CRW Review: Montecristo Especial No 1

[Puros Y Vino]

Cigar Review: Montecristo Especiale No 1

Date: Nov 8 2010 12:30PM EST

Place: My back deck. A "warm" 9C but a bit breezy.

Drink Pairing: None, wanted to enjoy this on its' own.

Pre light observations:

Excellent construction: beautiful light brown wrapper// no hard or soft spots

Aroma// nice chocolaty smell & tobacco//

Cold draw - good to very good.

Before we get into the review. I've made a slight adjustment to the way I track things. Where commas separated my tasting notes or thoughts, I've now inserted "//" for separation. This is a bit wordy, but I've put a lot of pictures in as well. So, sit back, relax and enjoy.

First Third

The cigar lit easily// milk coffee// mild leather// milk coffee// good burn slightly askew// chocolate/tobacco mix// good creamy smoke// leather// burn starting to correct itself// light coffee taste// seems like a light smoke so far// but tastier than the Montecristo Open Eagle which pleases me// great looking cigar// earthy aftertaste// slightly dry// coffee// ash broke off onto me a bit earlier than i expected// at least it part with a rich rich tobacco taste// some leather// faint hint of dry walnut// draw is good// nice earthy taste// almost dried berry taste// some pepper starting to emerge// richer leather taste// dried nut on the tongue// more pepper// richer earthier flavours// fresher taste emerged// hard to describe// almost citrusy// nice cocoa note with spice// earthy coffee flavour// draw is a bit tight afterall// feeling a bit lightheaded// its too nice outside to feel that way// earth & pepper taste// nice rich tasting draw very earthy// ash hasn't gotten more than 1/2 inch. I suspect the slight breeze might have something to do with it// rich tobacco & coffee taste// almost done 1st third// slight hint of dried fruit turned to leather// burn 90% perfect// more dried fruit// smoke getting creamier// taste of dry walnut on the palate// almost tanniny// rich tobacco// draw is good but still tight IMO// dry walnut// dry prppery// ash at 1inch holding strong// cigar is getting richer in its taste// spoke to soon ash takes tumble on next draw// very flaky and brittle ash// burn slightly askew// slightly stronger coffee flavour with leather finish// coffee bean and pepper// I now declare the 1st third over.

Second Third

The burn starts to correct itself// my next draw is peppery and earthy at the same time// so far this is kicking the MOE's sorry ass// another hint of citrus followed by a sharp tang of pepper// corrected burn// rich tobacco taste with dry finish// nice day but a bit chilly my Canon 20D feels icy to the touch// dried fruit with a nice citrus follow through// I'm impressed so far I'd say this is a

medium strength cigar// woodsy earthy flavour// light coffee again for a nice contrast// toasted tobacco with dry finish// ash back to 1/2 inch// smooth tobacoo flavour takes its time with lots of creamy smoke// I'm tempted to start burning leaves for warmth// near purfect burn the ash drops a lighter tobacco flavours gives way// mmm cocoa coffee mix // toasty tobacco again// some pepper on the palate// nuts and leather// stronger tobacco// from a burn aspect this is a very well behaved cigar minuse to two surprise ash breakaways// 3 very hard draws little smoke// might need a relight// some ammonia & draw tightens spoke too soon// nice creamy smoke and a trifecta of flavours: tobacco, leather & coffee bean! :drool: // dried nut// blustery looking ash possibly due to relight// nice tall blonde in tight Lululemon pants jogs by....oh and some more leather though muted..yes back to the cigar // toasted tobacco// light cocoa// leather tobacco mix// getting chillier 2nd third almost done dont want to rush this though// dry walnut// dark gray ash past the 1/2 inch mark which means it will land on me soon// burn askew ill leave it for now// lighter tobacco taste with dry aftertones emerge// draw tightens again// tapped off the ash with one try//

