FOH Xmas & New Year Review Comp 2018: 2011 Hoyo de Monterrey Short Pyramid EL

[Kaptain Karl]

This cigar was gifted to me by a BOTL here in Santa Rosa who blew me up with an amazing birthday cigar sampler. 

1/3 Milk chocolate, cream, baking spices, stone fruit, lots of red fruit, slight metallic strength low, body medium low 88/100

2/3 Step up to medium body, milk chocolate really stepping up in intensity with a little short bread entering the background. Construction is fantastic with a perfect draw, even burn and the ash clinging on toward the halfway point. Red fruit reappears which makes for a lovely interplay with the milk chocolate. At the half way point, sugary cake makes a surprise appearance that takes this from a decent to a great cigar. Something about this cigar experience in the middle third has put me into that euphoric state that only a great cigar experience can put you into. My family seems funnier, the morning sun on the deck warmer, and my awful jokes seem way more funny than they should be. The body has moved solidly into the medium full range, which makes the second third seem like a completely different cigar from the first. 95/100

3/3 More spice enters the third, with the cake, red fruit and milk chocolate all making appearances. The fantastic construction continues throughout. 91/100

Conclusion: 92/100 This was really a tale of two different cigars. The first third was super average, however the middle third made a complete about right and turned spectacular for the next third. The weather here in California Wine Country was perfect, making for a spectacular overall cigar experience! com