Stogie Reviews: Montecristo Afrique Kilimanjaro

9 Oct 2006

A month back we received an email from a reader asking our opinion of a JR special on the Montecristo Afrique Kilimanjaro (10 cigars and a travel humidor for about $60 or, for $25 more, a sharp-looking glass top humidor with the cigars). Since we hadn’t had one yet, we couldn’t offer an opinion. But when we came across a Kilimanjaro at our local JR store, we scooped it up for ten bucks.

The first thing you notice about this 7 inches by 46 ring guage lonsdale is that is quite handsome. I’ve always been a fan of the classic brown Montecristo band, but this cigar is dressed up even more with a nice cedar sleeve with KILIMANJARO burnt down the center. Completing the ensemble is a black band at the bottom that reminds you the cigar is from the Afrique line.

But the stogie’s appearance isn’t all bells and whistles. The dark brown Cameroon wrapper makes the cigar standout long after the cedar sleeve is crumpled up in the trash. Pre-light, the cigar had subtle woody notes. The top grade wrapper was also free of veins.

Once lit, the cigar lived up to its billing as a very unique smoke. It had a dark coffee flavor, which was augmented by the Iced Café Americano I paired with this stogie. But the coffee flavors were swirled up with chocolate and subtle hints of what I can best describe as English breakfast tea. Elsewhere I’ve seen people claim to notice chai flavors in this cigar, and while I didn’t occur to me while reviewing the cigar, in hindsight it is plausible that chai flavors were present.

Overall it was a very complex, yet balanced flavor profile. Additionally the construction was flawless – with an even burn, easy draw, and sturdy white ash.

While I have had better cigars from the “ultra-premium” price range, I highly recommend that everyone try at least one cigar from the Afrique line. Not everyone will love the unique flavors, but they’re worth checking out.

For one-of-a-kind flavor with excellent construction, this cigar earns an impressive four out of five stogies.