Montecristo No. 2 GSO JUL 06

[zuma]

Ahhh... Fathers Day! It never fails to provide that rare opportunity to combine a fine cigar, a beautiful Sunday arvo and peace (undisturbed by my three monster kids). Got myself a lightly sweetened black Ceylon and took a Monte 2 out of its lair... I haven't had one of these in a long while.

Enticing colorado wrapper, mottled with darker oily freckles; it had a faint fragrance of honeyed old leather. Quite firm to touch and nice weight in the hand. Angled clipped the head to find a relatively easy draw (not loose... just a tad easy) that left a faintly sweet taste of honey on the lips and hay on the palate...

Slowly toasted its foot...

The opening draws were extremely mild... with a well defined taste of weak coffee and milk, lightly sweetened with honey, and a texture that was almost watery. At about one inch into it, a dry cedar texture became evident on the tongue, and the flat white taste got some welcomed sprinkles of sweet cocoa...

The flavour profile remained relatively unchanged until the last third... some short lived hints of freshly roasted cashews came and went near the middle. Through the nose, the smoke had a soft white peppery sting...

The last third was more to my liking... the core took a stronger malted cocoa taste with flowery honey sweetness and a pinch of cinnamon spice, with the smoke taking a fuller leathery texture on the palate.

Up to the beginning of the last third, the burn was a bit ragged but not alarmingly so. Later it required a couple of touch ups. Its ash was light gray, not overtly firm but not flaky.

That last third, made this an enjoyable smoke, however the beginning two thirds were too much on the mild side for me.

I'll give it 89/100.

- Edit: moved to the review forum/deleted some orphaned words in the text

[El Presidente]

You have to love Fathers day.

My explicit instructions of no home made gifts fell on deaf ears and I now have my 245th school made clay ashtray + a clay bust + a clay keyring with my initials carved on one side and a caricature of me on the other. !lol2:

Loved the review. The one thing I find frustrating with Monte 2's is the variance in body. From full to mild and everywhere in between. They should be medium building to just on medium full (particularly in their youth). Blend integrity is still the holy grail for high production cigars.

[zuma]

I am certain the smoke would have been a delight to those that fancy a mild cigar... it would have been a fine breaky smoke... hanging out with this mob has changed my preferences toward stronger and more intense smokes.

The funniest Fathers' day gift: 3 Partagas V898 stolen from my stash, and a card with "This entitles the bearer with as many cigars as purchasable with one week's worth of our combined allowance. Signed: You loved children"... a clever hint to increase their allowance.