Hoyo de Monterey Epi 2 PTR December 2015 (XNYRC)

[leepers]

Stick was in perfect shape. Pre light had a heavy whiff of raw cherrywood. First light was flawless. Draw was a bit firm but nothing so awful as true tight draws. This gently attenuated a bit over time but I may have just gotten used to it. Early tasting notes held more fruitwood, developed baking spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon. The room note felt like the holidays with someone you love making a pie. 
 
More smoke later. Cream and touches of brighter lemon peel. At this point the burn was still terrific owing a good deal to great construction and perfect care. This example came to me from wailbait’s humidor. His collection is rock solid in that regard. 
 

Final third was denser, stronger with the cream and done fruitwood remaining but a bit compressed by a growing touch of acridity. Nothing that would ruin a smoke but it came in like a lurker in the fog. A touch resinous. 
 

Some smokes are such classics, we can remember our first ones. I smoked my first Epi 2 as a gift 9 years ago at the after party for a film I was in, proffered by the very generous star. It had some age. Smoked beautifully and had those broke citrus and fruitwood notes. Whilst that night was very special, every cigar of its mark and vitola I’ve smoked since has had a strong familial resemblance to that first one. Epi 2 will always be dear to me.