Montecristo '06 Robusto review PUT Jun 06

[The Wise Old owl]

I bought two boxes of these when they were released, smoked a whole box then maybe a half dozen from the next. I thought it was a great cigar fresh! However, after about 4-6 months they took a turn for the worse... now two years have passed, time to revisit. I smoked this cigar Monday night while driving from Atlanta Ga to Greenville SC. I tried taking pictures (in the dark with the cell phone, at 70mph) but they just didn't turn out. Anyway...

I selected an example from the top layer that had the prettiest wrapper, no large veins or imperfections. It almost appeared underfilled, and when punched it offered an easy draw, only the slightest resistance. A little sweet and salty cold, with a barely perceptible tingle on the lips.

This MC took the fire and began an even burn that continued to the end, very well constructed! The 1st third was only tobacco and leather flavors... of course my palate is unrefined.

2nd third some of the more often identified Motecristo flavors began to peak through, coffee and chocolate, and I noticed the sweet taste most people associate with the dark EL wrapper didn't seen nearly as pronounced as the last time I smoked one... perhaps the cigar is beginning to balance out, joining flavors between wrapper and filler?

In the end it bagan to show some unusual characteristics when compared to two years ago, flavors of raisins and figs and baked bread... The smoke was always plentiful and remarkeably cool... never very much pepper punch when exhaled through the nose.

Even though I can find no real flaw with this cigar, it was very enjoyable and made the long drive seem like nothing, it didn't reach out and slap me the way a great cigar would. Perhaps 2 or 3 more years will help.

Four smoke rings.

(As a side note, the PL Robusto I smoked the day before was much better, honey and tea with a promise of only getting better.)

The wise old owl :-D:

[bassman]

Similar experience. Smoked one when first released & it was excellent- a very powerful cigar. Six months later the flavor was muted. Maybe just a dud, but haven't smoked any since. Time to try another!