Montecristo Petit Edmundo

Montecristo Petit Edmundo

4 1/3 × 52 

Made in Cuba

Paid:  $19

Drink: Diet Pepsi

I'm quickly becoming Monte fan boy.  I have a half box of Edmundo's that I splt with a co-worker, and planned on lighting that up today.  I reached for this instead, as it's been sitting in the humidor alone for awhile.

Like with all Monte's, I find the construction, and feel of the cigar to be perfect.  It lights nicely, and burns even start to finish, without ever getting to hot.

Right off the bat I'm hit with strong wood cedar flavour, that can't be mistaken.  About an inch in, the wood softens, and lets a slight earth in, if I exhale a little out the nose.  It's very creamy, and coats the entire mouth.  There is a definite cocoa or chocolate in there, but I don't get it every draw.   The smoke is nice and thick. 

By the last third all the flavours mellow out, and I get a slight fruity taste added in.

Now a lot of reviews also describe pepper, and spice.  I don't really ever taste those in a cigar, other then the tingling sensation similar to pepper in the nose, if I exhale out the nose.  If that is indeed what people are talking about, then there is a slight pepper in the nose, that gets stronger in the last third.  The spice thing I still don't get.

I would consider this a mild cigar.  I've smoked a Hoyo Petit Robusto, and Bolivar Royal Corona.  The Royal Corona was very strong, and I feel that this was more mild then the Hoyo.

Another great Monte, I highly recommend.  Having not smoked the Edmundo yet, my thinking right now is to try and see if I can get someone to split a box with me.  

Casa Magna Colorado Pikito

Casa Magna Colorado 
Pikito 4 3/4 x 42
Made in Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan

Paid: $9 CDN
Age: Purchased late 2010 from the Cigar Studio.
Drink: Ice Water & Diet Pepsi

Bought this a couple months ago on the recommendation of my local cigar store, with the tag of being Cigar Aficionados 2008 Cigar of the Year .

The First Two Thirds
Very smooth.  I was told it's a medium to full strength, but it came across as mild.  I had no problem taking in deep long draws, and got very subtle peppery sensations in the nose on the exhale.  Overall I got a mild woody, and sweet flavour, but it was for the most part bland, and unexciting.

Gave off nice thick smoke, but the burn was pretty uneven, and I made numerous corrections.  The draw was also very tight.  Twice I got the cutters out, and opened it up a little more, but it didn't seem to help much.

For the most part uneventful, and I was left very unimpressed.

The Final Third
This is what made the cigar a happy ending.  For the first time I actually tasted subtle, very sweet caramel tastes every few draws.  I've never had that taste in any cigar, EVER!!!  I was very excited.  The lingering smoke also turned very sweet with a caramel aroma.  I ran to my small powder bathroom, and hot boxed myself for a bit to fully enjoy it.

This was also my undoing.  By the very end I was really feeling the nicotine, as I was drawing to quickly to re-experience the caramel flavours.  I never had a sick feeling, but went to bed shortly after.  I woke up the next morning with a hang-over type headache, deep in the center of my eyeballs.  I've never had this happen before, and not sure if I can attribute it to the cigar.

Overall
I was happy to finally taste a caramel flavour in a cigar.  If the whole cigar was like that I would do my best to obtain this cigar in quantity.  For now I'm going to go by another pikito, and the Robusto version, and let it sit in my humidor, and revisit this cigar again next summer perhaps.  Maybe age will make it even better.