The Lonsdales of Christmas, Day 15 - Montecristo D EL 2005

Saturday, January 8th, 2011

Today is the last of the 12 days of Christmas, and today would have been the day of the last cigar according to the original plan. But with my urge to try all the lonsdales I could get, I am here with 6 more to go! After a few disappointments last week, I decided to smoke a cigar that I have often enjoyed and I believe smokes very well at the moment; the Montecristo D 2005 Edicion Limiatada. On day 3 of this series I reviewed the Montecristo No.1, which impressed me. Although the D looks similar, it is very different.

The Montecristo D is a Dalia, measuring 6.7″ in length by 43 ring gauge, which makes it a little bigger than the No.1. The wrapper leave on the cigar was aged for at least two years, unlike the recent Limitadas that all tobacco is aged. The D only came in boxes of 10, in a 3-4-3 format. It was the first limitada that came in boxes of 10 cigars, so it became a big hit immediately, as it was more affordable for many than a box of 25. Today, with 6 years of age, this cigar is getting harder to find. I have been aging this cigar in my humidor since 2006 and it is the last of a box that I have gone through in the last three months. If this is as enjoyable as the rest of the cigars from the box, then we are on a winner!

Appearance 13 / 15

The Montecristo D is well presented cigar with a dark brown and oily, shiny wrapper, that has some veins and wrinkles. The bunch is solid without any soft spots or knots. Strong aromas of cocoa and coffee are present and the prelight draw is perfect -thank god!

Flavour & Body 23 / 25

The Monte D shows some good character from the first draw, with strong flavours of dark wood, coffee and dark chocolate. The body is medium and the finish is long and slightly peppery. In the second third the body is medium to full, with the three flavours still in command, and hints of cinnamon and clove. Rich and round, it is very enjoyable. In the last third the body turns full and the flavours of wood and sweet spices take over, covering everything else. It is too strong, almost overpowering in the last inch, giving you a strong nicotine kick, but without getting hot or harsh. A proper Montecristo!

Draw & Burn 22 / 25

Draw is good and burn is even, Ash is light grey, thick and solid. After a while, the cigar burn gets slightly uneven and gets worse as I smoke well in the second third. A little TLC with the torch lighter and we are back running. Although well packed, this cigar burns a lot faster than most Limitadas, and thus it creates clouds of smoke with a creamy texture. It burns well until the end, only needing a couple of re touches with the lighter.

Overall 32 / 35

The Montecrtisto D is a little powerhouse. It has all the flavours you would expect to find in a Montecristo, with the richness and strength of a limitada. If you are smoking one, make sure you don’t do it with an empty stomach. It requires a lot of attention and make sure you smoke it slowly so it will not get hot. On the last third its power disguised it’s complexity and thats where it lost a few points. It had a few problems with the burn, but when relight it got going without giving any more hassle. Without a doubt, the D’s smoke well right now and they definately have even more potential. Smoke or keep? I would say keep for another 2 years, to give it a chance to iron out it’s edges…

TOTAL 90 /100