Montecristo Edmundo
Origin : Cuba
Format : Robusto/Toro (Edmundo)
Size : 135 x 20.69 mm
Ring : 52
Weight : 15 g
Hand-Made
Price : ~$14/piece
Edmundo.
Why is this cigar called Edmundo? It is named after Edmundo Dantes, hero of Alexandro Dumas’ famous novel “The Count of Montecristo”. It has this classic, bitter-sweet, tangy flavour that has made Montecristo the world’s most popular Havana cigar brand.
Appearance :
Good-looking.
Construction :
All the Edmundos I have smoked so far had flawless construction, nice wrappers and appearance. The smoking experience is wonderful with an easy draw producing gobs of thick smoke. The draw can be too easy sometimes, which results in the smoke being hotter than I’m used to – make sure you smoke this cigar real slowly in this case.
Flavor :
What struck me the most about this cigar is the pleasant saltiness that the blend delivers to the palate. It is a typical Montecristo. Other than that all I can say with positiveness is that the blend was very balanced, refined and satisfying. However, I was expecting more evolution from this one; the salty/spicy flavour is amazing but I’d like to have something else, too.
Value :
The Edmundo is a good buy that you won’t regret.
Overall Rating :
This cigar has never let me down. I’m curious to see how these will be with some years of age, but somehow I believe that the mellowing or smoothing out of flavours that tends to occur with age may not be ideally suited to the Montecristo Edmundo.
MONTECRISTO NO. 4
Origin : Cuba
Format : Petit Corona (Mareva)
Size : 129 x 16.67 mm
Ring : 42
Weight : 8.46 g
Hand-Made
According to some sources, this is the most sold cigar in the world. It is considered as one of the big classics.
Appearance :
Incredibly beautiful maduro wrapper, oily and silky. I liked how this one looked.
Construction :
Although rumour has it that No. 4s sometimes are completely unsmokeable due to extremely tight draw, I am usually satisfied with the construction. The burn is always even, the only thing that in my opinion could be better is the amount of smoke.
Flavour :
A little earthy in the beginning, the Montecristo No. 4 delivered a lot of spice in the second third. Closer to the end, soft notes of cocoa and coffee appeared.
Value :
Rather good value. Monte No. 4 is less expensive than Cohiba Siglo II or Trinidad Reyes.
Overall Rating :
I can definitely see why it’s one of the best-selling cigars in the world. Fine construction and the patented Montecristo flavours make it a very decent 40-minutes smoke.
MONTECRISTO PETIT EDMUNDO
Origin : Cuba
Format : Short Robusto
Size : 110 x 20.6 mm
Ring : 52
Weight : 11 g
Hand-Made
When I want to treat myself, I reach for a Montecristo Petit Edmundo. Powerful and complex, this is one my favourite Cubans. I can say that it feels so GOOD to hold and smoke this fat 52-ring gauge monster.
Appearance :
This may very well be one of the best-looking cigars out there. The wrapper’s quite oily, not really flawless (a few discolorations) but it only adds to its charm. When I hold one in my hand, I always feel the urge to light it.
Construction :
The construction is top notch, with a slow, self-correcting burn and an impeccable draw. The pre-draw is spicy and sweet & sour.
Flavour :
Perhaps a bit less complex than the full-version Edmundo, I can still say that this cigar delivers. After a wave of spice in the beginning, subtle notes of dark bitter chocolate make their way in. There are loads of dry cedar flavours as well. After about 25 minutes, the cigar reaches its peak – at that moment, all these flavours are there mixed in a bitter-sweet, salty taste, pleasing your palate. In the last third, the complexity fades away and the finish is dominated by woody creaminess with a hint of black pepper. I think it’s better to smoke it after a heavy meal, and – of course – very slowly to avoid the harshness in the end and extend the pleasure.
Value :
It’s a no-brainer for me. Great value.
Overall Rating :
Montecristo Petit Edmundo is one of the best from the Montecristo family and is in my top list of Cuban cigars. If it feels a little young, a few months in the humidor will make it wonders. And if you have the patience to keep it there for a few years… I don’t even know what it would feel like, since I never managed to let it rest for such a long time.
