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Montecristo No. 2 Review

4 4 13.2k

How do I introduce the Montecristo No. 2? Anyone with even a few months in the cigar world will know that, among Cubans, the Monte No. 2 is one of the most recommended and revered.

The purpose of this review is to find out: is the Montecristo No. 2 really that good?

For those of you who hate reading, my answer is an unequivocal “yes.” Read the review below to find out why.

Montecristo No. 2 Review

Blend Specifics

Size: 6.125 x 52 Torpedo
Wrapper: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Filler: Cuba

montecristo no 2

Appearance & Construction

The Montecristo No. 2 is slightly springy to the touch. I love how the band features a metallic, reflective gold insignia. Certainly is very different from the Montecristos most people are smoking from Altadis in the states (though they have their own well-branded cigars as well).

The Cuban wrapper is a light, cedar brown. The pre-light draw reveals sweet notes of cocoa, earth, and touches of spice.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

As I toast the foot, the smoke that is released from the foot of the cigar smells intensely of almonds breadiness, and cinnamon. On the first few puffs, I’m greeted with extremely smooth smoke that carries with it the almond and cinnamon notes from the foot, along with the spice from the pre-light draw, some oak, and touches of salt.

The draw is neither loose nor restrictive, just right in the middle. Smoke production is great.

By an inch in, I’m really amazed at how cool, smooth, and fine the smoke is, even while offering a tremendous amount of flavor. Added in to the mix is a subtle oak and oatiness.

montecristo no 2 cuban

Moving into the second third, the body climbs from mild-medium to solid medium. The flavor has changed too, introducing a subtle salty/savory note. Still solid medium. Construction has been nearly flawless.

As I move into the final third, the body picks up once again, moving the Montecristo No. 2 into solid medium-full bodied territory. The oak has shifted to a sharper, drier cedar note, and the spice has morphed into white and black pepper. Half an inch after that, body and strength increases again into a solid full. I smoke this cigar down to the nub.

Conclusion

Smoking the Montecristo No. 2 is a revelation. It presents an experience that every cigar smoker, from a beginner to a veteran, will love. It is frankly impossible to understate the flavor, complexity, and harmony of the smoking experience that the Montecristo No. 2 provides.

Purchase these cigars at official Habanos SA kiosks internationally or at popular websites like Puro Express.

Final Rating: 97 – an absolute classic

Copper Fox Peachwood American Single Malt Review

2 0 5.5k
A few weeks ago I was down on the outskirts of Shenandoah Valley for a hike-focused bachelor party. It was an amazing time, in part because we were able to visit the Copper Fox distillery in Sperryville, VA.  We got a great tour and I was able to taste the Copper Fox Peachwood American Single Malt. I thought it was so unique I decided to buy a bottle for review.
The bottle explains the production process thusly:
“Aged with a progressive series of hand toasted, select seasoned, new and used peachwood and oak chips, inside used bourbon barrels and finished in a second used barrel.”

Product Specifics

Distillery: Copper Fox
Age: 2 years
ABV: 48% (96 proof)

Appearance

The bottle itself is beautiful. Great color scheme, and I really like the way that the product info is shown on the white strip under the product name. The whisky itself is a dark, burnt orange that comes close to red.
My only complaint, and it’s a big one, is the wax seal. Opening the bottle is fairly easy, but opening it again is a complete hassle. of the six or seven times I’ve opened the bottle so far, I’ve had to use a knife to open it each time. If I try to twist the cork off of the bottle, all I’m left with is red wax smeared on my hand. I would strongly recommend Copper Fox reconsider this element of the packaging. Whatever aesthetic benefit is added with the wax is very much outweighed by the difficulty in opening the bottle.

Nose

The nose of Copper Fox Peachwood American Single Malt contains touches of caramel, cinnamon, all balanced by moderate amounts of smoke and a subtle sulfur. Not peat smoke though. The Peach wood smoke has much more of a savory, meat-like quality, not dissimilar to barbecue. I think this smokiness is innovative and fun because it seems to capture something distinctly American. That alone makes this an interesting whisky.

