Montecristo No. 2 EPM SEP 18 (MRW)

[JoeyBones777]

I came foolishly unprepared for this review. I have a young Monte 2 that I neglected to dry box and paid the price right off the bat with a tight draw. After struggling for a few puffs I pulled out my make shift draw fixer and she opened right up. First 3rd I got nice flavors of toasted tobacco, biscuit, hints of chocolate, a sweetness is present and a light creaminess trying to sneak it's way in. The burn is all over the place thanks to the lack of dry boxing and my last "good" lighter is now acting a fool.

The second 3rd gets a bit darker with light black pepper, some woodiness, toasted tobacco and hints of chocolate with the biscuit gone and creaminess gone. Taking too many puffs to keep it lit and this is definitely affecting flavor here. Draw is near perfect but burn has yet to even out.

Final 3rd continues getting darker and going a bit down hill. Same flavors as above with a little bitterness kicking in.

I did this cigar 2 disservices by smoking it very young and not dry boxing it. My lighter did me a disservice by failing me immediately after first light. The cigar itself was constructed well and has all the hallmark flavors of a good Monte 2 just waiting to express themselves more fully and refined in due time. I'm fully confident this box will be very good in another 6 months to a year and they will probably knock my socks off in 4 years. I'll just need to be patient and hold off trying them for at least 6 more months. Currently they are an 87 for me, probably an 89 had I dry boxed it.

[Monterey]

Not sure about your dry box comment.  A properly stored cigar doesn't need to be dry boxed.  I smoke a lot of monty 2's.  All at 62 rh and I never dry box

[JoeyBones777]

2 hours ago, Monterey said:

Not sure about your dry box comment.  A properly stored cigar doesn't need to be dry boxed.  I smoke a lot of monty 2's.  All at 62 rh and I never dry box

Could be misunderstanding on my part. I do keep my humidor at 65. The draw was a bit tight and the wrapper wasn't staying lit. I tend to have better success with younger cigars on both issues when I dry box them for a day or so. My older sticks seem fine right out of the humi.

[Monterey]

You need to get a perfecdraw.  I've tried many things over the years, but nothing works like a perfecdraw. 

Unless it was just a tad snug, dry boxing won't help much for a plugged cigar.  Helps more on oily cigars where the wrapper won't burn as fast as the insides.  Dry boxing helps dry out the wrapper so that you get a better burn.  So unless you have a thick and or oily wrapper, there really is no reason to dry box.   At least in my opinion.

Try running your humidor a tad lower.