The original Monte by Montecristo was first introduced in 2013 as a full-bodied departure from the more traditional, milder Montecristo cigars. The cigar features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper over dual binders of Dominican Olor and Nicaraguan Corojo tobaccos. The filler tobaccos are derived from the Dominican Republic. Manufactured at Tabacalera De Garcia, three vitolas are available in the original Monte line to include Conde (5 ½ by 48), Jacopo No. 2 (6 ⅛ by 54), and Monte (6 by 60).

You can purchase the Monte by Montecristo from our good friends at Famous Smoke Shop.

THE FACTS

Price: $9.85
Vitola: Conde
Size: 5 ½ by 48
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Dominican Olor and Nicaraguan Corojo
Filler: Dominican
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 20 Minutes

PRE-LIGHT

The Monte by Montecristo Conde is dressed in a milk chocolate Ecuadorian Habano wrapper that has a nice oily sheen. There is a good amount of veins and bumps on the leaf and the cigar is rolled evenly and firmly from head to foot.

There is an aroma of barnyard and chocolate on the wrapper, while a generic wood flavor and chocolate come across from the foot. The cigar comes to an end with a small pig-tailed cap. There is chocolate and potpourri spices on the cold draw that is a bit firm and a spice tingle lingers on my lips.

FIRST THIRD

The Monte Conde comes out of the gate with thick flavors on the palate. The flavors are on the darker end spectrum including notes of coffee, pencil shavings, and charred wood. These flavors are being complimented by a natural tobacco sweetness and sour grapefruit flavor. The spice is tame at this point with only a mild spice heat felt in my mouth. The cigar is burning evenly as a white ash forms. 

MIDDLE THIRD

The Monte by Montecristo is burning along well producing a satisfying amount of smoke. Coffee and charred wood remain and a new yeast joins in. There is still the contrasting sweetness that has stepped up a notch and that interesting sour grapefruit is still hanging around. The smoke is even more chewy and thick than it was at the start. As I near the end of the second third,  the burn is out of whack requiring a quick hit with my lighter. 

FINAL THIRD

The charred wood has become the most dominant flavor as I enter the final third of the cigar. The spice heat has only moved up to medium in the mouth, but it is closer to full in the sinuses as I retro-hale the smoke. The sweetness has taken a backseat to the sourness and the pepper flavor is more defined than it was earlier. The Monte by Montecristo comes to close with no further burn problems. 

WRAP-UP

I will be the first to admit, Montecristo cigars don’t do a whole lot for me. But there is no doubt that Altadis USA is trying to keep the brand in step with today’s consumer seeking fuller bodied smokes. And while I wouldn’t classify the Monte by Montecristo as full-bodied, but more medium, the cigar was still intriguing and satisfying. The darker flavors were balanced out by the sweetness and even the sour grapefruit worked well. There was only a single burn issue over the 1 hour and 20 minute journey. After this experience, I cannot wait to see where AJ has taken the Monte line with the Monte by Montecristo AJ Fernandez.

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Monthly Recap – July & August

Number of Cigars Smoked: 64

Of those smoked:

• Purchased: 25 or 39%
• Gifted: 16 or 25%
• Samples Provided: 22 or 34%
• Traded: 1 or 2%

Of those purchased:

• Brick & Mortar: 8 or 32%
• Online: 17 or 68%

Most Memorable Cigars Smoked

#1. Crowned Heads – Jericho Hill – During a work trip back to El Paso in August, I had an opportunity to burn a handful of cigars with Tony. He also hooked me up with a bunch sticks. The Jericho Hill being one of them. If you have read this blog for any amount of time, you know that I am a huge fan of Mexican San Andres tobacco. The Jericho Hill wears a San Andres wrapper over its Nicaraguan binder and filler and delivers flavors of molasses, chocolate, woodsy notes, and pepper. The profile is balanced and the performance is solid. The Jericho Hill is a great addition to the Crowned Heads’ line-up. Check out Tony’s full review of the Jericho Hill by Crowned Heads HERE.

#2. Crowned Heads – JD Howard Reserve – Being my 2013 Cigar of the Year, you would think that I would be constantly smoking them. However, with the constant flow of news cigars to the market, it is easy to forget about last year’s sticks. After months of not smoking one, the JD Howard Reserve is still all its cracked up to be, one heck of a good stick. The Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper adds a level of uniqueness to the profile. This is a stick I highly recommend. Actually anything from Crowned Heads is worth searching for and smoking. Check out my full review HERE.

#3. E.P Carrillo – New Wave Connecticut – I won’t focus on the flavors or performance of the NWC, but my experience. I introduced my step-dad to this cigar a couple years back and he has been a faithful smoker of them since with a readily available supply in his desktop humidor. As mentioned earlier, I had a work trip back to El Paso in August where I stayed with my mom and step-dad, Rick. The evening I arrived, Rick and I lit up a NWC and hung out late into the evening catching up with each other. I always enjoy Rick’s company and especially enjoy having a cigar with him. I look forward to my next El Paso trip to burn another E.P. Carrillo New Wave Connecticut with him.

August Cigar Reviews

Tatuaje – Cabaiguan Guapo Lancero

I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect first experience with a cigar. The cigar burned cool and even. There were no touch-ups or ashes dropped in my lap. Just a complex, flavorful cigar to sit back and relax with.

Montecristo Espada

The middle and final thirds flavors were enjoyable, but I don’t smoke a cigar to only enjoy two thirds of it. I think additional rest and aginng of the Espada may relieve the bitterness in the first third. I am going to put my last sample away and revisit in 6 plus months.

Sindicato Cigars – Sindicato

I have only smoked a couple great cigars this year and the Sindicato by Sindicato Cigars is one of those. Actually, this may be the very best I have had this year. I was caught off guard with how much I enjoyed this absolute treat. 

Asylum Cigars – Asylum 13 “99 Problems” Lancero

For the first forty-five minutes of smoking the Asylum 13 “99 Problems” Lancero, I thought I may have found a top 10 candidate for 2014. The flavors met my palate just right and hit on all cylinders. Then a weird thing happened at the halfway point, the flavors flat-lined.  Not that the flavors became hard to palate, but there was just not much to them.

July Cigar Reviews

H. Upmann – The Banker

Total Flame Cigars – Dark Line

Total Flame Cigars – FTW (Forever Two Wheels)

The post Monthly Recap – July & August 2014 – Jeremy Hensley Edition appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The full name of this cigar is the Montecristo Epic Premium Selection ’07 and it was released about announced about a year ago in June 2012. Tony also did a full review on it not too long ago, read his thoughts over here. I’ve had the chance to light up a few of these so I thought I’d take the time to jot down some of my own notes on it as well and share it with our fine readers.

