A few things strike me outright about this cigar: they are huge and they have a great aroma (very woodsy). The moment i cracked open the box, i was quite impressed at the sight, and not just a little intimidated to be honest. The ERDM Aniversarios weigh in at a hefty 5 7/8 inches long by 54 ring — a previously unavailable vitola (shall we call them “gigantes”?). This new size will surely appeal to a very broad market, though i’ll admit i’m not a real fan. Smaller ring gauges are more my pace.

I’ve been nursing a box of ERDM Choix Supreme for the better part of 8 years now, and though i’m down to my last 10 sticks or so, i haven’t had one for more than a year now. The ERDM marque are known as mild, sweet, cigars — akin to smoking the flavour of burnt honey; a refreshing clean tobacco flavour. Having said that, they are also known as a brand with quite a high miss rate. I suspect it has something to do with the difficulty involved in putting together such a delicate blend; it’s terribly easy to go over or under and spoil it. As i started lighting up the Aniversario, i wondered whether it held true to the ERDM experience, hopefully in a good way.

Made to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Pacific Cigar’s entrance into the Asian market, Regional Editions such as the Aniversario are “made to order” — bespoke cigars on a mass scale. Limited to 4,000 boxes, yes, but that’s still a heck of a lot of cigars — 80,000 sticks. Since they are in effect custom cigars with custom blends, i’d imagine that they were made to suit the taste buds of the region. If so, the ERDM brand is a good choice for Asia, i think, where delicate cigars with memorable long finishes generally do very well e.g. Trinidads.

Beautifully constructed, the cigar lit easily and rewarded me with a very welcoming first couple of draws. Imagine an ERDM Choix Supreme, take away the chocolate essence, and amp up the floral notes a few notches, and there you have it. Light and lovely, though my personal bias against the large size that seemed uncomfortable to my mouth, did detract from my enjoyment somewhat.

Mid-way through the cigar, a very noticeable woodsy flavour came about. Strong cedar notes. Considering the floral composition in the first third, i’m not surprised that this is how the flavour profile evolves. Dark honey sweet, with laces of cedar and small hints of cinnamon and chocolate. Very classic ERDM.

The final third delivered more of the same, so the cigar became a bit one-dimensional. A bit disappointing, as i was expecting a grand-stand finish after that nice elegant turn at the half way mark. But it doesn’t make it a bad cigar, not at all. Just probably not as good as it can be (or should be). Makes me wonder whether this cigar is worth aging to see what happens; not sure about this as it doesn’t have much of a “back-of-the-throat-bite” that indicates a good cigar for aging. Having said that, the ERDM Choix’s i’ve been aging seem to hold up pretty well over time, with the flavour even the better samples even becoming more delicate in nature — smoother and just a tad richer. Time will tell if these Aniversarios will do the same, but i must say, for fresh cigars, they do meet the expectations i have for a premium RE.

Verdict: 85/100. A lovely cigar, easy going, relaxed smoke that can be enjoyed anytime and anywhere. Don’t expect fireworks from this cigar, but you can also expect it not to let down. Very engaging classic El Rey Del Mundo flavour profile, so if Pacific Cigar wanted that, that’s exactly what they got. Not a fan of the size, but on the plus side, it’s a heck of a lot of cigar to smoke. A good 2 hours to take this one to the nub!

It made me think about my smoking technique, and why i smoke good cigars all the way down to the nub.

Zoltland has a point — a cigar evolves very dramatically during the smoking process. The longer you smoke it, the greater the tar buildup in the remaining portions of tobacco, and yes, it generally creates a stronger, bitter flavour. But in my mind, this is how you tell the difference between a good cigar and a bad one.

A cigar made from well cured and well fermented leaves will have a lot of tar broken down during the stacking process. Stacks of tobacco weighing around 50kgs each are wrapped in cloth and allowed to “sweat”. The internal temperature is monitored closely to watch for large variation swings and when it reaches 140 degrees, the stack is pulled down to release tar, ammonia, and nicotine. Then it’s re-stacked. This is done several times until the temp will no longer reach 110 degrees. Done properly, this reduces the content of these nasty chemical elements in the tobacco; one of the reasons why Cuban tobacco generally has such a refined flavour is preciously because this process is done painstakingly carefully to ensure that as much chems are burned out as possible.

