I was posed the question the other day, asking how come we haven’t reviewed any Cuban cigars on The Cigar Authority. At first I answered the question with the fact that they aren’t available in the United States, but I was pointed to the fact that our readership is global. So with that said I was given a Montecristo Edmundo to review, let’s see how the cigar fairs to my American palate.
Cigar: Montecristo
Size: 5.3 x 52 (Edmundo)
Wrapper: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Filler: Cuba
Strength: Mild-Medium
Source: A Friend
The Look: The classic looking flat triple cap always stands out for me on a Cuban cigar when it is perfectly executed. The Montecristo label is brown and white and the wrapper which has some brindle like effects to it is smooth to the touch with some nice oils. There are a few soft spots along the length of the cigar and it feels light in the hand.
The Notes: The aroma off the foot of the cigar woody with some subtle sweetness while the cold draw serves up some notes of earth and abundance of cedar. Once the cigar is lit there some notes of wood and earth.
Smoking through the first third of the cigar there is some earthy notes that remind me of mushrooms and cedar. Not much changes as the cigar continues through the first third of the cigar.
The second third of the cigar continues to see the vegetal note of mushrooms continue as the cedar begins to fade. The cigar picks up some sweetness on the aroma and some bitterness on the finish.
In the last third of the cigar the flavors fade away as only hints of earth and cedar remain on a somewhat flat finish.
The Burn: The draw of the Montecristo Edmundo is extremely loose and as each soft spot in the cigar was hit, it burned jagged. It did self correct though as we passed the voids. The marble color ash held on strong and the combustion line reveals how little aging is done on the tobacco with its thick carbon line. In the picture below you can see how soft the cigar gets as it is smoked as it pushes flat with very little pressure.
The Finish: I’ll be honest the difference between this Montecristo and a Ramon Allones to me is non-existant. In fact, I am one of those who agree with Dave’s notes from his trip to Cuba. Do I believe there are some Cuban cigars that stand out, yes. The original Behike for me stood above other Cohiba’s but on some of the other brands they all seem to be built long the same lines. The ultimate winner at the end of the embargo will be those who get to purchase Cuban tobacco and utilize it in their blends from Nicaragua, Honduras or Dominican Republic. Cuban cigars are a myth, and people are chasing the dream of finding the holy grail of cigars that hasn’t existed in more than a decade if not twenty years. If you want to find something about this cigar to speak highly of, it would be that is mild to medium and smooth. But you can get that from Davidoff or Hammer + Sickle Icon cigars.
Score: 85
Price: £22.30
Montecristo Edmundo
