Christmas Corona Gordas, Day 8: Montecristo C EL 2003

Monday, January 2nd, 2012

It is January 1st of 2012, first day of the new year and day 8 in this series of reviews. Five gordas are left to review and since I my last cigar of 2011 was a limitada, I will start 2012 in the same way, hoping to get similar results. Today’s corona gorda is the Montecristo C Limited Edition 2003. The Montecristo C is the only corona gorda in the brand and was one of the five limitadas released in 2003. It seems to be the only one of these five vitolas that can still be found in many tobacconists. Is this a bad sign? Maybe not, however I have to admit that my previous experiences with this cigar were not ones to remember. I am reviewing this cigar very late tonight, as I spent most of the day battling against a mighty hangover that I woke up with after last night’s session…

The Monte C has one of the darkest wrappers compared to the rest of the gordas of the lineup, but certainly not the prettiest. Its colorado maduro shade, the veins, wrinkles and the grainy texture give the C an old, rustic look. It is well packed, almost solid, with a sloppy, uneven triple cap. Strong leathery aromas are noticeable on the wrapper, while mild aromas of wood emerge from the foot. The prelight draw is good and has a sweet, chocolatey flavour.

The Montecristo C starts off with bold flavours of wood, earth and ammonia. I had to look at it twice as I was not expecting to find any ammonia on an 8 year old limitada. But it didn’t last for long; it gradually started to fade off, and eventually was completely disappeared halfway in the first third. The woody and earthy flavours also seem to fade off, giving way to some creamy, sweet flavours. Although the body was medium to full on the first few draws, the cigar is now milder.

In the second third the cigar seems to settle and there are no more transformations. The flavours are still sweet and somehow one dimensional. Sweet caramel, chocolate and some coffee and that’s about it. This is not your typical Montecristo, but it has some of the flavours that are similar to the newer limitadas of the brand. It’s body is still medium, still way behind the standards of the marca. The draw is good and the burn is even with the ash being dark, flaky and falling off quite often. The finish is short and shallow, with some sweetness.

In the last third the cigar starts to lighten up a little. Some earthy and cedary flavours appear on the background, while chocolate is still the main flavour. The body is still medium and the finish is a little longer now, with a touch of spice. But even now, the C seems very flat and does not show a sign of complexity or strength. It is more of a relief to put it to rest…

Unfortunately, the Montecristo C was a disappointment. It showed no real character and no complexity and I have to admit I found it rather boring. On a positive note, the cigar burned and drew exceptionally well, but it did not manage to get my tastebuds excited. If a limitada shows no complexity or strength after eight years, I doubt it ever will. Were these cigars better when they were young and age haven’t helped them? I am not sure as I never smoked a young one, but it could well be the case. I will be generous and give them 3 stars, only for the fact that I could not fault their smoking characteristics, and I am looking forward to the one I will be smoking tomorrow…

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