Monte GEs - good cigar or questionable cigar?

[ptrthgr8]

Hi, folks.

I've had my three boxes of Monte GE for a few weeks now. Smoked one about a week after I got them because I couldn't help myself and then smoked a second one from the same box this past Saturday evening.

Great looking cigar... but that's all I can say about them. In both instances I had terribly uneven burning and tunneling. In both instances the first few moments were pleasant, but about 10-15 mins in everything got jacked up. Very disappointing since it seems like so many folks out there like these sticks.

Anyone else experience this? Maybe I just got the two bad ones of the lot and the rest will be perfectly fine. I plan to put all three boxes into the back of the cabinet, forget about them a good long while, and then try one again next year sometime. Maybe they'll improve?

Cheers,

~ Greg ~

[Puros Y Vino]

I've had no issues with MGE's. Perhaps you did get some bad ones in the bunch or the storage conditions aren't optimal? Try dry boxing your next ones.

[maverickdrinker]

They are a great stick. Sound like they may be eiher underfilled or the humidity is too high or they are just not your thing.

As Frank said, try dryboxing for a couple of days and see what happens

Good luck

[Scdalak]

I have about 5 left from a box i bought 2 years ago. ROTT I was very disappointed, heavy nicotine, heavy burn, not complex, if felt like I was smoking, well.... a Cigar.... They are beautifully constructed, tight with a great dark wrapper. Lit one up about 2 months ago, and although better and more mellow the cigar just isn’t my cup of tea, especially for a EL. Aside from the HDM Short Pyramids, the Monte GE has been my biggest disappointment from recent EL's

[canadianbeaver]

Unfortunate... there has been talk on here about the occasional bad batch of a handmade product. Whether it is a $100 box or a $1000 one, it can happen, right?

?... When this is happens is the recourse from the retailer if it is here, or a B&M?

[Lotusguy]

I was not impressed with the MGEs I've smoked - ditched my last full box earlier this week. I remember one of them had terrible construction and the rest just tasted like the generic chocolate/cocoa LE profile. Got 7 or so sticks left that I will smoke eventually. The Sublimes 2008 were leagues better, IMO. I don't have high hopes at all for the 520 but I will try the single stick that I picked up shortly.

[brazoseagle]

I've never had a bad one. Greg, I'll take these off you hands if you like......

[Orion21]

I have had the odd ball GE that was just ok, but the vast majority have been very pleasing to exceptional. Just hide them in the back of your humidor and dig one out in a few months. These are big cigars and need rest. They have only continued to improve for me. Also, this comes from someone who invested in quite a few boxes, but compared to the other EL's from that year the GE is by far the best. If you end up not liking them you won't have any problem finding willing buyers in the future.

[CaptainQuintero]

There is a little touch of follow the leader with these, same with the RAE. I'd say it's important to go your own way with cigars instead of buyign what other people say you should buy. Remember one man's fantastic cigar is another man's turdbomb!

I think if you love Edmundos then obviously you will love these if you get a good box. Personally I'm not a fan of the Edmundo/Monte 2 so it's no great surprise that I'm not overly keen on the GE either. I could say that the ones I have tried have been bad but it's more that I don't like that bold punch in the mouth style.

The good news is that Monte usually ages very well into a much more mild and delicate cigar. Eg the Sublimes I have are incredibly mild, they only approach medium at the last third.

[ptrthgr8]

Pretty much all of the negatives I've experienced with these GEs so far are related to the construction (as opposed to flavor profile). I've got the room in the cabinet, so I don't mind letting them rest for a few months to see if there are any improvements. Would like to smoke one that actually burns properly so I can get an idea of what the flavor profile is actually like.

I'll report back in a few months.

As an aside, the BHK 56 I smoked after that GE (or after I tried to smoke the GE anyhow) was absolutely fantastic. Glad I got a box of those while they were on sale.

Cheers,

~ Greg ~

[ptrthgr8]

Unfortunate... there has been talk on here about the occasional bad batch of a handmade product. Whether it is a $100 box or a $1000 one, it can happen, right?

?... When this is happens is the recourse from the retailer if it is here, or a B&M?

I've always chalked it up to being one of the chances you take with something of this nature. I think it's hard to hold the seller accountable when there's really no way they can know if the construction on a single stick is bad, etc. If the whole box looks terribly made I suppose that might be one thing, but it seems that these sorts of problems are more stealthy than that.

