This Montecristo Especial No. 2 had been sitting in my humidor for a whopping 494 days before I picked it out to review. The person who set me up with the cigar reached out to jog my memory. The generous LostAbbott set me up the Montecristo Especial No. 2 as a part of a larger bomb when I visited in November 2012. My review on this Montecristo is long overdue.
[h=1]Nose:[/h] Im getting barnyard and cedar mixed together with that sweet Cuban tobacco scent in the background.
[h=1]Construction:[/h] The Montecristo Especial No. 2 is a bit of a unique vitola for Cuban cigars. Sporting a pig tail cap, it measures 6 x 38 and is a corona especial vitola. I didnt capture the release year but based on the band (standard band C) this particular cigar was released between 2006 and 2012. The Especial No. 2 line itself has a long production history dating back to 1969. At one point they were available in boxes of 10, but since 2000 theyve only been available in boxes of 25.
[h=1]Flavor:[/h] [h=2]First Third[/h] The first few draws and I get that unmistakable sweet Cuban tobacco flavor at a medium intensity level. Theres a nutty after taste that Ive come to expect from most Montecristo cigars that Ive smoked. The nut flavors are not intense but they have a thick mouth-feel almost like melted chocolate. Theres a small amount of pepper on the retro-hale that develops at around the 15 minute mark.
The first third is tasty but hasnt really developed any complexity yet.
[h=2]Middle Third[/h] The tobacco sweetness from the first third drops to a low intensity level and there is some earth notes at the same strength. The nutty aftertaste is still there but it no longer leaves you with a big after taste.
The cigar has ramped up in complexity as the second third winds down.
[h=2]Last Third[/h] The primary nut flavor moves up to a medium intensity with all the other flavors staying the same.
[h=1]Burn/Draw:[/h] The draw on the Especial No. 2 was right where youd want it to be. I used a v-cutter as opposed to a punch. The ash held very well throughout the smoking experience. Unfortunately smoking Cuban cigars in cold weather can be hit or miss and here it was miss. Approximately every 3/4 the cigar would go out requirement me to relight.
[h=1]Value:[/h] Singles of the Montecristo Especial No. 2 are going to range significantly depending on your vendor. Typical pricing for a single should be at the $14 mark. You can also pick these up in a 25 count box for around $254. Is that good value? That depends entirely on what youre looking for in a cigar. I tend to prefer more complex cigars and there are a lot of Cuban offerings around that price point I would consider superior.
[h=1]Final Word:[/h] The Montecristo Especial No. 2 is an enjoyable cigar from start to finish. The flavors arent overpowering and the strength is in the mild to medium range. Although there isnt a lot of complexity that develops, I would absolutely buy and smoke more of these. If you tend towards the mild to medium range of the spectrum then you cant go wrong picking up a 25 count box of these and letting them age.
Link to post with gallery: http://cigarfederation.com/profiles/blogs/reivew-montecristo-especial-no-2
[h=1]Nose:[/h] Im getting barnyard and cedar mixed together with that sweet Cuban tobacco scent in the background.
[h=1]Construction:[/h] The Montecristo Especial No. 2 is a bit of a unique vitola for Cuban cigars. Sporting a pig tail cap, it measures 6 x 38 and is a corona especial vitola. I didnt capture the release year but based on the band (standard band C) this particular cigar was released between 2006 and 2012. The Especial No. 2 line itself has a long production history dating back to 1969. At one point they were available in boxes of 10, but since 2000 theyve only been available in boxes of 25.
[h=1]Flavor:[/h] [h=2]First Third[/h] The first few draws and I get that unmistakable sweet Cuban tobacco flavor at a medium intensity level. Theres a nutty after taste that Ive come to expect from most Montecristo cigars that Ive smoked. The nut flavors are not intense but they have a thick mouth-feel almost like melted chocolate. Theres a small amount of pepper on the retro-hale that develops at around the 15 minute mark.
The first third is tasty but hasnt really developed any complexity yet.
[h=2]Middle Third[/h] The tobacco sweetness from the first third drops to a low intensity level and there is some earth notes at the same strength. The nutty aftertaste is still there but it no longer leaves you with a big after taste.
The cigar has ramped up in complexity as the second third winds down.
[h=2]Last Third[/h] The primary nut flavor moves up to a medium intensity with all the other flavors staying the same.
[h=1]Burn/Draw:[/h] The draw on the Especial No. 2 was right where youd want it to be. I used a v-cutter as opposed to a punch. The ash held very well throughout the smoking experience. Unfortunately smoking Cuban cigars in cold weather can be hit or miss and here it was miss. Approximately every 3/4 the cigar would go out requirement me to relight.
[h=1]Value:[/h] Singles of the Montecristo Especial No. 2 are going to range significantly depending on your vendor. Typical pricing for a single should be at the $14 mark. You can also pick these up in a 25 count box for around $254. Is that good value? That depends entirely on what youre looking for in a cigar. I tend to prefer more complex cigars and there are a lot of Cuban offerings around that price point I would consider superior.
[h=1]Final Word:[/h] The Montecristo Especial No. 2 is an enjoyable cigar from start to finish. The flavors arent overpowering and the strength is in the mild to medium range. Although there isnt a lot of complexity that develops, I would absolutely buy and smoke more of these. If you tend towards the mild to medium range of the spectrum then you cant go wrong picking up a 25 count box of these and letting them age.
Link to post with gallery: http://cigarfederation.com/profiles/blogs/reivew-montecristo-especial-no-2