Now I’ve been a long-time critic of Altadis’ cigars in general but the last few newer releases have started to sway my opinion to the better side. The dark Ecuadorian Habano wrapper on this cigar does help it’s case, it is super oily and toothy and looks awesome. The aroma of the Montecristo Epic gives a nice cedar note on the nose and just a touch of spice in there. It’s topped off with a super clean cap and a well packed foot.

Lighting the cigar was a breeze and I had a nice glowing foot in no time at all. Smoke production on this bad-boy was also pretty hefty, pumping out some pretty big plumes through a nice and even draw. The flavors started out pretty exciting and interesting with lots of cedar backed by some peppery spices and a sort of dark fruity note. As the smoking continued, the fruity and spicy notes seemed to fade away and I was left with the cedar and some new instances of leathery notes.

I had a few burn issues I needed to tackle but none were major and didn’t ruin the experience much. Body stayed at around medium and the retrohale started off with a nice bite to it but ended up being mostly bland near the end with a bit of a cedar finish. As I stroll into the last 3rd I’m getting some espresso notes sneaking in here and the body is definitely jumping into the full range. I was able to get the Montecristo Epic down to a good sized nub before I put it down.

I’d have to say that the Montecristo Epic started out with a lot of promise and excitement but it slowly faded away into a decent, but not overly-impressive finish. I didn’t get the extreme tartness that Tony mentioned in his review and I wonder if the extra age had something to do with that. I ended up pairing it with a Mill Street Brewery Tankhouse Ale which is a tasty and malty American Pale Ale. I think I should have gone with something a little more bold to pair with this cigar though, perhaps some port or nice scotch. While the Montecristo Epic is one of the better cigars in Altadis Montecristo line-up, it wasn’t quite up my alley. But I do think there is a large group of people this will appeal to so give it a try and let us know what you think!

The post Quick Draw Episode 16 – Montecristo Epic Premium Selection ’07 appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Now let me clarify something, I don’t mean “Average Joe” as in you are not special(I’m sure you’re all special…). I’m more referring to availability to the average person. As you run through Tony’s Top Cigars of 2012, many of them are still very new and haven’t hit some of the far reaching markets, especially not up here in Canada. They will roll out slowly to more shops but some may never make it to local B&M’s. Most of the cigars in my list below are pretty easily available nationwide, with a couple small exceptions, and they have nothing to do with release dates. It’s obviously biased to what’s easily available to me but I think my situation will mimic a lot of our friends out there.

As Tony mentioned in his post, this list is completely home-spun, written for the enjoyment of it, and I by no means consider myself any sort of expert smoker or expert shopper. Everyone’s opinion will vary and these might not be what you expect to see. But I’d love to hear your thoughts, let’s have some fun with this one!

#10 – My Father Le Bijou 1922

I had a bit of a tough time squeezing this cigar into this list, and I have a couple reasons for that. Firstly is the price, most of the vitolas are at or over the $10 range which makes them a little too pricey for most. The savior here is that you can grab the tasty little Petit Robusto for a much fairer price. My second concern was availability, they seem to be available in a lot of stores but also sell out quickly and are slower to re-stock to due the lower yield they have. But this is a cigar I’m constantly looking for, I don’t always buy it because of the price but when I see a sale or a package deal, I’m quick to throw one of these in there. The intense espresso flavors are almost enough for me to want this cigar, but it also gives great cedar, spice and cocoa all backed by a smooth and creamy finish. It’s an all around great cigar and will always be on my shopping list.

My Father Le Bijou 1922 Toro Review
My Father Le Bijou 1922 Box Pressed Torpedo Quick Draw

#9 – Padilla La Terraza Capa Habano

Now this is a cigar I honestly stumbled into by accident. I found it on sale, read a couple decent reviews and opted to grab a whole box for a steal of a deal. And I’m really glad I did! For the price of only about $2 that you can find these, the cigar is spot on and burns very nicely. You will find some woodsy, almond and coffee flavors here, perhaps a bit of a menthol kick at the start as well. All in a nice smooth medium bodied cigar. Just make sure to get the Habano version as the general consensus is that the Maduro just doesn’t match up.

Padilla La Terraza Capa Habano Quick Draw

#8 – Maldonado Dynasty “The Mogul”

This is a name you’ve probably seen pop up on our site before. Paul, leader of the Maldonado Dynasty, has been a great supporter and friend of Casas Fumando but that doesn’t mean we take his cigars lightly. I’ve been lucky enough to smoke through a whole bunch of these cigars, including some pre-release, first release and even a bunch from a fresh batch I received a few weeks ago. Paul is constantly working to make things better and it shows in his cigars. The quality of the sticks continues to rise while the flavors continue to impress. You can expect a silky medium-full bodied cigar with lots of coffee, cocoa, dried fruit and nutmeg flavors that will keep you on your toes. The availability of these is still a bit limited so it was a tough choice for me to add to this list, but if you don’t mind getting them shipped you can definitely find a place to buy these.

Maldonado Dynasty “The Mogul” Review

#7 – Perdomo Champagne Noir

I’ve always been a pretty big fan of Perdomo, they constantly impress me with top-notch construction on all of their sticks. It’s been rare for me to run into burn issues on their cigars and all of their sticks come in at fair prices. This is a definite commitment to quality that I can appreciate. Typically, Perdomo’s don’t make many top 10 lists because they don’t tend to be in the trendy boutique sphere and also don’t do anything too crazy. They seem to stick to their roots and just keep producing good cigars. I was a fan of the 10th Anniversary Champagne and when I heard about the Champagne Noir, I jumped to try it. I was happily greeted by a delicate mixture of baking spices, cedar, espresso and roasted almonds. Not to mention this was probably one of the slowest burning cigars I have ever lit up. The standard Toro size flew past 2 hours easily, normally I burn through a toro in under 1.5 hours.

Perdomo Champagne Noir Review

#6 – La Aurora 107

It’s been quite a while since this cigar was released but I still find myself seeking them out. The flavors never cease to impress and they usually come in at a very fair price, especially if you find them on sale. There is a wide range of vitolas in this line for everyone. Every time I light one of these up I know I’m going to get an amazing mix of cedar, light spices and some fruity sweetness. These are available just about everywhere so if you’ve been skipping them over recently cause they aren’t all new and trendy, I think it’s time to re-visit this stick!

La Aurora 107 Corona Review
La Aurora 107 Robusto Review

#5 – Padron 2000 & Londres

I think most everyone knows about this cigar and has probably had one at one time or another. I know I discovered these long ago when I first started smoking cigars. The prices on these are right in the sweet spot of most consumers and they are very widely available. The whole line is very good but I always tend towards the 2000 and Londres. Both the Maduro’s and Naturals seem to be pretty similar in the flavor department and you can expect to find lots of coffee and cocoa making this one tasty cigar!

