AF Don Carlos #4 Review

[Jechelman]

Hadn't had a Don Carlos #4 in a couple of years but recalled it being a very nice quick smoke. Ordered a five pack mid-May and thought I would break one out of the humi tonight.

Pre-light it smelled great and had a rich, semi-sweet flavor...almost good enough to eat. Lighted easily but from the first puff to the last, 45 minutes later, it had a harshness I had not remembered. Look, burn, draw and ash were absolutely first rate but the flavor just didn't do it for me. I could detect an underlying nice rich flavor but it was overwhelmed by its "bite". Hopefully more humi time will solve that problem.

Have any of you had a similar experience with a Don Carlos and do they mellow substantially with some serious humi time?

[JohnnyFlake]

From your review, it certainly seems like you had a very green cigar. There was a time, some years ago, when the DC #4 was my go to cigar, for a short while. The one thing that I learned quickly about the DC line is that they need age and I don't mean a few months. The DC line are usually hard to fine and when you do get them, they are really young. I found it best to let them rest for at least a full year and longer is better! I know that's a bumber and it's one of the reasons I moved on to others cigars, as my go to sticks.

JohnnyFlake

[Jechelman]

Thanks JohnnyFlake. Maybe the ones I used to smoke had a lot of age on them, I really don't recall. Based on your post I think I'll let the rest of those puppies sit for at least a year.

[stormin]

I really wish the NC's would put a date stamp on their boxes. To my mind they are losing out on a big portion of the market by not doing so. I seriously think people would purchase more NC product because of the date stamp. You may for instance, have a humi full of NC's, but they're '03's so you would go out and stock up on '04, '05 and '06 as well. It would give the smoker a good point of reference and it would give the manufactures an automatic out. "Oh, the '05's still need some time to rest. They may suck now, but wait until you try them 2 years from now."

Just a thought.

Thanks for the review.

[JohnnyFlake]

Originally Posted by stormin

I really wish the NC's would put a date stamp on their boxes. To my mind they are losing out on a big portion of the market by not doing so. I seriously think people would purchase more NC product because of the date stamp. You may for instance, have a humi full of NC's, but they're '03's so you would go out and stock up on '04, '05 and '06 as well. It would give the smoker a good point of reference and it would give the manufactures an automatic out. "Oh, the '05's still need some time to rest. They may suck now, but wait until you try them 2 years from now."

Just a thought.

Thanks for the review.

Bravo!!! I could not agree with you more and well stated! There are many, many of us that have tried to get that issue across for a lot of years. Personally, I have written letters to every cigar manufacture that I could get a good addy on, several times over the years, and I know of a host of others who have as well. Sadly, and to my great disappointment, I never received a response, from even one, of the many letters I sent out. I find that in itself to be truly amazing!

JohnnyFlake

[68TriShield]

I've had a couple boxs of #4s and it seems once in a while a stick wont taste right but it could be my palate...I don't know it does not happen often...Dave

[zamco17]

the #4 is by far my favorite fuente product

[Jechelman]

Originally Posted by zamco17

the #4 is by far my favorite fuente product

I recall really liking them. Not sure why I went for a couple of years without one. I'm really hoping that I simply got a very young one and the rest will be fine after some serious aging.

[ConMan]

Originally Posted by JohnnyFlake

Bravo!!! I could not agree with you more and well stated! There are many, many of us that have tried to get that issue across for a lot of years. Personally, I have written letters to every cigar manufacture that I could get a good addy on, several times over the years, and I know of a host of others who have as well. Sadly, and to my great disappointment, I never received a response, from even one, of the many letters I sent out. I find that in itself to be truly amazing!

JohnnyFlake

Couldn't agree more. I have started putting dates of purchase on my NC's, even singles, so I have at least a point of reference for myself. Not as good as a box code date stamp; but, at least I have some point of reference.

[StudentSmoker]

Originally Posted by stormin

I really wish the NC's would put a date stamp on their boxes. To my mind they are losing out on a big portion of the market by not doing so. I seriously think people would purchase more NC product because of the date stamp. You may for instance, have a humi full of NC's, but they're '03's so you would go out and stock up on '04, '05 and '06 as well. It would give the smoker a good point of reference and it would give the manufactures an automatic out. "Oh, the '05's still need some time to rest. They may suck now, but wait until you try them 2 years from now."

Just a thought.

Thanks for the review.

I agree. The DC #3 are some great cigars IMO, but I like them with a little age on them. I know you could buy them and just assume they were 05, 06 but if there was a date that read 04 I would smoke them right there.

[donp]

>>I really wish the NC's would put a date stamp on their boxes. To my mind they are losing out on a big portion of the market by not doing so. I seriously think people would purchase more NC product because of the date stamp.<<

It would probably be helpful if they did do this but, I don't think there is much incentive or disincentive for them to take up this practice.
Given the fact that ISOMs are illegal in the USA, most of us in this country have no alternative to NCs. In fact, with the introduction of new NCs every year or more often, I see that as an indicator that the NC market isn't hurting at all. In addition, not every NC has to be rested for so long, while some benefit more from a long rest than others, there is really no uniformity between brands is there?