JohnS' Smoking Diary 2024

[joeypots]

19 hours ago, JohnS said:

Quite simply, it was the perfect example of a Montecristo Petit Edmundo should be.

MC PE 10/18

 

19 hours ago, JohnS said:

So, if you have some Montecristo No.4 on hand, and there's no doubt that you probably do, why not leave some on the side to age long-term on the off-chance that they develop like this Montecristo No.4. I can assure you that you'll be glad you did!

’06 MC#4

 

19 hours ago, JohnS said:

In summary, I was 'stoked' (i.e. well-pleased) that this was a brilliant example of a Limited Edition cigar. 'Bloody oath' (i.e. it's true), it 'deadset' (i.e. truly) was!

’05 MC D EL 

I have heard cigar enthusiasts opine that Monte Cristo is not a marca that lends itself to long term aging. I disagree, as I think you do as well, John. I have more Monte Cristo than any other cigar in my stash and I am glad of it. I smoked an ’18 #3 this week and it was brilliant. It’s a shame that such cigars are now dear enough to be “event” cigars for many of us when we used to smoke them in our regular rotation.

[JohnS]

It is as you say, @joeypots. Firstly, the exuberance one can feel when you smoke an aged Montecristo and it's like what I've described in those reviews you've linked...well, it's just 'other-worldly'. For example, when I went on vacation to visit family in Greece in 2022, I left some cigar options for my son to enjoy while I was gone. He opted to smoke an eight year-old Montecristo Petit Edmundo with a friend a few times, mostly. Fast forward to the present day and I had the opportunity last month to share some '23 Montecristo Petit Edmundo with my son and his pal and the difference was quite stark. It was quite an education, believe me. Of course, not all your Montecristo stock is going to develop in this linear way, it all depends, but when it does it's simply fantastic.

It is also heart-breaking to come to the point of quiet resignation upon understanding that replacing your Montecristo stock is not the same thing as it used to be. Sad, sad times!

[JohnS]

Montecristo No.1 ESL Dic 2017

The last few times I've written a review on the Montecristo No.1, I've mentioned that if I had to guess what sells within the Montecristo marca, in terms of annual volume, in the original Montecristo line when it was first released in 1935, I would say the No.4 followed by the No.2 sell in the greatest numbers. The Montecristo No.5 would be next followed by a distance by the No.1 and No.3. The reason the last two would be less in demand, in my view, would be due to their vitola dimensions rather than how good a cigar they are. Lonsdales and coronas respectively don't currently sell in great numbers, hence their recent mass deletions in the last 15 to 20 years. I find it a great shame how 'under-the-radar' the Montecristo No.1 (and No.3) is, but I'd say that would be less so amongst enthusiasts on our forum.

Stocks of 2019/20 Montecristo No.1, prior to the Habanos pricing re-structure of mid-2022, have been smoking very well, as their sales on 24:24 listings in that time would attest to. I was low on Montecristo No.1 stock in my humidor at that time so I acquired a GEL Nov 2020 quarter pack in the middle of 2021. For this reason, I hadn't visited this ESL Dic 2017 Montecristo No.1 since the latter half of 2020 until I smoked one just two months ago. I enjoyed that Monte 1, so I figured I'd light another one up because, for want of a better reason, why not?

My last GEL Nov 2020 Montecristo No.1 was light in milk coffee and cocoa/chocolate, it had a distinctive citrus twang, leather and some nuttiness but it was a tad lighter in any creamy texture on the palate. It was around mild-medium in strength, improved as it went along and only got a little spicy towards the very end. By comparison, this ESL Dic 2017 Montecristo No.1 was obviously again milder, had a core coffee and cocoa, with a hint of citrus twang, but it wasn't cream-textured at all. Rather, it had more of a toasted tobacco and leather combined flavour that dominated it. It also had no nuttiness to it at all. So, it was very different but no better or worse than the four GEL Nov 2020 Montecristo No.1s I've smoked in the last few years. Frankly, it was about the same as my last ESL Dic 2017 Monte 1 and I enjoyed it just the same.

