OK Andre, this is your last chance

[tksamtec]

[quote author=PeteRI link=topic=15407.msg76229#msg76229 date=1347059614]
@tksamtec

I agree with everything you said except for the aging part. Some of the '10 and '11s are smoking nicely. But I didn't get raped for 19 bucks on an underfilled dog rocket. Sure hope the 5th is ready so smoke ROTT. we shall see...
[/quote]

I used to buy everything Andre puts out... and not just 5 packs.  For the last 2 years I was a loyal follower of him and all of his releases, and sadly I chased them all.  I had high hopes for the Exclusivo series, but I really don't think its aging well.  I smoked a couple of these every month to monitor their progress, and some after over a year were going downhill already.  I decided to sell off all of my Viajes, while they still had some decent flavors left, and before they turned into nothign but ashy garbage.  I am done with the chase, and I won't buy anymore of his sticks based on the entire last year's production quality.  I had several underfilled, and just plain poorly constructed, and bad tasting sticks.  If last years releases were supposed to replicate the prior year's releases, he missed, and big time.

Now, in Andre's defense... I still enjoy an Oro blend every now and then, and these seem to age well and I would never turn one of these down.  However, as for the rest of his releases, over the past year, he can keep them all.

[PeteRI]

Smoking a 5th Anniversary now. The sonuvabitch threw me a curve: it's incredibly smooth and balanced. Nothing at all like his recent crap.

[4cbln3]

I was hoping the 5th Anniversary release had something in it worth buying. That and the Honey and Hand Grenade release. The last Viaje I bought was the VPR no.6 released this year, which I am currently having a hard time keeping my hands off of. Since the release of the 50/50 black I haven't really chased Andre's stuff. I tried the Skull and Bones but didn't find them box worthy. The Exclusivo Chiquito has been relegated to a nice yard gar for me.
Maybe he's getting back into his roots, but that may just be wishful thinking on my part. Finding the release(s) that keep me coming back to buy his stuff is a crap shoot, but then again I like craps!

[PeteRI]

The 5th I had last night wasn't the most complex cigar, so I hope that changes over time. Speaking of time, I was smoking that sucker for almost two hours, so more complexity would be appreciated. I don't know why, but Viaje are the slowest burning sticks out there.

[4cbln3]

I guess I'm a power horker, that's one of the reasons I tend to buy toro sized cigars if given the choice. I'm expecting my 5th anni's to arrive today.  :bigup: