong grassy flavor and it is almost salty to the taste.
As I smoke my way through, the ash is stiff and white. The woody flavors start to become more pronounced but the draw is uneven. Perhaps this is not as well rolled as I percieved. Inspecting the end (see photo) it appears the layering is somewhat uineven.
The woody flavors are starting to become sweeter now and it seems that with even more ageing, this puro could evolve into a very good smoke. I have to work at keeping this alight as I am standing on the 18th green and the ocean breeze from Monterey Bay is starting to strengthen.
I look back at the club house and L is calling for me to take some photos... oh geez, when will this night end? The belicosos is closing down and even though it was an average smoke, it will definitely get better with more ageing. I turn toward the clubhouse to face the music... not to worry, I have a Cohiba Sublime to sample tomorrow.
Rating: (2) AVERAGE
(5) Classic, (4) Outstanding, (3) Very Good, (2) Average, (1) Don’t Bother
Humidor: VAULT: 2011 - 2018
Smoke Now, Smoke Soon:1–3 Years, Put Away:3–7 Years, Vault:7-12 Years, Inheritance Gift:12+ Years
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