Montecristo Especial No.2 UBM SEP 19 (MRW2)

[RDB]

First the vitola: perhaps my favourite of all. Slim, easy to smoke well, intense flavours and a moderate smoking time. Alas only these and the Cohiba coronas especiales left in regular production. Montecarlos are a good alternative, and that’s about it since the MdO#4 hasn’t been made for a while. Curse the fashion for fat cigars!

I have two boxes of these Monte Esp.2 from 2019. Both look great, but smoke very differently. One box has darker, colorado chocolate wrappers. This one is more russety claro-colorado. They smell different too: these are much more forest floor leaf mulch and herbal scents, compared to the other box’ more intense cocoa and fungal undertow.

Similarly tidy construction, and both boxes have consistently firm draws and thin wrappers. It must be tricky to roll these well.

In the event, this lighter wrapper Monte was a mild and refined smoke, with the flavours following the appearance and cold aroma. None of the creamy chocolate that Monte is famous for. Instead a more savoury, autumnal forest aroma, with a little vegetal richness and perhaps a touch of ginger. If you were looking for an intense Monte cocoa experience this would he a disappointment - but it is high quality tobacco nonetheless, with plenty of complexity and  interest, and it would make an excellent daytime smoke. Refined and graceful to the end, despite being young. I have no idea how these will age, and would be interested to hear if anyone has followed a box of Monte’s with this lighter character over some years.

 

[Kayslay]

I have always wanted to try this one! 

Love the carona especiales.

I have only been rolling cigars for a few months, but I will say that rolling skinnies has been easier IMO. Leaf must be consistent in size throughut the leaf in order to make them evenly filled throughout. The wrapper work and caps are easier too!