Bad taste Monte no 2

[WalterG]

I have 2 25 boxes of Monte 2. One with a box code of ABR 18  and the other OCT 18. I smoked 1 from each box after a month of acclimation. Both had a very bad chemically taste. Might it be ammonia? I would think that after a year they’d be atleast smokable. Thoughts? 

[JohnS]

You'll get some answers when you kindly introduce yourself as requested previously in your first topic you started when you joined our forum. You know the link as it was provided for you. 

I look forward to learning more about you.

[JoeyBones777]

1 month of rest before tasting is too short if the cigars were shipped to you. I wait 60 days minimum but find 90 days to be optimal. You'll be surprised how different the cigars taste rott compared to 90 days acclimation. Overhumidification can cause bitterness as well. If your humidor is around 65%(some keep it lower) then longer rest is needed imho.

[CaptainQuintero]

Yeah could be shipping if they've arrived in the last 3 months or so, could be humidity issues, could just be back luck. Every box is going to have a few bad ones, you might have just picked the bad over from each.

  I've been moaning for years that I've never had a good no.2 I'm guessing just down to the sheer numbers produced CC falls to the wayside. But from a batch of 50 you should be getting good idea at least most of the time I'd guess.

-how long have you had them

-what's your humidor running at rh/temp wise

-what's the weather like where your smoked them

[Mikeltee]

Drybox a few of each slowly for a week. Dryboxing has cured every issue I've had with my stash but those were all local. I have a closet full of FOHers that the oldest has 3 weeks on. I'll give them 6 weeks total before I even attempt to try one. What brought me here to this forum was the same reason you are here. I had plugged cigars and asked for help. Guess what the remedy was? There are some highly knowledgable people here. Stick around and learn everything you would want to know about CCs and even get in on some great deals as well as the best of the best in each mastercase of sticks. Welcome brother...

[Islandboy]

I’ve learned that source and knowing someone has scrutinized the quality makes a huge difference, especially with Monte 2’s. I say this at the risk of not knowing whether you got them  off 24:24 or not, but I just about wrote off Monte 2’s after several unpleasant attempts, until I experienced an HQ box. It changed everything. 

[Notsocleaver]

Maybe I just have a fragile palate, but I've found that to my taste, being ready before three years is the exception rather than the rule. I have definitely experienced chemical flavors aging out of cigars. The other things that can help is just smoking more slowly.

[WalterG]

2 hours ago, CaptainQuintero said:

Yeah could be shipping if they've arrived in the last 3 months or so, could be humidity issues, could just be back luck. Every box is going to have a few bad ones, you might have just picked the bad over from each.

  I've been moaning for years that I've never had a good no.2 I'm guessing just down to the sheer numbers produced CC falls to the wayside. But from a batch of 50 you should be getting good idea at least most of the time I'd guess.

-how long have you had them

-what's your humidor running at rh/temp wise

-what's the weather like where your smoked them

38 days

65%RH / 70F

63F sunny day

[WalterG]

1 hour ago, Islandboy said:

I’ve learned that source and knowing someone has scrutinized the quality makes a huge difference, especially with Monte 2’s. I say this at the risk of not knowing whether you got them  off 24:24 or not, but I just about wrote off Monte 2’s after several unpleasant attempts, until I experienced an HQ box. It changed everything. 

I didn't get them from 24:24 sadly. The wrappers look awful. It looks like the cigars were in a fight and got a bunch of stitches. 

[BuzzArd]

To ask an obvious question, are you sure they’re genuine?    If you got them from FOH no worries.   They don’t have to come from a 24:24 sale.  Anything from the FOH international store is fine.  M2 is faked frequently being an iconic Cuban marca/vitola.  

Not fishing for vendor’s names (there are rules after all), but if not FOH are they from a trusted vendor?

[CaptainQuintero]

8 hours ago, Big Al said:

38 days

65%RH / 70F

63F sunny day

  My first port of call would be that 38 day rest. They will have been shooting up and down in humidity as they moved around the world and in planes etc. Really from experience you want at least 3 months for the cigars to really settle completely from all that change

[SCgarman]

8 hours ago, Big Al said:

I didn't get them from 24:24 sadly. The wrappers look awful. It looks like the cigars were in a fight and got a bunch of stitches. 

Post a few pics of said cigars and the box. This way we can at least tell you they are either genuine or not. 

[SmokyFontaine]

I've got a 10-box of no 2's and no. 4's. The 4's are going at about 2.5yrs old, and the last one I smoked a couple months back was the first I truly enjoyed. I haven't had a 2 that was worth the butane though. The 2's are April18, so after trying a couple and having nothing but horrible experiences, I'm just going to let them both sit until they're a full 3 years and try again. If they still stink then, I'll just chalk it up to the inconsistency of mass produced Cubans. But the 4's at 2.5yrs have me optimistic. 

[Vito]

12 minutes ago, SmokyFontaine said:

I've got a 10-box of no 2's and no. 4's. The 4's are going at about 2.5yrs old, and the last one I smoked a couple months back was the first I truly enjoyed. I haven't had a 2 that was worth the butane though. The 2's are April18, so after trying a couple and having nothing but horrible experiences, I'm just going to let them both sit until they're a full 3 years and try again. If they still stink then, I'll just chalk it up to the inconsistency of mass produced Cubans. But the 4's at 2.5yrs have me optimistic. 

I’ve got Monte 2’s that have been sitting for 6 plus years and they haven’t gotten any better. Now there was a couple that were rolled right (not too tight-proper leaf placement) and it was good but I’ve had best luck with the Upmann no.2 and then the Diplomatico no.2 next. I’d rate the Monte no.2 as the worst performing no.2 out of all of em. 

[WalterG]

7 hours ago, NYgarman said:

Post a few pics of said cigars and the box. This way we can at least tell you they are either genuine or not. 

They are real from a reputable source. The quality of their stock is hit or miss but I get great sticks most of the time. I don’t have the actual box anymore because I don’t have space for it in my Sistema but here’s a pictures of the really ugly ones. 

[Vito]

Those look fine to me. I’m not seeing your point here at all. At least not with what you currently are showing us. Looks like we’ll rolled no.2s to me that I’d be happy to have sitting in my humidor. 

[SCgarman]

1 hour ago, Big Al said:

They are real from a reputable source. The quality of their stock is hit or miss but I get great sticks most of the time. I don’t have the actual box anymore because I don’t have space for it in my Sistema but here’s a pictures of the really ugly ones. 

Not sure of the size of your inventory, but maybe let these rest for around 6 months and smoke through your other sticks. Revisit them then. There is plenty of evidence that Monte 2 is a wildly inconsistent cigar. Myself stick with the Monte 4's and I have had great luck with them and they have a great flavor profile and much cheaper than the #2. Currently burning through a MUO Monte 4 box (el Laguito factory) and they have been great

[Bri Fi]

I have a 2015 box that just started to show signs of turning around according to the last one I smoked about six months ago. The first half of the box were all duds. Couldn’t understand the hype of the monte no2. I plan on smoking another when time/weather permits. 

[SCgarman]

1 hour ago, Bri Fi said:

I have a 2015 box that just started to show signs of turning around according to the last one I smoked about six months ago. The first half of the box were all duds. Couldn’t understand the hype of the monte no2. I plan on smoking another when time/weather permits. 

If you want a better and more consistent pyramide the Upmann 2 is a very good cigar.

[Bri Fi]

@NYgarman I agree. I haven’t had a bad one yet. 2018/19 La Punta is up there as well.