Padron 2000 Review

#4 – Illusione 888 & 88

I couldn’t decide on which one of these I enjoy more so I decided to group them together since they are pretty similar in my eyes. The ~88~ and ~888~ are staples in my humidor. I know the prices are a bit high but the flavors and construction on these definitely make them worth my while. When you spark up one of these you can expect to find lots of earthy and cedar notes, but the two real winners here for me are the tarty sweet notes near the end and the amazing smooth creamy retrohale that they offer. If you haven’t tried one of these yet, make sure to pick some up! I added the link to our “~888~ Slam” here, the flavors were very similar to the regular ~888~ but I liked the vitola a little more just because it was more comfortable to hold, but both are winners.

Illusione ~88~ Review
Illusione ~888~ Slam Review

#3 – Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial

The first time I had one of these it was sent to me by Tony and I was just blown away by the awesome flavors and construction. I mean who can complain, almost all the cigars out of the My Father factory are top notch. What really caught my attention and keeps me smoking these is the price they come in. For a premium cigar with some awesome flavors and constuctio, the price is amazing. They are also very widely available which can’t be said for all the My Father products. If you like a solid medium bodied stick with awesome flavors such as spice, cedar, espresso and cocoa, you will love this stick.

Jamie Garcia Reserva Especial Review

#2 – Montecristo No. 2 (Cuban)

I know, I know, this is not an easy one for most of our American friends to track down. But it constantly tops my list and many others as one of the best value for a premium cigar you can find. With the right connections, you can get these for under $8 per stick. They have tons of good flavors ranging from coffee to cedar to earthy to creamy, it’s just so good. They do benefit from a bit of time resting but are easily smokable fresh too, you just won’t get some of the more delicate flavors.

Montecristo No. 2 2010 Review
Montecristo No. 2 2008 Joint Review

#1 – Drew Estate Undercrown

If you’ve been keeping an eye on my twitter feed or the Facebook page, you would have seen quite a few of these pop up over the course of the last year. The meaty and balanced flavors of espresso and spices in the Undercrown just seem to hit the spot everytime. Add on some excellent construction and spot on consistency, and this is a winner. I’m also a fan of the T52 and No.9 but I’ve had a lot more luck tracking down the Undercrowns and their price is also much more digestible as a more frequent cigar. I also love the wrapper on this cigar, it’s so dark and has a ton of toothiness and roughness to it, definitely some eye candy in the cigar world. As I write this I realize I’m running low on them and need to order another box… lol

Drew Estate Undercrown Review

There are tons more great sticks I could go into that are easily available, these are just a few that I’ve been smoking or wanting to smoke this past year. And this list could change completely in the next 6 months so take it for what it is and enjoy. If you have a couple that are on your constant shopping list and have been heavy hitters this year, let me know in the comments!

The post Casas Fumando “Average Joe” Top 10 of 2012 appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Normally I wouldn’t re-visit the same cigar again but I thought this was a good opportunity to answer some questions and concerns about Cubans. A lot of people criticize Cuban cigars for not being very consistent year to year either in flavor or construction. There were definitely some year ranges that got more attention or praise than others so we’ll see how thye compare.

Another thing I sometimes hear about Cuban’s is that they need to be aged. The last Montecristo No. 2 we reviewed were about 2 years old so I picked the same age range here. Today’s cigar was produced 2 years ago, in 2010. So this should take the concern of age out of the mix.

Montecristo is obviously a famous brand and one that is commonly mimicked by fakes next to Cohiba and Romeo y Julieta. The most famous from the Monte line up being this cigar, the No. 2 and the very popular No. 4. so if you are shopping for these, keep yor eyes peeled for fakes because there are tons of them out there! So let’s see how this newer version stacks up to the older one we reviewed and I encourage you to read our previous review before going ahead with this one: Link here.

Cigar: Montecristo No.2 (2010 Box Date)
Drink: Dieu du Ciel Blanche Neige
Vitola: Piramide (6.125 x 52)
Wrapper: Cuban
Binder: Cuban
Filler: Cuban
Price: $30 in Canada; Just under $10 in Cuba
Burn Time: 1.5 hours

Construction:
• The light orangey wrapper on the No. 2 has a nice oily shine to it
• There are some medium sized veins on these sticks but none of them look big enough to pose and problems
• There is a slight spongy feel to the whole length of the cigar, giving just a little bit when squeezed
• The foot seems very well packed and has a nice consistent tone to it
• The tapered cap has one leaf that blends right into the body smoothly

Burn:
• Toasting was very easy and even, the whole foot was glowing with minimal effort
• The first bit of burnline is a tad wavy but nothing horrible and it’s holding so far
• The burnline came around pretty quickly, and although not perfectly straight or razor sharp, it’s still staying within a safe range
• The No. 2 continues it’s funky but safe burn into the last third, also it’s letting me smoke it nice and slow to get the full enjoyment going
• The cigar finished up without any major issues and I was able to smoke it down to the nub without ever needing to touch it up

Smoke & Ash:
• Right from the first draw, I’m met with a nice mouthful of smoke
• There isn’t much in the way of resting smoke to notice but there is a light burning wood aroma coming off the cigar
• The ash here is nothing to write home about, it’s pretty dark grey or black
• In terms of cleanliness, the Montecristo No. 2 looks a bit weak but it doesn’t do much flaking
• To be safe, I tapped off the ash at about the 1 inch mark so I didn’t end up with it in my lap
• The next couple of ashes were in the 1 inch mark as well and still the dark grey colors
• Happy to say the smoke volume is staying nice and full, making it easy to just take a single draw and enjoy the cigar slowly

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper gives off a nice cedar aroma and a touch of light baking spices
• The foot gives more of the same cedar but there are definitely more baking spices noticeable here
• The pre-light draw is more of the same tasty notes, cedar and baking spices with a bit of earthiness here
• The initial draws bring a touch of pepper now and a little more roasted flavors, the lighter cedar notes are not present right now
• As the peppery notes die down, there is a flavor of burnt or roasted wood coming through right now
• The body has started off in the mild to medium range and there is a smooth cedar finish on the retrohale
• The baking spices started to creep in slowly through the middle of the stick, definitely some nutmeg and cloves in here
• Along with those notes came some nice light coffee tones that really balanced out the whole profile now
• The body built up a bit to the full range in the last half but the smooth cedar finish continued on the retrohale
• There was a build up of the coffee and baking spice notes while the subtler flavors died down a bit towards the nub
• There was no harshness at the end but the flavors definitely picked up intensity

Final Thoughts:
The Montecristo No. 2 is still one of my favorite Cuban’s and I already knew that going into this cigar. My hope was to give a good look at the comparison between this 2010 box and the 2008 box Tony and I reviewed here. On final note, I have to say the flavors here weren’t as refined as the older box was. Given they were aged for about the same time, I found the 2010’s to be a little more in your face and have a little more body to them. As for construction, they were fairly similar in quality, maybe the 2010’s have a bit of an edge with regards to good burn. The flavors are still tasty and if you like a little more strength you might actually like the newer boxes better. But for me, I’d probably seek out some of the older boxes if I could, but they are all probably gone now. Maybe a little more rest time will give them a different profile?