I still maintain that it's a pity the Montecristo No.1 doesn't get more attention from cigar enthusiasts. After all, it's only 10 millimetres (or two-fifths of an inch) longer than a Cohiba Siglo III but a lot better value in terms of price in comparison, especially since the changes in the pricing of the luxury Cohiba and Trinidad brands by Habanos S.A. in mid-2022.

[JohnS]

Partagás Serie D No.4 PMS Nov 2013

The Partagas Serie D No.4 is still the leading Habanos cigar in the world currently, ahead of the Montecristo No.4 and Montecristo No.2. It is a 50 ring gauge x 124 millimetres (or 4⅞ inches) robustos-sized cigar and it was around pre-Revolution. In other words, pre-1960, when robustos-sized cigars weren't popular in comparison to thinner ring-gauged cigars.

I believe this is the fourteenth Partagas Serie D No.4 that I've smoked since the beginning of 2022. This compromises five in 2022, seven in 2023 and now this second one in 2024, across a few box codes; mainly a superlative 10-count box of ROP Feb 2020 PSD4s. If you aren't aware, post-2020 Partagas Serie D No.4 have been consistently very good. For a time I had 'waned' off this popular cigar. In fact, I had none in 2021 but their virtuous smoking performance lured me back. And yes, I'm glad I have smoked a number (of them) since 2022.

This late-2013 box of Partagas Serie D No.4 was rested ten years prior to opening it. How did the second PSD4 from the box fare? In a word, magnificently! I was expecting it to be more milder in strength and body than what it was, but what factored the most in its smoking, in my view, was the magnificent rosado-shade wrappers, in general, on these cigars from this 25-count box. Yes, trust me, they made a huge difference.

The second one, smoked two-and-a-half months after I first 'cracked' the box, was again mild-medium in strength, simple in its flavour profile, yet medium-full in its body. The flavours were a simple combination of sourdough, coffee, leather...even a touch of honey sweetness, like the first one from the box. In comparison to my more recent PSD4s, I guess I can say that those had more coffee to them. The 2013 examples certainly had more sourdough and leather. That second one was very much still flavoursome. There was no reason to suggest that the box has 'peaked' and the strength and body have now started to deteriorate. That is not the case at all!

I wrote in my last review on this cigar that I envisaged that I would smoke the third PSD4 from the box after a longer gap than the first and second cigars, perhaps somewhere in the vicinity of three to six months. I was wrong. In fact I smoked the third one today after a gap of only two months! It was practically identical in its smoking as the second one was. But I don't mind if I have to admit to you that there's nothing new to report here. These are simply smoking 'great' right now.

I am well-and-truly on track to go through one-quarter of the box, at least, by the end of 2024, the way things are going with this fantastic box of late-2013 Partagas Serie D No.4!

[JohnS]

Partagás Maduro No.3 TUE Mar 2021

The Partagas Maduro No.3 was added along with the Partagas Maduro No.2 in 2018 to form the Linea Maduro with the Partagas Maduro No.1 introduced in 2015. It is a unique Maduro No.3 size with a 50 ring gauge by 145 mm (or 5¾ inches) length. This was my seventh Partagas Maduro No.3 from the box. I smoked my first three within three months of acquiring this box, waited ten months to have my fourth and a further five months after that to have my fifth one. That particular cigar was downright awful so I've waited almost a year to re-visit it today. I figured that I couldn't possibly encounter two in a row that would be so poorly constructed and thankfully that turned out to be prudent. Fast forward five-and-a-half months and this is my seventh cigar I'm smoking today.