Third Third

I had to relight again // light tobacco follows//draw still a bit tight// earthy// smoke volume picks up draw improves & light leather// ...lovely blonde crosses the street and lights up a cigarette.... oh well// light coffee and nut// light coffee again// burn improves// hmmm nice vegetal taste like green bell pepper, very interesting// lots of smoke and that vegetal taste again!// idle burn seems to increase// toasted tobacco// light milk coffee re-emerges// ash bacvk to 1/2inch// leather// rich tobacco// out again!// relight brings back rich tobacco// i blame the weather this cigar has been excellent despite it// dried nut and burn good// earthy tastes smoke volume improves// sharp pepper some ammonia// coffee followed by vegetal richness wow// woa again// cant feel my fingers though but the cigar is delivering// toasted tobacco// coffee bean// peeled band off as i approach end of 3/3// medium leather taste// leather again and ash drops off into tray// wind picking up..// good creamy smoke// profile starts to return to light body// aftertastes are dry yet pleasant// lighht coffee// rich hit of tobacco// tobacco// cccccold// pepper// rich tobacco// good burn// dried walnut with power// mmm nutmeg just beautiful....not letting up// earthy tobacco// nicotine being felt finally or is thhat cold chills?// pepper and some ammonia// sun coming round// toasted tobacco// rich toasted tobacco// tobacco// good ash lots of smoke and leather// coffee grounds// past 3/3 and nearing nub// vegatal hints lots of smoke// leather// tobacco//

Total Smoking time: 95 minutes (and that felt rushed due to the cold under the right conditions, this would have kept me company for a solid 2 hours)

Final Thoughts

I am one happy camper. Every since I had my first Cohiba Lancero I fell in love with this shape: the Laguito No 1. I've had a Cuban Davidoff No 1, a NC Casa Fernandez Lancero, which was very good IMO and now having had the Montecristo Especial No 1 I've taken a small tour of this disappearing vitola. From my notes above, you can see that this cigar was a marathon of flavours. It completely wiped the bad/no taste from my mouth that the shameful Open Eagle left not too long ago. I would classify this as a medium bodied cigar with some light and strong tasting notes. The weather outside took a bit away from my enjoyment of this beauty in that I believe the wind and cold forced two re-lights of the cigar. Had I been smoking on a warm, windless summer night I'd bet that no re-lights would be necessary. This is a cigar to really sit back with. Despite the bad weather, it gave me 90 minutes of bliss. I feel I rushed through it at times just to ward off the frostbite in my fingers. . I bought six of these from the Czar to try out and I'm glad I did. These would be a box-worthy investment as they are tasty from foot to head. I pretty well nubbed this baby.

FINAL SCORE: 90.

I would have given it a 92/93. What prevented it from reaching a higher score was some bad draws at certain points and the re-lights. I've given the weather as a caveat on the relights but I suspect the draw was partially responsible for that too. If I smoke the next one in more hospitable conditions I'm sure the score will jump.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I hope you enjoyed it.

Cheers,

Frank

[shrink]

Thanks, Frank, for your unique perspective on one of the greats.

[mazolaman]

Yep,great review Frank.

[PADDYWHACK121272]

Great stream of consciousness review, you did immense public service with your monty open review so you deserve to kick back and smoke something decent

[anacostiakat]

Thanks! Great review.

[CanuckSARTech]

Great review, Frank. A nice change, no doubt, from the MOE.

Question - getting frost bite on your fingers, in a "warm" 9 Celsius?!?!?!!? Pansy.

And for the review, I love the extra text, and your puff-by-puff account of things, I just don't know about the double //'s - just my observations. Got a little crazy for me to follow for a bit.

And your pictures are top notch - well done. Love the step-by-step on those; reminds me of an online cigar review place that does the same idea, but their pics aren't as sharp and nice, IMO.

Kudos.

[Puros Y Vino]

Question - getting frost bite on your fingers, in a "warm" 9 Celsius?!?!?!!? Pansy.

It was 9C in the sun, I was in the shade.. a lot colder. Besides, I'm not ready to accept that winter is coming. I was in trackpants and a hoodie.

Thanks for the compliments. I'll experiment with the dialog flow in the next review(s). If its' nice tomorrow I may just dip into the humidor for something special.

Cheers,

Frank

[maalouly]

Well done, love the review, some of the best I have read. Perhaps bit more spacing instead of // might make it easier for us to read other thn that it's great! Thank you again