Stogie Reviews: Montecristo Media Noche No. 2
Tuesday, March 11th, 2008As a coffee lover, it’s only natural that I gravitate toward maduro cigars. The dark, rich, earthy tones of a good maduro pair perfectly with a steaming cup of black coffee (or a nice glass of rum, depending upon the time of day).
Recently I found myself searching for the perfect accompaniment to several pounds of ludicrously expensive and rare Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee beans I’d been given by an old friend. Coffee aficionados will know instantly, at the mere mention of the Jamaican Blue Mountain appellation, that these are no ordinary coffee beans. And they demand no ordinary smoke to match them.
Ordinarily, I stock my humidor with plenty of 5 Vegas Series A’s. Inexpensive, yet phenomenal, they’ve been my everyday smoke for many months now. But for this special occasion, I decided to be a bit more adventurous, and I splurged on some Montecristo Media Noche No. 2s. At roughly $15 per stick, or $230 for a box, the No. 2 is not the kind of cigar I should have bought on impulse. For many of us, that’s quite a hefty price to pay on a whim – especially for Montecristo’s first foray into maduro territory. For all I knew, they might have screwed this one up.
A quick physical assay of the cigar in question, however, put my fears to rest. Dark, oily, and impeccably wrapped, the Media Noche is quite the show pony. Had Plato smoked cigars, he might have considered this handsome torpedo the archetypal image of ‘cigar-ness.’ To take this stogie in hand is to see and smell the luxury of well-oiled leather. The pre-light aroma gave off deep and striking notes of espresso, leather, and earth. I couldn’t wait to light up this impressively sized, 6.1 inch by 54 ring gauge beauty and find out if my senses weren’t deceiving me.
I wasn’t dreaming. The cigar lit beautifully and maintained a very firm, but manageable draw. The burn was even throughout, producing a light gray ash that contrasted beautifully with the darkness of the Connecticut broadleaf maduro wrapper. For such a powerful-looking cigar, the Media Noche began with a whisper: a rich, peppery, but decidedly mellow flavor, slowly building up as the smoke progressed. This richness gave way to notes of vanilla and even cream as the cigar reached its final third – a delicate landing after a smooth takeoff and enjoyable flight.
I give this fine cigar a near-perfect four and 1/2 out of five stogies.
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photo credit: Stogie Guys
Taking this review as a harbinger, I am very pleased that you joined the Stogie Guys crew of impressive writers. I’ve always enjoyed the Montecristo line both Cuban and Dominican mainly for the qualities you so aptly described above.
I may need to grab some of these, thanks!
I’m not one to judge a cigar’s appearance over its performance, but doesn’t this stick appear a bit bumpy and coarse?
Yeah, that photo is really not indicative of the five or six that I ended up smoking to form an opinion for this review. What happened is that I realized I needed a picture only after having smoked my stash. So I had to run to the local smoke shop and pick up another. The one I bought ended up being pretty dry and not nearly as pretty as the others. I don’t know if it’s an overall consistency thing or not, which is why I didn’t feel justified in awarding five of five stogies here.
Thanks, Jon, for your review. It’s great to have you as an addition to the Stogie Guys.
[...] Jon, the latest addition to the Stogie Guys team, is smitten with the Monte Media Noche No. 2. [...]
This sounds like one to try. I picked up a bunch of the Montecristo Platinums last time I was in NYC for $1 apiece at JR Cigars. I’ve enjoyed the darker side of the company, so I should give it a go.
What would you compare it to?
I’d compare it (favorably) to the Ashton Aged Maduro. Similar characteristics and flavor profile. IMO, this is the superior of the two cigars, and I’m a big AAM fan.