Within the Partagas Linea Maduro (as it's called) I've had Partagas Maduro No.1s the most and in my view, the Partagas Maduro No.1 has been a refined cocoa, chocolate, coffee, anise and sour cherry smoke according to my palate, in general. I wouldn't categorise it as a classic Partagas-flavoured cigar, nor a complex cigar. Perhaps this last point is pertinent as a number of our forum members haven't exactly connected with this series for these reasons. I mean, think about it, when you think of the Partagas marca do you even think about the Linea Maduro? Perhaps one could label the Linea Maduro series the 'Un-Partagas Partagas' line?

Personally speaking, I haven't exactly been overly keen to re-visit this line (either the Maduro No.1, No.2 or No.3) because my last few have been somewhat inconsistent. This Partagas Maduro No.3 was quite refined, with less body or fullness of flavour than the Partagas Maduro No.1s I've smoked, let's say. The flavours were again a combination of cocoa/chocolate, sourdough, sour cherry and coffee. It started off really well, but in the back half it became spicy and struggled to stay lit. It came 'good' in the last third but by that point I 'pitched' it halfway through that last third. I couldn't nub it, but at least it showed signs of promise.

In summary, I'm relieved that this cigar smoked okay, flavour-wise despite the construction issues. Even though the outcome was much more welcome than my fifth Partagas Maduro No.3 from this box which as I've already mentioned was terrible, I'm still reluctant to guess the next time I will reach for another one from this box. Hmmm...it could be at some point 'down-the-track', let's say.

[JohnS]

Padron 1964 Principe Maduro

The Padron 1964 Principe comes in two options; Maduro and Natural. It has a 46 ring gauge and 114 mm or 4½ inches length. It comes in a ubiquitous box press. The Padron 1964 Principe Natural was one of the Non-Cuban cigars I acquired during my visit to the Nuremberg LCDH in Germany in July, 2023. I have smoked and enjoyed a number of Serie 1926 and 1964 cigars in the last few years but not the popular Principe, so I thought to myself, "why not?" I smoked this cigar three months after acquiring it.

Today, I opted to try the Padron 1964 Principe Maduro to compare it to my experience of smoking the Padron 1964 Principe Natural six months ago. I punch-cut the head knowing that Padron cigars are always plentiful in smoke delivery. This proved to be the case with this cigar too.

The cold draw had slight 'musky' note to it, which I find is common with Padron cigars. In other words, it's a distinctive feature of their cigars, in my opinion. Six months ago, upon lighting that Padron 1964 Principe Natural, it was quite self-evident that I was smoking a Padron 1964 cigar as all the usual characteristics that define this series were present. This included flavours of cocoa, cedar, earth and pepper which stayed fairly rudimentary and consistent from beginning to end. As usual too, the draw was slightly loose; there was no effort in drawing a lot of smoke per puff (and flavour, of course). I finished that cigar after 65 minutes of smoking time.

This Padron 1964 Principe Maduro was fuller-bodied. It had a blend of dark chocolate, leather, espresso coffee and cashew nut. I finished the cigar after one hour. I would opine that if you are familiar with the Padron series of cigars then you would know that the Principe is stronger than other vitolas with the 1964 line. Be mindful of that if you aren't familiar with this cigar as it is not an option for those of you who seek a mild cigar. Instead, I would recommend this cigar for those of you who are experienced cigar smokers. Having said this, it's an easy cigar to like if you enjoy Padron as a cigar within your rotation.

After having smoked both the Padron 1964 Principe Natural and Maduro versions, I prefer the Natural because it's not as full-bodied by comparison and the flavours are slightly rounder. I guess that's just my preference as truthfully, the Maduro version is a fine cigar as it is.

[JohnS]

Cohiba Siglo II GLE Dic 2020

I did not realise that it's been two years since I last had a Cohiba Siglo II from this box code, and in fact, this is just my fourth Cohiba Siglo II in that time! (In other words, I've had three others across other box codes.) This GLE Dic 20 example has been resting in my humidor for nearly three years now and my first cigar from this box code was actually quite amazing for purely sentimental reasons in how overtly grassy, creamy and smooth...indeed quite how wondrous it was!

