By Alexander Britell
The mere act of opening it is a ceremony.
It comes in a wooden box, its name inscribed on the side.
You slide out the wooden cover, peel away the wax paper and retrieve one of the most legendary cigars in the pantheon of Habanos: the Montecristo A.
This isn’t a cigar you see often in even the finest Casas del Habano around the world. It isn’t an everyday cigar. It is something momentous.
It’s 235cm long, or about 9.25 inches, with a ring gauge of 47 — a whole evening of smoking in one cigar.
While it’s a large stick, it isn’t overwhelmingly powerful — it’s strong but never too strong.
It begins with earthy, leathery flavors that open up into a creamy smoke with strong notes of cacao. The aroma is intoxicating – notes of caramel, leather, butterscotch, cocoa powder, vanilla and milk chocolate.
The draw? Perfect. The burn? Perfect.
The verdict? Out of this world.
This is an all-time classic, and a bucket list cigar.
Cuba Journal Rating: 96 points.
