Stogie Reviews: Montecristo Sublime Edición Limitada 2008 (Cuban)

11 Jun 2009

One of the challenges of reviewing cigars is ensuring that outside interferences don’t skew my judgment of the smoke. For this review, I smoked two samples in two very different surroundings.

Montecristo Sublime EL 2008 The first time I smoked the Montecristo Sublime Edición Limitada 2008, I was sitting on a bench on the Champs-Elysees on a beautiful Spring day in Paris, jotting down notes with a fantastic backdrop of the Tulieries Gardens. Over a month later, in the mundane surroundings of my garage, I tried it again and found that while everything else had changed, the cigar hadn’t.

Back in 2004, Habanos made a splash when it introduced the Cohiba Sublime as a limited edition cigar. The Cuban state tobacco monopoly then returned to the size with the Montecristo Sublime Edición Limitada 2008.

Like all the limited edition Cubans, this cigar isn’t cheap. My samples smoke cost me 16 Euros each in France where I purchased them (around $24 each).

The large (6.4 x 54) smoke features a dark, attractive wrapper with some shine and many noticeable veins. The wrapper surrounds Cuban tobacco with two years of aging. It is slightly soft to the touch and features a well-crafted classic Cuban-style triple cap.

Once lit, I found a deliciously smooth combination of sweet cedar, coffee bean, and earth. The cigar had impressive depth, with a second layer of subtle cinnamon spice and rich cocoa.

As it progressed to the final third I found a bit more spice, but the cigar never became too strong or harsh. The finish was long with bread and dry dark chocolate. Construction was also impressive, with an even burn, easy draw, and an ash that easily held for over an inch.

No matter where I smoked the Montecristo Sublime Edición Limitada 2008, I found an outstanding medium- to full-bodied smoke. In fact, I was repeatedly distracted from taking notes by the marvelous flavors. After two very different experiences, I can safely say that this is one of the finest cigars I’ve ever smoked.

Ultimately, it seems “Sublime” isn’t just the size of the cigar; it’s also the perfect description of the Montecristo Sublime Edición Limitada 2008, which earns our highest rating of five stogies out of five.