So, whereas a number of Linea Clasica and Linea 1492 (i.e. Classic Line and Siglo Line) Cohiba 2019 and 2020 stock I've smoked has displayed a mocha coffee core and sometimes a buttered texture, my first Siglo II (from this box code - smoked a little over two-and-a-half years ago) was all lemongrass, cedar, vanilla bean and cream-textured from beginning to end over 75 minutes of smoking time.

The second one, smoked eight months later, wasn't quite as good as that because it was nowhere near as balanced. It certainly wasn't as creamy or herbal. Instead, it had quite a bit of mocha coffee dominating the blend. The other flavours were there; only, they were in the background. It did last me a good 75 minutes though!

This third one, was a 'return-to-form'. The image above may suggest that I was smoking a Cohiba Siglo I, but in fact, the ash fell just as I was going to record its image. So, yes; the ash wasn't perfect but it was a good smoke. It was well-balanced in its flavours, with the mocha and honey standing out but not over-powering or dominating the other flavours of grass, wood and vanilla bean.

If you are a Cohiba fan, you'd be content if your Siglo II smoked like this. Cohiba is marketed as a premium product in the Habanos Catalogue and evidently, it's more than reasonable to expect a decent return for one's investment in both time and money. 

[JohnS]

Cohiba Secretos MSU Nov 2017

This is the sixth (and last) Cohiba Secretos from this MSU Nov 2017 10-count box I've sampled (I gifted the others away). It was acquired from PCC and sourced from the Spanish Habanos distributor, Altidis. The Secretos is a Reyes-sized cigar with a 40 ring gauge x 110 mm (or 4⅜ inches) length. Of the three Cohiba Maduro 5 releases first introduced in 2007 (the Genios, Magicos and Secretos) I would opine that the Secretos remains the most popular amongst enthusiasts, followed closely by the Genios.

In my experience, the Cohiba Maduro series takes a very long time to peak, somewhere in the vicinity of 7 to 10 years. In contrast, I've found the Partagas Maduro series much more approachable much sooner. The reason I say this is because the Cohiba Maduro 5 series tends to be more full-bodied when young, packing strong flavours which very much benefit from melding with time down.

This Cohiba Secretos was medium-mild in strength and medium-bodied. It started off well, with some nice notes of baking spice complimenting the luscious milk chocolate. Unlike my third last one from this box smoked a year-and-eight months ago, which descended into a somewhat generic and muddled, undefinable mess of chocolate, coffee and Cohiba grass/hay from the ten-minute mark onwards, this stayed true to those rudimentary flavours until the end, pretty much like the last time I smoked this cigar.

That's how it's been with this box though. When I've had one with a little baking spice and perhaps floral notes on the edges it was incredible, otherwise they've been nondescript and very ordinary. This outcome is rare though, I can't recall so much of variance within the same box in terms of flavour often at all. Construction...yes, but flavour, no.

I don't foresee acquiring any more Cohiba Secretos in the future. This last one was quite fine but towards the end I had to re-light it twice as I forgot I was smoking it, due to some work I was doing on my laptop that was engaging me on a warmish Autumnal afternoon. If it was a outstanding cigar, I'm sure I wouldn't have done that. C'est la vie!

[JohnS]

Cohiba Coronas Especiales AUM Jul 2014

The Cohiba Coronas Especiales is a Laguito No.2-sized 38 ring gauge x 152 mm (or 6 inches) in length cigar. It is known for its pig-tail, like its Laguito No.1-sized brother, the Lanceros. Its origins go back to 1967, three years after the Lanceros was born. Initially, the Lanceros was only made available outside of Cuba as diplomatic and VIP gifts, it wasn't until the 1980s that the Cohiba Coronas Especiales, Lanceros and Panatelas were released to the public, being the first three cigars of the Classic Line. (The Esplendidos, Robustos and Exquisitos were added to the line in 1989.)

