Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the Montecristo 90th Anniversary No. 2 is a light reddish-brown and has some raised veins that carry a lighter color to them. The seams are a bit raised and the tapered head is well finished. There are two bands, both in a black, red and gold color combination. The primary denotes the brand and the secondary denotes the line. The aroma from both the wrapper and foot is a young/green cedar and some earth. The pre-light draw brings more of that young/green cedar along with some earth.
Seth: The Montecristo 90th Anniversary No. 2 is a beautiful looking cigar. The black and red on the bands looks great against the Colorado wrapper, and the wrapper itself is beautiful in appearance. It has a leather coloring, and it is solid Colorado. Smaller veins are present throughout, but the wrapper is oily and leathery in texture. Wonderful aromas of warm spices, tobacco and rich earth.
John: The Montecristo 90th Anniversary No. 2 comes presented in cellophane, with a retailer UPC placed over the manufacturers. Once removed, the original UPC underneath provides full cigar details, though it tears when the cellophane is opened. The cigar features the classic Montecristo primary band along with a secondary 90th Anniversary band. The cigar weighed in at 17.4 grams, and the HumidiMeter Pro measured it at 65.6% humidity. Aromas from the wrapper consisted of mustiness and dry wood, while the foot delivered more of the same with an overall dry, musty presentation.
Jiunn: The Montecristo 90th Anniversary No. 2 has an even Colorado wrapper shade showing some nice traces of toothiness. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even but slightly tight and the head has a well executed sharp Torpedo shape. Pre-light aromas tell of roasted chestnuts and barnyard.

Montecristo 90th Anniversary No. 2

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with a slightly young, toasted cedar, black pepper and some earth. At a quarter inch in, some creaminess joins the profile. At a half inch in, the youngness of the cedar is gone. The retrohale is lightly toasted cedar, earth and mild black pepper. At an inch and a quarter, the black pepper mellows a bit and the earth increases a bit. At an inch and three quarters, the pepper is now very mellow. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is up front, with earth a bit ahead of the middle of the profile, with black pepper and creaminess in the back half. The strength was right at medium.
Seth: The first third delivers a profile of cream, leather and wood. There were toasted nuts present as well, and it showed some earth and tobacco notes on the finish. In terms of strength and body, I would classify the cigar as just between medium and medium-full.
John: The cigar opens with mild spice, soon joined by wood and a sweet wood finish. After a few puffs, medium-minus earth quickly moves into the post draw. The dryness in the profile increases to a medium-minus level shortly thereafter. Mild bread breaks into the retrohale, supported by mustiness as the first third continues. A mildly astringent vegetal note enters the retrohale a few puffs later, adding a sharper edge to the retrohale experience.
Jiunn: The first third’s flavor profile is soft and meek. Roasted nuts and aged cedar on mouth draws. Retrohaling gives pencil shaving minerality and dried red pepper spice. The finish has a short burst of aged cedar. Strength and body is medium.

Montecristo 90th Anniversary No. 2

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the youngness of the cedar returns. At a half inch in, the earth increases to right behind the cedar. At three quarters of an inch, some light leather joins in. The retrohale remains lightly toasted cedar, earth and mild black pepper. As the third comes to a close, the slightly young, toasted cedar is just ahead of the earth, with some black pepper, creaminess and leather in the back half of the profile. The strength remained at medium.
Seth: The second third was in line with the first. Notes of cream, leather, wood, toasted nuts and tobacco. Some spice and earth are present on the end. Like before, medium to medium-full in strength and body.
John: The second third begins with musty, astringent, and dry wood, with baking spices layered underneath. The finish remains focused on dry wood. As this third settles in, the baking spices rise to a medium strength, matching the overall intensity of the profile. Approaching the midpoint, wood becomes the dominant driver of the profile. Herbal notes join quietly through the latter half, lingering into the post draw without disrupting the core dryness and mustiness that define this third.
Jiunn: The second third shifts to greater focus on pencil lead minerals with trailing stale cedar. I’m especially missing the fuller pepper notes. Strength and body is still medium.

