H. Upmann Half Corona vs Montecristo Number 5

[El Presidente]

Quick question.

From the hip, which cigar delivers the most utility to you? 

You have both in your humidor and you are looking for a half Corona. Your hand floats over both......wavers......on which does it land most of the time?

 

 

[99call]

HUHC. I think the Upmann flavour profile works well in a short format coffee pairing cigar, whereas I think the Monte profile is better served in a cigar that has the time to build in complexity.  

P.S. Shouldn't it be a Monte Media Corona instead of a Number 5?

[El Presidente]

3 hours ago, 99call said:

P.S. Shouldn't it be a Monte Media Corona instead of a Number 5?

Piss off ........it's my thread.     

[Chas.Alpha]

3 hours ago, 99call said:

P.S. Shouldn't it be a Monte Media Corona instead of a Number 5?

I was wondering the same thing, but I didn’t want to be told to piss off! 🤣

[Tunkat92]

Monte 5 for me. I just have great luck out of the CB packs. 45-50 minutes of chocolate greatness. HUHCs are excellent too but just too short for me. By the time you start to enjoy them its over.

[Lamboinee]

HUP HC all day, every way, no other way, is what I say.

Full disclosure, I'm not sure I've ever had a Monte 5 (aka media corona).but I agree with @99call, if I'm in a Monte mood, then I'm in for at least 5" of smoke and I'll just grab a mc 4 (aka media quattro).  

The HUP HC became a go-to for me because the HUP CM seems to be harder to find. The HUP profile works great in the short format. However, I've found a wide range of quality/profiles between different years of HUP HC. The worst I've had has been a 2023 box with red hues wrappers and pungent harshness. 

[wjs]

I have a box of 5's from 2017 that are just burning the house down (thank you Reid B, RIP) which I prefer to my 2023 HUHC's. If they were both the same age, I might feel differently but given my specific set of circumstances, I'll take the 5.

[MrBirdman]

This is pretty easily the Monte 5 for me. Monte 5 is actually one of my favorite Montes. Unlike most Montecristo, they need a good 3+ years of age before diving in, and they age well for years afterward. They're like a little syringe of Monte: cocoa, coffee, and some lovely twang. Now that the Reyes' price is a piss-take, Monte 5 have become my go-to "mini skinny." 

HUHC, being Upmann, really need a good 4-5 years to shine. When the HUHC is "on" it's glorious for any size. Yet the Monte 5 edges it out for me because HUHC have more consistency issues - and when they're bad, they're bad. The Monte Media Corona have similar inconsistency and, given the choice between those two, I'll take the Upmann every time. Also (like the MMC) the draw on the HUHC is NC loose. It is much too easy to overheat them, so even if you get a good one you need to nurse it like it's a 30-year-old scotch to get the best flavor.

[Lamboinee]

3 hours ago, 99call said:

Media Corona

Apologies for slightly off topic...but what is the difference between the Media Corona and the 5? Is one known to use better tobacco? 

[99call]

7 minutes ago, Lamboinee said:

Apologies for slightly off topic....but what is the difference between the media and the 5? Is one known to use better tobacco? 

Montecristo
Media Corona  2015	Half Corona	44 × 90 mm (3½″)	Petit Corona

 

Montecristo
Montecristo No.5  pre-1960	Perlas	40 × 102 mm (4″)	Petit Corona

[westg]

Upmann for sure, flavour and body. I at least had a couple of hundred of these in tins and dress boxes. The tins are a really cool little presentation and I might even buy a couple of fivers just to refill a couple of tins they can be so practical...parties , boat, fishing etc. I have never really expected too much from Monte 5 and they have lived up to it. I definitely go through stages with Cubans and at this point these formats are just far too small for me. Would I age these little formats? No bloody way. These are a smoke in 6 months scenario for me. 

 

[Chitmo]

9 minutes ago, westg said:

Upmann for sure, flavour and body. I at least had a couple of hundred of these in tins and dress boxes. The tins are a really cool little presentation and I might even buy a couple of fivers just to refill a couple of tins they can be so practical...parties , boat, fishing etc. I have never really expected too much from Monte 5 and they have lived up to it. I definitely go through stages with Cubans and at this point these formats are just far too small for me. Would I age these little formats? No bloody way. These are a smoke in 6 months scenario for me. 

I have Monte 5s in my humidor from 2007 and they’re little flavour bombs. I feel like people don’t have the same patience for aging smaller cigars for whatever reason. In really like them personally, but I primarily smoke with my morning coffee so smaller formats suit me. 

[westg]

23 minutes ago, Chitmo said:

I have Monte 5s in my humidor from 2007 and they’re little flavour bombs. I feel like people don’t have the same patience for aging smaller cigars for whatever reason. In really like them personally, but I primarily smoke with my morning coffee so smaller formats suit me. 

Yeah I get that for sure. Within the last year or so whenever I smoke smaller formats I just find myself wanting more so I continue to reach for something longer. For me, the Monte 5 has always had a cut off switch. Not so much with aging but in body flavour and complexity.  You do get the cocoa, coffee, slightest hint of milk chocolate notes and then with the flick of a switch it's gone for me. There is just something in that blend that does not linger on the palete. Upmann HC...that little sucker will saturate your palate, but again, very short lived for me.

[Chitmo]

36 minutes ago, westg said:

Yeah I get that for sure. Within the last year or so whenever I smoke smaller formats I just find myself wanting more so I continue to reach for something longer. For me, the Monte 5 has always had a cut off switch. Not so much with aging but in body flavour and complexity.  You do get the cocoa, coffee, slightest hint of milk chocolate notes and then with the flick of a switch it's gone for me. There is just something in that blend that does not linger on the palete. Upmann HC...that little sucker will saturate your palate, but again, very short lived for me.

I smoke more HUHC than Monte 5s, mainly for cost and availability reasons. But also, I find the HUHC is excellent fresh and so they’re ready to go as soon as they’re acclimated. I’ve heard a lot of guys wish they were longer, but my take on it is that if you’re left wanting more that means it was good. And hey, why not smoke two. 😉 

[Li Bai]

Half Corona for sure, I enjoy both but they're 5 euros cheaper (a stick !) and easily available 👍

15 hours ago, 99call said:

I think the Monte profile is better served in a cigar that has the time to build in complexity.

Agreed 100 %

[ViscountDick]

I say HUHC beats Monte 5 every day of the week and twice on a Sunday.

[Ford2112]

HC but just by a hair.

[Fugu]

I do like both. Yet, for about every five Monte 5s, I am smoking one HUHC. Higher versatiliy and consistency of the M5 beats the HC. Plus, and as tasty as a good HUHC may be, the Half-Corona format is lacking a bit of balance for me.

[El Presidente]

4 hours ago, Fugu said:

I do like both. Yet, for about every five Monte 5s, I am smoking one HUHC. Higher versatiliy and consistency of the M5 beats the HC. Plus, and as tasty as a good HUHC may be, the Half-Corona format is lacking a bit of balance for me.

Spot on summary for my experience. 

There is a DNA consistency/utility that I get from a Monte 5 that I can't quite replicate with a HUPC. 

 

[LordAnubis]

Since it was raised. To me the average cigar rates as so: HUHC >Monte Media Corona>Monte 5. 

However, if you got an above average example of each I rate them Media corona>Half Corona>Monte5.

[BG318]

The HUHC is easier for me to get, so I smoke them more and save my Monte 5's. I think they are both great with the Monte 5's being more consistent. I haven't ever had a bad one from either. I also have never had an HUHC over three years old, and haven't had a Monte 5 under 4 years old, making a comparison difficult.

[teamrandr]

They are both too short.