Hoyo De Monterrey Regalos Edicion Limitada 2007

[Ken Gargett]

As with the R&J LE for 07, i looked at this before checking out any reviews. As noted, i am usually a fan of the LE’s but the confidence was shaken a little after yesterday’s R&J LE. Had the typical LE appearance with a deep brown colour. It has a rough texture, perhaps a fraction dry, and was quite veiny, almost varicose. Construction appeared good, it was certainly well filled. What was disconcerting was that when i clipped the cigar, the wrapper immediately unraveled a bit. I slid the band down a bit to hold it in place and this worked for a while - i am assuming that this was a problem particular to this cigar. Opened with cinnamon and roasted nuts. Quite rich flavours and immediately exhibited some early complexity. There was a touch of citrus and spice, even a fraction of mint for a moment. Creamy coffee notes, though quite strong coffee (Cuban, dare one say?). A little earthy note as well. This was a terrific opening array of flavours and so much more impressive than the one-dimensional R&J. As for power, this was no shrinking violet but not overwhelming. A lovely smoke. The draw was fine, burn reasonably slow. This cigar has balance, something that never crossed my mind with the R&J and the enthusiasm of youth. I think that this will settle wonderfully over the next two to five years. The R&J didn’t convince me to part with the hard-earned lucre but this would. Quite a cool smoke and the flavours evolved throughout but returned to that lovely roasted nut notes of the start. Quite a cool smoke and i really enjoyed it. The problem was that wrapper which was falling apart at the end (ever tried nubbing a cigar as it falls apart) but I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt. No reason others should be similarly afflicted. I’d go 92-93 and expect even better things in time.

i checked out Rob's review after writing this and i see that we are quite close on this one (i don't think we are that far apart on the R&J either). slightly different array of flavours perhaps. i see rob reverts to the HDM Pyramide. think that is fair though i found that smoke slightly richer and a little more sweet (and perhaps a touch better, though that might be with the benefit of time) than this one.

[Moglman]

Thanks Ken. Still waiting to try my first, but I am such a fan of the Pyramides that I had to take a chance on these. I am hopeful for the remaining 24 (after I pull out a baseline smoke) to reemerge in a beautiful state in a few years. We'll see if I still feel that way once I try them.

[El Presidente]

Thanks Ken.

Glad to see you got a review "right" :-D

[Ken Gargett]

» Thanks Ken. Still waiting to try my first, but I am such a fan of the

» Pyramides that I had to take a chance on these. I am hopeful for the

» remaining 24 (after I pull out a baseline smoke) to reemerge in a

» beautiful state in a few years. We'll see if I still feel that way once I

» try them.

whether they replicate the pyramides or not, and i'll be very happy if they do, i'm certain that these will be very fine smokes in time.

[stever]

Just smoked one tonight. Concur with Rob's and your review. Halfway through, I tasted rich dark wet earth flavors and brown pine neddle notes, almost mint-like at times. I think this cigar holds good promise.

Definitely better, at least at this juncture, than the R&J offering that seems to have a vapid core profile, almost reminiscent of the 2004 EL when it first came out.