Montecristo ? Montecristo No2
Size: 156mm x 52 ? Piramide
Smoke time: 1hour 17mins
Cigar age: 2002. Generously gifted by Puff Scotty. The cigar had been kept at 60?PH and 50?/50? for storage and then brought back in his daily humi to 70?/70?.
Note: The weather, unlike that on my previous Monte2 was not as pleasant today. My camera too unfortunately ran out of battery after the first shot and I still can?t remember where I?ve put the spares.
Appearance: Rich, lightly veined, almost Burnt Sienna coloured wrapper. Gentle, pressed-in-the box profile, so I?m guessing the cigar came out of stored 25 rather than a 10 box.
Construction: Easy ?pinch? at the band but with disturbingly hard knot beneath. The pre-light aroma distinctly ?woody?. The pre-draw was fine and the smoking-draw very easy, possibly a bit too easy, and which in some way might explain the shorter smoking time compared with last weeks smoke. The burn was pretty good right untill the last inch or so, where it ?canoed? and prevented me from smoking through to the nub. The ash stayed compacted and solid. No re-lights, no corrections.
Flavour: Again, I have to be honest, I did not find this cigar to be taxing in flavour or strong tobaccowise. The smoke started in the usual twang/floral mode which quickly developed into a mild caramalised woody, earthy, leathery flavour with a light follow through on some sweeter notes which I?m going to call ?the cigar flavour?, because within those parameters it pretty much stayed. In the second half ?the cigar flavour? did begin of open up little and gather a bit more strength plus a nicely toasted edge but which sadly, was about it flavourwise really. I got no sensation of pepper, although for a few puffs in the last third a weird ?soapyness? crept in, fortunately that quickly vanished allowing me to finish my smoke in a gentlemanly fashion.
Overall: A companionable smoke today. Very mellow flavourwise if a bit subdued and delicate and ? going by other Reviews ? not delivering it?s full repertoire. An average Arsenal performance not a Barcelona Masterclass.
Note: Again we have an ?aged? cigar in this instance 8 years. Jerry (jDawg) recently made the point that he, and many US BOTL prefer to smoke the Monte2 and other Cubans quite young, as it?s believed that at the tipping point where ageing mellows away the raw nicotine strength, it also deminishes the flavour(s) depth. On my two experiences now of smoking older Monte2?s, I believe his judgement may be correct.
Size: 156mm x 52 ? Piramide
Smoke time: 1hour 17mins
Cigar age: 2002. Generously gifted by Puff Scotty. The cigar had been kept at 60?PH and 50?/50? for storage and then brought back in his daily humi to 70?/70?.
Note: The weather, unlike that on my previous Monte2 was not as pleasant today. My camera too unfortunately ran out of battery after the first shot and I still can?t remember where I?ve put the spares.
Appearance: Rich, lightly veined, almost Burnt Sienna coloured wrapper. Gentle, pressed-in-the box profile, so I?m guessing the cigar came out of stored 25 rather than a 10 box.
Construction: Easy ?pinch? at the band but with disturbingly hard knot beneath. The pre-light aroma distinctly ?woody?. The pre-draw was fine and the smoking-draw very easy, possibly a bit too easy, and which in some way might explain the shorter smoking time compared with last weeks smoke. The burn was pretty good right untill the last inch or so, where it ?canoed? and prevented me from smoking through to the nub. The ash stayed compacted and solid. No re-lights, no corrections.
Flavour: Again, I have to be honest, I did not find this cigar to be taxing in flavour or strong tobaccowise. The smoke started in the usual twang/floral mode which quickly developed into a mild caramalised woody, earthy, leathery flavour with a light follow through on some sweeter notes which I?m going to call ?the cigar flavour?, because within those parameters it pretty much stayed. In the second half ?the cigar flavour? did begin of open up little and gather a bit more strength plus a nicely toasted edge but which sadly, was about it flavourwise really. I got no sensation of pepper, although for a few puffs in the last third a weird ?soapyness? crept in, fortunately that quickly vanished allowing me to finish my smoke in a gentlemanly fashion.
Overall: A companionable smoke today. Very mellow flavourwise if a bit subdued and delicate and ? going by other Reviews ? not delivering it?s full repertoire. An average Arsenal performance not a Barcelona Masterclass.
Note: Again we have an ?aged? cigar in this instance 8 years. Jerry (jDawg) recently made the point that he, and many US BOTL prefer to smoke the Monte2 and other Cubans quite young, as it?s believed that at the tipping point where ageing mellows away the raw nicotine strength, it also deminishes the flavour(s) depth. On my two experiences now of smoking older Monte2?s, I believe his judgement may be correct.
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