Prior to being released to public, the Cohiba Coronas Especiales was packaged in dress boxes of 25 and 50 cigars respectively; thereafter it was packaged in cardboard packs of 3 cigars and varnished boîte nature boxes of 25 cigars and 50 cigars with and without cellophane until some time in early to late 1990s. With the discontinuation of display box packaging (i.e cardboard boxes containing five cardboard boxes of five cigars) in 2017, the only packaging the CCE comes in today is a varnished boîte nature box of 25 cigars.

For some time, I never seemed to find the same amount of satisfaction in my AUM Jul 2014 CCEs as I've encountered from some late-2005 examples I've enjoyed in the past, or indeed some outstanding LTO Sep 2020 CCEs I've had in the last two to three years. That is until my AUM Jul 2014 CCEs went past their seventh year of rest. Since then, I must say they've 'turned a corner'!

This almost ten-year old Cohiba Coronas Especiales had delicious, yet light and subtle flavours of milk coffee, light hay, baking spice and honey and vanilla notes and stayed that way just on seventy minutes of smoking time. In comparison to my younger LTO Sep 2020 CCE, this older CCE had very little in the way of mocha flavour, was crisp on the palate and was quite herbaceous in its hay qualities, much like the last one I smoked from the same box code six months ago. It was again quite simply brilliant, in fact, equal in quality to the very best of the CCEs from this box code by far, and even better than some LTO Sep 2020 CCEs I've had too.

It's not often that I reach for a Cohiba Coronas Especiales. This is also sadly my last one from this box code in my humidor. Thankfully, I still have four sticks of my LTO Sep 2020 CCEs left. I suppose that is due to the fact that I have so few 'on-hand' in my humidor, and the current pricing means that I will be sticking to other Cohiba options that I have on-hand and purchased before the mid-2022 Habanos S.A. price re-adjustments. Still, when they smoke like this one today, it instantly brings to mind the very best Cohiba cigars I've enjoyed in the distant past that were superlative in their cream-textured, sweet flavours.

[JohnS]

Ramón Allones Gigantes ABO Ene 2019

The Ramon Allones Gigantes represents a Habanos vitola of which there are only four left. At 49 ring gauge x 194 millimetres in length (or 7.6 inches), this Double Corona usually requires a minimum of 2 hours to smoke. They always seem mild in strength to me when invariably I find the time to smoke one, they definitely are never medium to medium-full. However, together with the Partagas Lusitanias, Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona and Punch Double Corona, they represent a vitola that, unlike Lonsdales and Churchills, hasn't been depleted completely in the last 20 years or so. Still, this hasn't stopped rumours circulating in 2019-20 that the Gigantes is on the way out. Maybe the Vegas Robaina Don Alejandro and Saint Luis Rey Double Corona's discontinuations has fueled such speculation? I certainly hope not.

The advent of the worldwide Coronavirus pandemic, along with the subsequent rationalisation of the Habanos cigar industry in mid-2022 made fears of discontinuation amongst Double Coronas and Churchills-sized cigars a moot point. Frankly, we barely saw any available in last twenty-four months or so. Thankfully, in last six to nine months, Churchills and Double Coronas-sized cigars have started to be reproduced and made available for acquisition. For these reasons, I've only had two Ramon Allones Gigantes in the last three years! Incredible!

This Gigantes was much like my last one from this same box code, in its core flavours. There was a beautiful balance of cocoa, light coffee and raisin and this was the way it stayed again pretty much throughout. If you want complexity, I'd suggest looking elsewhere as I find the Gigantes has a set of typical flavours which stay consistent all the way from beginning to end. A few notes of difference though, my second-to-last one I smoked a few years ago had a hint of a marshmallow texture to the draw on the palate which became more like a quality baking spice as this cigar ages long-term. Also, those raisin notes tend to become more like dried fruits and an aged RA Gigantes is more likely to have leather flavours than a younger one. This particular RA Gigantes certainly had notes of dried fruits at times and in the back half it had notes of forest floor flavours.

