Disecting a Monte Esp#1

[indyrob]

I had a wild hair up my butt today and decided to tear into a '97 Monte Esp #1, and for comparison: a '99 Esp #1.

I always though that cigars were long filler, but I'l guessing that certain flavor profiles need an extra kick to it, both cigars had some extra trimmings in the flutes, and the long filler leaves were wedge-cut to allow for these trimmings to be "inset" in the leaf. Interestingly enough, you can pick out the blend by disecting the cigar. I'm not sure what is what, but there were flutes of three different colors, with the trimmings being a seperate color too.

Wrapper: Very nice Colorado Brown on the '97 and a Colorado Claro Lt. Brown on the '99

'97 Binder:Ruddy brown, flows from Red Brown to Light Brown, almost greenish at the tip.
'99 Binder: 2 perfectly round tubes used for the binder, unlike the '97, which used only 1 leaf wrapped charateristicly like the wrapper.

'97 Filler;
Dark: Maybe Ligero? One leaf
Medium Colorado: Maybe Volado? Two Leaves
Colorado Claro: Maybe Seco? Two Leaves
'99 Filler was almost identical, less a third of the volado(?) and slightly more ligero(?)

'97 & '99 Trimmings - Maybe Corona and Media Tiempo leaves? The Corona is from the top of the plant and the Media being in the middle.

I can't find my USB cable since coming back from Vegas, but when I do, I'll post pictures.
-Rob

 

[Kurtdesign1]

You've shown yourself as someone who really loves & learns this hobby. Good for you.

As for variations among leaf color; don't worry. Espesially among filler & binder leaves, variation can be amazing.

About the different binding methods; interesting? Same source for the cigars?

 

[indyrob]

About the different binding methods; interesting? Same source for the cigars?

Nope.

The '97 was Sancti Spiritus, and the '99 was Guira I (TAE). It was interesting that the '97 was more bold than the '99. I'm going to attribute that to the 99's bandless plain shipping it arrived in, as contrast to the intact box I got w/ the '97.

 

[scarecrow]

So did you put it all in a pipe bowl when you were done with the disecting? :eyebrow:

Seriouly, it was interesting to see the difference.

Barry

 

[Headbanger]

Rob, What in God's gift of Habanos to us made you cut two perfectly good cigars open just to look? I never even think to do something like this and BLAMMO, someone takes the time to compare them to learn something. Pretty cool stuff Rob, thanks for sacrificing them for yourself and then sharing it with us.

 

[sli38]

Been reading alot about theese lately. Went ahead and pulled the triger on some 97's.....

 

[AZsteelman]

Rob, you never cease to amaze me. Thanks for sharing this...really interesting to know. Thats the kind of stuff I wish I had the knowledge to do, but I'd just waste a cigar and know nothing at the end of the experiment! Thanks for sharing!

 

[tripp]

This is special agent Tripp from the S.P.C.H. (society for the prevention to cruelity to habanos) You have 72 hours to turn over your habanos to protect them from further harm.

Just kidding.

Thanks for this research.

 

[Kurtdesign1]

This is special agent Tripp from the S.P.C.H. (society for the prevention to cruelity to habanos) You have 72 hours to turn over your habanos to protect them from further harm.

Just kidding.

Thanks for this research.

Man, it's a good thing you said 'just kidding' otherwise I would have really expected him to send you his cigars. SHEEEWWW! :grinFU:

 

[caudio51]

Very very interesting. I love reading posts like this.

Thanks Rob

Did you snap any pics?

 

[CWS]

Wow. Very interesting. I've done this to NC's but never a CC. A true lover of the leaf. I am in awe.

 

[Rutkus]

the horror :frownno:

 

[TimL]

I assume they were plugged? :grin:

Thanks for sharing.

 

[vperlman]

the horror :frownno:

Amen! I have some level of curiosity, but not anywhere nearly enough to sacrifice two excellent sticks. Sounds like cruel and unusual punishment...

 

[UFGators]

Wow, that's really cool that you got to see how they were constructed, but please send the next cigar you plan on cutting up over to me! :razz:

 

[indyrob]

Well kids, patience is a virtue and as soon as I get my copmputer fixed I plan on poosting the promised pics. Hopefully, I'll be able to do that tomorrow night.

 

[caudio51]

Well kids, patience is a virtue and as soon as I get my copmputer fixed I plan on poosting the promised pics. Hopefully, I'll be able to do that tomorrow night.

Nice, I was wondering why you haven't been online lately

What happened to the computer?

 

[indyrob]

Well kids, I've got the USB cord and now for some pics!

This is the '97

I didn't have the binder/wrapper in this photo

This is the '99

Notice that the '99 has a bit more filler, but it's more fragmented. Some of it broke up because of me and some was already fragmented. I wouldn't really call this a mixed filler, but more of a calculated blend.


*I have unwrapped a more recent production Esp#1 and it had the same concentration of filler type.

 

[indyrob]

Boy, do I need to clean my lens or what?

 

[caudio51]

Gotta do something, bit blurry.

Suprised at all the different shades