The original Monte Edmundo arrived with a thud. Though the market was hot for a fatter, chunkier Monte, either the blend wasn't quite right or the manufacturing off-kilter because those initial batches left a lot to be desired. But Habanos quickly (for them) got their act together, made some adjustments, and soon the Edmundo was a staple for Cuban cigar smokers as well as one of the brand's most popular vitolas.
Fast forward to 2013, and the arrival of the longer—but not fatter—Double Edmundo. Americans would simply call this a toro: at 6 1/4 x 50, it's just a quarter inch longer than one of the most common formats for non-Cuban cigars. Since it's barely an inch longer than the regular Edmundo, it's hardly double the size, or anywhere close. Just sayin'.
Sporting the snazzier new Monte band, it's a looker. Our examples sported beautifully rich, brown wrappers with minimal veins and carefully applied caps. It's hard to show in photos, but some of the cigars were slightly misshapen, and when viewed side by side, the oblong stogies looked two ring gauges bigger compared to the perfectly shaped ones.
Fast forward to 2013, and the arrival of the longer—but not fatter—Double Edmundo. Americans would simply call this a toro: at 6 1/4 x 50, it's just a quarter inch longer than one of the most common formats for non-Cuban cigars. Since it's barely an inch longer than the regular Edmundo, it's hardly double the size, or anywhere close. Just sayin'.
Sporting the snazzier new Monte band, it's a looker. Our examples sported beautifully rich, brown wrappers with minimal veins and carefully applied caps. It's hard to show in photos, but some of the cigars were slightly misshapen, and when viewed side by side, the oblong stogies looked two ring gauges bigger compared to the perfectly shaped ones.
Some bad news, though. Our experience has shown that, for some reason, Edmundos tend to have burn problems. These were no exception. The first example we smoked was basically a write-off after going out and being re-lit at least 10 times. By the end it was sour, and about all we got out of it was some sweet, straightforward tobacco notes.
Subsequent examples were dry-boxed for a week prior to smoking and performed better, showing lovely notes of wood leather and cappuccino with the tiniest hint of spice. Not much complexity here beyond that, which is fine. Much like the Davidoff Nicaragua we like so much, these are lush, luxurious smokes that deliver an uber-pleasant smoking experience.
Which brings us back to the burn. It's asking a lot for casual smokers to understand that certain cigars need special attention prior to smoking. Most people don't know what dry boxing is, let alone have the patience to put cigars aside that they don't plan to smoke for a week or more. In the end, as nice as this cigar can be, we're not sure it's worth the effort when we can always grab a Monte No. 2 or 4 and have a potentially more complex smoke without the hassle of dealing with a bad burn. Recommended, but conditionally.
Subsequent examples were dry-boxed for a week prior to smoking and performed better, showing lovely notes of wood leather and cappuccino with the tiniest hint of spice. Not much complexity here beyond that, which is fine. Much like the Davidoff Nicaragua we like so much, these are lush, luxurious smokes that deliver an uber-pleasant smoking experience.
Which brings us back to the burn. It's asking a lot for casual smokers to understand that certain cigars need special attention prior to smoking. Most people don't know what dry boxing is, let alone have the patience to put cigars aside that they don't plan to smoke for a week or more. In the end, as nice as this cigar can be, we're not sure it's worth the effort when we can always grab a Monte No. 2 or 4 and have a potentially more complex smoke without the hassle of dealing with a bad burn. Recommended, but conditionally.
THE DETAILS6.25x50 Cuba W: Cuba B: Cuba F: Cuba £19 | THE HIGHLIGHTSSimple but pleasant cigar with a luxurious character. Pleasant notes of wood, leather and coffee. Must be dry-boxed for days prior to smoking, which may not be worth the effort. | THE VERDICTCLASSIC EXCELLENT VERY GOOD GOOD ---------------------- SMOKE/HOLD |
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