Disclaimer- I went into this cigar being biased against Dominican Montecristos. To me, they're like Ashtons and Diamond Crowns- impeccable construction, but not any better than many other NC's, just more expensive.
I got this stick in the deal last year that came with a subscription to Cigar magazine, so it's been in my humi for about a year now.
Now on to the review...
This cigar had a somewhat mottled wrapper, with very slight veining. Perfect belicoso cap. After cutting, it had an ample draw.
After lighting, I was pleased at the slight sweetness the wrapper imparted, along with citrus and pepper. The ash was light grey and slightly flaky. After and inch or so, I tapped the ash and it left a perfect cone, with a straight burn all the way around. The citrus taste started to diminish, being replaced by cedar. I know... no shit, it's been kept in a cedar box for a year, so it tates like cedar, but the taste wasn't there at first, so I mentioned it.
Throughout the length of the cigar, there was significantly less smoke volume than I would have expected, given the full draw.
At about the half-way point, a slight bitterness encroached, so I purged it, the bitterness left, and the pepper and sweetness returned. Oddly, the ash started to turn darker at this point. At the last third, the cigar took on a woodiness and slight nuttiness, but getting toward the band, I had to purge more often as the bitterness returned more often. I laid it down soon after I removed the band.
My opinion- I was surpised at how much I liked this cigar, given my previous opinion of NC Montes. It had excellent construction, burn and taste. That being said, I just can't get past the pricing. At just under $10 a stick, it is not comparable to, say, any Torano or a Punch Grand Puro or an ERDM Robusto Larga Oscuro, which you could get instead of the Monte and still have enough left over for a Happy Meal.
-Doof
I got this stick in the deal last year that came with a subscription to Cigar magazine, so it's been in my humi for about a year now.
Now on to the review...
This cigar had a somewhat mottled wrapper, with very slight veining. Perfect belicoso cap. After cutting, it had an ample draw.
After lighting, I was pleased at the slight sweetness the wrapper imparted, along with citrus and pepper. The ash was light grey and slightly flaky. After and inch or so, I tapped the ash and it left a perfect cone, with a straight burn all the way around. The citrus taste started to diminish, being replaced by cedar. I know... no shit, it's been kept in a cedar box for a year, so it tates like cedar, but the taste wasn't there at first, so I mentioned it.
Throughout the length of the cigar, there was significantly less smoke volume than I would have expected, given the full draw.
At about the half-way point, a slight bitterness encroached, so I purged it, the bitterness left, and the pepper and sweetness returned. Oddly, the ash started to turn darker at this point. At the last third, the cigar took on a woodiness and slight nuttiness, but getting toward the band, I had to purge more often as the bitterness returned more often. I laid it down soon after I removed the band.
My opinion- I was surpised at how much I liked this cigar, given my previous opinion of NC Montes. It had excellent construction, burn and taste. That being said, I just can't get past the pricing. At just under $10 a stick, it is not comparable to, say, any Torano or a Punch Grand Puro or an ERDM Robusto Larga Oscuro, which you could get instead of the Monte and still have enough left over for a Happy Meal.
-Doof