MONTECRISTO OPEN MASTER
Origin : Cuba
Format : Robusto
Size : 5 x 50
Ring : 50
Hand-Made
Montecristo Open finally hit the shelves of my local B&M and, of course, I had to give them a try. Unfortunately the Regatas weren’t available yet so I took a couple of Masters (classic 5×50 robustos). At well over $10 each in the B&M, it was a costly purchase and, although I wasn’t expecting a flavour bomb, I was hoping for a pleasant smoking experience.
Appearance :
The looks are real good, I have to admit that. Apart from a few water spots on the wrapper, this is a gorgeous cigar. It exhales a very strong tobacco smell, one of the most intense I have ever experienced on a Cuban cigar.
Construction :
This is where it starts. I understand that the cigar is young and I smoked it straight out of the box, but the Open line is supposed to attract young smokers, who do not have any knowledge in storing cigars and purchase them to smoke an hour later sitting in a café. Although the ash held very well, the burn line was quite bad. I don’t even remember how many times I had to correct it. Fortunately, the draw was flawless.
Flavour :
Despite a very spicy pre-draw, there is no spice kick in the beginning. The smoke is medium-bodied and quite round. The Open Master immediately deploys solid woody flavours which will be dominating until the last pulls. As secondary notes, one can detect herbaceous flavours in the first third along with some coffee and bitter spice in the last two thirds. There is no real evolution in this cigar, it is woody and medium-bodied throughout the smoke.
Value :
Considerably more expensive than the Petit Edmundo, this cigar provides a particularly low price/quality ratio based on this first experience.
Overall Rating :
If not for the construction and the inflated price, I could say that the Montecristo Open Master was a decent smoke for beginners. Good-looking, medium-bodied and accessible flavour-wise, it has everything to be a success. However, if you have some experience with Cuban cigars, I do not see this line as a good addition to your humidor
MONTECRISTO NO. 2
Origin : Cuba
Format : Torpedo (Piramide)
Size : 156 x 20.64 mm
Ring : 52
Weight : 14.26 g
Hand-Made
One of the most complex and flavourful cigars out there, the Montecristo No. 2 definitely has reputation beyond repute. I must say that it deserves this reputation, because this is a truly wonderful cigar when properly aged and if there are no construction issues.
Appearance :
I think this is one of the best-selling stogies out there, and it definitely has this best-selling look. Cigars in this box had a very good appearance, with a chocolate wrapper just like on the Petit Edmundos (I also sometimes found No. 2s with much darker wrappers in other boxes).
Construction :
The construction is just impeccable – the ash would never fall! The draw was very slightly firm, but produced plenty of smoke. However, be warned that in some boxes there may be serious construction issues on about half of the sticks.
Flavour :
It started rather mild in the first third, with spicy and creamy (surprising?) characters, then in the second third I was bombarded with rich and powerful woody and cedar flavours. Montecristo No. 2 then produced a delicious smoke and a light pleasant burn at the back of my palate. In the last third, the stick kept this lovely strong palette of woody/leather flavours and gave me complete satisfaction.
Value :
Not overpriced, yet expensive – and worth every penny.
Overall Rating :
I am constantly left amazed by its smoothness and power, and needless to say that Montecristo No. 2 are the most gorgeous cigars in my humidor. It’s very hard to keep them aged though (at least few years recommended), I always want to smoke them immediately 🙂
MONTECRISTO NO. 5
Origin : Cuba
Format : Petit Corona (Perla)
Size : 102 x 15.87 mm
Ring : 42
Weight : 5.91 g
Hand-Made
The tiny Montecristo No. 5 pleasantly surprised me. I discovered great taste variations in this 30-minutes smoke – I don’t know how they managed to pack all of these flavours in such a short stick, but I am sure happy they did.
Appearance :
Modest appearance, very similar to other small Montecristos. Had some very nice plume on it, which means that the cigar was properly aged (I felt it).
Construction :
Very well constructed, I experienced a satisfying draw, an even burn and rich clouds of white smoke.
Flavour :
The very beginning was very spicy (too spicy for my taste) and a bit harsh, but things changed after a couple of minutes of smoking. The flavour smoothed out and only a little of the spiciness was left, transforming the Montecristo No. 5 into a very light and mild cigar. By the end of the second third, notes of cocoa and roasted coffee were progressively added to the bouquet, which made it extremely delicious. A shame the last third was too short 🙂
Value :
Montecristo No. 5 is expensive considering its small format, but is worth it.
Overall Rating :
A great cigar to be smoked at any moment of the day. If you have a short break, go for it – 25-30 minutes and you’re done, happy and satisfied.
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