So unlike third-rate tobacco used to create fourth-class cigars, a good cigar is easily smoked down to the nub without tasting foul, and why i smoke down all my cigars because they are practically good till the last inch. Waste not, want not.

Of course, to each his own. Even good tobacco, smoked down to the last inch or so, will be quite strong, and some palates will not enjoy the sensation. In such cases, stop. A cigar that stops giving pleasure is a cigar that needs to be put down.

1. Cigars. Lots of them, and not just the stuff for “tourists” (someone who enjoys a good smoke, but couldn’t tell the difference between a Montecristo and a Partagas). A good lounge has a good selection of cigars, ranging from the main brands like Cohiba and Montecristo to the less celebrated like Por Larranagas and Ramon Allones.
2. Knowledgeable sales staff, preferably a cigar sommelier of several years of smoking experience who is able to educate, entertain and recommend suitable pairings. The last part of this is really tricky and equally revealing. A person who has just memorized what the Cuban Cigar Website has to say about every brand may sound knowledgeable, but a true sommelier is able to deliver the full experience, including food and drink pairings that will light up all your senses.
3. A Theme. Lots of places think that to qualify as a cigar lounge, all they need is to cobble together a few chairs and tables, serve some drinks and offer cigars and voila, a cigar lounge you will be. But that’s not true. You become a place that sells tobacco, at best a tobacconist. A cigar lounge is not just about the cigars, it’s about the experience. Like it or not, cigars are a luxury item, something that when we light up (which tends to be fairly rare unless you can afford it), we want to be treated to a fun and happy experience. A lounge with an appropriate theme goes a long way to making this happen. Some of the best lounges i’ve been to in Kuala Lumpur are decorated so tastefully that you feel you’ve been transported to Havana. Others, resemble a latin bar with great live music (loud, but fun, and a great place to have a cigar).
4. Perfect storage conditions. When you walk into the lounge, or at least the humidor where the cigars are kept, the air has to be cool, not cold, with just a touch of humidity in the air. Look for a digital hygrometer to tell you the humidity and temperature; every good lounge will have one of these displayed. For a place like Kuala Lumpur where our ambient humidity is extremely high, the room needs to actually feel drier than it is outside. If the lounge is in a mall or a hotel where the air is kept cool through air conditioning, don’t forget that air conditioning dries the air; therefore, the lounge or the humidor needs to feel more humid than the ambient. If the cigar lounge doesn’t get this right, it means that the cigars are not being stored properly, and may taste/burn funny.

There are lots of other details that go into a good cigar lounge, but as long as the 4 items above are satisfied, then it should be fine.

A new cigar lounge recently opened in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, named WTF (Whiskey Tango Foxtrot). The owner, Bob Chua, is a nice guy who knows his cigars and knows his whiskeys. Cigars and whiskeys, especially refined single malts go very well together — it’s interesting that no other place in KL took these two elements and paired them together as a selling point before WTF opened.

With a very British feel to the place, the decor is lovely. The humidor is the first thing you see when you enter through the password-controlled front door. Rows of fantastic cigars, some of which are incredibly rare including Cuban Grand Reservas. A good selection of non-Cuban cigars. And some lovely accessories on display. Quite a first impression!

Once you’re through the humidor, you enter the lounge. A well stocked bar. Sets of plush leather seats. And to the left, one wall is dominated by Member’s Lockers — small lockers where members to WTF can store their prized cigars. Quite a generously sized locker too — easily large enough to squeeze in 7-10 boxes of varying sizes. There are two members-only private rooms at the back, equipped with their own LCD TVs. Not a very large setup, but cozy, comfortable and luxurious.

What i like most about the place is the service. The staff, led by the manager, Jaz, is quick to serve (my cup never went dry), very attentive, and hungry to learn. They’ve got a ways to go still as far as their knowledge about cigars goes, but you can tell that they are fast learners under the tutelage of Bob Chua.

WTF Manager, Jaz.

