blessednxs65
Is it Nicaraguan
Tasting the famed Hoyo de Monterrey and Excalibur lines!
It was 1860 and while Lincoln and Douglas fought for votes and the South talked of secession, Jose Gener was busy creating a tobacco-growing empire in Cubas rich Vuelta Abajo region on the now-legendary farms in the San Luis y Martinez district.
By 1865, the bloody Civil War was heading toward its end, but Gener was just getting started with the production of his new Hoyo de Monterrey brand in Havana. At the time of his death in 1900, Geners factories were reportedly the largest in the world, producing 50 million cigars a year.
Hed be delighted to know that his brand has survived and thrived, not only in Cuba, but also in the U.S. After a series of court cases, a Hoyo de Monterrey cigar once again graced U.S. cigar store shelves seven years after the Cuban embargo had been imposed in 1962. This edition came from Honduras and we wanted to revisit this old friend and check up on one of the most recognizable brands in the U.S.:
Hoyo de Monterrey:
[Honduras: available in 17 sizes]
Introduced into the U.S. market by Dan Blumenthals Villazon & Co. (now part of General Cigar) in 1969, the Hoyo brand immediately became a hit.
Made in an astonishing variety of sizes, this is a medium-to-full-bodied cigar with an Ecuador-grown, Sumatra-seed wrapper. It has a spicy aroma and a creamy, almost caramelized taste thats quite smooth.
Very well made, the standard Hoyo smokes easily with a perfect draw and an even burn. Theres a fairly long finish to this cigar, which makes the creamy flavor even more noteworthy. The flavor recedes slightly in the second half, but retains its consistent approach.
A fine cigar and an excellent value at suggested retail prices that range from 95 cents (for the Petit) to just $6.40 for the 8 1/2-inch long President.
Overall grade: A: Exceptional.
Hoyo de Monterrey Dark Sumatra:
[Honduras: available in 4 sizes]
The Dark Sumatra line was introduced in 2002 and brought an even more powerful blend into the Hoyo line-up. Its full-bodied for sure, with a very spicy aroma and a spicy finish.
Theres a light, peppery core of flavor in this cigar, but its well behaved and never aggressive or bitter. Its stronger than the regular Hoyo, but not as bright or smooth, although its also well constructed and has an even burn.
The peppery elements emerge more strongly toward the end of the cigar. The heft and intensity, especially in the second half, make this a cigar for the experienced smoker who is not put off by the strength of flavor. Its also a stirring value at suggested retail prices of just $3.70 to $4.95.
Overall grade: B+: Very Good.
Excalibur English Claro:
[Honduras: available in 13 sizes]
Created around 1977 with the help of Lew Rothman of J-R Cigars, the Excalibur line is popular in Europe in its own right, but is sold in the U.S. as Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur with a band that combines the two names.
%%pagebreak%% The standard Excalibur line has a tan-colored Connecticut Shade wrapper called English Claro by General Cigar. The blend offers a toasty aroma and features a fresh, spicy taste with a fairly long finish.
The spicy and sometimes peppery flavor is consistent from the start, but is never aggressive. It burns perfectly and will be a comfort for the smoker who enjoys spicier blends. Suggested retail prices are modest, too: from $4.30 to $7.25 for the giant Emperor shape.
Overall grade: A-: Excellent.
Excalibur Maduro:
[Honduras: available in 13 sizes]
The maduro-wrapped version of the standard Excalibur line uses a marvelous Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper thats sweet and rich to the taste right from the first light.
The dark wrapper creates a lighter aroma and offers a deep, full-bodied and slightly sweet taste of dark caramel, with a medium finish. This is a mellow and relaxing cigar with just a tickle of spice on the finish. Dont try to oversmoke this blend; its subtlety is worth discovering with a patient approach.
Theres a bit more spice in the second half and the flavor is quieter, bringing a very nice cigar to a gentle ending.
Overall grade: A-: Excellent.
Excalibur 1066:
[Honduras: available in 7 sizes]
The 1066 line debuted in 2000 and has shapes named after the King Arthur legends, even though 1066 was the year of the Norman Conquest of England. Someone missed a few days in their English History class, but the cigar makes up for it.
This is a full-bodied blend, with a nice, spicy aroma and a thick, creamy flavor accompanied by a bite of spice on the finish. Its easy on the palate, but the flavor runs deep instead of bright, so its easy to try and smoke this cigar too quickly, looking for more highlights. Be gentle and you will be rewarded.
This cigar is again a terrific value: from $4.70 to a high of $5.95. How do they do it?
Overall grade: A-: Excellent.
Excalibur Royal Sterling:
[Honduras: available in 4 sizes]
Heres a unique blend occasioned by what one General executive noted as a discussion about what to do with some elegant, sand-colored, shade-grown wrapper from Honduras.
The result is the Royal Sterling, introduced in 2004 and a surprising success. Its also medium-to-full in body like most of the other Excalibur blends, but with a toasty aroma and a chewy, creamy flavor thats lighter than the 1066.
The flavor is very well balanced and skips along lightly in a calm style that makes this a relaxing cigar in all sizes. It has an even burn and a solid ash. Theres a spicier finish to the cigar in the second half, but its only a change of pace that signals the end of a very nice, pleasant cigar thats also an excellent value with suggested retail prices from $5.35 to $6.35.
Overall grade: A-: Excellent.
Jose Gener produced cigars that were, in their time, considered the best of the best. Todays Hoyo and Excalibur lines may not be as well known to the general public as flashier brands such as Cohiba and Montecristo, but cigar smokers have appreciated the Honduran magic that has made Hoyo de Monterrey and Excalibur two of the best-selling brands in America. Its nice to know that quality and value are rewarded.