Pairings:
I thought this pairing was a perfect match for this autumn time. It’s by one of the great breweries in Quebec called Dieu du Ciel. The brew, called Blanche de Neige, roughly translates to “Snow White” and is a wheat beer brewed with cinnamon and cloves flavors. The awesome infusion definitely shines through in this beer and tastes amazing. It obviously has the cinnamon and clove flavors along with some night light malty and toffee like notes. Paired very nicely with the Montecristo No. 2, a strong coffee or some Port would have made a nice choice too.

The post Montecristo No. 2 from 2010 (Cuban) appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff: The Montecristo Epic is labeled as the boldest Montecristo blend in the Altidas U.S.A. portfolio. The main story in the Epic is the inclusion of Dominican tobaccos that date back as far as 2007.  Along with the Dominican filler the Epic also includes Nicaraguan fillers, Nicaraguan Binder, and a Ecuadorian Habano wrapper.

The Epic is available in  3 different sizes (Toro, Robusto, and Chruchill) with a limited edition No. 2 format available later this year. I’m not sure how much the limited edition vitola will run for, but the standard Epic sizes range from $12 to $14 a stick and will come in boxes of 10. These samples were sent to me by Altidas U.S.A.

Size: 6 x 52
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Dominican (some aged since 2007)/Nicaraguan
Body: Full
Strength: Medium/Full
Price: ~$13
Pairing: Weihenstaphaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel (5.3% ABV)

Prelight: Lately I have had the pleasure of smoking some remarkably well constructed cigars, and Montecristo’s Epic, falls right in line. This cigar is a beauty. Starting with its crazy thick, oily, toothy, consistently medium brown wrapper with some slight, webby shades of dark brown. There is a lot of smaller, webby veins, but not really any larger ones that might mess with the burn during the experience. The large, beefy body leads up to a beautiful, round double cap. The Epic is finished off with your standard, brown and gold, Montecritso band and the addition of a secondary gold, yellow, and brown label carry the words “EPIC” and “Premium Selection ‘07” printed on it. This cigar is incredibly firm, it’s almost rock hard. There isn’t a single dense, or soft spot throughout the body of the cigar. I just hope it isn’t too tight when it comes down to smoking it.

The wrapper on the Montecristo Epic gives off a very tart, citrusy cedar aroma while the foot of the cigar pumps out a very creamy, spicy, cedar and coffee aroma. The cap on the Epic took a little extra attention to clip using my Palio double bladed cutter, but I was left with a very nice, clean cut when it finally when through. The cold draw produces some really sharp, tart cedar with some coffee and natural tobacco flavors.

First Smoke: Surprisingly, I was greeting with quite a bit of black pepper on the first couple of draw of the Montecristo Epic.  Once the pepper began to fade away this crazy tart, and I mean TART flavor took over. It reminded me a lot of orange peel only with more tart, less sweetness. Underneath the tart flavor is a nice, bold coffee, natural tobacco, cedar, and nutty profile. Despite my earlier reservations, the draw on the Epic was magnificent. Every little puff kicked out a ton of thick smoke. The burnline was razor sharp with only some slight waves leaving behind a flaky medium and dark grey ash. The ash only held on for about a third of an inch before giving way.

Halfway There: The tartness started to let off a bit in the second third of this Montecristo Epic. As the tartness faded the cigar became much more creamy with some sharp cedar notes laid over lots of coffee, chocolate, and nutty flavors. The retrohale is way too sharp and tart for me, so I only did it once or twice before calling it quits. The burnline is now burning dead even and still razor sharp and I am feeling no nicotine at all at this point.

Finish: I was really hoping that by the final third of the Montecristo Epic the tart flavor would have fizzled out. No luck. In fact, along with all the other flavors, it’s actually beginning to ramp up. Other than the tartness there is still some very sharp cedar, very bold coffee, and creamy tobacco with hints of spice. The Epic didn’t require a single touch-up or relight as it took me almost 2 hours to take this cigar down. I felt a slight nicotine kick after finishing the cigar, but nothing too powerful.

Overview: While the Montecristo Epic is one of the better Non-cuban Montecristos blend I have had, it just didn’t do it for me. That tartness was a bit too overpowering, had it not been there, or even a bit milder then I think I would have really enjoyed this cigar. When you factor in a $13 price point, I just don’t see myself pulling the trigger on these. Check them out for yourself, let me know what you think. I know that there are far more reviewers out there that really enjoyed this cigar then there are who didn’t.

Pairing: Ahh yes, another wonderful German beer. Weihenstephan is labeled as the oldest brewery in the world. It takes some great beer to be around for that long and this brewery can do no wrong. Today’s selection is one from their very few darker offerings. The Hefeweissbier Dunkel, or Dunkelweizen is one of my favorite brews they make. Brewed at the legendary Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan in Germany, this modest 5.3% ABV is packed with flavor. The dark ale starts out with a bitter wheat followed by orange, coriander, cinnamon, and prune flavors. This is a great after dinner summer beer. It’s heavy, sweet, and paired quite nicely with the tart/sweet flavors in the Montecristo Epic.

The post Montecristo EPIC Cigar Review appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Prelight: Evident through the pre-light pictures, this cigar looks as thought it has definitely seen better days. There is a bit of damage (probably from shipping) on the foot, and the cap of the cigar, but not anything that should really hinder the smoking experience. Outside of that the cigar is a really rustic looking on with a milky, light brown, beaten, rustic looking wrapper. There are a few, very slight wrapper cracks as well, but again, nothing too concerning. This cigar is solo light and delicate with it’s extremely skinny body that I am fearful that just handling it may cause more damage. There are man larger veins running through the long slender body up to the tiny round double cap.

The body really doesn’t give off any more than a faint grassy aroma while the foot only bears the slightest of tobacco scent. I really can’t pull much of any smell from this cigar. The cap was extremely easy to cut letting out a very unexpected explosion of earthy, woodsy flavors from the cold draw.  I figured I’d really have to stretch to get anything from that as well, but it was quite the opposite.

