Monte 4 - RUB May19 (WTR) - Can it save a bad box?

[mprach024]

I know Rob and gang did Monte 4s already but it got me thinking.  If it can improve a good cigar, can it save a bad performing box?  I selfishly picked this box because it has been sketchy at best (have no problems dunking these in water or any liquid).  Most have been consistently mediocre, to the point that I have stopped smoking from it and cracked a different box.  That box has same box code/date and has been smoking fantastic.  I’ve had both boxes for around 9 months bought at same time.  Also I picked these because it’s a small cigar, and I’m doing both Dry/Wet back to back over the course of 3 hours...ish.

Dry

Initial - Construction ok, draw is good, seen better color and oils but ok, don’t feel any hard spots, upon lighting, very sour....uh oh.  Sour goes away after 5 draws (drags), but yuck I know that flavor (from others in box) and no me gusta.

 

First Third - This is a poor cigar or at least a poor start.  I have a box of BPCs right next to these on the same shelf that have been brilliant, both are next to a censor that read 66.2 F/65.1 RH.  Here’s my flavors so far, wood chips, and soap.  Let’s hope for improvement, some in this box do, some do not.  It’s acrid, and bad.  Body is Medium/medium gross.

 

Second Third - Here we go, much better.  Graham crackers and coffee, just the slightest hint of cocoa.  Still undertones of a papery wood, like biting down a small piece of basalm but it’s not distracting or unpleasant.  A little pepper on finish.  By no means a great Monte 4 yet, but at least I can smoke this.  I’m finding frequent blows/purges help with any acridity.  If I ignore for a few draws it starts to seep back.  Required a touch up on burn, draw is still perfect.  Body is medium/full.

Final Third - Graham Crackers are gone, still staying pleasant.  No bitterness at all, which is good I was worried it would return at the end.  Lots of coffee, some green vegetal earth, wood is replaced by an increase in black pepper, and got slightly tanic but not hot.  Body is medium/full.  Overall, not bad, smoking time 50 minutes.  I’d give this cigar an 86.  

 

Intermission:  45 min - chugged a Coors Light (mouth was dry after that finish), and took a shot of Sazerac Rye.

 

Wet

Initial - Same as cigar #1, looks same, etc.  I dunked into a bottle of Ice Mountain (no Tap water in my man cave, this was easier), and low and behold it looked wet and darker :).  Draw is a fine.  Upon lighting, no sourness at all, little bland but smooth.

 

First Third - Draw is perfect, burn is ragged, smoke output is fine.  Not a ton of flavor yet, hints of coffee, similar basalm wood, but very muted.  Burn starting to chase a vein down one side.  Surprisingly this is burning faster, which has me scratching my head.  10 min in a first third is a goner.  Burn starting to even out, body is Light.  

 

Second Third - Strange.  Wrapper has taken on a beautiful sheen (not sure if photo does justice).  It’s not wet or damp at all, but looks.....beautiful.  Smoke is velvety, Body is Light/Medium, and it tastes like a Venti Starbucks Coffee with 2 creams, with a spine of leather, no wood and no spice or pepper.  The ash is holding on like Stefon Diggs with stickem on his hands.  So far....I’m blown away by this, it tastes nothing like the rest of the box has, which was similar to the dry cigar.  Is it a great Monte 4 now?  No.  Still not getting the Graham Crackers and Chocolate I look for, but it’s definitely an improvement over the first.  

Final Third - Ash finally fell off, right down the sleeve of my shirt.  $&@%!  I hate that.   Cigar is starting to go slightly menthol on my tongue but doesn’t feel hot.  Everything is still very very smooth.   No spice, still some coffee but it’s mostly leather and peanuts which is very nice.  Body is Medium now, and burn is perfect, it sorted itself out without any help from me.  Draw is still perfect, not tanic like the last one.  This is the best third of the night.  Overall I put this cigar at 89.

 

So my experiment was really selfish, yes I wanted to do the water test but I was hoping to see if it could be used to help out a bad box.  Fortunately I don’t have many bad boxes, but in this case I have a feeling that everything in this box is gonna get dunked in water first.  I will be doing this again in a couple days with a box of something else that’s been performing well already.  I look forward to seeing the results.  Thanks Mr President for the fun and enlightening idea. 

[BeerPimp]

Thanks for the review.   This is one of my cigars I don't smoke enough of.   I have a box of HQ RUB MAY 19 that are amazing.   With one year on them they had notes of dark cocoa powder and coffee.   They were absolutely amazing.   I smoked one earlier this year and I got dark chocolate and coffee.

[mprach024]

1 hour ago, BeerPimp said:

Thanks for the review.   This is one of my cigars I don't smoke enough of.   I have a box of HQ RUB MAY 19 that are amazing.   With one year on them they had notes of dark cocoa powder and coffee.   They were absolutely amazing.   I smoked one earlier this year and I got dark chocolate and coffee.

Yes, I have 2 boxes of that code, the other is perfect Monte 4.