Cigar Review: 2003 Montecristo No. 2 - Thanks Kendo

[Dmex]

Smoked on July 4th, 2025 | Gifted by my friend Kendo*

There’s was no better way to mark Independence Day than with something truly memorable—and thanks to the generosity of my friend Kendo, I had the pleasure of enjoying a beautifully aged 2003 Montecristo No. 2. (LLN JUL03). This cigar, over two decades old, delivered a refined and layered experience from start to finish.

**Dry Draw**: Right off the bat, the cold draw hinted at something special: dried stone fruit, rich cedar, and classic Cuban tobacco. It was fragrant and inviting, with a quiet complexity that set the stage.

**First Light**: On first light, the cigar came alive with baking spice and a nostalgic cigar box note, while that dried fruit from the cold draw lingered in the background. This wasn’t a light or delicate cigar—it had presence and maturity.

**First Third**: An inch in, a gentle wave of spice began to develop. It wasn’t aggressive—just present enough, softened by time, aged into something more refined. Leather and earthy notes started to weave into the profile, seamlessly integrating with everything that came before. The transition was natural and unforced.

**Second Third**: At the halfway mark, coffee notes joined the mix, adding richness and depth. Soft touches of cream and cinnamon rounded it out, giving this middle portion a luxurious, almost dessert-like character. Somewhere around here I lost my ash—but it didn’t matter. The cigar had me fully locked in.

**Final Third**: As the final third unfolded, the spices returned with quiet authority. Not overpowering, but confidently closing the circle on what was a remarkably well-balanced and mature cigar.

Overall: This 2003 Montecristo No. 2 wasn’t just a cigar—it was a moment. Perfectly aged, beautifully constructed, and smoked on a meaningful day.  A huge thank you to Kendo for the generous gift.

[Dlowil]

Solid review and sounds like an awesome experience. Where does this rate in the top cigars you’ve smoked?

[Dmex]

4 hours ago, Dlowil said:

Solid review and sounds like an awesome experience. Where does this rate in the top cigars you’ve smoked?

Great question Dlowil. This is one of the oldest cigars I've smoked and I have to say I was really blown away by the richness of flavor, even after all these years. It's a testament to the quality of the cigar, but also to how well it was obviously stored all this time. From an experience standpoint I'd say top 5 of all time. From a just a purely objective perspective, I would say it ranks somewhere in the top 10. It was a delicious smoke and it's hard to remove the aged component from it. Thanks for the question. 

[Lucas Buck]

There is nothing quite like a well aged Monte 2. Thanks for the review!