Quite like my last Gigantes from this box code, the construction on this cigar was quite excellent, I did not need any touch-ups or re-lights. It again took me two-and-three-quarter hours to smoke, like the last one I smoked six months ago, which you'd surely agree, is quite a long time to smoke a cigar!

So, I no longer have any of these ABO Ene 2019 Ramon Allones Gigantes in my humidor, but I do have an unopened box of TES Dic 2015 ready to explore at some point in the future...perhaps in 2025!

[JohnS]

Punch 48 2016 - Especialista en Habanos y La Casa del Habano Exclusivo LGR Oct 2018

When I first tried the LCdH Punch 48 (when it was first released) I noted the roasted nut profile in it was so dominant. At around the 18 months mark the peanut profile was still there; albeit, not as roasted. A Hermosos No.3, at 48 ring gauge x 140 mm (or 5½ inches), the size now seems more akin to a coronas, especially since the Robustos (50 ring gauge) and Petit Robustos is now the average-sized Habanos vitola these days.

Incredibly, this is only the second Punch 48 that I've had in the last three years! With that passage of time, I can assuredly say that the profile upon lighting this cigar demonstrated that 'roasted nuts' was no longer an adequate adjective to use in profiling it, after five-and-a-half years that is.

Two-and-a-half years ago I noted that there was a gorgeous sour citrus twang intermingled with a similarly gorgeous light cream and cedar note. Today, I wouldn't say that the sour citrus twang was as evident, but there was certainly remnants of it. Furthermore, cedar, light cream and nuts (just not roasted) were there too. My last Punch 48 had some poor construction in the middle, which induced an uneven burn and some potential acrid or sour flavours. Thankfully, I had no such harsh luck this time around.

The draw was a little tight but I still got some good smoke per puff. This no doubt contributed to the one hour and fifty minute smoking time.

In summary, this was quite a fine cigar. At five-and-a-half years of age, these are coming along well. I expect them to continue to improve in the long-term as the blend melds even more.

[JohnS]

Ramón Allones Superiores 2010 - La Casa del Habano Exclusivo ULA Sep 2014

If I had to put the Ramon Allones on a spectrum according to strength and body, I would put the Ramon Allones Superiores on the other side of the Ramon Allones Specially Selected. That is, the Superiores (commonly abbreviated to RAS) would be on the lighter or milder side and the Specially Selected (commonly abbreviated to RASS) would be on the stronger or fuller side. This ULA Sep 14 RAS, at almost ten years of age, therefore was atypical for an average Ramon Allones cigar in how light, smooth and soft on the palate it was to smoke.

Everything about this smoke was subtle, pretty much like the last two RAS that I have smoked in the last two years and nine months. The cocoa was light, the typical 'stewed fruit' Ramon Allones profile was light too, and these flavours were complimented by some baking spice, wood and floral notes. In comparison to my last RAS, I wouldn't go so far as to say that there was notable walnut in the blend this time around. I finished this cigar in eighty minutes and what a glorious hour and twenty minutes it was!

For me, this was another example of a stupendous Ramon Allones cigar. I could quite easily smoke another from the box just thinking about it! Only, I can't really because this Ramon Allones Superiores was the last one from this particular box. I do intend to keep exploring this cigar past the ten year mark though, as I have another 10-count box of RAS with the same box code. I just have to get around to opening it some time!

[JohnS]

Rafael González Perlas SOP Ene 2022

I acquired this box code just last week, as my last Rafael Gonzalez Perlas I smoked two months ago was less than five years old, I had enjoyed it, and I wanted to acquire some more of these. After all, I have smoked quite a number of these RG Perlas over the years. They tend to be reliable, possibly because they don't sell in great quantities. In other words, they're a cigar for the enthusiast 'in-the-know'.

