The Lonsdales of Christmas, Day 13 - Diplomatico No.1

Wednesday, January 5th, 2011

Diplomaticos is one of Habano’s smallest brands. Established in 1966, Diplomaticos were released as a milder and cheaper alternative to the Montecristos. The line originally contained 5 cigars, that were corresponding the Montecristo classic line, and were very popular in France. Later, in 1976, the No.6 and N0.7 were added to the range, corresponding to Montecristo Especial No.1 and No.2. Today, Diplomatico has only 1 vitola in its portfolio, the Diplomatico No.2, which I have found to be completely different to the Montecristo no.2 in the recent productions. The rest of the vitolas do have more similarities to the Montecristos and today we will be concentrating on the Lonsdale; the Diplomatico No.1

The Diplomatico No.1 is a Cervante, measuring 6.5″ in length by 42 ring gauge. It was released in 1966 along with the other 4 vitolas of the brand, and it has been discontinued since 2006. The No.1 I will be smoking today has a good bit of age on it, as it is from 2003. So, how similar is it to the Montecristo No.1? Let’s find out…

Appearance 12 / 15

The Diplomatico No.1 has a very pale and light coloured wrapper, which is smooth to touch but has some wrinkles and veins. It is box pressed and tightly packed without any softer spots. The cap is rounded and well applied, but the lines on the wrapper are not clean. A mild essence of flowers and dried leaves is present on the foot of the cigar and the wrapper. The prelight draw is good.

Flavour & Body 21 / 25

The first impression on the Diplomatico No.1 is very good. Flavours of cloves, oak and walnut are present, a familiar sensation to my palate, very similar to this of a Diplomatico No.2. Some pepper develops into the first third, and along with oak, cloves and leather, are the dominant flavours. The body is mild to medium and the finish long and peppery. On the second third the cigar suffers from poor draw and smoke volume. As a result, the complexity of the first third is almost vanished! Sweet, fruity flavours manage to surface, with hints of cumin. The oak and leather are still on the background. Finally, on the last third the cigar wakes up again. The body is medium and the flavours that were found in the first third are back again. Fruit, oak, cloves and dried leaves are some of them I could identify. Not overly complex, it still survived an early diss in the ashtray!

Draw & Burn 19 /25

The draw is tight from the beginning, and the cigar struggles to produce enough smoke. In the second third, the cigar has some problems staying lit and it is a struggle to get anything out of it. The ash us dark grey, flaky, and falls every half inch. Luckily, on the last third the Diplomatico wakes up, burns and draws well, producing a good amount of smoke and becoming very enjoyable.

Overall 30 / 35

This has been my first encounter with this cigar and it has been a disappointment, due to the problems with the draw. From the middle of the first third and up to the last third, the cigar would hardly produce any flavours. When it opened up again, it was very pleasant, but it was too late; two thirds of the cigar were wasted before I could start enjoying it. I believe it is a common problem with this vitola and it is a pity, as I enjoy the Diplomatico blend. Similarities to the Montecristo No.1? Some, but not as many to think that the blend in the last year of its production was still intended to be a milder Montecristo. Having been discontinued 4 years ago, there are less and less of them being seen around and it won’t be long before they become rare. If find them stocked in your local retailer, make sure they are well conditioned and spongy before you get them.

TOTAL 82 /100