Montecristo Epic Draft Cured Rosado

No real big story behind why I chose today’s cigar to review, other than I happened to get a box at a decent discount, and have really enjoyed them so far. Probably going to order more at some point, and, really, you just can’t go wrong with Montecristo.

Cigar: Montecristo Epic Craft Cured Rosado

Vitola: Robusto (5” x 52)

Price: $14.65

Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Nicaragua (Vintage 2006 Rosado Oscuro)
Binder: Nicaragua (Ometempe)
Filler: Nicaragua (Estelí, Jalapa, Condega)
Body: Medium-Full

Rating (out of 10): 9.9

Appearance:
Here we have the classic Montecristo gold-on-brown band, with a little extra length at the bottom, an off-white with a torn look along the button edge, giving it a kind of vintage look in line with the tobaccos used. There’s a matching foot band, as well, identifying the wrapper as Vintage 2006 Nicaraguan Rosado Oscuro.

And the wrapper is most definitely a rosado. There’s a very fine oily sheen to it, and a distinct reddish tint to the brown. There’s soft veins, and the seams are absolutely invisible.

Construction:
This line of Montecristos has their Cuban namesake to compete with, so it’s no surprise that the construction is flawless. In fact, whenever you’re looking for a brand that has a Cuban and a non-Cuban version, my personal opinion is that Montecristo comes closest to being a near-perfect match between the two. I won’t say one is better than the other, because I don’t believe “Cuban” automatically means “better,” it’s just distinct.

Aroma:
The barrel most definitely smells distinctly of cedar, and there’s cedar at the foot, as well, along with cocoa and spices. Almost a sweet cinnamon in there, I think.

First Third:
The draw is a little tight, and I get very faint touches of cedar and hay.

On lighting, the draw opens up a bit, still giving off an unmistakably cedary flavor, though there’s a touch of black pepper on the finish.

I think I’m getting some very, very faint touches of soft leather, underneath everything.

The burn line is a little wavy, but even. A nearly-white ash is left behind the burn.

Little hints of cocoa on the retrohale, it rounds out the overall flavor pretty nicely.

The draw is still just a little bit tighter than I generally prefer, but it’s still a smooth smoking experience overall.

Second Third:
Still burning evenly moving into the second third, and retaining a consistent flavor of cedar, leather, and pepper. But here I also begin to detect notes of caramel and cinnamon.

The cigar has also picked up in body. Very early on, I would have called it a mild to medium body, but here it’s definitely leaning closer to full.

What I’m getting from this cigar is a flavor that’s consistent, in that it doesn’t change, although it certainly evolves. It builds.

Final Third:
There’s some more peppery spice in the last third, nothing harsh, but certainly bold.

Nothing new comes in in the last third, but everything continues to build to a wonderful climax.

Closing Thoughts:
I’m so glad I managed to get a box of these cigars for something like 30% below MSRP. They’re everything you could want from a Montecristo. They smoke well, they taste fantastic, and it’s what I call a “conversational cigar;” One you can smoke while carrying on a conversation without missing out on the high points of it because you’re not hyper-focused on it like you would be if you were smoking it for reviewing purposes. Really, any cigar can be a conversational cigar, but some really just stand out more when your attention is on the cigar itself. Just like Cubans vs non-Cubans, I don’t suggest that one is better than the other, they’re just different.

I’m sure I’ll buy more of these, even if it means paying full price next time.