The Half Ashed Cigar Forum

Place had the new Zaya (the bottling looks cheesy). Can you go wrong with Flor de Cana?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

f.sinagra wrote:
Place had the new Zaya (the bottling looks cheesy). Can you go wrong with Flor de Cana?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I've only had the 7 year and I gotta say I wasn't a fan. Is there a better bottling to try?

I didn't care for the 7 either. 12 was better. 18 fantabulous....

Sent from cigar country via smoke signal...

Kip wrote:I didn't care for the 7 either. 12 was better. 18 fantabulous....

Sent from cigar country via smoke signal...

As one who has tried them all, I am not truly a fan of the Flor de Cana. The 18 is fine but not really worth the money to me. It's a little too much "spirit" taste and not enough individual taste. I've not had any of the exotics that are higher price than the 18

kurtdesign1 wrote: The 18 is fine but not really worth the money to me. It's a little too much "spirit" taste and not enough individual taste.

Prima Donna





Sent from cigar country via smoke signal...

Kip wrote:

kurtdesign1 wrote: The 18 is fine but not really worth the money to me. It's a little too much "spirit" taste and not enough individual taste.

Prima Donna





Sent from cigar country via smoke signal...

Would you expect something else?

I have told this story before, but; on the Cigar Tourism trip 18 was the onlyone I didn't hate. It was so much smoother. I find FdC rum very hot for my preferance. I drink rums for their carmel and baking spice character with sweetness. If I want heat, I will grab some bourbon...

Zedman05 wrote:I have told this story before, but; on the Cigar Tourism trip 18 was the onlyone I didn't hate. It was so much smoother. I find FdC rum very hot for my preferance. I drink rums for their carmel and baking spice character with sweetness. If I want heat, I will grab some bourbon...

Precisely. That was the "Spirit" taste I was referring to. Rum has so many other flavors going for it. It's the only other spirit besides tequila that has as much individual flavor. All of the others come across as sensations with a side of spirit characteristics and individual flavor. Scotch exemplifies this, to me. I detect a Scotch taste that all Scotch shares. From there, there is little spirit individuality in taste and a lot of "spirit taste", i.e. heat or burn (or diminishing burn in the case of older spirits).

kurtdesign1 wrote:All of the others come across as sensations with a side of spirit characteristics and individual flavor. Scotch exemplifies this, to me. I detect a Scotch taste that all Scotch shares. From there, there is little spirit individuality in taste and a lot of "spirit taste", i.e. heat or burn (or diminishing burn in the case of older spirits).

Good Lord, man. WTF?! Either:

1.) you've only tried Scotch from a single region,and it's Islay or the Islands
2.) you've only tried Scotches that are heavily blended, poorly controlled during maturation, or both
3.) your skill at tasting cigars does not translate to spirits

In all seriousness, I'm not just pestering you here. I find such radical individuality in single malts that the above quote is nonsensical to me. Within a region I'd grant you that many are similar in profile, but the difference between a Speyside vs. an Island or Highland is so radical that I can't even fathom your assertion.

For what it's worth, the "burn" you're describing would be very characteristic of the Islay or some western Highland (high phenol) malts - like Oban, Laphroaig, or even Lagavulin. But an eastern Highland like Dalwhinnie (try the 15) is incredibly different; much sweeter, with a honey-tinged finish. Most Speyside scotches are "watery" tasting to me (I'm not generally a fan). They can be sweet and oily like a bourbon. Glenmorangie or Glenfiddich come to mind. I can handle Glenmorangie, and some of their expressions are good to me - but I'm at odds with most other strict Speysides.

Back to rones, though. If you don't like a good single malt, how can you possibly enjoy the Havana Club Seleccion de Maestros? It's very much like some modestly peated Island malts. It's also very much like some of Aberlour's (eastern Highland) more obscure expressions. The bottle I got at the distillery was quite alike...and it was bottled at cask strength, which was over 60% ABV. It spent 12 years in an oak bourbon cask and 2 more in a sherry cask. Phenomenal stuff.

Kip wrote:"... is so radical that I can't even fathom your assertion."

That exact line reminds me of a debate I attended when I was in college.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk