The Montecristo No.4 is consistently in the top 3 of cuban cigar sales around the world. Its a pity that this demand has also resulted in below average consistency of construction - I've experienced plenty of disappointing examples. But when you get a good one, they are great-tasting short smokes for all occasions and all palates.Taste: Leather, oak, chocolate, and a hint of earth.
30-50mn smoke.
Size: Marevas Length: 5" Ring Gauge: 42 (129mm x 16.67mm)
Strength: Medium bodied.
Drink match: Most things will do.
From a box dated Apr 2008.
Brand:
What a gorgeous name, probably inspired by the 1844 novel "Le Comte de Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas. Readers were employed to keep the cigar rollers entertained, and this novel was apparently a favourite in the factories, perhaps leading to the inspiration for the brand name. The brand was established in 1935 by Menendez, Garcia y Cia, the then owners of H. Upmann, and heavily marketed by Alfred Dunhill of London. It became the most popular of all Havana exports and a standard against which all others are now judged. They have well earned their reputation from the art that is portrayed in the manufacture to the balance and rounding of the flavours. Their range is extensive, amongst them the finest pyramide in the world, the no. 2. There is a distinctive Montecristo taste that manifests itself with complex earthy tones, rich and chocolatey, and an almost brooding aroma of roasted spice, vanilla and patchouli.
Smoked one of these today. It was pretty poorly constructed: tight draw, uneven burn, even an exploding wrapper. I was asking for it with the last one, selected it because of its tightly packed appearance. In a Trinidad, this would mean a perfect draw, but in an MC no4, I was waiting for a clenched-cheeks experience. It did not disappoint. After a gentle massage, then a chiropractic adjustment with an east european intensity (still no joy), i rolled up the sleeves and rammed it with a bbq poke. The cheeks unclenched, reluctantly. Leather, oak, a hint of earth, maybe even coffee, and some chocolate rewarded my relentless efforts - every now and again. Pity about the lopsided burn. These cigars taste great when you get a decently rolled one - hopefully the ones you have behave themselves better...
ReplyDeleteAny tips on making it a more relaxing experience? ie- Can one massage the cigar for a week before smoking it to give it a better draw. Can one speak tenderly to one's cigar so that it will unclench its tight jaws of fury?
ReplyDeletehopefully you won't have same problem. When you get a tight draw, here are solutions, in escalating order of desperateness:
ReplyDelete- if u got more than one of the cigar, store the other ones at dryer levels of humidity ie 60-63% the week before you smoke'em
(dryer = burns better, only helps a little)
- Massage it by rolling firmly between fingers all the way up. You might feel a hard spot which can be causing the trouble - iron it out. Careful not to split wrapper!
- Get a bbq/cake poke out, as slim as possible, insert Carefully at the suckling end of cigar and gently ease it up towards the opposite end. If it's too thick the cigar wrapper will tear and you're in trouble. The first few puffs will be really easy and then the cigar will slowly clench up again as you handle it. This will do the trick but never as good as a non-faulty cigar.
- if all this doesn't work - chop up the cigar, put it in a pipe, and smoke it!!