Montecristo Grand Edmundo

[MaytagMan]

Montecristo Grand Edmundo

2010 Edición Limitada

(Click on cigar name above to head to the episode page and listen!)

Size: 5.9” x 52

Vitola: Cañonazo

Wrapper: Cuba

Binder: Cuba

Filler: Cuba

About:

This Montecristo Edición Limitada was released by Habanos S.A. in 2010 with tobacco that has been aged at least two years. This release was packaged in boxes of ten with a second gold Edición Limitada 2010 band added below the familiar Montecristo band. The cigar I smoked to review was the fifth I have smoked out of this box.

Pre-light:

The wrapper is a bit lighter than I expected from this cigar (the box as a whole had light wrappers). The wrapper has a slightly rough appearance with a little tothiness that is apparent upon close examination. There were a couple of water spots near the foot of the cigar, and other than that there were no visible blemishes or defects in the cigar. The construction was magnificent. There was the perfect amount of light springiness in the cigar, and it was packed evenly, with no hard or soft spots anywhere.

AROMA: The prelight aroma was dominated by a molasses-like sweetness and dry cedar. I was also able to detect spicy and floral notes.

TASTE: The prelight taste was dominated by dried fruit – specifically raisins. There was also a nice component of green wood in the prelight taste, and I was also able to pick up the spicy and floral notes from the prelight aroma.

1/3:

The green wood flavors were immediately present upon lighting the cigar, along with a nutty component, which was more of a dry roasted-nut character. There was also a slight touch of bitterness. This bitterness was not a bad characteristic or due to a defect in the cigar, rather it was a balanced part of the flavor profile and reminded me of the sensation I get from eating or drinking something with a bitter character. It was a nice counterpoint to the woody and nutty flavors in the cigar.

2/3:

The green wood flavors became more of a dry-oak character in the second third. At this point, two new dimensions entered the flavor profile as well. There was a creamy-buttery undertone that was thick and lingering on the palate, and a very slight spicy edge began to develop. The retrohale had a pleasant almond-like nuttiness that was not acrid or harsh at all. The cigar burned perfectly, and the ash held on as long as I was brave enough to let it keep going.

3/3:

I started to get a little more of the characteristic Montecristo flavor profile in the final third. There were still a lot of woody flavors, but these fell to the background. The spicy flavors came to the forefront, and a peppery heat began to emerge at the tip of my tongue. This peppery not was also backed by a very slight sweetness that I detected on my lips and in the front part of my palate. I was able to smoke this cigar right down to the nub with it developing any unpleasant bitterness or overheating.

Overall:

I usually don’t jump in with both feet on the Edición Limitada releases from Havana. It just seems like in most cases, the premium price that I pay is just not proportional to the cigar that I receive. The good news is that this came close. The construction was impeccable, and there was a good evolution of flavors as the cigar progressed. The good news was that like the standard Montecristo line, the cigar was well-blended without the “Let’s see who can overpower and overdrive the flavor the most” competition that seems to be coming from a lot of domestic manufacturers these days. On the other hand, I can pay less for a standard line Montecristo and get the same level of quality and satisfaction with the blend. Your mileage may vary so try one and let me know what you think!

[rcarlson]

I am in love with these. Was not a monte man before I got a box, but now. . . one of my favorites.

Perfect size. Perfect texture (mine are far from "toothy").

What monte would you replace it with if you couldn't lay your hands on these?

[hidechen]

I think this one is a pleasure to smoke right out of the factory and Monte Sublime, in my opinion, got much more potential to develop into a monster itself. IMO it's a 85er ( Grand Edmundo) vs a 92(for Sublime and to 95 if properly aged).

Still a very enjoy cigar to smoke though!

[#2 man]

Thanks for the review

[PartiDude]

Smoked my 5th one in the last year a couple of days ago. Flavor profile was similar to Maytag's description but mine was very dark wrapper. Still needs several years to mature and settle down, very strong, but potential is there, IMO. Monte Sublimes blows this stick away at present, but be interesting to smoke one of each in a few years for comparison after additional aging.