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
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
Digging through my humidor looking for an afternoon cigar to relax with during a cold and blustery afternoon I came upon a Cuban Regional Edition from El Rey del Mundo called the Petit Compania. I remember several years ago I picked these up in Paris at La Civette tobacco shop. They have quite a selection of Habanas there albeit at less then modest prices. This cigar was a 2009 Regional Edition via Cuba for France. I enjoyed this cigar quite a bit walking the Champs-Elysees on a warm summer afternoon at that time. Since I haven’t had one in a while I decided to light one up. Enjoy!
Blend Specifics
Wrapper: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Filler: Cuba
Size: 5″ x 50″ Petit Piramide
Appearance and Construction
There’s a velvety feel to this wrapper that has two pronounced veins along side with a soft spot toward the label. The silver and red secondary band reads “Exclusivo Francia” denoting its regional designation. The size is attractive if you are looking for an afternoon smoke that will not take up your whole day.
Flavor and Smoke Characteristics
An initial blast of spice comes through that dissipated after a few puffs. The Peitit Compania offers a good deal of smoke along with leather rounded out by a creaminess on the palate. Midway the cigars dark gray ash gets crooked however the smoking experience was not diminished.
As the cigar progressed notes of graham cracker spices came through with refined tobacco flavors. Age has done this cigar well. As I was enjoying the smoke I removed the secondary band. The last third gave a richness that comes with well aged tobacco interspersed with a floral character along with nougat and a creamy long finish. A wonderfully complex ending to the cigar.
Conclusion
I’ve smoked a lot of Regional cigars and they can be hit or miss. Inevitably the argument of cost versus quality always comes up. My opinion is if you are enjoying the cigar you purchased then regardless of price it is worth it to me. When a cigar falls short on quality I take issue with this. I don’t subscribe to comparing any cigars price to another cigar in terms of how the cigar tasted. If you bought that cigar and the quality was there then it was a quality smoke. Of course you can buy lesser cigars that are of fine quality but for me its about tasting as much as I can and creating those pleasant experiences. For me the El Rey del Mundo Exclusivo Francia Petit Compania was a quality smoke well worth the money and since they now have some age on them you can experience what fine tobacco can be like. I believe these are still available so it isn’t some rare cigar that is impossible to acquire. If you can grab a box I think you’ll be happy with the purchase.
Like many cigar smokers, the name Perdomo brings back fond memories of my earliest days smoking. Lot 23 Maduro, for instance: one of the first cigars I ever reviewed. So I was excited to finally get a chance to review the 20th Anniversary Maduro.
Beautiful branding and a great overall look. The wrapper of the Perdomo 20th Anniversary is a deep dark chocolate brown that sports a lot of oils as well. Just a touch of toothiness. The cold draw is slightly restrictive and gives clear notes of sweet granola, chocolate, hay, and earth.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
The 20th Anniversary Maduro kicks off with medium bodied smoke with notes of black pepper, bittersweet dark chocolate, dry cedar strips, some salt and other spices. The spices border more on being akin to hot peppers. Combine that with the dry cedar and you’ll need a drink to go along with this cigar.
Into the second third the cigar changes considerably. The hot pepper tones down (my palate is thankful) and moves more toward the retrohale, and the flavor becomes a bit sweeter, with the dark chocolate note becoming a bit more like milk chocolate. Additionally, there is a slightly savory note akin to beef jerky.
By half in, the peppers are still drawing down, and the texture of the Smoke is changing from very dry to slightly creamy.
In the final third, the smoke becomes dry again, a shift I’m not a big fan of.
Conclusion
Overall, I wasn’t impressed with the Perdomo 20th Anniversary Maduro. My favorite part of this cigar was probably the first 10 minutes, but I found after about an inch in the pepper notes and dry consistency of the smoke too much to be enjoyable. You’re better off sticking with other classic cigars from Perdomo like the Champagne 10th Anniversary or Champagne Noir.
I’ve been a well known fan of the team at Ashton and San Cristobal Cigars for a long time now. They create some of the most well balanced, flavorful cigars in their price range. So when I chanced upon a few San Cristobal Quintessence cigars at Nat Sherman on 42nd st, I picked them up for this review.