Cheers,

~ Greg ~

[Puros Y Vino]

The hype machine is alive and well. RAE, Cohiba anything, REs, ELs, jars, etc...get a couple respected members saying how great the new batch of Guants are, and I guarantee others will follow.

I don't think it's that easy Shlomo. If anything, this thread has illustrated how polarized the view is on the MGE. CQ does make a good point nonetheless. Everyone really should try for themselves. But don't be surprised or cynical when someone makes a decision based on their "trusted" view of someone else's palate or taste. Heck, the whole wine industry depends on that! People get in tune with a wine reviewer that has a similar palate. I'd say the same applies for cigars. For instance. It took me several samples of the RAE's to understand why people enjoyed them. On the other hand, half a dozen or so shots at the Monte 2 have made me give up on that stick altogether. And a lot of folks love that cigar. Go figure

[Colt45]

I've had an entire bad box. But thats one in many so I toss it up to just bad luck.

Bad luck? To me, bad luck is getting struck by lightning in a freak storm, and bad cigars are simply bad cigars.

[Zigatoh]

Personally love the GE, and oddly hate the Edmundo (Sorry Quint!), love the RAE too, both pretty bold, in your face, type smokes, and yummy. But if you don't like em don't buy em, or do then sell em for a good markup in five+ years

Construction though, different matter, only had one 520 so far and it was a terrible wind tunnel and sucked, but I could tell it was nothing like the other two I bought, totally underfilled it was and the others feel fine. Got a box on the way cos they look and smell awesome, and with me loving the sublime, C, and GE, what have I got to lose?

Dunno about follow the leader in this case, if something gets generally good reviews and opinions, try one or a box, if you like it buy more. Unless you're minted to a pretty severe level just don't buy a bunch of boxes without trying first, easy huh?

[Puros Y Vino]

Of course its not that simple Mr. Mod, but if Rob and the rest of the Czar crew made a video saying how great the new JLP Brevas stock is, guess what? They will sell a ton of JLP and people will be quick to agree and say they love it. Not saying it is right or wrong, just that in cigars, along with various other industries, people tend to follow the leader and are not ones to lead.

First off. "Frank" will suffice.

With everything Shlomo, take it with a grain of salt. Just because Rob and Co.. post a video review and say something is great you believe that everyone will just buy into it? There are plenty of video reviews where cigars were pitched and not favorably reviewed. Make your own choices and stop worrying about the choices others are making. "To each their own"

[Orion21]

There is variation and quality control issues even in EL cigars. I refer back to Rob's comments about some of the BHK cigars failing to get their allotment of medio tiempo from time to time. However, it really does come down to taste. My experience with EL cigars is that they are very similar. Some people like the darker flavors, the chocolate and espresso core etc, and some do not. Also, the initial release always seems to be much better than the later rolls. Maybe there is tighter quality and blending control for the first run? It also depends on your buying habits. Do you buy boxes on a regular basis or just on occasion? Are you on a tight budget or is money no object? It is a very personal decision to buy a box of cigars, especially a box where the cigars run $13-$40 each. Be smart, ask people whose taste you trust and go from there. Nothing in life is guaranteed.

[CaptainQuintero]

Personally love the GE, and oddly hate the Edmundo (Sorry Quint!)

Zig you're always going to be the exception to the rule!

[Zigatoh]

Why thank you Captain, I take that as quite a compliment

[mk05]

what were the box codes

[Dbone]

If you get the good ones, you'll like them Greg

[KJND]

Wait a minute, the JLP's are smoking good?

Must order 10 boxes

[MC4]

The two or three boxes I've had, were average, not bad but not great either. No comparison to the few Monte Sublimes that I've had.

[ptrthgr8]

what were the box codes

All three are coded BAP NOV.10

Cheers,

~ Greg ~

Sent from my HTC Thunderbolt using Tapatalk 2.

[Habanos2000]

... To answer your question, do I think that just because a video is posted saying something is great, will everyone buy into it....well, not everyone, but a large majority for sure. Just my 2 cents.

No offense jumping into your conversation, but I don't share the same feeling that the people that watch the videos and buy the cigars because of a positive review necessarily agree that the cigars are great just because Rob says so. To me that's almost like the story of the Emperors clothes. Agreed that people will buy because of a positive review, but I don't see "us" saying a cigar is great if we don't think it is.

[mk05]

I've also had tunneling problems with a BAP. Surprising since I believe that it's supposed to be provincial. I did dry box and smoked slower, helped a little.