Montecristo Especial No1 MOL MAR 18 (MCRW)

[BuzzArd]

Don’t often reach for these.    I’m really trying to let the box age.   This was my second from this box purchased last fall.

Construction: perfect in appearance.  Dark wrapper, a bit rough and with noted sheen.  Smells like sweet tobacco.   Draw was on the firm side.   A bit more than i usually like, but still very smokeable. 

Paired with...  Obvious.   Accompanied by Smokin Cat although she bailed for cooler inside temps before the first third....

Initial light is leather and bitter espresso.   I’ve never gotten a chocolate note yet in the four sticks i’ve had of this vitola....  Maybe it’s me. The leather and espresso has been in every one though.   @PigFish was kind enough to gift me one last November at the FOH get-together in CA.   It was from a 2000 box IIRC.   I recall leather, espresso and a pleasant mineral taste.  This stick didn’t come through with that mineral note until the half.  It was subtle initially but increased to the finish.  Not really sure how to describe it, but maybe that’s the “terroir”  I’m tasting....  Either way it was a fine cigar.  Very obvious the box has a long time left in it.   The strenght came on hard at the final third as well.  Had to put it down before I nubbed it because it was stronger than I’m used to.    Still, I managed a fair job on it.  Several relights were required past the 1/2 way point   Maybe it was me.   Maybe it was a bit too wet at 65% even.   I’ll make a note and dry box the next one.

 

Wonderful cigar. 2.5 hours smoking time.  I’d rate it at a 91 and look forward to future smokes from this box. 

[Bagman]

Nice.  Always appreciate an update on smoking cat!

[BuzzArd]

1 hour ago, Monterey said:

Nice.  Always appreciate an update on smoking cat!

She’s definitely in decline....    Hard to think about, but I may be smoking by the fire alone in the winter of 2020....

[Bagman]

Same as mine.  18 years old.  Hope you get more time than you think.

[BuzzArd]

16 hours ago, Monterey said:

Same as mine.  18 years old.  Hope you get more time than you think.

We have no idea....   Used to see her paraplegic ass dragging around the neighborhood.  Think it was about 5-6 years in a row we’d see her scooting across streets, jumping walls and hunting.   I called her “Sidewinder” or “Gimpy”.   Then 4 years ago she took up residence on our front porch for the evenings.   We started setting out water (it was June in Phoenix... hard times for small animals) and eventually food.   She warmed up to us in such a way we figured she had to have been a “kept kitty”, but have no idea what family belonged to her. Before long she’d moved into the house.  Maybe she knew life with a disability wouldn’t have sustained her and she sought out sympathetic humans...?   These days she can’t even pick up her hind legs at all, rather dragging them behind her.   She can still get them sprung enough to jump on a couch or chair, but she seems to have abandoned any ideas about jumping the wall in the back yard, and front yard forays are now full of fear and uncertainty rather than the confidence she once had as a street cat.  She’s had a hard life for sure.   We’re just trying to make it a little easier on her while she’s still here.  

Gonna miss her one day soon I’m afraid....