After speaking to Bob for a bit i was impressed with the plans he’s got for a place. Activities are the lifeblood of any lounge, and he’s got them all lined up for WTF. Launch events. Whiskey tastings. Cigar appreciation nights. Even some talk about a members’ trip to Havana. That plus a plan to open several more WTFs around KL in the months to come make him a man with a plan. I was suitably impressed.

If you’re in Kuala Lumpur and looking for a place to smoke some amazing cigars and drink some of the finest whiskeys on earth, look up WTF. It’s got a semi-strict member’s-only rule. But if you give Bob a ring and let him know in advance you’re coming and that Aizuddin from My Cigar Blog sent you, i’m sure he’ll open the doors for you.

Check out WTF’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/WhiskyTangoFoxtrotMY
Address: 128B Jalan Kasah, Medan Damansara, 50490 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Telephone: 03-2011 2056
Email: fun@whiskytangofoxtrot.my
Website: http://www.whiskytangofoxtrot.my

Two good years in a row? What have they been smoking on isla Cuba? (pun intended)

The Montecristo 520 EL 2012 was created to celebrate the 520th anniversary of Cuban tobacco’s arrival in Europe, after being discovered by Columbus. It’s been that long since the royalty of Spain puffed daintily on smoke rolls of tobacco, and the ladies wearing white gloves to avoid staining their fingers. Certainly worthy of celebration! And what a way to celebrate.

The Montecristo brand began life in 1935 as a premium brand – it commanded the best tobacco the island had to offer, the best rollers, the best top dollar. So it’s not surprising that the brand was picked as the one to hold such an illustrious title – “the 520″. But many long time aficionados will tell you a sadder tale: the Montecristos of today pale in comparison to the Montecristos we smoked in the late 1990s. Sometime in 2001-2002, something changed and the blend, while still tasty, became less espresso and more cardboard-tasting. Theories abound about what happened: some say it was a change in the wrapper leaf seed. Some say it was due to the hurricanes forcing upon Habanos a change in the blend. Some say that the best leaf were being put aside for the Trinidads, which at that time started expanding their vitola offering (the same people swear that the new Trinidads taste uncannily close to the Montecristos of old). Whatever the reason, the blend changed, and it left many people disappointed.

Perhaps this is one of the reasons why the 520s are so popular. I’ll say it up front: the taste profile of the Montecristo 520 is the closest Habanos have come to the “classic” Montecristo flavour of days gone by. It’s almost as though they decided, “Hey, it’s the 520th anniversary, let’s give it a real blast from the past” – and thus the 520 was born.

Some of the earliest cigars i smoked were Montecristos from 1997-98-99. Those were incredible smokes, and i remember them clearly for that hint of smokey vanilla spice; depending on the vitola, from the #1s to the #4s to the Torpedos — that smokey spice was found in variable abundance. It disappeared altogether in 2002, replaced by a more deep cocoa infused flavour. With the 520s, the vanilla spice is back, and it’s just oh so good.

Compared to the Montecristo Grand Edmundos, the 520s is huge, and the wrapper is certainly less dark. There seems to be a trend towards larger ring gauge cigars lately. I’m not sure i like where the trend is going, but i can understand how it plays on the buying patterns of the consumer: bigger is better is better value for money. You’re getting more for your dollar, how can that be a bad thing, right? Wrong. But that’s a debate for a different blog post. 55 ring on the 520s. It’s only a matter of time before the 60 rings appear, and, god forbid, larger.

Construction is immaculate, as is most ELs. The tobacco very healthy, oily to the touch and supple. Even without lighting up the cigar, i knew that this was going to be a good smoke. The first few draws were heavenly! It made me sit up, and take notice. Rolling the cigar between my fingers, it felt as though i was being transported back in time to when i had my first Montecristo. It was quite a moving experience.

Sweet and subtle, refined dark cocoa, laced with earthy rawness and a large twist of spicy vanilla bean, right off the stalk. Oh my goodness. The Montecristo flavour profile in 15 words or less.

