Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure Especial Tubos Unknown code/date (HRW)

[Dynamo320]

Picked up this 3 pack of Epicure Especial Tubos about a year ago at an airport duty free. The outer box was not available but since I’ve had this for about a year it’s at least a 17. 

Very nice looking milk chocolate wrapper with a beautiful sheen to it. I removed it from the tube yesterday and have had it in my ready to smoke desktop. 

The predominant aroma at the foot was of strong cinnamon spice. Cigar lit easily with my torch and we are off and running. Smooth right from the start with the flavors of vanilla cream biscuit dominating. Burn throughout the first third was exquisite, in fact, it remained that way all of the way to the nub. Never had to pull out the torch for a touch up at all. Nicely layered ash showed solid construction as the burn never wavered. Straight as an arrow all the way down. God, I absolutely love when that happens!

Into the second third and the creamy vanilla cookie biscuit flavor kept on producing thick and voluminous smoke. I started tasting some light milk chocolate entering the mix. Medium in body which continued pretty much to the end. I paired this cigar up with some Barbancourt Haitian Rum.  The sweetness of the cigar and the rum complemented each other nicely  

In the hit or miss world of CC’s, this was an absolute hit. Absolutely loved every minute of it. Kind of embarrassed that I chugged this down in just about an hour. I just couldn’t help myself as it was just hitting on all cylinders. Sometimes when I’m just not totally into what I’m smoking im thinking more about what I would like to smoke next.  Those thoughts never occurred during this one.  In fact, I never wanted this one to end!  Seems that every time I do one of these reviews I pull out an absolute cracker so keep it going Prez!

I feel like I have a pretty good variety in my Cuban arsenal but Hoyo is a brand that I don’t have great stock of at all. Chalk it up to a few hohum Epi 2’s that just didn’t do it for me in the past. The EE is now fully on my radar as a future box purchase. 

[koosh]

How was the draw? I was sampling these the other day and the draw was like sucking molasses through a straw but the ash didn't drop till 1/2 the cigar. ?

[Dynamo320]

No issues with the draw at all.