First Smoke: surprisingly, despite the slender body, it’s really hard to get a good draw from this cigar at the start. The draw just seems really loose, and most of the air is coming back blank. After we got passed the first inch and compression at the foot, it became much easier to pull back a fuller mouthful of smoke. It still takes a few hits to get the draw that I desire, but it’s much better than the clear air I was getting at the start.  Another shocker was this cigar actually packed a lot of sharp, spice notes. Outside of the spice it was easy to pick up lots of natural tobacco, and woodsy flavor. This isn’t a flavor-bomb of a cigar, but so far it’s starting out nice and smooth with some deep flavors. The burnline is very event, and for the size of this cigar it better be. The ash is a very nice white, tightly compacted, and held on for about a half inch before giving way. Which isn’t bad considering how small it is. This cigar is seriously the width of a cigarette.

Halfway There: Not a lot of change-ups into the second third. The spice is really the dominant flavor. It’s really nice and puts a very nice overcast on the natural, cashew,  earthy, woodsy flavors this cigar gives off. Again, this is spice, not pepper. There actually wasn’t any pepper present at all in this cigar. The retrohale is really freaken good. If gives a really different dimension to the cigar priming my nasal passage with this sweet, sweet, almost gingerbread coating. As far as body is concerned, this cigar is really mild/medium not even giving of the slightest bit of nicotine at this point. Also worth noting is the fact that the draw pretty much doubled going into this second third and is right where I’d like, and expect it.

Finish: Wow, what a complete ramp-up in flavors, especially the spice. Now here is where this cigar’s potential was hidden. The main flavor is this just crazy spice. It tastes like how sandalwood incense smells. Just underneath is a really deep, dark woodsy flavor, and then the natural tobacco and other earthy flavors underneath. There wasn’t any harshness at all into this cigar that took me a little over an hour to smoke. That’s right, I smoked it that bad (cause it’s hot as hell outside) and there wasn’t any harshness at all. BUT there was something else. A whole hell of a lot of tar build up towards the very end. I only tasted it if my tongue or lips happen to touch it. It’s the tar in combination with the saliva that gathered at the head of the cigar. I have to blame the size for that cause generally I am a dry smoker.

Overview: Sure, the cigar really started out with a certain set of flavors, and ended with pretty much the same set. But some cigars don’t really need drastic change-ups to be wonderful experiences. This cigar falls in that category. This ramp up in flavors at the end was nice, and well welcomed. If it had happened earlier in it may have overpowered the entire experience. This cigar is really interesting in it’s own right, and I don’t think I have had anything like that. Depending on price, and age, I’d probably keep these cigars around, but it’s not a cigar I could see myself smoking everyday. It’s just a nice venture into a different type of milder smoke.

What did I think it was? Well, I really haven’t had a lot of panetela sized cigars. Maybe enough to count on my fingers, so I will try to guess this one based on characteristics. I’d like to say this is Cuban based. The wrapper is very thing and delicate which is an easy way to identify most Cuban cigars. The burn was similar to a Cuban, but the ash was not. My first guess would be a Cuban Partagas, and if not that, then maybe an old Montecristo. So far I am 0 – 4 in my guesses in this set, so I wouldn’t be surprise if my guess was completely off.

And the reveal: Wow, I was actually close on this one. This is a Cuban El Rey De Mundo Panetelas Largas circa 1980-1982. Yup, another old Cuban cigar. This one was almost double the age of the 15 year old Cohiba Brooks sent my way last time coming in at around a whopping 30 years old. I can tell you one thing, Brooks doesn’t skimp out on the good stuff. I tried digging up prices on this cigar and it looks like a box of 25 from 2007 runs about $200. I can’t even imagine what a box from 1980 would go for.

The post Blind Review #10 from Brooks at Smoking Stogie appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Prelight: Cigar #8 is a nice, heavy, corona sized stick. And when I say heavy, I mean this cigar has so much tobacco that it feels like it has been loaded with lead. Cigar #8’s wrapper is a really nice medium brown, with darker brown and orange spots. It almost looks calico in some light. The wrapper only has one really large vein running the entire length of the cigar heading all the way up to the massive triple wrapped round cap. The cigar is all sorts of firm. I can’t find any soft spots, but the hardness of the cigar kinda worries me. We’ll have to see if it creates any problems.

The wrapper doesn’t give off a lot of aroma at all. The only thing I could pick up was some slight tobacco. The foot however, is a different story. I am picking up some really neat floral and citrus aromas with some nice woodsy smells. The cap was cake to cut using my double bladed Palio cutter. The cold draw showed some unexpected signs of pepper and spice in this cigar, along with the floral and tobacco tastes I picked up. I wasn’t expecting to taste any pepper, but we’ll see if it actually carries into the smoking experience.

First Smoke: The cigar really fought my triple flame torch when I was trying to light it, but eventually it was off and running. I really didn’t pick up any of the pepper I did in the cold draw, but the spice was there for sure. Almost as a cover up for the pepper, the spice started out strong but then faded into some nice cedar tones with just a hint of citrus. There is also that saltiness that I tend to pick up from the wrapper of certain cigars, but it is was too early to call this one. The draw, despite being so packed was flowing smoothly kicking out nice, thick, smoke with every puff. The ash is just beautiful, leaving behind a perfectly compacted, zebra striped, with and light grey ash from it’s flawless burnline. The ash held on a good inch before falling into my ashtray.

Halfway There: It’s early, I know, but wow. This is a VERY good cigar. The flavors have remained very similar, with the cedary flavors in the forefront, backed by the floral, spice, and now some really neat coffee and cashew flavors. The retrohale is badass too priming with this deep cedar and a bit of the spice. I am not feeling any nicotine at all form this cigar, and for what it’s worth, this cigar is burning incredibly slow. Probably due to all the damn tobacco packed in this sucker.

Finish: I said it, and I will say it again. This is just an awesome cigar. The spice is still holding its own, although it’s just a tease at times it seems to really chime in at just the right moments. Outside of that the cigar has remained completely smooth the entire experience finishing with strong cedar and cashew flavors. By now the floral has completely removed itself form the equation. I smoked this cigar down to the nub, my fingers were burning, with absolutely no signs of harshness, just pure awesomeness. This better not be some crappy RP or I’ll eat my ashtray.

Overview: What can I say? I loved this cigar. From the size, to the amazing ash and burn,  down to the perfect flavors. This is a solid cigar and I’d love to have more in my humidor. I have a good feeling about this one, but then again, I am known to be way off.

