Hoyo De Monterrey - Du Prince (1998) : Ode to the 40 & 42 ring gauge review week

[Philc2001]

Sitting outside by the pool working after a light lunch I got the urge to smoke a cigar, as is often the case on Fridays, nothing huge - just something to quaff  for 30-40 minutes. I selected a Hoyo Du Prince sent to me in a trade a few months ago. I don’t have a box code, but a cigar of this vintage is sure to be a treat. Mike S. who shared this nugget with me kept them vacuum sealed for 16 years or so, and his experiment seems to have done wonders for these cigars.

This cigar seems a bit smaller than most PCs, with a ring gauge of 40. The medium brown wrapper is slightly darker than milk chocolate. Cold draw was absolutely perfect, just the way I like it. Torch fire ignited the foot evenly, producing thick rich plumes of smoke that filled my patio with a delightful aroma of toasted tobacco and smoldering softwood, and a touch of that distinctive barnyard aroma I so cherish. Body started out mild to medium, while flavor was dominated by rich toasted tobacco and hints of cocoa and vanilla. Oh yes, this is definitely the afternoon treat I was looking forward to.

The second half is very similar to the first. The body hiked up to a moderate medium. A touch of cloves has replaced the vanilla, and a touch of pepper has joined in, which is making this a little more interesting. There is a certain intensity to the flavor, which although smooth and creamy it is captivating, sharp and satisfying. The burn was wavering just a tad, but a quick lick from the torch took care of that and it burned straight from there on.

I certainly enjoyed this little cigar. It seems to have a very straight forward old Havana style flavor profile, which is intense, tasty and satisfying. I took it down to the absolute nub, throughly burning my lips and finger tips. I would rate this cigar 8.5 out of 10 on my personal scale. Big thanks to Mike S. for sharing this little gem.

[TheMonk]

Another very nice review!

[JohnS]

Yes, 40 ring gauge x 130 mm, a vitola like no other habanos cigar. I personally love aged Le Hoyo line cigars, in general. I appreciate your review of this sadly now discontinued cigar.