Last night I had a quiet Friday evening with my wife, and smoked just one PLMC, which I didn't finish. I got busy with family stuff and left the cigar 2/3 smoked. When I woke up this morning I didn't feel like I'd had my fix yet, so I poured a cup of coffee, reached into the wineador for a reliable morning smoke - and emerged onto the patio with a lovely Montecristo No. 5. This box is draining quickly, I have found these little gems to be a wonderful any-time kind of smoke, morning or night, they don't disappoint.
The morning dew was burning off, the birds chirping, and the sun starting to radiate heat as the temperature crossed over the 80F mark. It's going to be a sweltering day from the looks of it. I cut and lit the Monte, and immediately began to feel a calm descend onto me. The first flavors to envelope my taste buds was a creamy melange of cocoa, coffee and shortbread nicely balanced and smooth. Ahh, that is the captivating essence that makes these No. 5 perlas so delectable. The aroma that filled my patio was equally pleasing, with a woodsy tone that reminds me of kindling starting an outdoor fire.
As the second third approached, the creaminess prevailed but coffee became more pronounced and a tinge of burnt toast and nutmeg joined the mix. The burn started to waver just a tad as it crossed the mid point, requiring a slight correction, but the flavors remained unmistakable Montecristo beans throughout.
In the final stretch I was feeling relaxed and slightly drifting into daydreams, enjoying the faint morning breeze as the muted sound of a jet engine roared far overhead, bringing me back to the here and now. My wife topped my cup of coffee and I settled into the chair to focus on the closing arguments from this tasty perla. The flavor profile evolved further bringing more burnt toast, and more kindling, while body ticked up to a solid medium.
As the final inch became too hot too handle I reluctantly put No. 5 down to extinguish as I savored the fleeting aroma. As I started to think of the day ahead I could still taste the coffee, cocoa and burnt toast on my lips while I drained the last bit of dark roast Pilon coffee.