I though it was Cuban, then I decided it wasn’t. Then I decided again it was, then decided it wasn’t. It was like that almost the entire time. It had the visual and for the most part flavor characteristics of a Cuban, but the ash, burn, and spice aren’t something I usually find in my Cuban cigars. But then again, this is Brooks we are talking about and chances are this isn’t even a cigar I have ever had. So what did I think it was? I think this is either a Partagas, or Montecristo Cuban. I’m pretty sure it’s a Cuban but if you visit one of the blind reviews from the last set you gave me, you’ll see Tatuaje threw in a curve ball as I claimed that was a Cuban cigar as well.

And the reveal?! You guessed it! I was dead wrong… This cigar was a tricky one, it turned out to be Quesada’s Seleccion Espana Corona. Brooks went on to explain that this cigar was actually made for the Spanish market, which is why it bared such great resemblance to a Cuban cigar. This cigar was released at ProCigar Festival in Dominican Republic and went on sale in Spain in February. Afterwards, a few lucky people in the US actually convinced Quesada to ship a few boxes of these to the US (about 15 boxes of each vitola in total). So you may have an extremely hard time finding these. Sad too, at the estimated price point of around $7-$9 this cigar would have been a steal. The wrapper is composed of a Ecuadroian Arapiraca, with a Dominican Binder, and Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers. Anyhow, for my own credibility I’d like to quote Brooks here:

“When I was given prerelease samples of this smoke (by 3 different BOTL), I was told each time some variation of “This cigar kicks Ass!” I am happy to report that is definitely the case, and more…This is easily one of the best new cigars of the (admittedly short) year, and it is also one of the most “Cubanesque” blends I have tasted (in a non Cuban cigar) in quite a while (I would say it is closest to a Bolivar if I had to choose)…”

He too could have possibly been fooled by this cigar. To view his entire review of the blend (pettit robusto vitola) visit this page.

The post Blind Review #8 from Smoking Stogie appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

So let’s get something out of the way for some people who may not be as educated in the various brands of cigars. This “Partagas” is not the same as the Cuban Partagas. With the Cuban embargo in place some companies took advantage of the chance to capitalize on a well known cigar brand such as Partagas. You can also see similar non-cuban manufactures producing Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta and many others. As much as some people may not like this, it’s hard to argue that it was a very smart business decision! No marketing expenses required and you already have a product with a well known name. There is a lot more to this story, including the fact that one of the executives worked at the original Partagas factory in Cuba, and this is just a brief overview but now you get the idea.

As for my selection today, it is produced by the General Cigar Company who has other well names under it’s belt such as Cohiba, Macanudo and Punch. The Partagas Benji Menendez Master Series is obviously something special and unique, not just part of the normal large production line. This cigar was blended specially by Benji Menendez himself who is the Senior Vice President of the General Cigar Company.

The Partagas Benji Menendez Master Series was released in limited quantities of 5000 boxes. There is actual a small website devoted to the Partagas Benji Menendez Master Series cigar made by General Cigar Co which you can find here. The site was used to promote a tour he did in 2009 when the cigar was originally released. But enough banter about the cigar and it’s story, let’s find out how it fares in today’s review.

Cigar: Partagas Benji Menendez Master Series
Drink: Delaforce Reserve Porto 2004
Vitola: Majestuoso (6 x 46)
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Habano Connecticut
Filler: Dominican & Nicaraguan
Price: About $9
Burn Time: 1.5 hours

Construction:
• A velvety smooth dark brown wrapper surrounds this cigar and only shows small veins here and there
• The entire length of the cigar is very firm with almost no spring to it, although the foot seems a bit soft
• The double cap atop this cigar is very cleanly finished
• The foot appears to have some voids in the filler which could explain why it’s softer near the bottom
• The cut cut off fairly easy and didn’t make too much of a mess

Burn:
• Toasting the foot took a little bit longer than I would have expected for this vitola but it did light up evenly
• Burn is going razor sharp through the first half, very clean and even
• Straight through to the end the cigar burned with extreme precision and ease

Smoke & Ash:
• Each draw brings a significant amount of smoke and fills my mouth easily
• There is quite a bit of resting smoke on this cigar and it smells sorta like a tobacco cigarette, not really a nice aromatic cigar…
• The initial ash is clean and tight despite the filler being loose near the foot
• After about an inch I tapped the ash off into the ashtray as it started to look weak
• Each subsequent ash lasted about the same 1 inch and had a medium grey/yellowish color to it with some zebra striping

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper aroma on this cigar is distinctly barnyard, apparently this is a sign of a good cigar but it’s definitely not the appealing
• The foot of the cigar presents more barnyard aroma but not as strong, there’s a bit of mild tobacco mixed in there too
• The pre-light draw brings with it a burst of cedar and a hint of peppery spice
• Initial draws here are very bland with mostly just tobacco flavor and a touch of woodsiness
• After the first inch the flavors become more of a creamy woodsiness and the tobacco flavors died off
• As the cigar progresses to the halfway mark, I’m still not getting much more than a creamy woodsy flavor
• The flavors are balanced, at this point still fairly mild with a small bite on the retrohale and a smooth finish
• As I approach the last third, the body increased a bit to about medium but the flavors have stayed pretty much the same
• If anything has changed up to this point I’d say the smoothness on the finish is fading

Final Thoughts:
This cigar is an interesting one to make judgement on. The flavors here were not amazing but I can see their appeal to some people as a cigar to sit back and relax with. The burn and ash were both excellent so I can’t knock any points off here. I think this is one of those cigars that is VERY dependant on your personal palate. I know that is a factor in all cigars but some have general characteristics that are the same to a lot of people, this one seems to fly somewhere between the radar. Where this cigar lost it’s points in my opinion was on the price. For $9 I don’t want a cigar to just relax with and have an easy straightforward experience. For $9 I want something that challenges my palate, offers dimensions, complexity and keeps me on my toes. I don’t feel this cigar did that for me unfortunately.

Pairings:
I really enjoyed the heck out of my last bottle of Delaforce LBV Porto. See my previous review of the Perdomo Grand Cru. When I went back to the store I picked up another bottle of the LBV and sitting beside it I saw the Delaforce Reserve Porto. So since the last one was good I decided to give this one a chance. The price was the same and the flavors are still just as good. Lots of dark berries and bold red wine undertone. I found the Reserve to have a little more oak flavor to it but other than that was very similar to the LBV. For the cheap price of only $17 in the over-priced alcohol market of Ontario, this bottle is a steal and pairs amazingly well with a lot of cigars. I think this Partagas Benji Menendez Master Series would also pair well with coffee or maybe a lighter bodied scotch.

