Montesino

Montesino

• Strength: 3 / 5
• Size: 6 x 50
• Origin: Dominican Republic
• Price (local): $6.50
• Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
• Flavor Text:

An affordable gem from Fuente

There's a few brands that can regularly be found in the CI ashtrays. While we have to burn new cigars as they come in (tough job, right?), there's some perennial favorites that pop up week to week without a doubt. I wish I could tell you Fuente was in there, but, the high-end premiums from them are a little too rich for our blood. Luckily, Montesino exists.

Although slightly different in taste than the regular Fuente line, the smooth and mellow Montesinos are a nice value. Handmade with Connecticut shade or Connecticut Broadleaf wrappers, Nicaraguan binders and Dominican long-filler leaves. Add a box of these to your cart, and enjoy the experience of the Fuente family techniques without taking a second mortgage. 

I wanted a bargain smoke that I hadn't tried before, and over in the Fuente section of the humidor, I found the Montesino.

I don't sell many Montesino cigars, but whenever I do, I can't help but notice their price. Here in New York state, it's gotten harder and harder to purchase cigars, with the excise tax in the state moving up to a whopping 75%, which impacts all buyers and retailers in a very difficult way. It's hard to buy good cigars here in New York, and it certainly feels like the powers that be are trying to squeeze the life out of tobacconists and smoke shops alike. 

It's a shame, really, because I've made some of my best friends thanks to smoking cigars. Such is life, I suppose. Despite it all, I've found that this price raise has really given me some opportunities to try some new things like this Montesino. It costs about 7 dollars, which is a steal for a cigar here in New York. I grabbed one and lit it up during a shift at my local smoke shop, and I did enjoy it for what it is.

This cigar is a really good bang for your buck from Fuente. It's about a medium body, and while it has a naturally sweet CT Broadleaf wrapper, the overall power of the blend is not overwhelming in the least bit. My Montesino had a bit of an uneven burn, but that was mostly my fault as opposed to poor construction. This cigar featured some really nice flavors to it, with cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and other light spice stealing the show. There was a toastiness to this cigar that I did enjoy, and while I find this toasty flavor in a lot of the cigars I smoke, it's one of the only consistent aspects I can find across the spectrum of cigars I sample. It's a really nice and welcoming sense you get from that note, and I love finding it in every new cigar I sample.

As you work toward the bottom of this one, I did note some intensifying flavor and strength. It's not a huge upgrade, but I found a bit of an upgrade in both the body and flavor of this cigar. It's about a half of a step up in strength from where you started, and it puts a great exclamation point on a wonderful cigar. I will struggle to name many more bargain smokes than this one, and I'm looking at picking up a box to stock the humidor with, without breaking the bank. Simply put, I love this one for what it is: a quick, tasty and flavorful one-hour smoke. You will like it as well if you are a fan of medium body smokes with great flavor and a good draw. I think it's a very slept-on smoke that will treat your wallet well and give you a great experience. Give it a try!

Happy smoking! CB