Ramon Allones Gigantes
There is a particular kind of patience required to commit to a Double Corona. At nearly eight inches long, this is not a cigar for the hurried or the distracted—it demands you clear an evening, find a comfortable chair, and let the world wait. The Ramon Allones Gigantes understands this contract between smoker and cigar, and over its two-hour burn, it honors that commitment with a slow-building complexity that rewards every minute of your attention.
Specifications
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|
| Vitola | Double Corona (Prominentes) |
| Ring Gauge | 49 |
| Length | 194mm (7 5/8") |
| Factory | Havana, Cuba |
| Strength | Medium to Full |
| Wrapper | Corojo |
| Box Count | Box of 25, Single |
The Story Behind the Smoke
Ramon Allones occupies a quiet but revered corner of Cuban cigar history. Founded in 1837 by a Galician immigrant, the brand holds the distinction of being one of the first to decorate its cigars with lithographed bands—a practice now universal but revolutionary at the time. That spirit of deliberate craftsmanship runs through everything bearing the Ramon Allones name. The Gigantes, introduced in the late 1970s, represents the marque at its most expansive and unhurried. This is a cigar built around the Vuelta Abajo's finest tobacco, given room to breathe across a generous canvas. Where shorter formats demand concision, the Double Corona allows the blender to compose a symphony rather than a song—themes emerge, develop, and resolve over the course of an evening. It is a format for the contemplative smoker, the one who understands that the best things cannot be rushed.
The Tasting Experience
First Light
The opening act establishes its presence with confidence rather than aggression. Toasted bread and warm cedar rise immediately from the foot, joined by a distinctive leathery quality that Ramon Allones has made its signature. There is a spicy tang on the palate—black pepper with a suggestion of dried fruit, something like stewed apricots or figs. The draw offers just enough resistance to slow you down, encouraging measured puffs that let the flavors unfurl rather than rush past. Even in these first centimeters, there is a sense of architecture here, a structure being built that promises more to come.
The Journey
As the burn passes the first third, the Gigantes begins to reveal its layered nature. Coffee beans—dark roasted, slightly oily—move to the foreground while the leather deepens into something richer and more saddle-worn. Nutty characteristics emerge: roasted almonds and a whisper of hazelnut that adds an unexpected sweetness. Midway through, mocha notes weave through the profile, and faint floral touches appear at the edges, like jasmine caught on a warm breeze. The strength, initially polite, begins to assert itself more firmly, climbing from medium toward something with genuine presence. This is where the Double Corona format proves its worth—there is simply more tobacco to work with, more room for these flavors to develop relationships with one another.
The Finale
The final act brings consolidation and resolution. Dark chocolate moves from supporting player to lead, accompanied by a subtle licorice sweetness and the warming spice of cinnamon. Green tea notes add an unexpected clarity, preventing the finale from becoming heavy. The smoke remains creamy throughout, coating the palate with a texture that speaks to impeccable construction. What began as a medium-bodied exercise in restraint has become something fuller, more assertive, yet never aggressive. The finish lingers—cocoa, leather, and that indefinable quality that Cuban cigar smokers recognize as the taste of Vuelta Abajo terroir, impossible to replicate anywhere else on earth.
Who It's For
The Gigantes is a cigar for the ritualist—the smoker who views lighting up not as an accessory to another activity but as the activity itself. It suits long summer evenings when sunset stretches into twilight, or winter nights beside a fire with nowhere to be until morning. Experienced aficionados will appreciate how it showcases Ramon Allones' characteristic depth across an extended format, while those newer to Cuban cigars will find it a patient teacher, building intensity gradually enough to be understood. This is not a cigar for the commute or the quick break; it demands and deserves an evening set aside.
Pairing Suggestion
Aged Cuban rum, particularly something with eight to twelve years in the barrel, mirrors the Gigantes' trajectory from elegance to intensity, while a double espresso brings out the mocha and chocolate notes that define the cigar's middle passages.
