Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Epicure
Size – 5.25 x 50
Age – 2 Months
Cost – $4.50
Wrapper – Connecticut
Construction – An exceptionally well constructed cigar with great symmetry and cap, and just a few more veins than I would expect from a Connecticut shade wrapper. (9/10)
Burn – Slow and almost dead even (9/10)
Ash – Very light grey mottled with some charcoal colored ash. Firm and compact.
Draw & Smoke – The draw was a little bit snug on this cigar but each puff resulted in a nice volume of smoke.
Flavor - This cigar is a bit of a surprise, because lurking under the pretty Connecticut wrapper is actually a nice hearty blend of tobacco from 3 countries – Honduras, DR and Nicaragua. The Excalibur started with a silky smooth woody flavor and a clean finish, which progressed into the second third with a heavier sweet and woody flavor but almost no spice or pepper. About halfway through, I began to pick up just the slightest nutty flavor of cashew. The aroma was very nice, somewhat sweet and light.
Strength – Medium
Rating – 9/10
Value – 8/10
Drink – This was a daytime cigar so I enjoyed it with a Pepsi.
Notes – It was a little difficult to get the full story on this cigar as it’s not even mentioned on General Cigar’s website – the label does indicate it is a limited edition. I found it to be a really good blend of light and crisp flavors from the Connecticut wrapper and binder, mixed with the more assertive and full bodied filler. This is a real treat of a cigar that can be found at a good price. There is a maduro version of the Excalibur which I think would be a bit less interesting but still tasty. I’ll be picking a few of the maduros up when I see them.
Reviews
50 Ring, 9/10, Cigar Review, Connecticut, Hoyo de Monterrey, Medium
Hoyo De Monterrey Dark Sumatra Media Noche
Size -5.75 x 54
Cost – $4.99 local, about $3.50 online
Wrapper – Maduro/Sumatra (Ecuador)
Construction – Nearly perfect construction. When I punched this one I hit a couple of stem pieces, so I decided to clip it instead and it was fine.
Burn – One touchup in the first inch then mostly even and slow. I also had to relight at the beginning of the final third after setting the cigar down for about 3 minutes. (7/10)
Ash – Medium grey ash which held for about 1-2″ at a time.
Draw – The draw was just a bit tight but but I was rewarded with a good amount of smoke on each puff making it worthwhile.
Flavor – This is a smooth and rich cigar with earthy flavor and a hint of coffee and chocolate. The flavor remained consistent throughout this long and slow smoke. There was a nice complexity to the cigar right from the start which lasted all the way past the band. The room aroma was very nice, as I find most maduros to be, with a good amount of rich sweetness in the air.
Smoke – Each draw resulted in a large amount of smoke.
Strength – Med/Full
Rating – 8/10
Value – 9/10
Drink – I sat down with this smoke and a mug of French blend hot tea, which paired pretty well with the cigar. Then I got a glass of a local red table wine, nothing fancy, which also made for a satisfing but not particularly noteworthy pairing.
Notes – This is a great value stick which I plan on restocking whenever I see a special on it. It created one of the most pleasing room aromas I can remember, and was a long and luxurious smoke, perfect for sitting and doing some reading for well over 90 minutes. The review at Cigar Jack says to take this one slow and easy and I agree completely. Only the burn issues kept this from being a 9/10.
Reviews
54 Ring, 8/10, Cigar Review, Dark Sumatra, Hoyo de Monterrey, Maduro, Med/Full