Hoyo De Monterrey Double Corona

[El Presidente]

ENE OCT 03

I had some time Sunday afternoon to indulge in a few hours of reflection with a bottle of Quartz Reef Pinot Noir (typical Kiwi wine...overrated).

It has been nearly 9 months since I have had a HDM DC and the reason for this is that the last one I recall as being dull and disinteresting. This is my friend Dean Merlo's favourite cigar and as my hand wavered over the humidor...I decided to avoid the natural instinct of a Vegas Robaina Don Alejandro or Lusitania...and try the HDMDC again.

Nice shiny wrapper and a floral sweet smell at cold. Nice cap...a few hard spots towards the cap end which gave concern. Cuban Cut the cap and torch with my trusty no name torch.

The Hoyo opens up with a medium body and an assault of pleasant flavours which are a blend a flat white espresso, shortbread and something intangible. There are real floral notes that are throwing me off defining the missing link.

The Hoyo builds in intensity through the mid section but the burn is spot on and the cigar is immensely pleasurable. It develops a hint of sweetness at this stage which stays for an inch or two. It does not really stray from it's mid bodied persona but develops more intense flavours on the palate while staying unmistakenly Hoyo.

An hour and three quarters later I watched the first of the wild Cockatoos come in for their afternoon feed and took the last draw of the Hoyo. I still prefer the Lusi and Don Alejandro but have come to appreciate again the essence of the Hoyo De Monterrey Double Corona. Excellent 90

[Ken Gargett]

for what it is worth, and while i thoroughly respect and support any form of dumping on kiwis for any reason whatsoever (even if it is lies and does break forum rules), quartz reeef is a stunning pinot - don't think that the 03 has made it here yet so assume 02 (pretty flash) but 03 a step up. if you must bag kiwi wine at least do it to that toxic weed sauv blanc, and not the good stuff.

[El Presidente]

.....For heavens sake Ken, The Quartz Reef was was overrated swill (yes 2002).

For sure...nice balance, nice structure but NO FRICKIN FLAVOUR AND NO BLOODY INTENSITY

I expect more when I lay out my own money

[Freefallguy]

. . o O (Hmmmm... storm clouds brewing between El Presidente and Le Saveur)

How I love a scrapping good cat fight!

[El Presidente]

Ken is away on a wine junket (you can assume fully paid).

Unable to defend himself until Sunday

[Ken Gargett]

greetings

rob, what are you - the anti-miles? you'll never get a role in 'sideways II'. back from alleged junket for which, as is always the case, i am not paid a single red cent. i did think that the wine might be from an earlier vintage and be flattened by cork taint but as a 2002, you don't have the luxury of that as an excuse. so unless it has been stuffed by storage (you don't keep your wines in the back yard near the bbq, do you?), there should have been no problem. have tried this several times and it is a terrific wine, tho i think that the 2003 is even better. remember that pinot is not supposed to taste like scotch and coke. 02 central otago is, in pinot terms, massive. this is hugely opulent and richly flavoured. thank god you have some idea about cigars!

[El Presidente]

" remember that pinot is not supposed to taste like scotch and coke"

That hurts Ken

[Ken Gargett]

somehow i suspect that you'll muddle along, quite satisfactorily, with your pain.

[ALB]

:-(

Just a word from a K-1-W-1; ease up fellas, we were in the middle of that skirmish in Gallipoli (aNZac), & while the Waratahs are top of the super 12, still lots of kiwis lurking below (the reds? what the?)

Enough with the bagging now, lets just all play nice (at least until the bledisloe)

:-)

[Ken Gargett]

one of rob's forum rules should have read that in no circumstances is anyone allowed to bag the reds - especially after such a crap season and even more so in the week pre the annual hate game against the waratahs (and while once they are out of that hated blue jersey, they become glorious australians, seeing the 'tahs - and how can anyone take a footy team sriously if it calls itself the 'tahs - win the super 12 would be the second worst thing in rugby behind another poms win in the world cup). and i was the bloke defending the kiwi wine!

[josie67]

»

» For sure...nice balance, nice structure but NO FRICKIN FLAVOUR AND NO

» BLOODY INTENSITY

»

» I expect more when I lay out my own money

My thoughts exactly. I had one of these this afternoon ( from 1997), and while the cigar was beautifully wrapped and had a perfect draw, it just lacked flavor.