The Rafael Gonzalez Perlas is probably the mildest minuto/perlas/reyes option one could go for. Habanos cigars this size are a little more intense in flavour delivery than their larger brethren, but the Rafael Gonzalez Perlas (and Petit Coronas) tends not to be as intense, generally.

This RG Perlas was smoked 'right-off-the-truck'. If you don't know what that means, it's usually abbreviated in acronym form (ROTT) and it means to smoke a cigar as soon as you receive the box. In other words, without rest in order to gauge its body, strength and stage of development. To assess those things, you'd be more likely to have become well-familiar with cigar, smoking it over a number of years so that you're more likely to know what to expect. So what was I expecting from this SOP Ene 2022 box? Well, I certainly wasn't expecting it to be so light, nor 'grassy'!

The cocoa here was light, there was some earth, some floral notes and baking spice but as I mentioned, I didn't expect the cigar to be so herbal or 'grassy'. Of course, I must state that the floral notes and baking spice wasn't as prevalent as what I would expect in an older version of this cigar, yet they were fine nonetheless.

Overall, I quite appreciated how light and herbal this Rafael Gonzalez Perlas was. Fifty-five minutes of smoking enjoyment. I'm so glad I acquired more Rafael Gonzalez Perlas for my humidor collection.

[JohnS]

Montecristo Petit Edmundo RGB Jul 2022

I know, I know...you've seen reviews aplenty on the Montecristo Petit Edmundo within this series and surely you must be wondering, "what's new?" Well, this particular Montecristo Petit Edmundo comes from a newly acquired 25-count box and has a mid-2022 box code. The Montecristo Petit Edmundo is a cigar that has 'grown on me' over the years. I admit that when I first tried this cigar, it didn't connect with me at all, on account of its amplified qualities when young (that is, both the strength and body are more intense than an average Montecristo cigar in its youth).

Again, I wanted to smoke this cigar 'right-off-the-truck' (ROTT) to gauge its development at almost two years but unfortunately I knew something was 'up' from the first few puffs. It didn't take long to see what the culprit was: under-filling down the middle! Most commonly, there is no redemption in the cigar when this occurs. It will not turn out satisfactorily and furthermore, you'd be fortunate if you can avoid the cigar becoming an acrid or bitter mess.

There was some citrus twang, cocoa and coffee in there as I smoked through the cigar, But no, it was far from ideal. Despite that, I still smoked this down over seventy minutes. How did I do that? Possibly because I've smoked so many cigars over the years, I can just put up with things when a cigar is less than stellar. Like the famous line from the film, 'Lawrence of Arabia', the trick is not to mind that it hurts!

Okay, going back to my last mid-2023 Montecristo Petit Edmundo that smoked well (in December 2023), it had a strong element of espresso coffee, some leather and cocoa and stayed that way for sixty-five minutes. That coffee flavour dominated the flavour blend, so much so that I knew that there was some typical Montecristo cocoa/chocolate in the cigar, it's just that the strength of the coffee overrode the other flavours at that stage of its cigar journey. Having said that, I had no issue really with its medium to medium-full strength and full-bodied mid-2023 Montecristo Petit Edmundo.

I'd be happy if my next cigar from this mid-2022 box code smoked like that mid-2023 one. I think I will be smoking the next one soon as I know from experience that two poorly-constructed cigars from the same box in a row is not likely to occur. Although...you never know. Let's see!

[cgoodrich]

19 hours ago, JohnS said:

Montecristo Petit Edmundo RGB Jul 2022

I know, I know...you've seen reviews aplenty on the Montecristo Petit Edmundo within this series and surely you must be wondering, "what's new?" Well, this particular Montecristo Petit Edmundo comes from a newly acquired 25-count box and has a mid-2022 box code. The Montecristo Petit Edmundo is a cigar that has 'grown on me' over the years. I admit that when I first tried this cigar, it didn't connect with me at all, on account of its amplified qualities when young (that is, both the strength and body are more intense than an average Montecristo cigar in its youth).

