Pre-light Experience

The first thing you notice about the cigar is the band which covers nearly three inches of its five inch length. It is all black with the logos of Montecristo and Crowned Heads as well as a symbol with the line name. It is primarily black with all of the artwork in a copper color. The wrapper of the cigar is medium brown and has a couple slightly raised veins. The seams are pretty easily visible due to some slight color variations on the wrapper. The head is finished off with three distinct caps. The aroma from the wrapper is a lightly sweet hay note while the foot brings hay, natural tobacco sweetness and leather. The pre-light draw brings hay and wood with a mild spiciness on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The Montecristo Ciudad de Música Robusto sports a fairly hearty and rustic Habano wrapper. Veins are roughly pressed, seams tight, uniformed bunch and roll and well adhered thick cap. Aromas from the wrapper tell minerals and cedar. Aromas from the foot give spicy cedar and dried nuts. Cold draw gives sawdust, cedar and black pepper.

First Third

The cigar begins with some dark and slightly bitter wood along with a mild black pepper. At a quarter inch in, the black pepper really picks up as some cream comes in to get rid of the bitterness and pair up with the dark wood. At a half inch in, the flavors begin to really meld together as the cream is smoothing out both the dark wood and black pepper notes. At an inch in, the creamy wood is up front while the pepper is now a supporting note. The retrohale is providing a creamy wood note. As the third comes to a close, the dark wood has transitioned to a slightly spicy cedar while the cream remains and the black pepper has gone away. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

First Third

The first third gives a sharper tasting profile. On the front end a spicier cedar, freshly ground (more pungent) black pepper and dried nuts. On the back end, a slight bitter wood effect is long and lingering. Through retrohaling, both black pepper and dried nuts comes through fuller. Strength and body is medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, very full flavors of the slightly spicy cedar and cream are present. At a half inch in, the black pepper returns quite a bit to mix with the creamy cedar. At an inch in, the retrohale provides a mix of the cedar and black pepper. At an inch and a quarter, the pepper settles down some and the cedar transitions to a musty and creamy oak which is now up front. As the third comes to a close, the creamy and musty oak is supported with the black pepper note. The strength in this third bumped up to medium-full.

Second Third

The second third has a profile that is less sharp and better melding of flavors. The profile picks up a nice minerality, baking spices and creamy dried nuts, while at the same time dropping the overlying bitter wood effect. Other notes of spicier cedar and freshly ground pepper maintains the same intensities as the first third. Strength is inching towards medium-full while body remains medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, a nice warmth enters to pair with the musty oak while the cream and pepper have reduced a fair amount. At a half inch in, a slight mintiness joins the musty oak while the cream and pepper have left the profile. The retrohale consists of the warm and musty oak. At an inch in, the profile is much the same with the warm and musty oak dominating the profile. This is how the cigar wraps up. The strength in this third remained at medium-full.

Final Third

The last third mimics the second third’s flavor profile. Still a medium to medium plus strength, medium bodied delivery of better melded flavors consisting of minerals, baking spices, creamy dried nuts, black pepper and cedar.

Burn

The burn was slightly wavy throughout but never needed any attention. The ash held on through each third.

Burn

Burn performance was overall very good. The only negative things to say was a minor touch-up required within the first third and at times the wrapper not burning in unison with the binder and fillers. Other than that, burn temperature was cool, one inch solid ash marks and ample smoke production.

Draw

The draw started slightly tighter than I prefer and in the second third moved to slightly looser than I prefer.

Overall

Full flavor and full body would be great descriptors for this cigar. Shortly after the cigar started it was just a flood of flavor along with thick and chewy smoke. Various iterations of wood with cream and black pepper were the core flavors and the complexity was great to see. Strength was on the higher side of medium, but wasn’t strength for the sake of strength and was well balanced. While I wouldn’t call this a true collaboration between blenders, it is a collaboration between brands and I would say it worked well. Price is a bit high, but not a huge detractor for this cigar and I would be very interested in smoking more and trying the other vitolas. If you’re a fan of Crowned Heads or E.P. Carrillo, it’s a must try and this should be a good attraction for people to the Montecristo brand. This is a cigar well done.

Draw

Striking the best balance between resistance and air flow, the draw was perfect.

Overall

I overall enjoyed the Ciudad de Música robusto and will smoke it again given the chance. The initial third was a bit sharp with the finishing bitter wood note but by the time the cigar went into the second third, the profile hit its stride and became a better harmony of flavors. In general, a tasty rendition of an Equadorian Habano wrapper.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.92

Cost/Point

$1.92

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.72

Cost/Point

$1.97

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Montecristo Ciudad de Música Robusto