The Glenrothes Announces Vintage 2004 Single Malt Scotch

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Glenrothes Vintage 2004 Single Malt Scotch Whisky

The following is a press release announcing The Glenrothes Vintage 2004 Single Malt. Fine Tobacco NYC will be reviewing this whisky in the coming weeks. Stay tuned…

NEW YORK, N.Y. — The Glenrothes is delighted to introduce their exceptionally rare Vintage 2004 single-malt Scotch whisky, limited to just 3,150 bottles in the U.S. market.

Based in the town of Rothes in Speyside, Scotland’s whisky heartland, The Glenrothes has crafted exceptional whisky, quietly and without compromise, since 1879. Respected as an innovator in the scotch industry, the Glenrothes distillery pioneered the concept of Vintage malt by drawing inspiration from wine-making. All of the Glenrothes single malt is Vintage malt — whisky distilled and put in cask in a single year, then bottled as either a Reserve or Vintage when judged to be at its peak of maturity, character and flavor.

At The Glenrothes, maturity matters more than age. Just 4 percent of the distillery’s capacity is released as single malt each year, ensuring that whisky lovers receive the best of the best. A combination of many factors, including an unusually slow distillation process in tall copper-pot stills, maturation in exceptional oak casks and a commitment to both craftsmanship and sustainability, delivers expressions with unique personalities and complex, well-poised balance.

The Vintage 2004 is the newest release from the Glenrothes distillery and has been hand-picked by malt master Gordon Motion from a selection of extraordinary American oak sherry seasoned casks laid down in 2004. Elegant and rich, this release is a must-try with a natural cask-derived golden color and delicious notes of mango, citrus, fudge-like honey and sweet, oaky vanilla.

“The Vintage releases from The Glenrothes are always highly anticipated by the team at the distillery. The Vintage 2004 is among the best I’ve tasted, with a real sweetness from the sherry casks adding the signature fruity Glenrothes spirit,” said Alasdair Anderson, distillery manager for The Glenrothes.

The Glenrothes Vintage 2004 was awarded a 94-point score at the highly respected Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2018 in recognition of its outstanding quality. This expression is now available from specialty spirits retailers nationally at an SRP of $65/750 ml.

Tasting Notes: The Glenrothes Vintage 2004/43% ABV

Natural Cask-Driven Color (no additives): Burnished Gold, Clear and Bright

Flavors: Mango | Citrus | Oaky Vanilla | Hint of Eucalyptus | Light Woodiness | Sweet Coconut

L’Atelier Maduro 54 Review

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L'Atelier Maduro 54 Review Ashtray

Up for review today is the L’Atelier Mad 54, another cigar from Tatuaje. The L’Atelier Maduro line was originally released in 2013, roughly a year after L’Atelier Imports was first spotted at IPCPR 2012.

This cigar in particular has received high praise from respected reviewers, so I’m excited to take it for a test drive.

On to the review.

Product Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: L’Atelier MAD 54
  • Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
  • Binder: Sancti Spiritus, Nicaraguan
  • Filler: Nicaraguan
  • Size: 5 1/2 x 54

L'Atelier Maduro 54 Review

Appearance & Construction

The L’Atelier Mad 54 sports a dark, toothy Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper which plays quite nicely off of the white and reflective gold band. The cigar is slightly springy when squeezed and is packed evenly down the length of the cigar. Smelling the foot, I get a blast of pepper, salt, cedar, and steak rub. Very Pepin!

The pre light draw is lightly restrictive, probably a 5/10 on the draw scale, and reveals warm, earthy tones of cocoa and oak.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

The Mad 40 kicks off with a blast of pepper, hickory, charcoal, and sweet creaminess. Really interesting combo. Smoke production is excellent, and the retrohale is medium in strength and reflects the charcoal and oak from the palate.

An inch in, the ash is holding strong, though the burn is wavy. The ash is almost entirely white and could be mistaken for the band itself. The retrohale is now much stronger, and the sweetness on the palate has moved to the back seat, putting the charcoal and pepper in the spotlight. This profile is enjoyable, but I can’t help feeling that it could have a bit more finesse and complexity.

At halfway, my wish is granted, at least as far as complexity goes. On top of the charcoal and oak, I pick up some Fuente-like vegetal notes and a musty kind of texture. Still, the cigar is a bit much, with the charcoal and bitter chocolate notes acting as a barrier to finesse that would otherwise be present.

