Montecristo Petit Edmundo USE JUL07

[Leftridge]

Being a relative new comer to the world of habanos I've only had about six months to indulge myself of the sensual pleasures associated with Cuban cigars.

It can be a complex world of understanding small nuisances in tobacco's flavor, aroma, and the related interworkings of age, storage, and potential.

When a friend turned me onto this site what caught my attention most was the vast reviews of not only popular brands and vitolas but of more rare and aged cigars. I have to say this has helped tremendously broaden my understanding and meanwhile peeking my interest in learning and investing more time in this avocation.

So, in an effort (no matter how meager) to contribute my experience to date and give back I offer this first review....

The Monte PE was one of the first cigars to cross my plate months back. As I understand is typical Cuban fashion I was blown away by the blatant smooth texture as if wrapped in velvet.

This particular smoke has a good construction, smooth and supple yet firm. A taste of the cap reveals a hint of black pepper which I have come to appreciate in this cigar most consistently at about the 2/3's mark.

Bunch looks good so I blacken the foot, in my ritual, and then clip the cap.

The prelight draw is perfect, slightly firm. I have found that many PE's are a bit loose as Rob described in his recent review. However with my rash of too firm draws with some Boli RC's this is a welcomed change. Slight hints of tobacco tingle my tongue and a bit of sweetness on my lips get me ready.

I light up this delicate powerhouse and am immediately struck by a rich dark roasted coffee and tobacco flavor. What is unexpected is the perfect coolness of the smoke as it roles around my mouth. The smoke is thick and smooth, voluptuous and inviting.

I love the way this smoke burns almost every time but this one is exhibiting some running along the seams and although on a whole is not detracting from the experience it doesn't show that exact burn I have experienced before.

Stoking slowly the creaminess of the smoke continues and as I hit the end of the first third I can taste the gradual transition of coffee and white pepper to spice.

As if this smoke knows precisly when to turn I become enveloped with black pepper tingling the sides of my tongue and the coffee disappears. All the while maintaining a core of rich tobacco.

I love this part of these smokes as this is the flavor taste that will resurface in on my palate long after I'm done smoking.

As I move in to the back third this smoke completely changes peripheral taste. It starts to warm up and the smooth tobacco becomes more aggressive, if only slightly. The reiminisance of some oriental taste can be experienced in the distance.

Despite the heating of the stick, that on other occasions I might describe as a negative, this smoke continues with a rich and voluptuous mouths fulls. I detect possibly a hint of cedar in the char of the tobacco.

As I near the end I long for this smoke to go on, and on, and on. But the heat on my lips begs me to stop. As if saying goodbye to someone I am fond of I set it aside and marvel in the wonder of the experience.

I would say a 90/100 in a great medium body smoke.

[smokum]

Nice review. I smoked a PE yesterday from OCT06, Slightly loose draw...fairly powerful. Had burn issues too. All in all enjoyable but I overheated the little bugger.

[Sandman]

Very nice review! These are surprisingly good for their size. A very tasty blend.

[marco polo]

Nice review/pics! :-)

[El Presidente]

That is one hell of a review

I was an avowed hater of this cigar when first released. I found them to be consistenly loose and hot to burn producing little flavour complexity.

Yet, I have turned my opinion around during 07 production. They have improved greatly and can be quite flavoursome cigars.

[Hugomarink]

Outstanding review and pics! Thanks!

[Guest rob]

» Yet, I have turned my opinion around during 07 production. They have

» improved greatly and can be quite flavoursome cigars.

I agree, the 07's have been great. A beautiful daily smoke!

[Caesar]

» » Yet, I have turned my opinion around during 07 production. They have

» » improved greatly and can be quite flavoursome cigars.

»

» I agree, the 07's have been great. A beautiful daily smoke!

I had my first one of these the other day, and I absolutely loved it. I was particularly taken by the sweet aroma emanating fromn the cigar.

[csgrip]

Thanks for the review. I've been quite curious about the Monte PE for some time now.

How would you - or others - compare this to the Monte #2? Is the creamy/smooth smoke similar? How about its flavor profile?

Thanks

Chris:

[Leftridge]

Being new I probably can't describe the the differences as well as some others but I have been smoking both for a few months and the Monti 2 - to me - does not have quite the depth, or darkness, that the PE does. Make no mistake the #2 is complex, rich, and robust but IMO it does not quite pack the same fast punch as the PE. I might also say the #2 is more creamy and smooth.

To me the #2 is refined, the PE is to the point.

» Thanks for the review. I've been quite curious about the Monte PE for some

» time now.

»

» How would you - or others - compare this to the Monte #2? Is the

» creamy/smooth smoke similar? How about complexity of flavor?

»

» Thanks

»

» Chris:

[Colt45]

Very nice review