ROTT Review: Montecristo No 4

[Zaxeiler]

Received my first ever 24:24 purchase today. Had a year of age on it. Conventional wisdom says to lay them down for 30-90 days, but I just couldn't wait to try one. I was extremely surprised with how good it was - I got lucky...

 

Montecristo No. 4 (UEB JUL 19, ~80 minutes) - Aroma is barnyard with that bright note of fermented tobacco, almost like cherry. Cold draw is a little firm, earthy, sweet pipe tobacco, and a touch of tingle on the lips.

 

Initial puffs are earth and chocolate. As it moves into the first third, a wonderful lemon twang comes in. That mixes nicely with the natural sweetness, nut/chocolate flavors. Almost like a lemon cake. Halfway into the first third I’m distinctly in coffee territory, still with a finish of lemon/sour. 

 

Entering the middle third, puffs are kind of alternating between coffee with lemon, sourdough toast, and chocolate biscuit cracker. Halfway through, no more lemon - the darker parts of what came before, sourdough bread, chocolate, and earth. Had one puff of ash, but a purge seemed to help (this is ROTT and also has a tight draw).

 

Into the final third, we’re all coffee and chocolate. After a bit, some hints of pepper are arriving, particularly on the retro. As we got to nub territory, the lemon/sour came back, taking us full circle, and making for a wonderful end.

 

Burn needed correcting in the first third, but was consistent after that. Draw was really tight, but seemed to relax (to firm) after a knot in the first third. Smoke output was adequate throughout.