Enough chit chat, let’s find out how this cigar performs.
Blend Specifics
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Size: 5.5″x 50 (Robusto)
Appearance and Construction
Like other San Cristobal cigars, the Quintessence is moderately soft to the touch. There are some veins apparent, as well as other minor imperfections. The wrapper is just a shade lighter than milk chocolate. The band features the beautiful artwork so typical of San Cristobal, with the parrot centered dramatically.
Flavor and Smoke Characteristics
First third kicks off plenty with of smoke. Notes include black pepper, wood, toasted bread, and a slightly sweet, creamy flavor. It’s apparent right away that this is a sipping cigar: one that has a delicate balance of flavors and shouldn’t be smoked too quickly or flavors degrade. By an inch in, the flavors have diversified. The pepper has drawn back and joining it are notes of cloves, vanilla, and grass.
By the halfway mark, the flavor has moved from medium to medium full. Whereas in the first third the pepper was dominant on the retrohale, in the second third the retrohale is a bit gentler. By halfway, construction has remained solid and smoke production is still high
Moving into the final third, notes include pepper, some salt, floral, and creamy sweetness. Body is solid medium.
Conclusion
I don’t know what the guys at Halfwheel were smoking when they gave this cigar an 82 rating (ok, theirs is the Bellicoso size). The San Cristobal Quintessence is a phenomenal cigar for the new or veteran Smoker. You can buy the San Cristobal Quintessence from Famous Smoke Shop, our recommended retail partner, here.
Two months ago I was in Orlando and visited Cigarz at Waterford. It’s a beautiful shop with a select choice of premium cigars. Israel Markevitz who is part owner and a cigar connoisseur with over a decade of experience in the industry has managed shops in Florida as well as New York. Israel recommended I try a boutique cigar by a small company called Southern Classic. They have several lines which they produce out of a small factory in Esteli Nicaragua. I’ve smoked many so-called “Boutique” cigars that were no more than passion projects of someone who knew little of the industry and the cigars smoked like poorly processed tobacco. I was pleased to hear that the company owner Eloy employs a hands on approach with the production and quality of his cigars as well as meticulously working on the blends and profiles. I purchased the Cucubano robusto and was taken back by the way cigar tasted.
The Cucubano sports an attractive dark brown wrapper with a well made triple cap. It has slight veins and is packed well with tobacco. There is a distinct yet unassuming blue and silver band which covers a good portion of the top of the cigar.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
The cigar starts off with sweet cream and a bit of spice. The mouthfeel delivers savory notes and the creaminess coats the palate. Midway hints of cocoa and spice intertwine all the while keeping a clotted cream richness that compliments the smoke throughout. The construction and burn on this cigar was excellent.
The final third yielded the same creamy profile that made the cigar a pleasure smoke. The retrohale produced spice and cedar with a long finish. I smoked this cigar to the nub and was left wanting more.
Conclusion
Having no experience with this producer I was extremely impressed with this cigar. The attention to detail and quality is evident and I would not hesitate to purchase a box. This cigar is ready to smoke straight away and I would be curious to see how it develops with age. In an industry overblown with designer and boutique blends that can fall short, Cucubano shows that when you care enough to be involved with production from begin to end you can create a truly memorable cigar. I was pleased to happen upon Southern Classic and look forward to tasting the other lines in their portfolio. Unfortunately I do not believe they have East Coast distribution yet however I spoke to Israel and they can ship anywhere. If you are looking to try them you can contact his store as I believe you will not be disappointed.
Purchased at Cigarz at Waterford, Orlando Florida #(407) 704-6926
It isn’t often in the world of spirits (or cigars for that matter) that a new accessory creates the veritable firestorm of buzz on whisky social media that was created by the release of the Norlan Glass. In 2017, Norlan Glass announced its newest product: Norlan VAILD (not veiled or vailed!). In this post, I’m going to go into a lot of detail on my experience thus far with the Norlan VAILD. But, I’ll cut to the chase first so you can get the gist if that’s all you want:
The Norlan VAILD is an amazing product and elevates the scotch experience. Not only that, it elevates the experience in such substantial and emotive ways that I have to recommend purchasing a set to anyone who either loves whisky or has a loved one who does.