Palate

Like other Copper Fox whiskies, the Peachwood American Single Malt shows its youth, with a considerable amount of ethanol burn on entry. Tasting notes include Peachwood smoke, copper, malt, and cinnamon.

Finish

The finish is moderate to long in length, with notes of copper, burnt firewood, spicy maltiness, and some salt.

Conclusion

On its merits alone, at over $50 a bottle, the Copper Fox Peachwood Single Malt is a tough sell. There are a lot of incredible whiskies in that category. However, I do think this whisky offers something new and unique to the American Single Malt market, so this is a good buy for American single malt enthusiasts.

Rating: 88

La Instructora Box Pressed Cigar Review

4 0 4.6k

La Instructora (from Tabacalera Palma and created by Jose Blanco and Aaron Saide) is a fairly recent cigar line, having only come onto the main stage of the cigar world at IPCPR 2017, as reported by Halfwheel. I first noticed this cigar at Barclay Rex‘s downtown location, and thought the $20 price tag for a nearly unbranded, unknown cigar was pretty gutsy. So I decided to give it a try.

I’ve got to say, early on in this smoke, I was not impressed. Though the first half opens nicely, it isn’t $20-cigar-nice. However, the second half of this cigar took me for a real adventure–one that I hope to enjoy again!

Here’s what the La Instructora website has to say about this blend:

“We decided to call this box pressed cigar Box Pressed because it sounded really nice and it was Thursday.

This cigar embodies a smoke packed with uniquely intense flavors made for those that crave more.

A Brazilian Cubra wrapper clutches a combination of our prized Dominican Piloto leaf binder and top of the line fillers from our farms that harmonize in true depth and balance.”

Blend Specifics

Name: La Instructora Box Pressed 2
Size: 52 x 5 3/4
Wrapper: Brazilian Cubra
Binder: Dominican Republic (Jacagua piloto)
Filler: Dominican Republic

Appearance and construction

The Brazilian Cubra wrapper of La Instructora is slightly marbled, with minimal veins and imperfections. The cigar is box pressed. Not much to say on the band. It looks like a modern art piece and for a $20 cigar is not particularly attractive (alright, I’d say it’s downright ugly). At the very least, I’d like to be able to read the band so I know what I’m smoking. Pre light draw reveals pepper, chocolate, and wood notes.

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

La Instructora 2 opens with medium to full bodied Smoke. The notes create a slightly sweet campfire flavor. Spices, espresso, light chocolate, and salted peanuts. The finish is long and spicy. By an inch in, the body is medium, with predominant notes of wood, peanuts, spice, and touches of chocolate. A good start, but for the $20 price tag, I’m hoping for more.

Moving into the second third, the smoke becomes almost tangy, tickling the top of my tongue. There are touches of white pepper, nuts, and a slightly buttery sweetness.

At halfway, the body and strength increase drastically, adding an intense, finely ground black pepper, baking spices, and leather. The texture is musty, almost similar to the classic mustiness that Davidoff is famous for, but darker. The cigar really takes off here.

In the final third, the smoke is still full bodied, full strength flavor. The profile introduced at halfway really is delicious, and has the kind of complexity that I would look for in a $20 cigar. Very enjoyable. The final third brings the first two profiles together in a very balanced and enjoyable way: finely ground black pepper, spices, chocolate, peanuts, and leather.

Conclusion

After a nice but not particularly interesting opening, La Instructora’s second half explodes into a robust, deeply complex cigar. I would gladly pay $20 to smoke this cigar again.

Will La Instructora and Sans Pareil succeed in breaking in to the ultra high end market? We’ll see – but I’m hopeful about their chances.

