Connoisseur's Corner: Diplomaticos Excelencia Exclusivo Cuba
Made exclusively for the Cuban market, this box of Diplomáticos Excelencias spent the last five years in a locker in Havana under perfect humidity conditions, and it shows. The burn is dead even with a slow, cool rate of combustion, the draw, luxurious. It’s a creamy smoke, showing velvety layers of buttered toast, sweet biscuits and molasses ginger cookies. Intermittent floral notes of lavender blossom on the palate before a rich finish of almond-studded nougat that hints of leather. A refined cigar that’s developing beautifully with plenty of vibrant years ahead.
—Gregory Mottola
A large cigar with the same dimensions as a standard Churchill size. The first inch of this old smoke starts a bit slow, giving no hint of the majesty that’s to come. When it hits cruising speed, it loads the palate with coffee and increasing amounts of chocolate, which build and build. The cigar is nearly 40 years old, but filled with life, and the finish is a mile long. —David Savona
This cigar is one of Cuba’s finest Edición Limitadas, its name an homage to the birth year of the brand. It’s a big smoke with a pigtail that begins with a touch of licorice and earth. Deep into the cigar it reveals its true character, with massive amounts of cocoa powder, light wisps of citrus and a long, rich finish. The 1966 is quite a smoke and it has plenty of long-term aging potential. —David Savona
It’s from a period when this size, the machine-made Topper, was packaged in cellophane. The darkish, red colorado wrapper suggests the strong, initial burst of coffee bean notes that slide into pleasant flavors of cinnamon and white pepper. A long finish completes its spicy, earthy flavor profile. —Gordon Mott
