Deep Dive: Por Larranaga Montecarlo

[cigaraholic]

I love the taste of PL and coffee in the morning.

Reasonably priced, full flavored and ages beautifully.

If I had a magic cigar wand I’d make them 38 RG instead of 33.  

[Ford2112]

Oddly I have never smoked a Por Larranaga of any kind. I got a 50 cab of PLPC on 24/24 but evidently I won't be smoking them any time soon!

[99call]

Love the PLMC.  Love the rye bread, leather,  caramel, treacle, slightly herbaceous notes. 

Love the fact they are rarely plugged,  Always love to pick them up and feel that reassuring slightly baggy roll

The thing I love most though is when young they are dependable linear performers,   and when aged they seem to be more likely to surprise.   sort of the polar opposite of what you come to expect with CC's.  When aged every sip is a blast of something distinct. 

[NSXCIGAR]

Like the PLPC they need time to go from good to great. Less than PLPC but still has a low ceiling with less than 3 years. 88-89 points young, add a point every year for the first 5. 

[Sir Diggamus]

I have only had a handfull of these but love them and the whole PL brand. 

[jakebarnes]

Needs time, but man I love em with some age. Found that they can be a bit tight on the draw that borders from "lovely resistance" to "milkshake through a cocktail straw." 

Good floor of 90 on them with 3+ years

[SCgarman]

On 4/6/2022 at 9:56 AM, djrey said:

Have many boxes of them as I love the value factor. Picked them up back when they were about $110 a box which is just silly. I enjoy the cigar but they are just so light in body. The whole PL line is a love hate with me because they just need a little oomph. Sometimes I feel as if I am smoking cardboard. This makes me question aging them, at least for my palate. Am I alone on this?

No. I have a cab of PLPC LGR17 box and have seen virtually no evolution or improvement with age. This is my first and last 50 cab. Flavors are extremely one dimensional and frankly mundane. I don't get the hype. I will take a Monte4, RGPC, BPC, RyJPC any day over a PLPC. Life is simply too short to smoke mediocre cigars.

[Chucko8]

I have for some reason found that the lighter wrapper seem to provide more of the sweeter characteristics and the darker wrapper have more of woody characteristics. 

[Tstew75]

I really like the format & how the wrapper really adds to the flavor. The experience is so diff than that of the PLPC which seems to take longer to come around.

Similar to my PLPC cabs, most of my 17-19 boxes are buried deep awaiting future discovery.

I really wish they were more available

 

[RichUK]

Just ride my first ever PLMC, most impressive. I don’t normally go for such a small RG, but this cigar may change that.

[Dimmers]

yep PLMC like the PLPC, is a great stick with age. Add to that the value factor particularly for us long duty -suffering Aussies , it’s a must have in the rotation

[GVan]

Love these - down to only 3 boxes.  Smoking the 2017's right now and they're good.  A lighter smoke that you puff and take your time with.  Smoking a cigar is about relaxation and enjoyment.  Don't have to think about these much: generally bread, and very light caramel.  At the old price these were stupid easy to buy.  I sure hope they come back in a big way so I can pick-up another 10 boxes.

Downside of the "skinnies" is they can be a tight draw but these seem to rarely need the perfect draw.

[Frinkiac7]

Never actually got around to buying a box of these, and now that they are hard to find, who knows when I will luck out. But based on everything I know, I would love them. I love PL flavors, the size is my preferred (if I could smoke one vitola for the rest of eternity, it would be something like the MDO#4 or Laguito #2). I know those and the PLMC are all three different vitolas but the point is the length is right and the ring gauge is under 40.

[Cigar Salute]

I really enjoy the PLMC.  Seems like way more people have caught on with them in the last couple of years.  They're snapped up almost immediately in the FB sales groups now when folks post them.  For me personally, I find PL to be one of the few Cuban brands that need at least 18 months from the box date for them to deliver a great experience.  At a year or so from the box date, the ones I've had were tannic and a bit ammoniac.  Smoking through an April 2018 box currently, with an April 2020 box resting that I haven't cracked yet.  Once that 2018 box hit 16-18 months age though....WOW!  Sweet floral notes galore.  I really enjoy the vitola as well.  Cuban tonacco truly shines in these thin vitolas, and it is my belief that Cuba is the world's best producer of small and thin format cigars.  The PLMC is a gem.  Great vitola, beautiful presentation with the dress box art, and even with them being double the price that they were 3 years ago, they're still a great value for the money.  I'm definitely a fan!