The post Partagas Benji Menendez Master Series appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Tony and I did a joint review of the
Montecristo No. 2 a short while back, check that out for some more details about the Montecristo company and it’s history. The way they decided on the name was always an interesting topic to me.

This cigar comes in as a short robusto size, which was historically not too common to see in the Cuban market. Recently a few brands have started coming out with their version of a short robusto as well. I purchased a box of 10 of these a while ago with a box date of Feb 09, the cigar reviewed below comes from that particular box so it had just over a year of age on it.

Cigar: Montecristo Petit Edmundo
Drink: Mill Street Brewery Coffee Porter
Vitola: Short Robusto (4 x 50)
Wrapper: Cuban
Binder: Cuban
Filler: Cuban
Price: $7-8 in Cuba
Burn Time: 1.25 Hours

Construction:
• Fairly even diameter throughout
• One large vein but it doesn’t look like it will cause problems
• Clean triple cap
• Nice and firm throughout with a perfect spring to it
• Foot looks very well packed
• Cut was firm but very clean
• Small crack in wrapper near the foot, was due to transit and not manufacturing
• Great draw, perfect resistance

Burn:
• Toasting was perfectly even with absolutely no dark spots
• Slight waviness at start, mostly due to the small crack
• After clearing the crack effortlessly, the burn has been razor sharp through the first half

Smoke & Ash:
• Lots of smoke right from the first draw
• Abundant resting smoke with a nice cedar aroma
• Ash is very white with gray highlights
• Seems to be holding strong and no flaking
• Ash held a little past one inch and fell off in the ashtray as I set the cigar down, perfect timing

Tasting Notes:
• Wrapper aroma is faint, just a slight hint of sweet tobacco
• Foot has a sweet citrus-like aroma and a touch of cinnamon spice
• Pre-light draw is more of that citrus-like sweetness with a hint of coffee notes
• Initial draws taste of cedar and coffee, the sweet and spice seems to have disappeared
• Body is starting in the mild-medium range
• Retrohale is fairly mild with a smooth cedar finish, no bite at all
• As I approach the half-way mark, the cedar is making a strong appearance and that initial cinnamon spice I detected is coming in slowly
• Along with the cinnamon, the slight sweetness also is making an appearance ever so slightly around the half-way point
• Also picking up some earthy flavors here and there
• cigar started approaching the Medium-Full range near the last 1.5 inches but it stayed nice and smooth
• The last inch of this cigar was all cedar, still very enjoyable and I nubbed it right to the end

Final Thoughts:
Most Cuban’s have a distinct flavor that they share and it’s usually pretty easy for me to pick out. I’ve found that with this stick I can never seem to find it. This is definitely not a bad thing. It’s one of the few Cuban’s I’ve had recently that is very unique in comparison to others. If you’ve ever had the Edmundo and compare it to the Petit Edmundo, you will find they are quite a different cigar. I’ve enjoyed every one of these I’ve had and they also seem to be quite consistent in construction quality as well. It doesn’t change flavors all that much but it is a short vitola and I enjoyed every bit of it. This is definitely on my top 10 list along with it’s larger brother, the Montecristo No. 2 (Click to read the joint review Tony and I did) and is a must-try to everyone who hasn’t had one yet.

Pairings:
You’ve seen this brew on many of my reviews and it is still one of my favorites. The dark porter mixed with great coffee flavors make it a perfect match for many occasions and cigars. It matched very well with this cigar since it had some nice coffee undertones and the brew really brought those out. Click here for a full review I did on this brew. This cigar also pairs excellently with Tawny Port, Coffee, Cuban Coffee, Scotch and sweet tea. It’s one of those diverse cigars that can pair well with nearly everything.

The post Montecristo Petit Edmundo (Cuban) appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Montecristo No. 2

Montecristo makes a wide variety of different cigars in a wide range of sizes from the tiny Joyita to the massive “A”. The Montecristo No. 2 is one of the original sizes which were limited to No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5. Next to the No. 4, the Montecristo No. 2 is one of the top sellers and a very recognizable vitola.

The date on the box for these cigars is March 2008, so at the time of smoking they had just passed their two year anniversary. I found age to make a big difference on these as the younger ones I’ve tried tended to have a bit of harshness to them. The extra age definitely added an element of smoothness to the profile and also allowed some of the other flavors I hadn’t detected in the younger cigar to shine through in the aged one. I am fully planning to keep a few of them aging in my humidor for a few more years.

One other thing to note about this particular vitola is that all the sticks I’ve seen are not the best looking when it comes to the wrapper and perfect cylindrical shape with the tapered head. A lot of them seem to have water spots, veins, crookedness, etc… But I have to say, aside from the odd draw problem (common for many Cubans), the cigars have all been exceptional and well worth trying.

(Tony) Daniel pretty much summed it up. This is a stick was actually sent to me by Daniel awhile back and he has been badgering me to add my portion of this joint review on for week, heck maybe even months (sorry Daniel) . I haven’t fallen in love with many of the cubans that I have had the luxury of smoking, and I really hope this one throws a few surprises my way. For something rated so highly amongst the Cigar Community, I am anxiously hoping this one does it for me. Since Daniel was kind enough to stick to my review format in the joint review we teamed up to bring you of Illusione’s ~88~ , I will return the favor and conform to his review style.

Cigar:Montecristo No. 2
Drink (Daniel): Grahams Late Bottled Vintage Tawny Port (2003 Bottle Year)
Drink (Tony):Dogfish Head Raison D’Etre
Vitola:Torpedo/Piramide (6.125 x 52)
Wrapper: Cuban
Binder: Cuban
Filler: Cuban
Price: $30.00 in Canada, about $10 in Cuba
Burn Time: 1.5 hours

Construction (Daniel):
• A few bumps along the wrapper but no major veins
• Cleanly applied cap
• Light brown colored wrapper
• Tightly packed foot
• Evenly packed along the body with a perfect spring to it, some of them had small soft spots
• Nice oily wrapper with a tiny bit of bloom in some areas
• Slightly tight draw, I could cut more but it will likely open up later
• Draw opened up as predicted at the halfway point

Montecristo No. 2

Construction (Tony):
• Almost box pressed body and foot
• Nice almost sticky triple cap
• The Wrapper is Slightly oily with a nice soft gleam
• Very tightly packed foot and body
• One large vein running 2/3 of the way through the body
• Very firm to the touch
• No softspots at all
• Color is a consistently milky brown
• A bit of cracking towards the end of the final third, probably due to my over humidification

Burn (Daniel):
• Toasting was nice and even with no dark spots
• A little wavy burn at the start, is slowly correcting itself
• Needing some extra attention to stay lit
• The wave stayed to the halfway mark but isn’t getting any worse
• After the ash fell at halfway the burn realigned and is razor sharp now
• Was burning fast for the first half, now it’s nice and slow with no extra attention needed
• Allowing me to slow down the draws and enjoy it a little more
• The quick burn at the start made this a shorter smoke than expected, definitely wish it would have lasted longer

Montecristo No. 2

Burn (Tony):
• Lit up very easily with my triple flame torch
• Burn line went all sorts of crazy during the first third but evened out
• Very thin, sharp burn line
• It did tend to go off in its own little tangents here and there but always quickly corrected itself
• I was very surprised on just how extremely fast this cigar burned, not only in the first half but all the way through
• No need for touch-ups or relighting.