The complexity on the cigar is to be admired. Through half way, the cigar takes on a very chilli spicy bite on the palate. I found this delightful, and the manner in which is was done marveled me to no end. Very refined bite, not rushed, not over-eager. Pleasing. But this is also where the 520 showed a weakness — after the half way point, i noticed some tannicity, that scratchy sensation at the back of the throat. It’s common in tobacco that isn’t perfectly ready to be smoked yet; on the plus side, it indicates a willingness to age very well (which is something that not all cigars can do). So put these sticks down, and in about 3 years or so, you’re going to be richly rewarded for your patience.

Verdict: 91/100. Classic Montecristo. If you ever wanted to know what the fuss is all about the Montecristos from the late 1990s (and why they are so prized today), then smoking this cigar will answer your questions. Try this — smoke this cigar side by side with a more recent Montecristo such as an Edmundo. You’ll notice the difference immediately. Extremely tasty cigar, the spicy vanilla bite alone is worth the price of admission.

Neither of these great cigars are My Cigar Blog’s Cigar of the Year, though they are amazing cigars and a must-have

The criterion for that award, just like in previous years, is quite strict. It needs to be a smoker’s cigar, a cigar that everyone can have, anytime, anywhere, and be assured of a great smoking experience. Specifically, it needs to be a cigar where:

1. I’ve smoked at least 15 sticks over the year, not necessarily from the same box or box code
2. Easily commercially available
3. Been smoked over a variety of situations, environments, matched with different drinks and food

Honestly, i haven’t agonized over a decision like this for a long time. Most recent years have been cut and dry affairs, with the standout cigar of the year being quite prominent and easy to identify. In 2011, it was the unassuming Bolivar Petit Corona – boxes from 2010 were amazing (i still have some). In 2010, it was the Ramon Allones Small Club Corona – boxes from 2009 were incredible (sadly, i ran out of these a long time ago).

The cigars that matched the criteria above are:

1. Ramon Allones Small Club Corona
2. Partagas Shorts
3. Partagas Serie D #4
4. Partagas 898s
5. Hoyo De Monterrey Epicure #2
6. Cohiba Siglo II
7. Cohiba Siglo I
8. Bolivar Royal Corona
9. Por Larranaga Petit Corona
10. Montecristo Edmundo
11. Montecristo #4
12. H Upmann Half Corona

From this shortlist, the cigars that really deserve honorable mention are the Cohiba Siglo IIs, the Montecristo Edmundos (these have been doing well for me for several years now), and the H Upmann Half Corona which also takes the cake as Best New Kid on the Block.

For the Cigar of the Year, boxes from 2011 have been outstanding, and i’ve even smoked a few early samples from early 2012, and those have been crazy good as well. Not a single plug, construction uniformly perfect, the best, shiniest wrappers i’ve seen in many a year. From a flavour perspective, it scored very well due to how consistent the blend is; no mean feat due to the fact that this cigar is produced in such large quantities. How the factories (and this cigar is made in several not just one, thus increasing the variable of difficulty even further) are able to keep the blends in check despite the volume is nothing short of amazing.

It’s often an overlooked cigar. A go-to smoke for many, but not something that most would consider “that special smoke”. And that’s ok — it doesn’t have to be special, it just needs to be good. Over and over and over again. It promises familiarity, like your favourite pair of leather loafers. It promises an experience, not a mind blowing one, but one that is memorable, even if only for a few moments afterwards, “Damn, that was a nice smoke”-kind of way. It’s time that this cigar, delivering for so long (i’ve smoked it for more than 10 years now), and delivering particularly well this year, receive the recognition is deserves.

My Cigar Blog’s Cigar of the Year is the Montecristo #4!

Read the most recent review of this love cigar on My Cigar Blog.

Thank you for being a great companion this year, for all the good (and bad) times we’ve spent together. May the good times roll for many more years to come.

The original HDM Particulares Grand Coronas were produced in 1980 and quickly discontinued in 1987 due to lack of popularity. Those came with the classic HDM maximus band, in boxes of 5 sticks, and did not come in their own coffins. Habanos SA flirted with the idea of bringing back the Particulares in the early-2000s, and even released a EL version with coffins in 2000 (extremely rare cigar nowadays). Premium dark rosado wrappers made the HDM Particulars EL 2000 a very sought after cigar. Then in 2002, a batch was made to bring them back into regular production. The plan to was eventually canned, but the batch made in 2002 were released anyways, and have turned out to be every bit as rare of the EL 2000 version. The 2002 batch sport the new standard HDM band and come in their own coffins.

