That’s where all of the trouble started. The cigar did not seem dry or moist, in fact it had a
nice firmness to it, and it seemed ready to go.
When I put it to my lips I got no immediate flavor or spice, but I cut
into it anyway and lit a bit of cedar to get a good burn.
For whatever reason, it did not want to cooperate. The draw was very tight, and took effort to
pull in any smoke. It was very slow
going , and I finally took a torch lighter to it, and held it there for quite a
few seconds to try and get it as hot as possible. After nearly burning the front end, it
finally gave in, and the draw started to ease up.
The frustrating start caught me off guard, and had me
writing some derogatory notes in my little 33 Cigars book. With such high expectations off to such a
poor start, I almost didn’t notice how quickly the cigar turned from naughty to
nice!
Really, from about ¼ of the way in, all the way through
about ¼ of the way finished it was a pleasant smoke. No real flavor or kick to speak of, just a
mild and smooth ride along the way.
Although I’m big on maduro’s and cigars that pack a punch, I think everyone
occasionally should smoke something less demanding. Unfortunately it did not pair very well with
my Johnnie Walker Black, but I should have expected that.
It also was not a cigar that I could smoke to the nub, which is another one
of my preferences. It became just a
little too flat at the end, and the draw began to tighten up again.
So…not one I would go to again, not this size and not this
complexity, but still will keep my humidor open to the ‘darker’ side of
Montecristo and let you know how that goes.
I would rate it a 5 on a 10, hope the Cigar Gods aren’t listening.
