Hoyo de Monterey Le Hoyo de Rio Seco (RRW)

[JustDave]

Hoyo de Monterey Le Hoyo de Rio Seco

5 1/2 x 56

Enjoyed with a giant glass of cold water.

I don't know how old.  It was from a reputable friend who has had it for at least a year and then I've had it for 3 months.  

Cold draw is easy, before lighting I get a fig/jam/candy flavor that I'm still trying to place.  I had a bit of a challenge getting a good light given the size of the head, but I eventually toasted all of it.

Pleasant notes on the first third, some mild sweetness, oak, vanilla. Wasn't really geting anything on the retorhale.

Started to notice a few issues with the wrapper not burning evenly and needed a few touch ups as we went along.  Hopefully this is just a product of me struggling to light the entire thing and not an issue with the stick.

Second third and starting to get some mild tea flavors and aroma along with what feels almost like tannins in the mouth.  Not too much of an evolution in regards to the first third.  I started to puff more frequently to really get a good amount of smoke and while I wasn't getting full on canoeing, I was getting an uneven burn.

Last third and the uneven burn is kinda straightening itself out and burning much more evenly.  More cookies, a light cinnamon cookie maybe, nice flavor.  Puffing more frequently is giving me a bit of a spicy mouth feel on the palette which is normal for me when I'm puffing more frequently which isn't particularly pleasant. 

Burn issues aside, overall, mellow and mostly pleasant.  
 
Doesn't really blow my skirt up, but at the same time not going to turn it down if given the chance to smoke one again.  Probably keep a few around for people who want a more mellow stick or really want a very wide gauge cigar.  If I'm reaching into my collection for something to smoke though, it isn't this.  Plain and simple, the ring gauge is too much for me.  52 is the largest I regularly smoke and prefer narrower and 56 is just a monster.  Other than that, a somewhat enjoyable smoke, glad I had it, but I likely won't seek to repeat.

Dave