Ophidion Posted April 7, 2012 Posted April 7, 2012 Just finished going through my notes for this cigar. Had it a few hours after the H Upmann no 2 I had the other day. Prelight: The Monte has a mottled wrapper with a fairly smooth texture. I punched it with my credo (medium sized punch, thanks Riazp for recommending it) and took a long cold draw. The cold flavors were chocolate, and musty, not in a bad way, tobacco. The cigar didn't look very fancy but it gave off a ton of aroma which had a pungent vegetal and chocolate smell. The draw was loose, but not overly so. 1/3: The first few draws reminded me of pretty much every Monte I have had to date, specifically the no. 2. Flavors included wet hay, chocolate and a heavy cedar/oaky flavor with a very long, tangy leather finish. It had a great draw that allowed just the right mixture of smoke and air to keep it warm enough to open up the flavors but not so much that it became acrid or spicy. The smoke output was average but I was expecting a little more. 2/3: At this point the dry wood flavor is still very powerful and there is a core of leather right behind it. The chocolate is still there and has taken on a sweeter flavor while still maintaining the slight bite of a bitter dark chocolate. The spice isn't nearly as noticeable at this point even though the flavor intensity has picked up quite a bit. The spice/dry notes have been overtaken by warmer, sweeter flavors. 3/3: Intense leather, cedar and a flavor I can only describe as "Just opened the humidor after being closed for a month". The cigar maintains a solid medium-full strength and flavor profile that has kept its pace with the sweet overtaking the "sour". The finish is very drawn out and changes well after the smoke leaves the mouth. Kind of like a comet of flavor with leather and wood at the front while being trailed by a nice drawn out sweet chocolate. Overall: I like Montecristo cigars. I used to dislike them because of the excessive wood flavors but I have grown to like them. It took about six or seven Monte 2 before I actually started liking the Monte flavor profile but I am glad I didn't quit. The EL 10 was the best Monte I have had to date by far and it was a reminder not to judge a book by its cover. Most of the cigars in the box I got were of uneven length (not more than 1/10" difference) which I wasn't expecting from something that was supposed to be special. Lucky for me, the cigars character more than made up for its appearance.
laficion Posted April 7, 2012 Posted April 7, 2012 Excellent review and photos Thanks for sharing your experience, well done !!!!
Ophidion Posted April 7, 2012 Author Posted April 7, 2012 Some day I will get a good camera but for now my phone will have to do. Although it does take pretty decent pictures in good light, it falls short in my friends garage.
mk05 Posted April 7, 2012 Posted April 7, 2012 I've said it before and I'll say it again, it is the most approachable CC introduction to NC smokers. Just a overall crowdpleaser. Shared 5 boxes or so and everyone has loved it. Great review.
Puros Y Vino Posted April 7, 2012 Posted April 7, 2012 Great review! . I smoked one Thursday night. Lots of sweet chocolate and woody flavors.
Ophidion Posted April 7, 2012 Author Posted April 7, 2012 I want to try them but $16 a stick is salty Well, when you put it in prospective, that's less than the cost of a Montecristo Open Junior in Montreal. edit: When I get to 25 posts I will be offering up a lot of stuff in the trades section, so keep your eye out
pjansen Posted April 9, 2012 Posted April 9, 2012 I got a box last week! Can't wait to try one! Thanks for the review!
Yoruba Hacker Posted May 8, 2012 Posted May 8, 2012 Nice review. Interesting that despite the overall uneveness of EL's, they always get the Montes right.
braveheart655 Posted May 10, 2012 Posted May 10, 2012 Thanks for the review. I'm very eager to dive into my 5-box stock but still staying strong. If I'm not mistaken, the box codes are ROU DIC 10. I hope they're gonna be worth the money.
Zigatoh Posted May 10, 2012 Posted May 10, 2012 Dive in, seriously, these are smoking amazingly right now! They will age brilliantly I'm sure but be sad to miss this stage, and the next, and the one after that! Adding a box to every order I make at the moment, that way it doesn't feel like I'm spending as much on them as buying in bulk in one go
Ophidion Posted May 10, 2012 Author Posted May 10, 2012 I smoked another one the other night with Riaz. I need another box and I'm not even halfway done with this one.
maverickdrinker Posted May 11, 2012 Posted May 11, 2012 great review. I smoke this cigar once a year to celebrate my son"s birth (unless I am gifted one, of course). thanks for sharing
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