Description
I was standing on the corner of 5th and 42nd, deep inthe bowels of midtown. The sun had been setting behind the skyscrapers and that’s why these long, jaggedy shadows crossed the pavement. Cabs honked; people barreled past me with that desperate “I’m late for the train” energy and the smell of roasted nuts from a street cart vied with exhaust fumes. But I didn’t care. I hung on, leaning against an ice-cold stone pillar for support and a signed contract in the pocket of my chest. And I had finally closed a deal I had been working on for18 months. I was rattling a bit from getting my juices going, but I began to think about the study itself—the smell ofthe worn leather and books that smushed cruh-crum lifetime will stink — ”and that one damn drawer in his desk he said I could never even touch until whoevei’ v/as mine—^”lEed sucli a i>itc fit at die table.,..”‘
I dreamed of a world where things moved more slowly. The city today? It’s all“now,” “instant,” the “ten-second clip.” But a win like this? It wasn’t of a 10-secondclip. Then there was a party to be had, and that took awhile. It had to be something thatwas going to make me sit down and really digest the reality of what we’d just done. I fished into my own satchel, dragged out that skinnycoffin. I had about 2½ hours of daylightleft, and I knew exactly what I was going to do with them.
That smoke? The Montecristo A. If you’re notacquainted with this bad boy, it’s likely because you’ve never had the time to commit an entire afternoon to a singlecigar. This is not your eat that quick puff before dinner kind of thing. This is a marathon. It’s the Mount Everest of the Montecristo line and I was ready to summit it once and for all.
The Specs
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Product Name | Montecristo A |
| Vitola de Galera | Gran Corona |
| Length | 235 mm (about9 1/4 inches) |
| Ring Gauge | 47 |
| Origin | Cuba (Habanos S.A.) |
| Tobacco Region | Vuelta Abajo (Wrapper, Binder, Filler) |
| Strength | Medium to Full |
Construction: TheGiant in the Box
It’s like drawing a sword. The Montecristo A is a Gran Corona, but at barely over nine inches long it appears as a bâton, not a cigar. I held it up to the fugitives of city light — it was wrapped in that old stand-by Colorado shade, a shiny reddish brown that looked like nothing so much as burnished teak. It wasn’t oily like some of those dark Maduros you see, it was more of an amatte finish, silky to the touch and felt expensive under my thumb.
Rolling it under my fingers, I could sense the edges of its mass. Because when you’re smoking a cigar this big, what you’re really concerned about is soft spots or “plugs” that make the draw feel like sucking down a milkshake through a pinhole. But this onefelt uniform from head to toe. I picked up the straight cutter, and nipped thecap. The pre-light draw? This was exactly what I had hoped for: notes of dry cedar followed by a touch of what I refer to as “barnyard”—the earthy, hay-like smell that tells you the tobacco spent delicious years aging in VueltaAbajo. It was snug but hey what do you expect for a 9 x 47 ring guage cigar? What you don’t want on this large of a stick, is wide open draw or you’ll end up burning hot half way through.
Flavor Profile: The Three-Act Play
The First Third: The Awakening
I roasted the foot with a soft flame lighterI purposely did not flame past the toasted foot. It took a minute to get the whole surface — (it’s a big target) — glowing. Those initial pulls were weirdly smooth. Right away I got a mouthful of the all so classic Montecristo cedar. It wasn’t exactly aggressive; it was more of a friendly push. I had been sitting there on a park bench waiting for the city lights to come alight and the smoke had begun to settle. The flavor bloomed, began to hint at something cocoa — not but more like cacao nibs. There was a bit of a tang too — almost dried-fruit-like even — that helped balance the wood. The strong is by now a strong medium. It was a drink that went down smooth, that was sophisticated and didn’t bite back.
The Second Half: The Crux ofthe Matter
Forty-five minutes in, and I was three inches down. This is where the Montecristo A starts to show its teeth. Flavor turned away from the light tasting cedar to something quite a bit darker and more “masculine”. I mean leather so thick you can smell it, and roasted coffee beans. You ever go in one of those fancy boot stores? That’swhat I was smelling. The earthiness intensified to full “cuban that went dirt after rain,” which I love in a Cuban. The voluptuousness of the first two nicotinesweetthird was knocked down a few pegs and a spicy tingles greeted the retrohale. It wasn’t actually pepper, per se— more a warm cinnamon or nutmeg flavor. It was developing a full-bodied profile, more into that medium-to-fullrange. I even sort of appreciated that small nicotine kick here, a pleasant “buzz” to add to the one I got from winning at business.
TheLast Third: The Big Finish
By the time I hit that last third, the sun was gone and just streetlamps illuminated my smoke clouds. The cigar had evolved again. Now it wasall about intensity. The coffee became more of an espresso and the leather was even more pronounced. This was when I started to get a charred oak note that dominated, and the smoke was far creamier. The smoke started to turn hot, I had to slow down and stop puffing so prematurely in the smoke, but everything still tasted clean. It wasn’t the case with this cigar, which was just as smooth and sweet in its last ash-laden 1/3rd as it was at [email protected]Huy $40, but nope. Usually with a feroooler this big the final third will be acrid (or “tarry”) but the A held throughout to my surprise and complete delight. Punchy, earthy and finished with a palette kissing toasted nut flavor that hung around long on my tongue after I set the nub in the ashtray. II (spent) two hours, twenty minutes with thingy and I don’t regret asecond.
Pairing:Who Can Match the “A”?
A Montecristo A does not do well with a lightbeer or a sweet soda. You need something with legs. Because I was having a party I put in 1.5 oz of a peaty Islay Scotch. The peat smoked andleather in the cigaroutfit each other likepair ofbest mates. And, even if you’re not a booze person, consider my challenge above: maybe that it’s some kind of motor oil-varnish concoction to be sipped and smoked while Worker fills the room with powder smoke? If not, then whether or not some kind of espresso perhaps—something very dark and black with enough acidity to slice through the richness all that tobacco. I mean, I could have told you to try spicy ginger ale if you’re looking to stay clear-headed, but… Naw, I’m lying: the perfect call for me is the Scotch because this show’s one of those too. Youwant something that changes along with the cigar.
Value/Usage: Who is This For?
Listen, I’mjust going to tell you the truth. TheMontecristo A is no “daily” blend. It’s expensive, difficult to get attimes, and a humongous time suck. If you are a “power smoker” or only have about 40 minutes after work, don’t come around these parts. You’ll ruin halfa beautiful cigar, and that is simply a crime.
For the new guy who got promoted. It’s forthe mom who just ran her first marathon. It’s the one for the person who wants to sit on a porch and watch a sunset and look back in time and forward through it. It’s a celebratory stick. It is also for the collector who appreciates the storied history behind Cubantobacco. Since being put into the range in the late 60s, the Monte A has been the benchmark for what is a Gran Corona. It’s a statement piece.
Conclusion: The Verdict
I have to say theMonetecristo A completely outdid that memory of my dad’s office. It wasn’t out there trying to impress them with a whole bunch of whacked-out spice or gimicky flavors. It was a decent stick all around, a very enjoyable smoke that had me interested. That’s a cigar that respects you about as much respect as you show it.
So, is this the “most ‘complex’t thing I’ve ever, smoked? Maybe not. But can it be one of the most dependable and satisfying too? Absolutely. I was peeled away from the outcries of the city and had two hours to have a little church service on my win! You should own one of these — if you have the time, patience and a reason to make merry. As long as you have a comfy chair and nothing else to do. That’s not a cigar — that’s an occasion.
Verdict: Solid. Definitely one for the ardent smoker with no fear of a long-haul flight.