Final Grade: 91

Quesada Oktoberfest 2017 Triple Bock Cigar Review

1 0 3.3k
Quesada Oktoberfest 2017 Triple Bock Review
The Quesada Cigars Oktoberfest has, for three years now, been one of my favorite seasonal releases. Also, one of the few releases I enjoy in a larger format – my max preferred ring gauge is 54.
In either case, the Quesada Oktoberfest series is a medium to full bodied offering that I think offers a fun and approachable flavor profile that can be enjoyed by new or experienced cigar smokers. Today’s review covers the Triple Bock, one of the larger sizes in the series.

Blend Specifics

Wrapper – Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Filler – Nicaraguan
Size: Triple Bock (6 x 56)

Appearance & Construction

The Quesada Oktoberfest 2017 is a deep, dark brown. The branding has been updated for 2017, with a new white band and a new band shape. After a straight cut, the draw is slightly restrictive (which when I light up proves to create a huge amount of smoke, which is awesome).  Throughout this smoke, the burn was even, smoke production was high, and the ash a mix of white and gray.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

Lighting up the Quesada Oktoberfest 2017 is like lighting up a good memory. Opens with an ultra velvety smooth texture, with hints of spice. Predominant though is a deep milk chocolate combined with flakes of sea salt and peanuts.
About an inch in, the smoke becomes a bit spicy, with a sort of smoky (charcoal grill) sort of flavor rounding out the sweeter notes.
Moving into the second third, the body moves from mild – medium to a solid medium. The spicinesss and smoke become the predominent notes and the creamy, chocolatey notes take back seat.
In the final third, the Quesada Oktoberfest 2017 becomes a solid full bodied smoke. Really, really enjoyable. The smoke doesn’t heat up, construction remains perfect, and the flavors, though unchanged, are delicious.

Final thoughts

This cigar goes down as my favorite cigar from Quesada cigars ever, and that’s saying a lot because Manuel has created some truly special smokes, most recently the Plasencia Alma Fuerte.
Buy a box of these from Famous Smoke Shop, our preferred retailer, here.

Final Grade: A

Edmundo Dantes Conde Belicoso Review:

4 0 5.0k

The last in the trilogy of cigars made for the Mexican market is the Edmundo Dantes Conde belicoso. The previous two releases where Edmundo Dantes Conde 109 & 54. These cigars are now sought after smokes that are consistently getting better with age. I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy boxes of the two and sadly I now have very few. The Edmundo Dantes brand was created as a Regional Cigar for Mexico. I have found the blends to smoke wonderful right off the bat and stellar over time. I recently reached for another Belicoso out of my box to see how it is holding up. Enjoy.

Blend Specifics

  • Wrapper: Cuba
  • Binder: Cuba
  • Filler: Cuba
  • Size: 5 1/2″ x 52″ Belicoso

Appearance and Construction

A lovely milk chocolate colored wrapper with only slight veins. The primary label reads “Edmundo Dantes” which looks very similar to the Montecristo band however it is NOT a Montecristo brand or blend in any fashion. This is merely a nod to the character in “The Count Of Montecristo”.  The secondary band reads “Exclusivo Mexico” marking the fact it is a regional cigar for the country.

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

The Conde Belicoso starts off drying but then turns into a bracing hit of cocoa. Copious amounts of smoke surround this cigar and the gray ash is firm. A bit of tea and pencil lead midway along with pronounced notes of coffee.  All the while this cigar has maintained a medium bodied profile.

The last third of this cigar gives off a leather character with an earthy finish.  I removed the bands at this point as I was enjoying the development of flavor. There was a slight savory note in the last few puffs although the finish was a bit short.

Conclusion

Whereas the Edmundo Dantes Conde 109 & 54 seemed like epic smokes right out of the box the Edmundo Dantes Belicoso although a very enjoyable cigar hasn’t reached that level yet. The good news is I do not doubt this will develop into something substantial as the blend and tobaccos are of high quality. The unfortunate part of this vitola is that the other two cigars where so good that the expectations on the third were very high. Regardless I recommend picking up a box or two to try and for aging purposes. I believe they can still be had via the Casa del Habano’s in Mexico. I know Moises is the man that runs them and his service to his customers is exceptional. I’m glad I have another box and a half  myself to lay down and enjoy in the future.

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