9.5 inches of amazing, 46 ring gauge. Each stick it it’s own cedar coffin, just like the famed Montecristo As. Smoking technique for such a large cigar is an art from in its own: you’ll be tempted to draw faster and deeper with such a long cigar, but you have to resist lest be exposed to quite a bit of bitterness in the second half of the cigar due to the sheer amount of tobacco burned and the distance the smoke has to travel before reaching you.

Also, you’ve got to take into consideration the amount of time it’ll take to smoke such a long cigar. It took me about 2.5 hours to smoke this one, about the length of the Lord of the Rings movie i was watching at the time to unwind a long day. One thing is for sure, Gandalf never looked so good!

The most difficult vitolas to make consistently are the ones which are oddly sized. Figurados fall within that category. Lanceros too because of the length and tiny ring gauge. And the massive grand coronas is another. The leaf required for this is rare, hard to find perfect leaves large enough to serve as the wrapper, and very easy for the roller to mess things up managing such a long tube of leaf.

This particular sample was immaculate. No hard or soft spots anywhere along it’s length. The draw was lovely with a very strong cedar aroma — that’s the influence of the cedar coffins at play. Lighting it up took just a moment, and then i was away. The first few draws were blissful: very clear and refined clean tobacco flavours. 10 years have settled the blend perfectly, not even an ounce of roughness anywhere.

As i got into the cigar more, it really opened up. Precious salty flowers, and fruity citrus notes with a touch of acidity. I’ve had my share of aged cigars (cigars with at least 7 years on them) and this one exhibited all the classic signs of perfectly aged Cuban tobacco. As a young cigar, i can imagine this stick would have have been a bit rougher around the edges, with perhaps a bit more coffee bitterness, and a tangy sweetness. But the time has molded out those flavours, and smoothened it out significantly.

Every draw was a delicious delight. Thick smoke volume, things got really interesting around the time Gandalf the Grey became Gandalf the White. The easy refined flavours picked up a notch, replaced by musky sweet caramel and roasted hay. A very unusual flavour profile, it made me sit up and look at the cigar. It disappeared soon enough after about an inch and a bit, but for that little moment when it lasted, it was like smoking nirvana.

The rest of the cigar progressed calmly along the same lines of how it started: very fruity, woody sweet aroma that is the hallmark of the Hoyo de Monterrey brand. Quite a buzz by the time i put it down; the amount of nicotine i had absorbed from more than 9 inches of tobacco is quite considerable.

Verdict: 90/100. What a cigar. Besides the thrill of finding and smoking such a rare cigar, it was a lovely smoking experience. Not something i’d repeat on a regular basis — who has the time to smoke a 2.5 hour cigar nowadays? And does require more than the casual amount of smoking discipline to draw out the best flavours. But if you’re patient, this cigar delivers.

Not all cigars get turned to ash. Some just get thrown away.

It’s rarer nowadays; ever since Altadis, the Franco-Spanish tobacco giant bought into Habanos SA to the tune of 50% ownership in 2000, the quality control techniques Altadis transferred over have been a boon. Before then, Habanos SA didn’t use modern technology to QC their production (amazing how such amazing cigars were still produced consistently), but since then equipment such as draw testing machines have come into the picture and a good sample of every batch of cigars is tested before boxed and sold.

And still we get cigars that are difficult smokes every once in a while. I would estimate prior to 2002 before some of the new techniques became widely used, between 5-10% cigars smoked would have “issues”. Since then, perhaps 1-2%.

This morning, for the first time THIS YEAR, i came across one such cigar and its ruined my day. Making the time for a cigar is a conscious decision, and as time is rare for me (as it probably is for many working professionals), a dud cigar is akin to a massive waste of time. You expect a good cigar to put a smile on your face, give you a bit of focus and perspective (that’s the nicotine talking), and so when it doesn’t do that, you can forgiven for getting more than a bit upset.

There a few things that you can do so “save” a plugged cigar.

