Monte Edmundo (LKV DIC05)

[CoryOllis]

Monte Edmundo (LKV DIC05)

I decided I wanted a hefty cigar tonight and the Edmundo is one of my favorite larger cigars. It has good flavor despite it's ring size but sometimes has a little too much draw. I punched it in an effort to limit the draw. It punches very easily, too. I still haven't gotten a decent camera so please forgive the grainy photo of my crappy webcam:

I won't subject you to any more terrible pics; but, I wanted to show how easily this flat topped cigar punches.

Physical Characteristics

size - 5 1/2 in. X 52 rg.

shape - robusto

feel - very firm

wrapper color - tan with green undertone

appearance - light veins, squared-off triple-cap, decent wrap with no gross imperfections

pre-light - light barnyard and spice

Notes

light - punch, even light

1st third - It starts with good body and flavor from the first draw. I have slowed the draw to just about the right volume and the flavor is nutty with a delicate spice and cedar with a solid leather background. The burn wanders a bit but self-corrects quickly and the ash drops at the end of the third and is dark gray.

2nd third - Nutty flavor is pretty intense now and I am pleased with the volume of smoke. I may punch the rest of this box. One nice thing about a punch cut- it is easily turned into a straight cut if you decide you want more volume. I'm starting to feel a little of the strength now. Both strength and body are medium-full. Flavor is full now and I'm loving it. It produces smoke very easily so light puffs are well rewarded. Getting more leather as the last third approaches.

Last third - Also, the Cuban twang is evident now. It seemed to assert at the same time as the leather. The finish is still nutty but the smoke has more complexity now. When you put it down briefly to cool you're rewarded with various flavors at different times. Sometimes caramel; other times cedar, etc. The last third is much more complex than the first two. With an inch to go I have to put it down occasionally or I'll puff on it too much! Don't wanna "hotbox" it! :-D Leather continues to get stronger and more earthy tones, too. Flavor in general is much stronger in the last third as you might expect.

Summary - I enjoyed this much more than the one I sampled from this box at Christmas. The punch may have been a factor as I gave it a straight cut then. This cigar is pretty flavorful and produces tons of smoke. When I smoked one in a restaurant/bar I got a stare or two and huge clouds erupted from Chris and I puffing away! ;-) They survived it and didn't say anything. Hey, it's that kind of bar. I am tempted to get another box of these to put down because I can see right now that these are gonna be calling to me from the humi.

construction - 9/10

draw - 9/10

burn - 9/10

flavor - 10/10

complexity - 9/10

finish - 9/10

value - 8/10

handmades start with 30 points - 30/30

total score - 93/100

[El Presidente]

Great review Corey

The reality is that upon release I would not have given a dollar for one of these. However, as has been discussed before, there has been a blend change late 05/06 which has immeasurably improved the cigar.

[Colt45]

Thanks for the review. This is a cigar I've not tried yet. Truth be told, I don't go

for cigars of that gauge, that aren't piramides.

[CoryOllis]

» Great review Corey

»

» The reality is that upon release I would not have given a dollar for one

» of these. However, as has been discussed before, there has been a blend

» change late 05/06 which has immeasurably improved the cigar.

That might explain the one I tried a while back from a trusted source that was terrible. I wondered about it's authenticity but it was probably just an earlier blend. It was worse that most non-cubans. A few more experienced smokers have told me this(Dec05) was an unusually good batch.

Steve

[shrink]

Very nice review, Cory. I've sampled '04s, '05s, and '06s, both fresh and well "acclimated", and have never been moved to song. My bucks are better invested in the "new" Monte 2's. Maybe I'm sucking on the wrong end or something. :-(

[CoryOllis]

» Very nice review, Cory. I've sampled '04s, '05s, and '06s, both fresh and

» well "acclimated", and have never been moved to song. My bucks are better

» invested in the "new" Monte 2's. Maybe I'm sucking on the wrong end or

» something. :-(

I hear those new Monte 2s are excellent. I am trading for a couple next week! :-)

[wp2]

Thanks for the review Cory, I've been waiting to pull the string on a box of these.

[log1k]

» Great review Corey

»

» The reality is that upon release I would not have given a dollar for one

» of these. However, as has been discussed before, there has been a blend

» change late 05/06 which has immeasurably improved the cigar.

I read somewhere that they insist that they haven't changed the blend...with Habanos who knows....