[Editor's Note: This is the third review in a newer section on the site titled "Vintage Smokes", in which we will be reviewing some extremely aged cigars...In order to be considered for this section, the cigars reviewed will be AT LEAST 30 years old, and will consist of both Cuban and non Cuban cigars...Also, there will not be a final score given, since alot of these that I will be reviewing are extremely rare, there is really nothing to compare them too. ~.ed]

So, this is normally where I amaze you with the background of the cigar I am reviewing, showing off a wonderful talent for discovering any number of astounding facts and history…

Unfortunately, I struck out this time…The Flor de Farach Conchas is mentioned almost nowhere online, and even people who know quite a bit about pre embargo cigars know almost nothing…

Here is what I do know (or at least what I am fairly certain about)…The Flor de Farach Conchas was produced sometime in the 1930′s in Cuba, and they are not easy to find…I am also fairly certain it is another Vitola in the same brand as the Farach Farachitos I reviewed, albeit about 20 years earlier.…(Thankfully, there was not flavor of “Old Person” in this stick)…

In fact, Christie’s of London had a box for auction back in November of 2009, and here is what was said of it…

Flor de Farach Conchas (4 5/8 inches by 44 ring gauge) from the 1930s, wrapped in cellophane and in a box of 25, estimated to bring $2,111 to $3,167.

 

But enough of that, let’s get down to business, shall we?

• Name of Cigar Reviewed: Flor de Farach Conchas (1930s)
• Country of Origin: Cuba
• Wrapper: Cuba
• Binder: Cuba
• Filler: Cuba
• Size: 4 5/8 inches
• Ring Gauge: 44
• Shape: Perfecto-ish
  
• Est. Price: About $100, according to Christie’s of London Auction
• Date Produced: 1930′s

The cigar itself still has evidence of a box press, and has a very light brown wrapper that is VERY dry to the touch, and smells quite a bit like old wood (but not cedar, just a general “Woodish” smell)…It is still quite firm when squeezed, and my prelight draw picked out no flavors other then very old tobacco…

At the start of the smoke, I tasted a bit of pepper, along with some leather and old wood that could have been oak…whatever wood it was, it was NOT cedar (which has a very specific taste, as you know)…I was a bit surprised by the amount of flavor in the first third, as most of the tastes in cigars this old are usually fairly muted…

The Second Third is where this specific cigar shines…The pepper increased quite a bit, and while the overtly dominant flavor was the same Leather and old wood, I also detected a VERY slight flavor of sweet Vanilla…It combined wonderfully with the rest of the aforementioned flavors, and I was quite happy…

The Final Third fell apart on me…The Pepper disappeared totally, and the sweet vanilla flavor also hit the road, so all I was left with was a woody, leathery mess…Not a horrible combination by any means, but not even close to as interesting as the 2nd third…

Final Thoughts:

• As with almost every single one of the Vintage cigars I have reviewed, the Draw and Burn were astoundingly dead on for the whole stick…That cannot be coincidence, but I am at a loss to explain it…were cigars just rolled better back then? Is it due to the small sizes, or the age itself?
• The Flor de Farach Conchas had one of the driest finishes I have ever had…
• It did get a bit hot at the end, but it also produced an amazing amount of (spicy) smoke for such a small cigar…
• Final Smoking Time was One hour and 5 minutes (I took my time)…

The Bottom Line: This was the best Vintage Cigar that I have smoked so far, due mostly to that middle third…without that, it would have been just another average cigar…As I mentioned, the burn and draw were absolute perfection, and it was a true pleasure to smoke…I am constantly amazed that cigars this old keep ANY flavor at all…