1. Throw it away and start over. That’s what i normally do. I don’t have time for a plugged cigar, and the best way to erase the memory of one is to replace it with another that isn’t. Most good cigar lounges and tobacconists will do the same, if their reputation is worth anything.

2. Most plugged cigars are plugged because the finish on the cigar is rolled too tightly, or a bunching error near the top of the cigar. If you’ve seen a roller in action (watch a video of a Master Roller do his work here on My Cigar Blog), you’ll notice that he spends most of the time “finishing” the cigar — the top portion of the cigar where the cap is applied. Sometimes, the roller gets it wrong, and one stray leaf of secco or volado in the wrong place will close off all the airways and lead to the plug.

In such cases, chopping off the top third of the cigar will do the trick and open up the draw. This isn’t ideal of course, since it means that the cigar will likely unravel as you smoke it. But better than being unsmokable.

3. Use a skewer or poker to create an artificial airway. One of those metal skewers you use for making meat kebabs will do, or a bamboo satay stick. Poke the cigar from the top all the way through. This method also runs the risk of ruining the cigar, and more often that not will make it burn too fast and hot. But again, better than an unsmokable cigar.

4. Cut the cigar in half, and smoke it reversed. I’ve only done this a few times, and only with longer vitolas such as double coronas or dahlias. Slice the cigar in half, and smoke the cigar from the foot of the cigar; meaning you light the top of the cigar at the cap and draw from the foot. This works most times, however, you then get a really weird smoking experience. A cigar is rolled with the intention of it being smoked from foot to cap; smoking it in reverse will likely lead to unusual and unexpected flavours as the intended blend burns backwards.

Personally, i almost always stick to the first option — throwing the cigar away and starting again. Time is too precious to mess around with a bad cigar.

The Big Smoke is a place where the cigar companies that market to North America get a chance to show off their latest and greatest cigars. Of course, Cuban cigars are missing from the mix due to the embargo of Cuban products in the United States. But just about everyone else was there: the Alec Bradleys, the Padrons, the Fuentes and many others, new and old, some who are coming to their umpteenth Big Smoke, and others coming for their first. A target rich environment, if there ever was one, for a distributor such as Kevin Shah searching for new products and brands to bring to Malaysia’s shores.

Kevin Shah

From what i’ve seen, Kevin has grown and matured nicely as a cigar baron — his knowledge of cigars has grown exponentially, his tastebuds are refined and sensitive, and his appreciation for the business side of things is solid. He knows what he’s doing, he knows he cigars, and he’s a outrageously nice guy. The perfect qualities to take him far in the industry. You read it here first!

Dave Ching

Dave Ching was my tasting partner for the night, and between us and Kevin, we burned through 6 or 7 cigars. About half of them were complete washouts, and we struggled to smoke them. But there were a couple of standouts, including an Alec Bradley and surprising favourite, The Nub Cigar, made by the Oliva Cigar Company. Hopefully some of the things we discovered that night helps Kevin in some of his future dealings; to know which cigars to bring in to Malaysia.

A short note about the Habanos Lobby Lounge in the Federal Hotel, KL: it’s awesome. Extremely comfortable, good service, and by far the best vintage selection of cigars you’ll find anywhere in Malaysia. I picked up a Hoyo de Monterrey Particulares from 2002 that night; i’ve since smoked it and it was a fantastic cigar, a full review will be coming soon.

It’s been great fun keeping this blog, 9 years on strong now. The secret sauce is in the passion — i love cigars, it’s been a great hobby for me for so many reasons, and it’s constantly got something new for me to discover. I’ve made countless friends over a cigar. I’ve sealed business deals over a cigar. I’ve even had love over a cigar. And of course, all my readers here on My Cigar Blog — it’s great to be able to share “the good life” with all of you.

So many highs, it’s been quite a journey. May it long continue, cheers!

It’s apt, in a way, that the best selling Cuban cigar, the Montecristo #4, carries the name of such a prestigious brand. Habanos SA doesn’t release any production numbers, but it’s estimated more than 20 million #4s are sold and smoked worldwide every year. That’s a staggering number of cigars, approximately 8% of the total output of the island.