Entering the final third, the smoke heats up a bit, and the retrohale moves from black pepper to a generic spiciness. The palate is still dominated by bitter chocolate and charcoal. Enjoyable, yes, but not balanced, which makes me wonder if a slightly larger ring gauge would suite this blend more.

Conclusion

The latelier mad54 had some very enjoyable moments, particularly in the second third. The smoke is extremely rich and decently complex, but struggles to find a balance between the heavy charcoal and and the sweeter notes. This would make a great cigar after a heavy steak dinner. Even then, though, I think there are better options even for that occasion.

Final Score: 86

Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario 2013 Review

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Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario 2013 Review 2

Up for review today is a special smoke from Arturo Fuente, the Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario 2013. The standard Don Carlos line has long been revered as one of the company’s greatest cigars, so it’s no surprise that I’m excited to put a limited edition Don Carlos to the test.

At $30, it’s a pricey cigar, so let’s see if it lives up to the name and the price tag.

Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario 2013 Review Closeup

Product Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario 2013
  • Wrapper: Dominican Sun Grown Habano
  • Binder: Dominican
  • Filler: 2 year aged Dominican
  • Size: Robusto (5 1/5 x 50)

Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario 2013 Review

Appearance & Construction

The Don Carlos Edicion Anniversario 2013 is a really beautiful cigar. The outer wrapper is light brown with dark, thin veins. It’s fairly rugged in texture. The double band is also nice, if a bit on the flashy side. Off the foot, I pick up mild spices, a bit of grass and nuts. The pre light draw is very mild, with hints of grass and almonds. The draw is slightly more restrictive than I typically like so I’m curious to see what smoke production is like.

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

The Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario kicks off with loads of thick, rich smoke, answering my concern about smoke production. The body and strength are both mild, and flavors include grass, spices, and vegetal and floral notes. Quite nice.

About an inch in, the flavor shifts, adding some spice on the palate, as well as a really enjoyable sweet cinnamon note. The retrohale is extremely smooth, with a fine textured smoke that has hints of white pepper. The ash holds for an inch and a half before falling. The burn is wavy and requires a bit of purging to correct.

At this point, I’m enjoying the smoke and wishing I had a cup of coffee with me. Good as it is, though, for $30 a cigar I’m hoping for more flavor at some point in the progression of this cigar.

Heading in to the second third, it seems that my wish is granted. The strength of the smoke kicks up to just below medium, with a bit more cream and more spice right on the tip of my tongue. There’s also an additional almond note which is really enjoyable. Overall, the flavor profile is an aromatic one, with the palate leaning mostly toward salt and vegetal notes.

Starting off the final third, body and strength are now at solid medium. The burn to this point has stayed very straight, with a thick burn line where the ash meets the ember. The spice on the tongue that was mild at first is now dominant and quite assertive. Behind the spice is a profile consisting of vegetal notes, slightly sweet cream, toasted bread, and almonds.

Conclusion

The Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario 2013 is an enjoyable smoke, but at ~$30 a cigar, it’s a tough sell. The profile leans a bit too heavily on the salty/spicy side, and I spent most of the cigar hoping that the strength would edge up more than it did. Still, the cigar offers an enjoyable profile and a decent amount of complexity. If you’re a Fuente fan and not on a budget, give this cigar a try.

Final Score: 89

Davidoff Aniversario Special T Review

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Davidoff Aniversario Special T Review Closeup

Up for review today is the Davidoff Aniversario Special T.  Given this cigar is from Davidoff I’m excited almost by default. But the Special T is, well, special, partially because of it’s unique pyramid shape. The slowly narrowing format practically guarantees an interesting, dynamic smoke experience.

With that background out of the way, let’s get on with the review.

Product Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Davidoff Aniversario Special T
  • Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade
  • Binder: Dominican Republic
  • Filler: Dominican Republic
  • Size: 6 x 36-52 (Pyramid)

The Special T size was first introduced by Davidoff in 1993 after the company released its first robusto sized cigar.

Davidoff Aniversario Special T Review 2

Appearance & Construction

The Davidoff Special T is presented in a really unique pyramid shape. The branding is classic Davidoff, with a dual white band and gold text. The outter wrapper is golden brown with few visible veins, and to the touch is mostly smooth with just a bit of texture.

