Review Notes: I've smoked nearly 30 Esplendidos over the past two years. The first one was the best cigar I've ever tasted. I would rate it a 9.5 on taste alone! The rest were all over the board. After realizing that it was quite possible I was not smoking the real thing, I took painful efforts $$$ to ENSURE I did smoke the real thing. It was a disappointment. The cigar is a beauty, no question that it is constructed well also. Unlike a Padron or Opus X, this cigar lacks consistancy - they are either REAL GOOD or a real waste of money! This significantly impacted my evaluation - to spend $50 for a cigar that may or may not be great is a CRIME! - (Side note: spending $50 on any cigar is a bit ridiculous) The value, given its inconsistancies, is poor. I rated the flavor high (largely due to the fond memories I have of my first smoke!) - most since that memorable experience I would rate around a 5 to 7. Advice - find the real article, let it set for a year - then smoke it - I've spent anywhere from $50 to $8 for this cigar.