Rafael Gonzales (Cuba) Panatelas Extra

I hesitated ordering the RGPE because of the reviews stating that most are plugged. I ordered a box from Spain (BD 07), and it was excellent...sweet woody taste, faintly reminded me of the Epicure 2.

This little cuban aint an overwhealming experience, however... It looks good, taste good, gives a lot of smoke, burns well and is really cheap. It is truly worth more than you pay for. Only negative thing is that some of them can be a little bit hard drawn.

A smooth mild bodied cigar, excellent for a morning smoke. Slightly spicy and earthy flavors, with a short finish. The burn was even, but the cigar started a little tight, and actually became unsmokable a little more than 1/2 way through. I would probably be shy to buy a box, based on the draw problems noted by most of the reviewers.

Shocked this cigar was so good. It was strong, much more earthy than the refined Cohiba Panatela. If you want strong, earthy cuban flavors that can stand up to any drink from coffee to bourbon, this 30 minute baby is for you.

Aside from the tight draw on some already noted, this is a great little smoke, good mild-med smoke with smooth yet spicy flavors. You really can't go wrong for the price.

Not the prettiest stick in the humidor, but the cap looks hand finished and the construction is pretty good. The draw was a little tight, but not problematic. It starts out very mild and uninteresting with simple tobacco flavors but then embarks on a trip through the classic cuban flavor spectrum -- from sweetness with a spicy twang to a rich mouth puckering citrus taste at the end. Nice short cigar for easy mid-day smoking.

A good cuban cigar at an excellent price. There are usually a few plugged ones in every box, but it always burns well. The flavour is mild and pleasant, albeit not overly complex. Certainly to be recommended as a daily smoke.

The first couple I tried lit well and had a tight draw only in the first fifth, but went smooth and had a nice mild smoke throughout. The next couple was tight all the way till the last third until finally things starting getting better. The last two I've tried were almost perfect though. The last third of each one had a very flavourful smoke, very full bodied, and slight complex peppery notes to it. Well worth the price, I'll probably buy a box soon and age it for at least a year then see how much better it can get. For the price, you can't beat it for a machine made, hand rolled cuban cigar, it beats others that are twice the price.

Started off slow maybe the first fourth. Flavor kicked in after that and was torn to give this a 9 there. Stayed all the way to a long finish. Steady burn with a firm draw but not to a point not to enjoy. I will have to buy a box at the price. Only downside and strictly cosmetic were the large visible veins. A must buy.

I spend at least 30-45 minutes every day during January smoking a box of Rafael Gonzalez Panetelas Extra, dated MAR 04.

A short smoke that starts out mild and smooth and ends up being complex and strong with a touch of earthy flavour in the end.

I can strongly recommend it to people searching for a great, daily Habanos, that will not lead to a private economic collaps.

A slender cigar with a slightly lumpy roll, the band was applied tightly and gave the illusion of choking the stick. While the cigar was aged enough that the band spun on the cigar, it would not slide off. One edge of the caramel colored wrapper was lighter and lent a barber pole effect to the cigar and a few small green blotches were apparent.

The draw was a bit tight but the smoke blasted right through with a fairly unidimensional flavor, pleasant and strong tobacco was the impression. The ash was tight and even though it curved a bit held on for a solid two inches. The slightly edgy finish had a nice lingering woodiness with a touch of soap, and the cigar burned well all the way, never too hot. The slim shape focused the flavor and gave the expected minor bite. A sensational aroma served as a nice bonus.

Enjoyed with an inch of Havana Club 7 with a twist overlooking the dark lake, the cigar was a wonderful companion as the stars twinkled and the lights from across the way shone on the small waves. I got average smoke production and a predictably nice taste centered in the middle of the spectrum all the way to the band.

Overall this is a nice example of a working man’s Havana with a slightly rough flavor and a no nonsense delivery. This was a very pleasant way to spend a half hour. I was not disappointed. Recommended.

Reviewed 03-09-10. For a beginner, I had my doubts. I thought it would be a very robust smoke because it was so dark and chocolaty in colour. It was anything but that. Nice clean smoke. Draw was firm but easy. Burned cool and very evenly for such an inexpensive smoke. Construction held up and never had any complaints with it. Flavour was mild but with some nice spice hints. Try it, you'll be suprised. Check out cubanbest.com for good service.

these are very good and fairly strong smokes, I ended up smoking one of these first and then later on smoked a padron londres, and the R.G. was way better in my opinion

Smoked 2002-12. Touch of spice. Lightish taste reflecting younger tobaccos. Not bad if not memorable.