Montecristo No.2 SOA SEP 07

[sepp]

Montecristo No.2 SOA SEP 07

One word; Disappointed! The "canned" Guinness Draught I consumed with this test was more true to the Guinness profile than this No. 2 was to the Monte profile I have become accustomed to.

I have had this box under my control since mid March. They have been stored at 65% for 3 months now. Dry boxed this stick for 48 hours prior to smoking.

Construction was good but the stick felt somewhat solid or tight in my fingers. I angle clipped the cigar and the pre-light draw was tight as I may have clipped it a bit short; a re-clip (straight) improved the draw and delivered a clean tobacco taste but not the level of taste I expected.

The cigar lit easily and the first few draws delivered a bite to lips and tongue; Tannins, ammonia, not sure...

The "bite" left after the 1st inch or so. At the start of the 2nd third the texture I have come to love (that leathery, oily complexity that tangs on the front of your tongue and back of your teeth) started to come through. But that is where it ended. It never developed further from there. The flavors came and went (mostly went) through the middle of the smoke.

Nothing about this smoke made me want to take the band off and burn my fingers on the nub. I abandoned the last third to die in the ash tray.

This is the 5th smoke from this box and it was a disappointment compared to others I have tried. It has been at least two months since the last one I smoked. I can only conclude that either this was an out of bounds Monte or that the box has sunk into a low/sick period.

Or, has my consumption of smaller gauge CCs over the last two months changed my tastes in some way (this should make Chuck happy)? The No. 4 (UTA NOV 07) that I reviewed earlier this week delivered much more of the Monte textures and tastes I have become accustomed to. The texture and flavor on my tongue and teeth from that test stayed with me for hours.

85/100, 3/5 smoke rings

I hope they behave a little better in the future after I send them to bed for little while longer!