It was 1860 and while Lincoln and Douglas fought for votes and the South talked of secession, Jose Gener was busy creating a tobacco-growing empire in Cubas rich Vuelta Abajo region on the now-legendary farms in the San Luis y Martinez district.
By 1865, the bloody Civil War was heading toward its end, but Gener was just getting started with the production of his new Hoyo de Monterrey brand in Havana. At the time of his death in 1900, Geners factories were reportedly the largest in the world, producing 50 million cigars a year.
Hed be delighted to know that his brand has survived and thrived, not only in Cuba, but also in the U.S. After a series of court cases, a Hoyo de Monterrey cigar once again graced U.S. cigar store shelves seven years after the Cuban embargo had been imposed in 1962. This edition came from Honduras and we wanted to revisit this old friend and check up on one of the most recognizable brands in the U.S.:
Hoyo de Monterrey:
[Honduras: available in 17 sizes]
Introduced into the U.S. market by Dan Blumenthals Villazon & Co. (now part of General Cigar) in 1969, the Hoyo brand immediately became a hit.
Made in an astonishing variety of sizes, this is a medium-to-full-bodied cigar with an Ecuador-grown, Sumatra-seed wrapper. It has a spicy aroma and a creamy, almost caramelized taste thats quite smooth.
Very well made, the standard Hoyo smokes easily with a perfect draw and an even burn. Theres a fairly long finish to this cigar, which makes the creamy flavor even more noteworthy. The flavor recedes slightly in the second half, but retains its consistent approach.
A fine cigar and an excellent value at suggested retail prices that range from 95 cents (for the Petit) to just $6.40 for the 8 1/2-inch long President.
Overall grade: A: Exceptional.
Hoyo de Monterrey Dark Sumatra:
[Honduras: available in 4 sizes]
The Dark Sumatra line was introduced in 2002 and brought an even more powerful blend into the Hoyo line-up. Its full-bodied for sure, with a very spicy aroma and a spicy finish.
Theres a light, peppery core of flavor in this cigar, but its well behaved and never aggressive or bitter. Its stronger than the regular Hoyo, but not as bright or smooth, although its also well constructed and has an even burn.
The peppery elements emerge more strongly toward the end of the cigar. The heft and intensity, especially in the second half, make this a cigar for the experienced smoker who is not put off by the strength of flavor. Its also a stirring value at suggested retail prices of just $3.70 to $4.95.
Overall grade: B+: Very Good.
Excalibur English Claro:
[Honduras: available in 13 sizes]
Created around 1977 with the help of Lew Rothman of J-R Cigars, the Excalibur line is popular in Europe in its own right, but is sold in the U.S. as Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur with a band that combines the two names.
%%pagebreak%% The standard Excalibur line has a tan-colored Connecticut Shade wrapper called English Claro by General Cigar. The blend offers a toasty aroma and features a fresh, spicy taste with a fairly long finish.
The spicy and sometimes peppery flavor is consistent from the start, but is never aggressive. It burns perfectly and will be a comfort for the smoker who enjoys spicier blends. Suggested retail prices are modest, too: from $4.30 to $7.25 for the giant Emperor shape.
Overall grade: A-: Excellent.
Excalibur Maduro:
[Honduras: available in 13 sizes]
The maduro-wrapped version of the standard Excalibur line uses a marvelous Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper thats sweet and rich to the taste right from the first light.
The dark wrapper creates a lighter aroma and offers a deep, full-bodied and slightly sweet taste of dark caramel, with a medium finish. This is a mellow and relaxing cigar with just a tickle of spice on the finish. Dont try to oversmoke this blend; its subtlety is worth discovering with a patient approach.
Theres a bit more spice in the second half and the flavor is quieter, bringing a very nice cigar to a gentle ending.
Overall grade: A-: Excellent.
Excalibur 1066:
[Honduras: available in 7 sizes]
The 1066 line debuted in 2000 and has shapes named after the King Arthur legends, even though 1066 was the year of the Norman Conquest of England. Someone missed a few days in their English History class, but the cigar makes up for it.
This is a full-bodied blend, with a nice, spicy aroma and a thick, creamy flavor accompanied by a bite of spice on the finish. Its easy on the palate, but the flavor runs deep instead of bright, so its easy to try and smoke this cigar too quickly, looking for more highlights. Be gentle and you will be rewarded.
This cigar is again a terrific value: from $4.70 to a high of $5.95. How do they do it?
Overall grade: A-: Excellent.
Excalibur Royal Sterling:
[Honduras: available in 4 sizes]
Heres a unique blend occasioned by what one General executive noted as a discussion about what to do with some elegant, sand-colored, shade-grown wrapper from Honduras.
The result is the Royal Sterling, introduced in 2004 and a surprising success. Its also medium-to-full in body like most of the other Excalibur blends, but with a toasty aroma and a chewy, creamy flavor thats lighter than the 1066.
The flavor is very well balanced and skips along lightly in a calm style that makes this a relaxing cigar in all sizes. It has an even burn and a solid ash. Theres a spicier finish to the cigar in the second half, but its only a change of pace that signals the end of a very nice, pleasant cigar thats also an excellent value with suggested retail prices from $5.35 to $6.35.
Overall grade: A-: Excellent.
Jose Gener produced cigars that were, in their time, considered the best of the best. Todays Hoyo and Excalibur lines may not be as well known to the general public as flashier brands such as Cohiba and Montecristo, but cigar smokers have appreciated the Honduran magic that has made Hoyo de Monterrey and Excalibur two of the best-selling brands in America. Its nice to know that quality and value are rewarded.