Again, I wanted to smoke this cigar 'right-off-the-truck' (ROTT) to gauge its development at almost two years but unfortunately I knew something was 'up' from the first few puffs. It didn't take long to see what the culprit was: under-filling down the middle! Most commonly, there is no redemption in the cigar when this occurs. It will not turn out satisfactorily and furthermore, you'd be fortunate if you can avoid the cigar becoming an acrid or bitter mess.

There was some citrus twang, cocoa and coffee in there as I smoked through the cigar, But no, it was far from ideal. Despite that, I still smoked this down over seventy minutes. How did I do that? Possibly because I've smoked so many cigars over the years, I can just put up with things when a cigar is less than stellar. Like the famous line from the film, 'Lawrence of Arabia', the trick is not to mind that it hurts!

Okay, going back to my last mid-2023 Montecristo Petit Edmundo that smoked well (in December 2023), it had a strong element of espresso coffee, some leather and cocoa and stayed that way for sixty-five minutes. That coffee flavour dominated the flavour blend, so much so that I knew that there was some typical Montecristo cocoa/chocolate in the cigar, it's just that the strength of the coffee overrode the other flavours at that stage of its cigar journey. Having said that, I had no issue really with its medium to medium-full strength and full-bodied mid-2023 Montecristo Petit Edmundo.

I'd be happy if my next cigar from this mid-2022 box code smoked like that mid-2023 one. I think I will be smoking the next one soon as I know from experience that two poorly-constructed cigars from the same box in a row is not likely to occur. Although...you never know. Let's see!

@JohnS, I absolutely love how you related to that quote. That is one of my all time favorite movies. 👍👍👍

[JohnS]

1 hour ago, cgoodrich said:

@JohnS, I absolutely love how you related to that quote. That is one of my all time favorite movies. 👍👍👍

Thank you @cgoodrich. The reason I used that quote from 'Lawrence of Arabia' is because I had watched the film with my young adult daughter, in its original 70 mm analogue format, in a cinema the same weekend I wrote that review, and the quote came immediately to mind when I smoked that Monte PE!

That scene whereby Lawrence holds his finger to the flame of a matchstick and states, "the trick is to not mind that it hurts" sets up the rest of the film wonderfully because straight after that, as Steven Spielberg has mentioned, we go to a brilliant cut of the harsh Middle Eastern desert. Director David Lean then proceeds to show the audience how Lawrence goes through a number of challenges throughout the rest of the movie, where he stands out among his peers because he actively shows that he doesn't mind that the setbacks he encounters hurt.

[cgoodrich]

1 hour ago, JohnS said:

Thank you @cgoodrich. The reason I used that quote from 'Lawrence of Arabia' is because I had watched the film with my young adult daughter, in its original 70 mm analogue format, in a cinema the same weekend I wrote that review, and the quote came immediately to mind when I smoked that Monte PE!

That scene whereby Lawrence holds his finger to the flame of a matchstick and states, "the trick is to not mind that it hurts" sets up the rest of the film wonderfully because straight after that, as Steven Spielberg has mentioned, we go to a brilliant cut of the harsh Middle Eastern desert. Director David Lean then proceeds to show the audience how Lawrence goes through a number of challenges throughout the rest of the movie, where he stands out among his peers because he actively shows that he doesn't mind that the setbacks he encounters hurt.

Lucky you are to see it in the theater.

David Lean was a brilliant director. Dr. Zhivago and Bridge on the River Kwai are absolute favorites of mine as well, along with Lawerence. All 3 are in my top 10 films. He was a master at story telling, visually stunning scenes. You felt the searing heat of the Arabian desert, the destitute bone freezing cold of Siberia, the oppressive tropical humidity that left you gasping for air. I always feel transported when I watch these films.

And to draw a small comparison, the way you write conveys your experience so very well. I can sense that experience, not just read words about it. I’m sure I speak for a great many on FOH, thank you and never stop. 👏👏👏