Montecristo Especial No 1 ABR JUN 06

[Colt45]

as always. Can you, or any other members, draw any comparison to these and the Montecristo No.1?

Also, I was wondering if from time to time, you might include a pic of the head sans cap. It might seem like

a strange request, but I often like to compare foot and head (not to make extra work for you).

[El Presidente]

»

» Also, I was wondering if from time to time, you might include a pic of the

» head sans cap. It might seem like

» a strange request, but I often like to compare foot and head (not to make

» extra work for you).

I will let others do the comparison but I will from now on duly photograph the cut cap as well as the foot.

[Professor Twain]

Thanks for the review Rob. I have only smoked Esp #1s from an aged box I picked up, 98s, they were heavenly. Always appreciate your hard grading.

[shrink]

Thanks for the notes, Prez. This is a truly beautiful cigar, and it's too bad that it doesn't act the part.

I appreciate your comments on the boxdate, and how the humidity might impact the cigar's early development. I have heard this theory before, from Tampa. It might very well be true.

Keep the reviews coming. They are very interesting, and helpful.

[El Presidente]

» Keep the reviews coming. They are very interesting, and helpful.

No problems there Shrink. If I didn't keep them coming I would be out of a job

[El Presidente]

Montecristo Especial No 1 ABR JUN 06

Apologies to Professor Twain but I have struggled with this cigar in the past. Sometimes spectacular and it is the spectacular which keeps me going back. Yet I have had too many which have been tight or simply lacking in complexity. I am a hard marker on cigars and swear that I possess Cigar Attention Deficit Disorder (Lisa can confirm it may be broader than cigars). As a rule I struggle with mediocrity be it wine, service or cigars. A cigar must engage me and take me on a journey or at least show promise of a journey to come with a little age under its belt.

At its best the Montecristo Especial No 1 is a rich, smooth medium bodied cigar loaded with coffee, biscuit and cream. I love the Laguito No 1 size so this cigar should be a regular in my rotation. If I had retained the boxes which were spectacular it would indeed be a regular. However part of my role is to sample a broad range of box codes across a spectrum of years and here is where the Montecristo Especial No 1 falls down a little. Inconsistency is its kryptonite. I have had earlier 06’s which I thought to be rich in vanilla bean and espresso…loved them. From my notes I have had 14 Especial No 1 in the last 2 years spread from 1997 to 2006. 4 exceptional, 5, good and 5 poor. Best to date was early Feb 06 and 1998 (didn’t copy down box code). Feb 06 was richer than 1998.

This example again shared my morning coffee and task of e-mails. Bright warm sunny day here in Brisbane with the first elements of a summer storm brewing as I type this. Construction of the Especial was good with no telltale signs of problems. Aroma at cold is a mix of faint cocoa and tobacco. Wrapper is supple to the touch with a little oil.

Serrated the pig tail cap and found a slightly tight but serviceable draw. Massaged the cigar and opened up the cap with my cigar cutters. Draw has improved to near perfect. No discernable flavour on the lips.

Gently torched the foot. The cigar starts slightly bitter and herbal….grassy notes mixed with sweeter spices. The flavours become clearer and cleaner within a few minutes but not overly convincing. Wet grass, cedar, anise. It is an uninspiring opening. Remove the wet grass and it would have a chance. Thankfully the wet grass elements slowly disappeared throughout the opening third being replaced with increasing intensity of espresso coffee. This worked far better with the cedar. The anise is going now and the cigar is creamier by the minute. Within the space of 15 minutes it has gone from a nag to a thoroughbred. Medium bodied, toasted tobacco aroma from the thin wisps of white smoke.

Into the second third of the cigar and the Especial No 1 is burning and drawing well. A little vanilla bean has joined the cedar, cream and espresso. The flavours are not robust by any stretch of the imagination. The cigar is elegant with the flavours playing more a background symphony. The cigar (like all Laguito No 1 & 2) needs to be smoked slowly and I am giving it every opportunity to develop at its own pace. The body is still medium and a purge through the nose finds only small elements of white pepper. A little Marzipan developing.

Toward of the end of the second third I find the woodiness taking over the sweeter elements. The cream is disappearing as is the espresso.

The final third is more clean toasted woody tobacco than anything else. Still enjoyable but I am missing the interplay of flavours found earlier. The woodiness and toasted tobacco has some biscuit elements (shortbread) but it is certainly a background flavour. Toward the last two inches the Especial No 1 becomes very woody. Tannins starting to show. There is a hollowness in the cigar (flavour wise) that I am not overly enjoying. Hard to describe but akin to drinking a stout and then following up with a bud light.

Has potential. One suspects 3-4 years of ageing will see this cigar be a medium bodied cigar loaded with espresso, cream, biscuit and vanilla. That is the way it should be. Interestingly my earlier Feb 06 Especial No 1 had these elements already in a fuller body and with none of the opening wet grass or late woodiness. I suspect I know why. Picture June in Havana. 100 degrees Fahrenheit 100% humidity and pouring rain. The factory is not air conditioned so all the windows are open. The humidity and heat in the rolling room is stifling. The tobacco overly moist. I suspect this is where the green grass opening came from in this cigar. The cigars are rolled and set aside. The foot continues to absorb much of the moisture. Just my theory.

87/100 4/6 Smokerings. Should be a 90 within 3 years.