Montecristo #3 LEP DEC 16 (NTYRW)

[Notsocleaver]

I am typically not one to let a cigar sit around untried, so I wasn't sure if I had any around that qualified for this weeks contest. After some searching I found a Monte 3 I received in a trade a little while back that I had never gotten around to turning into ash. The truth is that I love coronas more as an idea than in practice. Too often my time is either too short of a corona, or long enough that I want to smoke something more substantial. That and me and Montecristo have a difficult relationship. The #5 is the only monte I consistently enjoy. So thanks to this review theme for getting me to try a cigar I have been putting off.

The wrapper is smooth and flawless, save for a portion I damaged in handling. Draw is fine, with a touch of earthy sweetness on the cold draw. Without much to expect, I light it up and give it a go. Much to my surprise, I find that floral notes dominate the cigar. Not much of the coffee or cocoa flavors I expect in the Monte line, just a touch. It is fairly strong for a Cuban, but not as strong as the BBF that I reviewed last week.

Some wood notes come in, but nothing that screams 'Monte'. Reviewed blind I would be clueless. As the cigar progresses it gets less floral and more of a nutty, hazelnut type flavor. There is an occasional sour note, but for the most part the flavors stay pleasant at least. The cigar seems to get creamier as it progresses as well. The burn is a little wonky towards the end but it never needs a touch up.

While it was certainly not a bad cigar, there is nothing that makes me want to come back to it. Profile wise, it doesn't scratch the chocolate itch that I reach to Montecristos for. Its a size that I don't grab often, and the Montecristo name on the band keeps the price high. I'll give it a 88, and if you tell me you love then, I could understand why. I'll just let you keep buying them.