Off the foot of the cigar I pick up deep wood, nuts, and earthiness. After clipping the cigar with a straight cut, I take a cold draw. The draw is perfect and releases tons of white pepper, granola, cocoa, and wood.

I’m excited.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

The Davidoff Special T opens with lots of mild bodied, mellow smoke. It presents an enjoyable initial flavor profile with rich cedar, touches of floral, a bit of vanilla, and that characteristic Davidoff mustiness which reminds me of climbing in to an old, dusty attic. The retrohale is a different story, with concentrated white pepper and wood.

An inch or more in, the white and gray ash still holds solidly, with a straight burn line. The flavor profile is mostly unchanged, except for a sweet butter texture that develops on the palate.

As the cigar burns in to the second third, the burn remains razor sharp. The flavor on the palate develops a bit, adding a really enjoyable black pepper that pairs well with the cedar, cream, and vanilla notes. Strength wise, the cigar has climbed to below medium, while the body of the smoke remains mild.

Although I’m enjoying the cigar at this point, I’m not enchanted. The strength has certainly moved, but the flavors haven’t developed as much as I’d like on a $25+ cigar.

Heading in to the final third, the retrohale ramps up with black and white pepper, and substantial spiciness. On the palate, the smoke builds in strength, with a huge amount of cedar, black pepper, and some salt. After a relatively mild first half, this is a nice development, and a direct result of the tapering ring gauge. After about 10 minutes of this profile, the cigar has run its course and I set it down.

Conclusion

The Davidoff Special T is no doubt an enjoyable cigar. But it doesn’t match the complexity or dynamism of other Davidoff blends like the Millennium Blend or the Colorado Claro. If you’re a Davidoff enthusiast, give this smoke a try. Otherwise, there are other better Davidoff’s to prioritize.

Final Score: 88

La Mission de L’Atelier 1989 Review

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la mission cigar review closeup

Up for review today is the La Mission by L’Atelier. I’ve never considered myself a big fan of Tatuaje cigars, but I’ve been surprised by how consistent and enjoyable I’ve found L’Atelier blends to be. La Mission was launched in 2015, and since then has built quite a reputation among enthusiasts and cigar reviewers alike as a phenomenal cigar. Part of that, I’d assume, is because La Mission features a Mexican San Andreas wrapper, known for producing rich, sweet, and balanced (if a touch dry) smoke.

Now on to the review.

Product Specifics

  • Product Reviewed: La Mission de L’Atelier 1989
  • Wrapper: Mexican San Andreas
  • Binder: Nicaragua
  • Filler: Nicaragua
  • Size: 5 5/8 x 54

la mission cigar review closeup

Appearance & Construction

La Mission is one of those cigars that oozes elegance and panache. The label is one of the most beautiful that I’ve seen. The gold, black, white and red contrast well and make quite a statement without being gaudy. Props to L’Atelier for that.

The cigar itself is a dark chocolate brown, within minimal veins and a bit of toothiness. Off of the foot are aromas of dry cedar and coffee. The pre light draw has the perfect amount of restrictiveness and I pick up some wood and earth notes.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

It only takes two puffs for me to know this will be a very enjoyable smoke. This cigar has a really interesting opening flavor profile, with some traditional San Andreas Maduro notes (dark chocolate, burnt espresso), but paired with those notes are really enjoyable notes of leather and molassas. The cigar produces tons of medium bodied smoke, making flavors that much easier to experience and discern.

At an inch in, the strength of the cigar has backed down a bit, with some of the toasty edge subsiding. At the same time, a smooth milk chocolate note emerges that is complemented by touches of cedar and creaminess. Construction is nearly perfect, with a solid gray ash and a straight burn line.

As the cigar progresses in to the second third, the chocolate notes back down and a dominant white pepper note emerges on the palate (while, interestingly, all but disappearing on the retrohale). Construction remains perfect.

At this point, I’m really enjoying the La Mission and can already give it a positive recommendation.

In the final third, the cigar remains a medium in terms of strength and body. The flavor profile is a balanced mix of chocolate, leather, some toasty woodiness, and white pepper. The flavors keep cruising with this profile until the cigar winds down (at the nub).

Overall, very enjoyable.

Conclusion

La Mission may be my favorite cigar from L’Atelier that I’ve smoked yet. At ~$8 per cigar, it has a quality/price ratio that’s impossible to ignore. Do yourself a favor and pick up a fiver.

Final Score: 91

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