Hunters & Frankau House Reserve Series 1790 Ramon Allones Collection No.2 Humidor

Hunters & Frankau House Reserve Series 1790 Ramon Allones Collection No.2 Humidor

Sixteen years of British cigar history, sealed beneath Italian craftsmanship.

There are collections, and then there are archives. The Hunters & Frankau House Reserve Series 1790 Ramón Allones Collection No.2 Humidor belongs firmly in the latter category—a curated journey through nearly two decades of UK-exclusive and limited edition releases from one of Havana's most storied marques. This is not merely a box of cigars; it is a time capsule, a reference library, and a smoking experience that cannot be replicated.

Contents Include:

- Belicosos (Campanas) — 52 RG × 140mm — 2005 UK Regional Edition

- Allones Extra (Franciscos) — 44 RG × 143mm — 2011 Limited Edition

- Allones No.2 (Campanas) — 52 RG × 140mm — 2019 Limited Edition

- Private Stock 230 (Partagás 16) — 50 RG × 170mm — 2020 H&F 230th Anniversary

- Three additional vitolas spanning the collection's full timeline

The Archive Behind the Glass

Hunters & Frankau has served as the guardian of Cuban cigars in the United Kingdom since 1790—a lineage stretching back further than most cigar houses themselves. The House Reserve Series represents the British distributor's most ambitious archival project: gathering the rarest, most sought-after releases from their portfolio and presenting them as a cohesive collection for the serious connoisseur.

The Ramón Allones Collection No.2 Humidor is the second installment in this series, and perhaps the most compelling. Ramón Allones, founded in 1837, holds the distinction of being the first Cuban brand to produce cigars in the 8-9-8 box format—a detail that speaks to the marque's long history of innovation. The brand has long been favored by British palates for its structure, its backbone, and its ability to age with grace. This humidor brings together seven expressions of that character, each one previously available only as a limited release, many of which have been absent from the market for over a decade.

The humidor itself comes from the workshops of DeART S.r.l. in Italy, a name familiar to collectors who appreciate the intersection of tobacco and fine woodworking. Fifty numbered units were produced, each containing 61 cigars that span from the 2005 UK Regional Edition Belicosos to releases commemorating H&F's 230th anniversary in 2020. The result is a horizontal tasting through time—a chance to trace how Ramón Allones has evolved, how tobacco has shifted, and how the UK market's relationship with Cuban cigars has deepened.

The Tasting Experience

First Light: The 2005 Belicosos

Begin with the oldest cigar in the collection—the 2005 UK Regional Edition Belicosos. Nearly two decades of age have transformed what was likely a bold, muscular cigar into something far more contemplative. The opening draws reveal faded cedar and sun-warmed leather, the spice having softened from a sharp crackle to a low, persistent warmth. There is dried fruit here—figs, perhaps, or dates—mingling with a mineral salinity that speaks to the Pinar del Río soil. The smoke is weightless, almost ethereal, yet the flavor remains concentrated. This is what patience rewards.

The Journey: The Middle Years

Move to the 2011 Allones Extra, and the profile shifts. The Franciscos vitola—a slender 44 ring gauge—concentrates the smoke, delivering cedar and toasted almond with a thread of black pepper running through the core. The age is apparent but different: fifteen years versus nearly twenty, and the tobacco still carries more vibrancy, more grip. Earth notes emerge, damp and rich, undercut by a subtle sweetness reminiscent of honey-drizzled pastry.

The 2019 Allones No.2 offers a contrast in youth. The Campanas format delivers a broader canvas, and the five years of age have begun to round the edges without diminishing the Ramón Allones characteristic intensity. Cocoa powder and espresso lead, backed by cinnamon and a faint floral note that rises and retreats like a tide. This is a cigar still in motion, still becoming—and smoking it alongside its older siblings provides a lesson in the architecture of age.

The Finale: The Private Stock 230

Reserve the Private Stock 230 for the conclusion. Released in 2020 to mark Hunters & Frankau's 230th anniversary, this cigar in the Partagás 16 format stretches to 170mm, offering an extended meditation. The blend feels distinct from the others—deeper, darker, with notes of black cherry and charred oak emerging alongside the expected cedar and earth. There is a savory quality here, almost umami, that lingers on the palate long after the final draw. It is a fitting capstone to a collection that honors both past and present.

Who It's For

This humidor exists for the collector who has moved beyond acquisition and into curation. It is for the smoker who understands that some cigars cannot be replaced, only experienced—and that the opportunity to taste history in a controlled, comparative format is a privilege extended to very few. The Ramón Allones Collection No.2 Humidor belongs in a climate-controlled cabinet, yes, but it also belongs in the conversation: opened, shared, discussed, and ultimately smoked. This is not a piece to be hoarded in shrink-wrap. It is a reference library, meant to be read.

Pairing Suggestion

A aged single malt from the Highlands—something with two decades in oak—will mirror the collection's range, offering dried fruit, subtle smoke, and a finish that invites another pour. Alternatively, a vintage Port provides sweetness to counterpoint Ramón Allones' natural earthiness.