Why? Let’s find out.
For the purposes of this review, I’ll be taking a look at form (how is it made), aesthetics, and function (what do I like / dislike about using the product).
Form
The Norlan glass is made of hand-blown borosilicate glass. For the Norlan VAILD, a matte black exterior finish is added. Inside the glass, the designers of VAILD added a recursive infinity mirror that traps the light entering the glass and putting it on full display within the glass.
The lip is concave, giving it a width very uncharacteristic of most whisky glasses.
The shape of the glass, inside and out, is distinctive, and intentional. The unique shape was made to achieve two goals, and here I’ll let the creators do the talking.
Goal 1: Aeration Through specially developed protrusion forms inside the glass — adapted through studying bio-mimicry — when swirled around the glass the fluid forms a standing wave shape, which increases the surface to air ratio and rate of oxidization. The effect here is that considerably more ethanol evaporates. This resulting reduction in volatility allows the whisky to become significantly more expressive. This feature is an invention of the Norlan glass — no other whisky glass will do this for you.
Goal 2: Aroma Focus The second main performance feature is the shape of the inner walls, which close as they rise and then flare out again so as not to hit the nose. The height and diameter of the smallest aperture focuses the aromatics to the nose while simultaneously diffusing the ethanol away from the face, fantastically improving the taste of your whisky.
Marks for form: 15/15
Aesthetic
I was in Toronto on a business trip when I saw this video in a Facebook ad for this glass. As the camera panned over the glass and the whisky was highlighted by the light emanating from the infinity mirror, I fell in love and ordered the set on the spot. However, after ordering I had my post-purchase thought: it can’t be as awesome as that video. There’s no way that the scotch is going to glow in the glass, it’s a marketing effect.
Two weeks later, I opened up the box, dropped a dab of Glenfiddich XX into the glass, and behold: there was light. It really works as advertised. Even after testing in high light to low light rooms for this review, the glow ranges from a faint, dark gold to a bright shine. It is positively hypnotic, and gives every glass of scotch I have a sense of mystery.
The glass itself is gorgeous. It falls far outside the aesthetic of a typical scotch glass. Its angular curves are modern without being flashy. Its black color is modest, creating stark contrast to the light emanating from within and keeping the focus where it belongs: on the whisky. I think aesthetic deserves a perfect 15 out of 15, but I have heard some comment that the design seems snobby or pretentious. Since the world isn’t joined in agreement on the aesthetic, I’ll knock one point off
Marks for aesthetic: 14/15
Function
As of my writing of this post, I’m about one week in to owning my Norlan Glass. Here are the highlights of what I love most about the form of this glass:
Infinity Mirror:I’ve already mentioned it but I’m going to do it again: I love the infinity mirror on the inside of this glass. It is a brilliant touch. It works as advertised. I continue to be impressed.
Wide lip: the wide lip adds a ton to the experience. As I sip my whisky, I can’t help but feel that the additional thickness of the lip adds a sort of feeling of substance to the taste of the whisky. Almost a kind of chewiness. I won’t keep going into detail on this: you’ll have to try it for yourself.
Aeration: my experience thus far is that scotches I know to be heavier on the nose in terms of ethanol are softened with this glass. I couldn’t explain to you exactly how it works, just that it does.
Weight: I’ve seen some comments about the glass itself being too light and feeling almost fragile. I think the weight is perfect, perhaps a touch on the light side. But I like the delicate feel – it encourages me to pay attention more, to take my time, to experience my whisky intentionally.
Marks for function: 15/15
Overall score: 44/45
Numbers are, of course, symbolic when it comes to reviews. The point is, this glass ups the ante on any other scotch glass in existence today, including the original Norton Glass. Of course, price is an important component, and at $58 for two, they are the most expensive whisky glasses I’ve ever purchased. But the Norlan glass is also the only scotch glass I’m likely to purchase from this time on, and that’s saying something.
Conclusion
The Norlan VAILD is a no brainer for any new or veteran whisky enthusiast. If my experience of the glass changes at any point, I will of course come back and update this review. Until then, consider me a Norton glass fanatic.
