Por Larrañaga - Montecarlos - BRM OCT 23 - (RotR25)

[Gubbins]

The sun is out in the north of England and this year's outdoor cigar season feels like a stone's throw away. I’m on my own and want something quick, economical and Cuban, to pair with my quick and economical coffee. Maybe something a bit different, and so I reach for a PL Montecarlo that is approaching close to 18 months of age.

The fairly seamless Colorado Claro wrapper looks great and I am confident in the construction. A quick squeeze reveals good draw potential, with no knots or firm areas. They’ve been stored at 65RH for a good 10 months or so, yet I still question myself as to why Montecarlos always feel spongy. 

I cut it with a guillotine and the cold draw appears to confirm this will smoke well. Being 33rg, I can light this up easily, cigar in mouth, with a yellow flame and no faff.

 1st third

<Don’t ask what the ‘C’ stands for>
 

A year and a half down, but I am greeted with a hit of pepper from the get-go. I expect this bite would disappear entirely had I been a touch more patient in resting them for another 6 months. The pepper does however dissipate after around an inch and a half has been smoked, which doesn’t take too long. The Initial notes are cedar, nuts and tobacco.

 A fairly rough start begins to even out as the cigar shows some promise. The burn is fast due to the nature of the format but the draw and construction are spot on. The cigar shows the last faint traces of ammonia from this box.

2nd third

For a stick you might believe to be susceptible to draw issues; it is smoking superbly, however I am careful not to get too carried away as they can be prone to heating up. The initial harshness of the pepper has now disappeared, leaving just a faint reminder on the retro hale, which soon fades away after another few minutes. 

There is a flash in the pan of citrus, showing promise in the hope it may become more prominent with age, a similar story with some sweeter honey notes; yet they are overshadowed against the wood, nut and tobacco flavours.  I got a solid 5 minutes where the more delicate flavours shone through and demonstrated the potential that may be unlocked with more sleep.

3rd third.

<a toothy Ashe has persisted throughout>

The burn starts to slow as the oils accumulate and a mild bitterness starts to develop and sit on the palate. I give it a quick lick of flame to get it back on pace and the draw & burn are back close to their former glory.

Signs of a sweet undercurrent develop and show further promise, but increasing bitter notes keep it at arms length. Father Time however is undefeated, and this is a battle that will soon be won. The cedar, nuts and tobacco notes have been a stalwart through-out.

I sometimes get into the habit of inhaling these a little, and I start to feel the nicotine bombard my veins as I approach the end. I am on my feet checking my watch with around 2 inches left to smoke. The bitterness starts to linger more on my palate and I find myself reaching more for my coffee as this builds. I stand with it for a few more minutes then sit it down after around 35-40 minutes.

Overall

Whoever rolled this stick did a good job. 18 months in and the pepper is all but gone, except for the initial stages. 6 months more and there will be no signs. The same can most likely be said for the bitter notes that developed towards the final third suppressing some of the more delicate, nuanced and welcoming flavours.      
 

The construction was fantastic throughout, and the cigar was overall an enjoyable smoke that showed signs of promise, but there are still some slight edges that need smoothing out. I look forward to coming back to these later in the year. 

I would let these sit for a couple of years if you can, at which point some of the dampening notes will start to make way for the pleasures these sticks can bring.

87 points 

[SamB93]

Nice detailed review! FYI First time poster here! I am just getting back into Cubans after going NW for a couple years. After sparking up an 'ol Monte 4, I was back in a flash. Already put a few orders in to start the resting process again. Anyway...I have been mulling over purchasing these Montecarlos as I love the panetela format.

Are they worth it? Assuming I let them rest for a while ( based on what I have read). They seem popular yet sometimes others say they are not " Worth it" 

Many thanks! 

[MrBirdman]

Nice review. These are nice young but really need 4-5 years to blossom. Try to keep some aside.

[Gubbins]

@SamB93 Welcome! If you like the format; hunt out a couple of singles of both these and the La Gloria Cubana - Medaille D’or No.4, and commit to a box of the one you prefer. The Montecarlos are cheaper, easier to find and have a different flavour profile, but both can be found on 24:24 if you are patient enough.

PL as a whole can attain the sweet honey notes you might find in a Cohiba at a fraction of the price point, if you are able to give them the same respect in terms of resting time. They can be 94 point cigars if you are able. As mentioned these can be good young, but will have a touch of mongrel and probably won’t blow your socks off.

If you are looking to fire from the hip though or are in search of bang for buck and the vitola isn’t a sticking point; these have crept into a competitive price point and there could be other viable alternatives based on your preferred flavours, strength, smoking time and format, such as the H.Upmann Half Corona or Partagas Aristocrats.

Let us know what you are looking for and perhaps we can help, or send a DM.