Cigar Review: Montecristo New York Connoisseur Edition
29 Dec 2011
It’s been a few years since my last Dominican-made Montecristo. Too long, perhaps, since I enjoyed many of them, particularly the Montecristo Classic made by Altadis USA.
With that in mind, I was glad to try the new Montecristo New York Edition, introduced recently by Altadis. The concept, a cigar especially for the the New York market, isn’t new as evidenced by Alec Bradley’s Gotham and Broadway by La Aurora.
The Montecristo New York Edition is a large, box-pressed cigar (6 x 60) featuring the classic Montecristo band accompanied by a black band with the New York skyline. Unlike many box-pressed smokes, it is a square-press, with the cigar as wide as it is deep.
Once lit, the Montecristo New York produces smooth and balanced flavors. I found it to be a medium-bodied smoke (though in marketing materials, Altadis calls it medium-full).
Either way, its a balanced mixture of subtle leather, butter, toast, and honey. The flavors are consistent from start to finish, though the body and some graham spice builds towards the final third.
Normally, I’m not a fan of such large cigars, but the box press on this stick makes it manageable and more comfortable in the mouth. Flawless construction also makes for a trouble-free 90-minute smoke.
At $14 each, it’s not cheap, but then you wouldn’t expect a special edition Montecristo to be. Let’s just hope that the price includes New York’s sky-high taxes.
All in all, this cigar has enjoyable flavors with distinctive packaging, and as a New Yorker I’m a fan of the Gotham theme. That’s why the New York Connoisseur Edition earns a very solid four stogies out of five.
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photo credit: Stogie Guys
I guess if you make a cigar for the New York market you have to make it super-expensive. I hope the $14 does include taxes, otherwise this smoke would cost something terrible. Good to hear it tastes nice, though.
What does this mean exactly:
"the body and some graham spice builds towards the final third."
Thanks for the explanation-
Graham Spice
Yes the retail price does include tax.
I had one when I was up in NY and I really enjoyed it. I bought a box!