Por Larrañaga Monte Carlo LGR AGO 19 (R90)

[The Squiggler]

Rewind 90 Review Weekend! -- PLMC LGR AGO 19

As requested, here's a review for the last cigar in my notebook that won 90+ accolades.  Luckily I take a few photos of almost every cigar I smoke (if I have my phone handy) so there is plenty of visual accompaniment. 

The humble PLMC... always impressively cheap and cheerful, but this one was a nice surprise.  The first I had tried from this order, I was expecting mongrel youth and some mere precursory hint at what to expect in the future.  What I wound up with, however, was a very pleasant smoking experience, rivaling some of the better aged sticks I've pulled out recently.

At  cold:  Slightly sweet barnyard and subtle hints of anise

First light:  Charred oak predominates right out of the gate.  The draw is a little tight, but smoke output is good. 

First third:  Harsh beginnings, but the bitter acorn flavors settle down quite a bit after the first half inch, giving way to hints of buttered, overtoasted sourdough bread.  Flavors in the first third are warm and nutty, giving impressions of sweet cashew and salty leather.  There's not a lot of depth at this point, but zero bitterness.  Body is Med+; Strength is Med... seems to be smoking quite well for such a young cigar.

Second third:  Approaching the halfway point, lightly salty herbal flavors emerge, reminiscing of old-fashioned salted licorice coin candy (which, to me, have always seemed to have a bit of a seaweed quality).  There is a distinct oil slick on the palette, leaving behind the kind of 'burn' or tingle I associate with freshly ground cumin.  The draw remains tight, but the smoke is thick, creamy, and savory, reminiscing, in its way, of a well-executed, dark cajun roux. 

Final Third:  Strength ramps up considerably as the burn approaches the band and the buzz is becoming a bit distracting (lesser men would blame the heavy drinking I've been doing all afternoon, but I know better).  The deep, savory flavors persist as oils build up in the nub, seeming to become saltier and spicier with each puff.  The tight draw only gets tighter around the 1.5 inch mark, and the whole thing seems to start heating up beyond a manageable level, so instead of fussing around I decide to toss it.

Final thoughts:  This little panatella has all the buckin' gall one could possibly expect from such a young cigar.  If these things don't get any better I couldn't complain, but I expect, with a little age, they'll become a bit more tame, allowing a touch of subtle class to shine through.  The only real complaint I can lodge here is with the construction--the draw was quite tight--and if I hadn't felt bit like I was sucking a golf ball through a garden hose the whole time I probably would have rated this thing even higher.  An easy 92/100.  Delicious.

 

[Chucko8]

100% agreed, always impressively cheap and cheerful!

[SmokeyGigi]

Can't go wrong with it ?

[GVan]

Nice review - I love "dark cajun roux" !!!!

[Theophilus]

Great review thanks

[planetary]

Was just watching @JohnS's video on PLMC posted a year ago, smoking a then 1 year-old example -- similar to your situation today, @The Squiggler.

Incidentally, my experience tends to agree with John's findings that PLMC offer lovely natural tobacco caramel sweetness after only a couple years, as opposed to PLPC which seem to take half a decade or more to get to a similar point.