Vitola: Habana No. 2
Size: 6.1×52
Wrappers: Mexican Cubano
Binders: Nicaraguan
Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Peruvian
MSRP: $11.80 at my local B&M
The Montecristo Platinum was among the first five to ten cigars that I tried when I first started smoking. Three things about this cigar stood out to me initially: I first heard about it from Rush as he mentioned it on his show one day and raved about them. At the time, it was the most expensive cigar I had smoked. It was the first cigar that made me light headed smoking it.
As it’s been many years since I have smoked one, I wanted to find out where it stood after years of experience and see if the allure still existed. Lucky enough for me, my local B&M had a box of them that appeared to be mostly untouched.
Giving the cigar my customary pre-light inspection, I detected zero imperfections in the wrapper and packing of the the Montecristo Platinum. Usually, I feel I can pick up some sort of flavor notes from smelling the cigar unlit but this time around, I got nothing to report.
A tighter draw than I am used to greeted me after cutting and lighting the cigar. I was thankful in that the draw opened up after ten minutes or so, otherwise smoking this cigar would have been a challenge. Subtle, sweet notes started this cigar and I would characterize the starting strength in the medium-to-full bodied range. The halfway point in the cigar included additional leathery notes. This was also the point where the cigar gradually started increasing in strength. By the last third of the cigar, the strength of the cigar graduated right into full bodied territory and stayed there until the end, complete with a long finish on the palette.
Besides a relight or two, I had zero smoking issues with the Montecristo Platinum. The burn was great all the way through the smoking time of the cigar, which for me was 1:45. The only knock I can make on this cigar is the price. $11.80 per cigar is uncomfortable for my wallet. I could spend a couple more dollars once in a great while and get a premium smoke or I can spend a few dollars less and have a wealth of cigars that in my opinion can compete with the Platinum.
To recap the Montecristo Platinum:
- This is a classic cigar that is quite enjoyable for those who prefer a gradual full bodied cigar. It is not so strong to scare away new smokers or those who prefer milder blends.
- The wood and sweet notes offer a pleasant change of pace to the sometimes “kick you in the chest” flavor profiles that full bodied cigars offer.
- The price, for my wallet, is not something that I can regularly afford to buy but as a once in awhile purchase (or gift), I would be more than happy to smoke a Platinum when the opportunity arose.
As always, thank you very much for reading and I look forward to the next time I can share my thoughts with you.
I have smoked these over the years… Montys have lost their lust for me.. I guess my tastes have changed, and I agree they are not worth the higher price range. When you get to those dollar signs there are much better options.
Corey,
Mostly I agree with you. I hadn’t enjoyed a Montecristo in years (I had smoked them…just not enjoyed them!) until the EPIC came out. Really a very fine cigar. Yes, it’s a little pricey, but just on the upper end of reasonable in my opinion (the #2 Red Label Epic does cost too much). Then there’s the new MONTE; starting under $10 a stick, it delivers a pretty decent experience for a price that’s not bad…got a review of that one coming up soon.