Montecristo 90th Anniversary No. 2

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the youngness of the cedar departs again. The retrohale is now just toasted cedar and earth. At an inch in, when the burn hits the taper, the earth becomes even with the cedar up front. At an inch and a quarter, the toast level becomes a bit heavier. As the cigar wraps up, the toasted cedar and earth are even up front, with black pepper, creaminess and leather in the back half. The strength remained at medium.
Seth: The final third was in line with the second. Spices picked up in this third, and there were more baking spice notes. Cream, leather, wood, toasted nuts and tobacco as well. Like before, medium to medium-full in strength and body.
John: The final third opens with musty wood and baking spices, followed by herbs. Dry herbs and wood combine through the finish. A general dryness on the palate continues to intensify moving past the midpoint. Bitterness and tannins join the finish through the bottom half of the final third, pushing the profile into harsher territory and reducing overall enjoyment.
Jiunn: The final third is still the same pencil lead minerals and stale cedar. At this point, I’m starting to lose focus on the cigar as boredom is creeping in. Strength and body finishes the same medium.

Montecristo 90th Anniversary No. 2

Burn

Aaron: The burn was straight throughout, and the ash held on in inch and a half increments.
Seth: The burn was perfect from start to finish.
John: The burn line was relatively straight through the first third. It remained straight through the second third, with only some minor waviness appearing in the last third. Performance was otherwise problem-free.
Jiunn: Burn performance was perfect, providing an even burn, tight ashes and cool burning temperatures.

Montecristo 90th Anniversary No. 2

Draw

Aaron: The draw was perfect, with just the right amount of resistance that I prefer.
Seth: The draw was perfect throughout the cigar.
John: The draw measured 50 inches of water using the Cigar Medics Draw Machine. Subjectively, it sat no more than half to one notch toward the resistant side of the spectrum, which places it squarely in the ideal zone between open and resistant.
Jiunn: The draw was also perfect, striking the ideal balance between air flow and resistance.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with a slightly young, toasted cedar, black pepper and some earth. Some creaminess joined in fairly quickly and the youngness of the cedar departed. Later, the pepper decreased and the earth increased. and then the pepper became very mellow. The second third saw the youngness of the cedar return and the earth increased to just behind the cedar. Some leather joined in a bit later. The final third saw the youngness of the cedar depart again. Later, the earth became even with the cedar up front and the toast level increased a bit. The construction was absolutely perfect. The Montecristo 90th Anniversary No. 2 had a nice start as there was a good combination of flavors, but it began to wane at the end of the first third. The second third took a step down as the pepper was pretty mellow and the profile was quite linear the rest of the way. Other than the first inch and a half, the profile was pretty average. Not a very exciting cigar as a whole and with the really high price point, not a cigar I’d really see myself returning to.
Seth: I enjoyed the Montecristo 90th Anniversary No. 2. It smoked like a Montecristo and Plasencia, and that is not a bad thing overall. I thought the blend lacked some transitioning, but it has a nice overall complexity and depth. The strength and body paired well with the cigar, and the construction was flawless. I know some are not keen on the extreme tapering of the vitola, but I enjoy it. Nice flavors of toasted nuts, leather, earth, cream and tobacco. I would love to come back to this cigar, but I struggle with the pricing for the profile.
John: The Montecristo 90th Anniversary No. 2 is one of those cigars that started flat and never broke out of its restrained and somewhat muted performance. There were moments early on where the interplay of spice, wood and subtle bread created flashes of harmony. But as the dryness accumulated and the profile shifted toward astringency, then bitterness, the cigar seemed to narrow rather than develop. The construction was essentially perfect, although I firmly believe when a cigar is in the super premium category I shouldn’t expect anything less. Overall, this is a pretty big disappointment. If it was a sub-$15 core offering then I wouldn’t think much of it, but a super premium release as an anniversary has to deliver more than a linear and ultimately unpleasant flavor profile. Total smoking time was 2 hours and 9 minutes.
Jiunn: This Montecristo 90th Anniversary No. 2 may go down as one of the mildest and softest flavored Plasencia made cigars I’ve smoked. The flavors were ok but I kept wanting more. More in terms of number of flavors, deeper flavors and a longer finish. But as is, it’s just a o k.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.10

Cost/Point

$6.56

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

7.17

Cost/Point

$5.58

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

5.40

Cost/Point

$7.41

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

5.75

Cost/Point

$6.96

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Montecristo 90th Anniversary No. 2