The attraction of the cigar lies in several areas. The first of course is the familiarity with the Montecristo brand. For those in the know, the brand has a distinct flavour profile that is widely loved — woody, medium floral notes, with a burst of dark tea and vanilla spice. For those who are new to Cuban cigars, the name Montecristo is a stroke of branding genius: name your cigar after a wildly popular fictional character, and not just anyone, but a character whose personality oozes charm, power and charisma. No way in hell the cigar isn’t going to do well with that type of name recognition. So if you don’t know anything about Cubans, and don’t want to fork out the premium for the Cohiba (Cuba’s other ubiquitous brand), then you’re likely to choose Montecristo.

The other thing this petit corona has going for it is it’s size. At 5.1 inches with a ring gauge of 42, it fits in the average hand perfectly. It just feels right, the size, in hand and in mouth. Those who prefer the thinner 38 ring gauges are probably ok to step up to the 42 (though they don’t like the 50 ring gauges of the robustos). Those who prefer the 50 ring gauges of the robustos, are alright to step down to the 42s. The length also ensures a leisurely 45-60 minute smoke, not too short to be inconsequential, not too long to take an age.

And lastly, the availability. Every cigar merchant worth his salt will have the Montecristo #4 stocked by the truckload. So it’s almost always available whenever you feel like having one.

But it must be a good cigar, right? To be worthy of such demand, of such a lofty status as Cuba’s #1 cigar. Yes and no.

Over the years, i’ve had a love hate affair with the Montecristo #4. I hated that loved it so much, because it invariably meant that i kept on going back to it, only to be bitterly disappointed. Every once in a while, i’d be surprised out of my wits by a particular stick from a particular box that just renewed hope for me the cigar would be turning the corner. But the period between 2005-2010 have been mostly a wash. I blame the high production demands Cuba places on this cigar for the inconsistency. Draw issues. Blending issues, when i had one taste like mottled straw. There was one time when i thought i was smoking something that had been dipped in raw ammonia. But i kept going back because of hope that the next one would be great. When they’re great, they are just the best. Almost the perfect smoking experience.

The last couple of years have been good to me for the Montecristo #4. But i think it’s also because i’ve changed my buying patterns. For the longest time i didn’t really pay attention to the source of the cigars, except to ensure that they were authentic. A Cuban cigar was a cuban cigar, was the thought. Oh how wrong i was, amongst equals, some are more equal than others.

For the popular cigars, the Montecristo #4 among them, i’ve decided that the best stock that Habanos SA has is sent to where it commands the best dollar (or EURO or British Pound). In a way it makes sense — when you have enough of the stock to meet supply, distribution optimization means that you send your best stock to where it can fetch the best price. In the case of Cuban cigars, this generally means Europe (though this is slowly changing as China becomes a consumption juggernaut).

There are many ways to judge what is “best”, but to me, it’s stock where everything stays true to what is expected. For the Montecristo #4 this means the blend is spot on, the construction excellent, and wrapper the most beautiful. The next time you’re able to, take Montecristo #4 from a box meant for the European market and compare it against one from the Asia Pacific market. There are subtle, and noticeable differences. For me, the European stock takes the cake, 8 times out of 10.

This particular cigar smoked for this review came from a box that was shared around during a meeting with friends. I wasn’t surprised when everyone looked at me in surprise — this wasn’t the #4 that they are used to. It was significantly better — beautiful to behold, impeccable construction and draw, and bright and bold flavours reminiscent of the Montecristo brand. Bought during my recent trip to Europe, i knew it would be something different to what they were used to, and so it was. Draw after draw of thick flavoursome smoke. It was a great evening, matched by a lovely cigar.

Verdict: 90/100. When the Montecristo #4 is on, it’s a real treat. Generally speaking, the last couple of years, since 2010 have been good to this mainstay of the Cuban cigar industry. But if you want something really special, do a bit of hunting, and look for a box from Europe. I’ve compared many, many sticks between those found in Europe and those found in Asia Pacific, and found a noticeable difference (this difference extends to other popular cigars, such as the Hoyo de Monterrey #2 and Partagas Serie D 4). It’s a bit troublesome, but well worth it.