Smoke & Ash (Daniel):
• A little less smoke that I’d like at the start
• Resting smoke is quite abundant and smells great, toasted cedar and earthy tones
• Ash is a very light grey
• Ash is holding strong with no flakes or crookedness
• Ash held on for close to 2 inches
• No wind outside and the smoke is dancing in front of me, giving a nice aroma
• Amount of smoke was very full after the halfway point

Montecristo No. 2

Smoke and Ash (Tony):
• Decently big Draw, nothing to write home about, but nothing too tight
• Lots of cedar smelling stationary smoke with hints of spice
• Ash is light grey mixed with dark, almost black spots
• Ash is a bit flaky, but holds firm
• Very dry smoke, leaving my throat and mouth very dry. I may need a few drinks to finish this cigar up
• Ash held on for almost 2 inches before falling off.

Tasting Notes (Daniel):
• A light cedar and earthy aroma on the wrapper
• Stronger cedar aroma on the foot along with a light sweet spice, close to cinnamon-sugar
• Pre-light draw definitely has the cedar and the spice, but the sweetness isn’t there
• Initial draws were of smoky burning wood, more of that spice, along with some leather and earthy notes
• Retrohale is very mild with a smooth cedar finish
• Slight dryness on the back of the throat, Port is taking care of it!
• At the halfway mark, the leather has disappeared and is replaced with a black licorice flavor, smoky cedar and spice are still there
• Throughout the first half, the cigar was fairly mild and had a smooth creamy finish to it
• After the ash fell off near the halfway mark the licorice flavor really came out
• Still can’t quite pinpoint the exact spice but this cigar definitely has some complex flavors that I’m enjoying!
• Body started quickly ramping up to medium-full past the halfway mark
• Flavors are bursting out of this cigar now, super cedar, spice, earthiness, licorice and a great creamy finish
• Got some espresso notes making their way in during the last 1.5 inches or so

Montecristo No. 2

Tasting Notes (Tony):
• Very cedary aroma from wrapper
• Light cedary and more earthy aroma from the foot. Very Dirt and Grass smelling
• Very salty start from the wrapper
• Great cedar Aftertaste
• Very Earthy, with notes of hay and grass
• Spicy notes at the beginning with hints of Cinnamon that mellowed out very quickly
• Retrohale is very smooth and contains lots of cedar with a bit of fruit and earth tones
• Earth and hay flavors ramp up big time in the second half.
• The saltyness on the wrapper is now becoming sweet, making for an interesting changeup.
• Now the creamy, almost milked coffee flavors are coming into play during the last third
• Not a lot of body in this cigar. I did find a slight spike close to the end of the second third, but nothing stronger than medium.
• The final third did end up with quite a few unexpected flavors. Although finishing off a bit harsh there was a ton of cedar, spice, earth, cinnamon, coffee, fruit, and even an uproar of the saltyness that I encountered at the start of the smoke

Final Thoughts (Daniel):
I love this cigars attitude. It was all kind and friendly/mild at the start and then BANG! Flavor + body came out of nowhere and made this smoke even more amazing. The creaminess and espresso flavors at the end were almost like a heartfelt farewell. I did not want this cigar to end! Simple as that. If you have a chance to get some of these, they are definitely a must try. As with most Cubans, be prepared for some bad construction or draw on some of them. If you are buying singles, try to pick ones with no soft spots and a clean wrapper. The well balanced flavors and multiple dimensions while still staying true to typical Cuban cigars flavor were exceptional. I enjoyed every draw from this cigar and will definitely be seeking out more.

Montecristo No. 2

Final Thoughts (Tony):
This was classic cuban through and through. Mild body, with a ton of earthy flavors, and a crappy burn. If you are fond of earthy cigars, or cubans this is a great stick. Don’t let the burn mislead you. Almost every Cuban I have had to date carries similar characteristics in construction and burn. Its like a trade mark for them. This was a good stick, but it left me craving more. More body, and a longer burn. All together it only took me about an hour to tear through this one. One thing to keep in mind is I have not yet read Daniel’s review on this stick. Again, he’s been pestering me for weeks, if not months (Sorry again man) now to add my piece to this review and I really wanted to go in here with a completely biased approach. Hopefully our findings matchup.

Pairings (Daniel):
For me, this Tawny port was an absolute perfect pairing. It would also go amazing well with a nice glass of wine or a smooth scotch/cognac. For non-alcoholic, I think a strong coffee such as a Cuban or Americano would go very well and match better than sweet tea or soda. This cigar definitely deserves a good pairing that allows the flavors from the cigar to really shine. Try not to overpower with something very strong or palate altering to truly enjoy this.

Pairing (Tony):
The Dogfish Head Raison D’Etre proved to be a charming mix and actually helped me battle my way through the random notes I picked up in this cigar. Raison D’Etreis a deep, mahogany Belgian-style brown ale brewed with beet sugar, raisins, and Belgian-style yeast. Not to mention it carries with it a nice 8.0% ABV tag. The sweetness gave a lucrative balance to the saltyness I picked up on an off from the Montecristo while the boldness and strength made up for the mild body of the cigar. I honestly think something even sweeter, such as cola, or sweet tea would be a perfect match.

On a side note (Tony): After adding my portion to this review I found it extremely interesting how different Daniel’s and my experience was. Although many aspects were similar, the flavors seemed to be on different spectrums. Maybe it was the saltyness that I kept picking up in this cigar that gave me a different perception of the cigar, or maybe Daniel purposely stored my cigar with his condements before sending. Whatever it was I love the fact that we had totally different experiences. It goes to show just how different my taste’s and his really are.

Daniel’s Side Note: After weeks of waiting I never thought we’d get this posted due to Tony the slacker! hehe. I did store this cigar with onions and sea salt, attempting my own infused cigar (just joking!) I think the pairings affect flavors as well but even considering that it seems we were fairly close on most things. What does everyone else think about the comparisons between the two?

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