Montecristo No. 2 (Cuban) Pyramide
Size – 6 1/8 x 52
Age – 18 months
Cost – 13 €
Wrapper – Cuba
Construction – A well constructed cigar with a bit of wear on the foot from storage. Evenly firm with no soft spots. The wrapper had some small veins protruding and one tiny blemish near the band.
Burn – Very slow and dead even.
Ash – Medium to dark grey with a slight bit of flowering but a nice 1″ of grab.
Draw & Smoke – Prelight draw felt firm but once lit it was exactly right for the copious amount of smoke coming off each draw.
Flavor – Prelight aroma was excellent, light floral and smooth tobacco with cedar. After lighting, sweet and clean flavors of fine tobacco emerged, along with a woody and peppery finish. As the cigar progressed, more earthy flavors emerged, along with a very slight bit of the “Cuban twang” and some additional wood and paper notes. The final third produced a nearly perfect bouquet, with added mocha and coffee flavors, and more body. An incredible room aroma acompanied the cigar throughout, particularly in the last third.
Strength – Medium
Rating – 10/10
Value – NA
Drink – Iced tea. A very good pairing for a warm summer night, although as with most cigars, I think the Montecristo #2 would be great with some freshly brewed coffee.
Notes – This was a gift from a friend and I’m not sure whether to thank him or not; he’s now teased me with one of the best cigars I’ve ever had and I have no way to get any more. This is a fabulous smoke and a good example of why the storied brands of Cuba still hold the title of the best cigars in the world.
Reviews
10/10, 52 Ring, Cigar Review, Cuba, Medium, Montecristo
Montecristo Media Noche Edmundo
Size – 5 x 55
Age – 4 months
Cost – $9
Wrapper – Maduro (Connecticut)
Construction – Very well constructed with a couple of pronounced veins on the wrapper. Symmetry was good but the cigar was a little too dense at the head.
Burn - Even and slow
Ash – Medium to dark grey, held tight and neatly in 1″ pieces.
Draw & Smoke – The draw was a little tight after a punch cut, owing to a tighter pack at the head of the cigar. Once I clipped off the top, however, it opened up a bit and was a firm but good draw, producing a medium amount of smoke per puff.
Flavor – Prelight flavors of earth and sweet chocolate led into a wonderful first third with those flavors coming out immediately after lighting, along with a rich coffee note and some lip-tingling red pepper. The second third produced a spicier but still creamy and smooth blend of espresso, chocolate and leather. The final third delivered more body but a similar bouquet of flavors, never growing harsh or bitter. The room aroma was outstanding.
Strength – Med/Full
Rating – 10/10
Value – 
7/10
Drink – Iced tea – an unremarkable pairing. If it were not a warm summer evening I would have made a nice pot of hot coffee, which would pair up excellently with this cigar. Perhaps some iced coffee is in order for my next Media Noche.
Notes – This cigar is a top notch experience and one of the best maduros I have smoked. The characteristic coffee and earthy notes of a maduro wrapper shine through and are accompanied by a fantastic blend of complimentary flavors. This is Montecristo’s only maduro cigar – not a problem because they nailed it first try. I feel very fortunate to have landed 10 of these at only $4 each; keep your eyes peeled for a special on this cigar. Highly recommended.
Second Opinion – I really didn’t find any negative reviews of this cigar, but here is a video review at Cigar Obsession.
Reviews
10/10, 55 Ring, Cigar Review, Maduro, Med/Full, Montecristo