El Rey del Mundo Império
A Replica Antigua humidor for the 170th anniversary of the brand!
At the end of this year, we must offer you a majestic and rare cigar. Our choice is the Império...
For several years now, Habanos S.A. has been producing limited edition humidors. These cabinets, usually individually numbered, are made of precious Cuban woods such as cedar, acana or hibiscus, by great Cuban goldsmiths and craftsmen. These special productions are usually distributed through the Habanos franchise network, La Casa del Habano, and are particularly coveted by collectors and enthusiasts around the world. Among these exclusive humidors, we can mention the Replica Antigua humidors that reproduce old models of Cuban humidors, as well as the humidors commemorating the anniversary of the most prestigious Habanos brands, as here for El Rey del Mundo.
The one we are presenting today is actually a kind of combination of both. Indeed, the El Rey del Mundo Império, is a Replica Antigua humidor released as part of the 170th anniversary of the brand. Named Império and produced in 450 pieces, it contains 50 cigars.
As we said in our article dedicated to El Rey del Mundo, the beginnings of the brand seem a bit hazy. However, this humidor released in 2017 as part of the brand's 170th anniversary, takes us back to a creation date in 1848. Furthermore, on one side of the humidor, we can read "Desde 1848". Thus, the theory that the brand was founded by a German, Emilio Ohmstedt, in 1848 seems to be confirmed.
The 170 Aniversario Humidor Replica Antigua is an exceptional humidor that boasts a remarkable inlay work, featuring different wood species.
Let's go back to its precious contents. It contains 50 "Império" carefully arranged and divided into two drawers, each containing 25 cigars. This gives us a total production of 22'500 units of this particular cigar.
Particular because it is a Rodolfo (54 x 180 mm), a new module for the brand which is only used for special productions. Among them, we can mention the Bolívar Poderosos Edición Regional Belux of 2013, the Partagás 160 Aniversario Humidor of 2005 or the San Cristóbal de la Habana Muralla La Casa del Habano Exclusivo, whose career has not been long (2006-2011). The Rodolfo vitola does not appear in any regular catalog of any Habanos brand.
It was specially selected by Habanos to commemorate the 170th anniversary of the brand. These 50 Habanos were produced "Totalmente a Mano con Tripa Larga" from a meticulous selection of San Juan y Martinez and San Luis leaves in the famous Vuelta Abajo region of Pinar del Rio.
Let's proceed to the tasting of this so particular module, that it is advisable to taste it in all tranquillity to enjoy at best its deployment of flavors.
The ignition of a cigar which is produced in such a small quantity and coming from a special humidor is always a particular moment.
Let's start our vitola by lighting it with a cedar stick. The lighting is done, unsurprisingly, easily. Any problem of draw was anyway ruled out in view of the importance of this Rodolfo's cepo and the special attention it received during its rolling.
Moreover, this attention is reflected on the plastic of our Imperio. It is dressed in a beautiful brown wrapper, smooth to the touch, it is simply perfect and its generous measurements make it majestic.
The first puffs let us appreciate beautiful notes of cedar, leather, coffee beans, earth and almonds. A rather simple register, however enhanced by notes of oranges that bring a hint of acidity to this set.
The cigar is remarkably balanced. This first third, in spite of a timid power, is a delightful appetizer. The volume of smoke is however a little below what we could have expected with such a quantity of tobacco.
The second third picks up and reveals a truly creamy and gourmand character, delivering beautiful notes of sweet almond, cedar, earth and hay, comforting flavors in this winter time. A toasted, warm bread flavor in the background reinforces this scrumptious side.
While the last third takes another direction, it brings us in a less greedy register, more focused on bitterness, with coffee.
What is remarkable is the ability of this cigar to transport us, through its evolving taste profile, both in terms of flavor and power, all with an incredible roundness and greediness to spare.
The smoke emanating from this cigar, while slightly below what we might have expected, offers an absolutely incredible flavor. A combination of nutmeg, milk chocolate and cedar which largely compensate for the shy volume.
This Império is truly a great cigar. Produced by one of the most prestigious Cuban cigar brands as part of a Replica Antigua humidor, it is the object of all covetousness. A majestic vitola, only available through this humidor, it will offer a singular tasting of almost an hour and a half, which will be reserved for only a handful of aficionados.
EL REY DEL MUNDO Império - Réplica de Humidor Antiguo - 50 cigars
Vitola: Rodolfo (54 × 180 mm)
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