Vintage Cerdan Chamberlain

Overall Score

1 review for Vintage Cerdan Chamberlain

  1. J*****

    Vintage Cerdan Chamberlain

    Vintage CerdanOrigin : Dominican Republic
    Format : Toro
    Size : 152 x 19 mm [6 x 48]
    Ring : 48
    Wrapper : Connecticut
    Filler : Dominican Republic
    Binder : Dominican Republic
    Year : 1982
    Hand-Made
    Price : ~$40 for a box

    Cerdan is a line of cigars unlike any other on the market today. Rolled in 1982, these cigars have been tucked away for nearly 27 years, yet are available for sale at an affordable price. When I had originally heard of Cerdan, I had my reservations. First of all, how do I know that they were kept under good conditions all this time? I’m sure this cigar wasn’t blended to be stored so long… will there be anything left after 27 years of aging? I was, however, very intrigued. I’ve never smoked a cigar that was almost as old as I am.

    To satisfy my curiosity, Craig at Cerdan sent a sampler to me. Each of the cigars looked very nice, showing signs of age, but not neglect. None of the sticks were too dry or stiff, or soft and wet. After smoking a few, I decided that the best of the bunch was the Chamberlain, a 6 by 48 beauty.

    Appearance : [rating:3.5/5]
    On the pre-light inspection, the first thing I noticed was the intense scent of cedar and sweet tobacco. Possibly one of the best pre-light smells I’ve ever experienced for a cigar with a natural wrapper. The cigar was firm, not stiff or mushy… just right. The stick had sort of a rustic appearance, with dry-looking small white veins and a pastel blue & white band. You can definitely tell this wasn’t a modern day smoke.

    Vintage Cerdan Chamberlain
    Construction : [rating:5/5]
    These Cerdan cigars are the best constructed I have ever smoked. I had not a single issue with any of them, in terms of burn, ash, draw, or otherwise. Each time, I was blown away. I found the draw to be consistently just a tiny but tighter than I like, but not at all an issue. The burn was amazing, requiring not even the slightest of touchups. The ash held to about 1.5 inches before falling off neatly into the ashtray. The pictures don’t do this cigar justice, and all of my doubts surrounding the storage conditions of these cigars over time have vanished.

    Vintage Cerdan Chamberlain

    Flavor : [rating:3.5/5]
    I found these cigars to be squarely in the category of mild. I detected mostly creamy flavors, accented with cedar and nuts throughout, with slight hints of cinnamon. There was some bitterness at times, and my palette kept wanting to identify it as a walnut or apple peel. The finish was very short. I got the feeling that these were very likely a good cigar when they were younger.

    Vintage Cerdan Chamberlain

    Value : [rating:4/5]
    At $40 a box, these bad boys are a steal. These make for fantastic giveaways for your friends who may not smoke very often. These would be great in the morning, although strong coffee might overpower the cigar. If you like milder sticks, you can’t go wrong with Cerdan.

    Overall Rating : [rating:3.75/5]
    Personally, Cerdan cigars are not for me, but I can absolutely see many cigar smokers enjoying them quite a bit. I really think that the price to try a box is so low that they’re worth a try. If most of your smoking centers around Cubans, Pepin, or Litto, you may be disappointed, but I think everyone would appreciate the flawless construction and if nothing else, the novelty of smoking perhaps one of the most aged cigars they’ll ever try.

    Helpful?
    0 0
    • R**

      Greathe best word to describe it customer service (cigars came in less than a week) and great smoke, FUN is the best word to describe it.

    • c**********

      I ordered a box of these based on this review.. I am looking forward to them!
      Scott

    • S**** J*****

      Most mild Dominicans are pretty bland, but it would be interesting to smoke a couple of these anyway, just to see what an absurd amount of aging would do to a middle-of the road cigar. Who knows, if you were to stash a couple bundles of the dregs that CI sells for $1/stick, lead may be able to turn into gold. Or not.

    • K*******

      I need tog et my hands on some of these for the story if nothing else. Good price and seems like an ok smoke for what you get. About three years older than I am…

    • t*******

      Never had one of these either—UMMM

    • f******

      Just smoked another one over the weekend and it was exceptional. Definitely a mild to medium stick with a wonderful sweet tobacco taste that has mellowed nicely over the years. Whoever rolled these really knew what he was doing. Perfect draw and construction with a nice Dominican claro wrapper. Overall, I am very glad that I snagged a box. Nice story for telling your pals as you pass them out, too.

    • J**** T

      I have one resting in the humi, but I haven’t had the opportunity to smoke it yet.

    • R*** M****

      I am typically a full bodied smoker, but I really enjoyed the Cerdan… I think the knowledge it is almost as old as I am made it better.

      They are hugely popular at my local B&M, even selling them at $3.60 per they fly off the shelves.

      I don’t know that I would buy a box, but it is true… they would make for great Moochador sticks.

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Cigar Region Dominican Republic
Filler Dominican
Wrapper Connecticut
Binder Dominican Republic
Length 6
Ring Gauge 48
Vitola Toro
Construction Hand Made