Por Larranaga Montecarlo
6.3x33
Box code: AME OCT 13
This is my first long form review, so I decided what better place to start than with my first CC purchase. I bought a box of these back in September of 2015. I had no experience with these previously, I only selected it because it was one of the cheapest boxes available. I got it for ~$100 which was an amount I was willing to lose if this was a scam. I think most of us have these fears the first time we buy s box of Cubans. Let’s get into the review.
This particular cigar has a nice, dark rosado wrapper. The seams are tight, but the lumpy bunch underneath gives it a somewhat rustic appearance. After cutting, the draw is a little snug, but I push on. After lighting it though, I’m unable to get a decent amount of smoke, and some harsh flavors are coming through. Fearing some tar build up, I recut it, and use a draw tool to open it up. I’m initially hesitant about using a draw tool on such a slender cigar, I’ve had wrappers crack on cigars with a bigger ring gauge than this, but it holds up and starts preforming well.
1st third: After the initial puffs, the tarry harshness subsides, and a clean spicy wood flavor comes through. Not cedar. Something closer to oak with a little cayenne on the back end. Although this one was snug, and the last one of these I smoked a month ago was plugged, nine if the other cigars from this box has had any draw issues. That surprises me for a cigar this thin. The amount of smoke produced by this cigar is unbelievable. Thick and oily, it coats my mouth. Toward the end of the first third, the flavor becomes something I’m used to. Floral, and oily, I can only describe it as olive oil. It’s something I identify with Por Larranaga. It seems unique to this marca. I don’t taste it in every single cigar, but when I do, it’s always something from them.
2nd third: Shortly into this third, it begins to take on the flavor of cinnamon and toasted walnuts. It doesn’t move off of this flavor throughout the entire middle. I like these cigars, but I don’t smoke them in public. It’s hard to look cool smoking what looks like a Virginia Slim. Clint Eastwood could pull it off. I’m not Clint Eastwood.
Final third: Unfortunately, the cinnamon and walnuts continue without any change. Despite the cinnamon, this particular Montecarlo didn’t really have much sweetness to it.
Smoke time: 1h 22m
Final thoughts: I liked this cigar. Was it super complex? No. Was it mind blowing? No. Is it a 90+ point cigar? No. What it was, though, was a thoroughly enjoyable cigar with a pleasing flavors that performed well above the $4 price point. I’m down to my last few of these, and I’ll probably be restocking it soon.
Score: (Full disclosure: I don’t have a mathematical formula to come up with a score. I just kinda go with my gut. Anything above 80 being smokeable, and anything above 90 being fantastic.) 87
