Montecristo Esp. #2 OSU JUN 01 (XNYRC)

[PigFish]

One of my late year smoking goals was to revisit some of the really memorable cigars from 2019. So I am late... as usual!

Enter the Monte Esp. #2 vintage 2001.

I have noticed a few near '01 vintage cigars showing up in this review series. So, lets talk a little about these cigars. Over and over again I see 99 to 01 vintage cigars maligned over the internet. I realize that I am an 'anti-establishment' smoker, but I have to wonder if any of these people parroting such rhetoric have actually smoked any of these cigars. In my time smoking Cuban cigars, I have to say that year over year, 01 vintage cigars prove themselves over and over as being some of the most complex, memorable cigar experiences. I covet mine... Considering how much I read about rH and temperature and storage from those without a clue, representing that they do have a clue, it would not surprise me that this is another case of internet puffing of knowledge not actually had. You don't have to go far to find an expert of everything here on the net. A recent thread about trying to tie cigar condition to aH tickles me as a recent example... I digress!

I have smoked several of these this year. Look at what is left in the box. I hate to see them go, but I am not big on storing largely empty boxes. In this case I am making some exceptions. These cigars are so good, that I really don't want to commingle them with a bunch of nameless, homeless singles. They are simply too special for that.

These cigars, including the one that I smoked this day, epitomize what I consider to be the Cuban cigar. This is a rich, firm drawing robust cigar.

As you likely know, I store cigars rather dry. As a result, these have little bouquet. This does not mean the cigar is finished, over the hill, nor any of the many other prejudices that follow with 'nose' and a fine cigar. If you passed up on this cigar over your nose... you made a grave error.

There was no 'foreplay' with this cigar! It opened, and opened to what might well have been the last third. It just turned on and stayed on. This was a rich, unctuous, high mouthfeel, lush and 'thick' tasting cigar. While the cigar had a moderately stiff draw, she breathed, thick, viscous, white smoke. The smoke was heavy and lingered. You could almost see it fall...

The taste was bursting with stone fruit, plumb and peach but not sweet. Dried fruit is more accurate. Dense and lightly oily describes it best. The mouth feel is worth mentioning. 

While the last one of these was more complex with a bit more character, this slightly lesser sibling was no runt.

I did not time my smoke. I enjoyed the beautiful weather, my wife and dog's company. The interesting elements from the cigar varied as if with the conversation and the music that we listened to. The tastes of spices, fruits and nuts all came to the table to serve me. This was a sublime smoke.

I say this over and over. It was not the missing 22 ring of shallow filler that made this cigar what it was. You don't need 50 plus ring cigars to deliver like this. You need quality tobacco of the proper blend and a roller who knows and cares about what he/she is doing. If that is magic, well this cigar had that...

 

Thanks for reading and sharing my experience. Cheers! -the Pig 

 

[Sudzdaddy]

Very nice, thanks Ray!

[Connoisseur Kim]

Hmm I really need skinnies for sure, Rey! Skinnies definitely have more than intensity than thicker RG, which is the reason why I enjoy both thin and thick CCs!

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[Euripidespants]

I had my issues with 99 and 00 cigars...still had good cigars from that era but mostly stuck with petit Coronas and Coronas. I was disappointed mostly by the change in one of my favorites, the boli rc, after 97. it seemed like quality picked up big time in 01. I still have an upmann super corona from 01 I’m hoarding. That box was excellent. 
 

i have a box of monte especiale no 1 MAR 02 that have a similar flavor profile to what you described in your no.2. Absolutely outstanding. Still have 2/3 of the box left. Beautiful aged monte glory but I know not to smoke one on a humid day.

[BoliDan]

Nice piggy. I think thicker rg allows for more adventerous blending, but i keep gravitating towards under 50rg. Mostly 42. I give them all a whirl so i dont think it is coincidence. Maybe it is just the sheer power of flavor that narrow stix provide, maybe its simply palate bias. Cheers sir.

[PigFish]

Cheers gents! -Piggy

[Monterey]

So many plugged cigars I got during that period.  The worse was those H2000 wrapper cigars.  Flame retardant.   I remember trying all the cigars in a box of VRDA's with that wrapper.  25 duds. 

Glad you got a good box, I was no so fortunate back then.

[Habana Mike]

Nice review Ray! Sounds like a solid smoke.

Happy New Year buddy!

[99call]

3 hours ago, PigFish said:

Cheers gents! -Piggy

Ray,,,You are aware by that by doing this review, you render yourself vulnerable to winning. 

I wishing you all the bad luck, I know you'll be hoping for.

Best, Stefan

[PigFish]

Have no fear... I never win anything! -LOL

What was I supposed to be winning anyway? The guy least likely to win anything??? -LOL -OR, the most irritating guy on the forum? That, I would likely win.

Cheers! -R

[Euripidespants]

2 hours ago, Monterey said:

So many plugged cigars I got during that period.  The worse was those H2000 wrapper cigars.  Flame retardant.   I remember trying all the cigars in a box of VRDA's with that wrapper.  25 duds. 

Glad you got a good box, I was no so fortunate back then.

Absolutely. H2000 was terrible. I remember being excited to finally get a RAG. Really dark wrapper. When I got around to smoke it I noticed how thick and rough the wrapper was. Looked like football skin. Draw was good but very little flavor and went out numerous times. Damn near 20 years ago but still remember it. One of the more disappointing cigars I smoked.

 

 

[99call]

27 minutes ago, PigFish said:

Have no fear... I never win anything! -LOL

What was I supposed to be winning anyway? The guy least likely to win anything??? -LOL -OR, the most irritating guy on the forum? That, I would likely win.

Cheers! -R

You can stack them on top of your Cohiba DC's to gather dust. haha!

[MigsG]

I've noticed that when I store them dry, no bouquet. But intense flavors. 

However when I dry box too long, flavors fade.  

 

[PigFish]

Hmmm.... I guess the only way I will ever try cigars like that is if I win them. So this isn't the typical 'lucky draw thing?' Perhaps I should go back to reading the fine print...!

You guys want to see flame retardant wrappers, I will put out a box of RyJ Els from that period. These Montes have nice wrappers, if that matters much. What I have with asbestos wrappers are all Els. I don't have any flame retardant regular production smokes that I can recall.

Now come to think of it. The only bad cigars I remember from early part of the millennium were EL cigars. Yes, I still have them taking  up space in my humidor... and like a bad dream I cannot forget them... I did give up on Piramides and Belicosos from that era. The regular production figurados were pretty bad as I recall. I really like the BBF back then. I could not get a good box of those to save my life, so I simply stopped buying them until 2006 when I thought they made a comeback.

 

Maybe I should try and win with a Monte C EL... I know Ken would vote for it...! -LOL

-R

[Habana Mike]

It's both a draw and popularity contest Ray.

So far you look like you're right up there with the most likes on your post!

Could win both!

[PigFish]

Okay... two thoughts come to mind.

Is it too late to start stacking reviews with Partagas Chicos???

-AND

Do I have enough time to start being nice to people? -LOL

- the Pig

[Fugu]

Thanks Ray, nicely pictured. With you on all accounts. You had to be selective, but gems to be had during that period, most of which are still going strong today. And in particular some great production came from OSU (Partagás) during that time, 2000 through 2003 (for different brands).

Me - I consider skinnies as the single-cask versions of cigars. Why intrusively blend what means diluting your best barrels?! Risk and reward of the slender cigar!