1992 Montecristo #3 w/ guest

[mk05]

About to sit down with Yoruba Hacker and enjoy some Monte #3 purchased in 1992. Funny how they were like $5 bucks a piece back then.

(Had to write this first since I will be editing this post via cellphone at the shop)

[tinknocker924]

Awesome!!!

[Dbone]

Can't wait to hear how they smoked

[perfectform]

One of my favorite Monte's. Have they been in cardboard since purchase? Curious to see how it has impacted the flavor if so.

[mk05]

One of my favorite Monte's. Have they been in cardboard since purchase? Curious to see how it has impacted the flavor if so.

Yep, cardboard was cracked two days ago, it's been coming up to temperature - will smoke them tonight.

[Charltonc]

Looks great, sounds like a real treat. Tell us what you think.

[mk05]

Tonight YH and I sat down with a bottle of Caol Ila and Ardbeg Uigeadail to examine some Monte #3s from 1992. Of course YH just HAD to one up me and bring some 1973 H Upmann Lonsdale and a 1974 Monte 3, just to slay me.

(Edited from transcript. Bolded is YH, bracketed statements are made by me)

YH: This is an old cigar. There's an old feel to it...feel how the band is placed on this cigar...just nice. [MK: There's a nice give to the cigar, it has been aged in a locked fridge since purchase at 65/65 and is in absolute pristine condition. Not underfilled, not overfilled...] The draw will be nice... [This cigar has an unreal woody aroma about it. Slight resistance at cold draw, a very light white pepper on the tongue.]

Interestingly, this cigar shows a lot of youth though. Marc are you getting some ammonia here? I'm getting a lot of ammonia through the nose. I'm surprised it's still got this with all this time. [Yes I am getting some white pepper and ammonia through the sinus.] Well, about half an inch in, (he has been contemplating about its age and veritability as a genuine M3) you can definitely tell it's old. Look at this burn. It's not jumping, it's tight, the ash has that flaky quality to it, (ash falls off) look, total combustion. Yes, this is the real deal in terms of age. I'm surprised to say it, it's got a CGR sensibility to it...a smoothness to the edge, it feeeeeels like a CGR. I mean it's definitely not a book, a book tastes like gold. How this smoke hits your mouth...this is a good cigar.

[About an inch into this, the white pepper and ammonia is still present...this does not taste like a Monte.] Agreed, very interesting. It tastes like something else, I just can't put a finger on it. It'll come to me though. Very odd. I'm getting some white chocolate here.

[Well, couple inches in, I am seeing that white chocolate that you're talking about, along with some light honey. Still has that ammonia. So far not like any vintage Monte I've smoked.]

[Third of the way in, I'm getting some charred bbq...very odd.] I could see that

We continue to puff once every other minute and talked at length about Trini and Partagas books.

[(Halfway through the cigar, I jump up) Theeeerrre it is! WWWHOOAA. Cookies and creme YH. Graham cracker. White chocolate. Marshmellow. It's like, I just bit into a Hershey Cookies 'n Creme bar. Such richness here and suave too.] (no comment, he is still looking.) Cigar is definitely changing now, the white chocolate is kind of appearing in and out. But that ammonia is still present in mine. [About 8 puffs and that experience is now gone. I can tell this is done, I am now getting a looooot of oily feel in my mouth, almost like it's suffocating my mouth.] Well I haven't really gotten the core flavors here, but I am impressed with the coolness of the cigar overall as we're entering the end here. This is an aged smoke!

All in all, we had a pretty good experience with it, and getting that sweet spot was a definite treat for me.

We moved on to some freshly handrolled CCs from last month I had, and some first release Trinidad Reyes from '04. YH was fascinated with the handroll experience. I think he said he's going to write that review.

[perfectform]

Good stuff guys, thanks for sharing.

[Colt45]

Thanks gents

[aavkk]

thanks for sharing!