Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure 2 : MEL DIC 15 : HdM Review Comp 2016

[BuzzArd]

First review ever, so please be kind....  I'm definitely not new to enjoying cigars having been at it for probably 20-25 years, and I've always had trouble identifying the subtle nuances others enjoy in the smoke.  "Spine of coffee"?  Coffee's on the kitchen counter.  "Nougat"?  That's in 3 Musketeers bars.  "Mushrooms"?  I love mushrooms.  LOVE them.  But I've never tasted them in a cigar....  For me it has usually been "smoke I like" or "smoke I don't like" if that make sense.  If I come up on "smoke I really like" then I buy a box.  

Hell....  Maybe my olfactorys are defective.

Insert the Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No2.  My first ever was given to me by a very dear friend in Tucson.  He claimed it was his all time favorite, and he was an older fellow with miles and miles of cigar enjoyment behind him.  He knew cigars.  I received it already clipped and ready to enjoy, and I put it away in my humidor for at least two years, not wanting it to be gone.  I don't recall what I tasted when I did finally smoke it, but I definitely remember that day which was probably three years ago or more.  It was enjoyable I am certain, and memorable because of it's association with a friend I do not believe I have seen since.  I hope he is well.

I received this box probably three weeks ago and was excited to have finally gotten some for myself.  Opened the lid and found one stick right on top with a half inch vertical crack in the foot.  Perfectly imperfect, so you're first!  I did not allow it to "acclimate".  It was firm to the slight squeeze and felt well constructed.  Definitely not under-rolled.  I did put its brothers away to rest (and pose for future photographs), and I placed my selection in a Xikar 5 count travel box all alone for about 5 days.  Ambient humidity at that time was probably 20-25%, tops, and room temps hovered around 85 degrees if that matters (for it's entire 5 day storage conditions post shipping).  That 25ct box definitely has a sweet barnyard smell at cold along with the clear smell of good, aged tobacco.  Also, I think I can almost smell mom cooking around the holidays....  Some spice in there and something baking off in the distance.  The single stick pre light aroma has a definite bready smell to it, but is not a strong smelling cold stick on its own.  Notes of tobacco present as well.

I smoked this stick about two weeks ago.  I poured a glass of iced tea and headed outside by the pool.  It was quite warm at 99 degrees.  Usual desert weather in late summer.  Clipped with my favorite "V" cutter and the draw was just right.  Not over-rolled either.  Immediately upon lighting I taste a whole different array of "smoke I really like".  It's sweet, and I think I can detect hints of baking spices.  The smoke is not quite as thick as I expected but is definitely creamy in character.  A bit more rest required I'm guessing.  The burn is sharp with a nice, grey/white ash that requires no touch ups for the entire stick despite having been shipped and received very recently (and rather wet I imagine).  About 1/3 into the I have my first cigar smoke taste revelation; definitely tasting slightly over toasted multigrain wheat bread which, coincidentally, is just how I like it.  This taste persists until I'm approaching the end of my second third whereupon I clearly note a distinct arrival of the taste of roasted and salted cashews....  This is encouraging to me as maybe I'm not quite as oblivious to the flavors as I thought I might have been.  The cashews are accompanied by the at-cold aroma of bread cooking sweetly with some (very slight) cocoa and unidentified spices present as well.  I didn't taste berries.  I didn't taste cinnamon.  Nothing earthy for me here.  The smoke lasted every bit of 90 minutes as I was definitely in no hurry, and I burned it right down to a nub.  Basically, without a clip I would have burned myself.  It was delightful.  Definitely medium body at the most, and more than my usual one dimensional "smoke I like" experience, and I am anxious to give these some time and try again.  In fact, I think since that day I have two cabs and another 25 SLB on the way.

This is going to be fun....

[Jimmy_jack]

Great picture.

[Pedgy]

Great read and even better review. Thank you for sharing. Cheers!

[fabes]

Nice review and great pic

[Bohn007]

I just smoked one the other day. My wife took a hit off of it and now it is the baseline by which every other cigar is compared to. She will ask me what I am smoking and if the cigar I am smoking is as good as the Epicure #2

[Saxman]

I just ordered my first box of these (today's 24:24 ) so perfect timing.

Sounds like I'm good to smoke it 45 days after I get them. Do you agree?

Appreciate the detail review nice job

[BuzzArd]

10 hours ago, Saxman said:

I just ordered my first box of these (today's 24:24 ) so perfect timing.

Sounds like I'm good to smoke it 45 days after I get them. Do you agree?

Appreciate the detail review nice job

I'm not the expert, but I would have no problem lighting up another after several days in a dry box.  Of course I want to let the majority rest and even get some age on them (will never happen; I'm onto them already) so they can reach their peak, but that's probably what additional boxes are going to be for around here....