Montesino Staff Review
I’m smoking a mild, old-school Dominican gem from Montesino, a brand that’s blended and crafted by the legendary Fuente family. I’m firing up a 5-by-50 Robusto with a Natural wrapper leaf. Montesino cigars come in a Connecticut Shade or a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, and they’ve been beloved by tons of aficionados since the early 1980s.
Montesino lands outside my wheelhouse because I typically prefer medium to full-bodied cigars. However, this brand serves a worthy purpose. Over the holidays, I get a lot of company, and they all know that I love cigars and work at Holt’s. And they’re not shy about raiding my humidor after we finish a big dinner to celebrate Christmas or the New Year. Before they randomly grab a cigar that’s way too strong or expensive, I’ll hand out a Montesino. I’m confident I’m sharing a mellow, well-made smoke that even novices can enjoy any time of the day.
Like every cigar in the Arturo Fuente portfolio, Montesino is blended from the finest aged tobaccos. A golden-blond Connecticut Shade wrapper leaf surrounds high-quality Dominican long-filler tobaccos from head to foot. The cigars come in simple green-and-white boxes of 25 that start at just under six bucks apiece. Montesino has been a favorite cigar for guys who smoke more frequently or like to have a cigar in the morning.
The Robusto I’m about to light shows off a chestnut-blond wrapper leaf with a few faint veins on the surface. I pick up soft aromas of fresh hay and cedar when I slip the cellophane off and smell the cigar close up. Every blend that comes from the Fuente factory is handcrafted to a precise standard. Carlito Fuente maintains some of the highest standards for construction and consistency of any cigarmaker in the industry, and it’s apparent in budget-friendly brands like Montesino. I can slice the perfectly applied cap off in one quick snip with my razor-sharp guillotine cutter and immediately get a great cold draw when I put the cigar in my mouth. A light profile of leather and nuts hits my palate with a hint of honey.
The Robusto fires up like a champ once I toast the foot with my torch. After six or seven minutes of smoking, I have to pace myself. The flavor and aroma are superb, but I’m so used to stronger cigars that Montesino is easy for me to devour. Creamy notes of cashew, cedar, and spice create a light and airy impression on my palate and in my nose. As a matter of fact, Montesino is so mellow that I could retrohale every draw if I wanted. If you’re a morning person, like myself, and you enjoy the occasional breakfast cigar, Montesino is worth exploring.
Soft notes of pepper and coffee bean emerge in the second half. The Robusto burns beautifully and hasn’t shown a hint of bitterness. Cedar and nuts remain the core tasting notes. There isn’t a huge variation in flavor as the cigar develops, but there doesn’t have to be. Montesino is blended for beginners who are just getting into cigars and folks who exclusively want something mild to smoke.
In less than forty minutes, I’ve got the band off, and I’m savoring the nub. That’s faster than most Robustos I smoke, but Montesino is so mild and creamy, I don’t feel the need to pace myself. I’ve tapped the ash off about four times, which shows how well the cigar was assembled. The finish kicks in with simple flavors of nuts, toast, and spice. I’m happy with a 90-point score for this one.
Follow my lead and toss a box of Montesino in your next order. You’ll be glad you have them before a parade of holiday guests have their sticky fingers in your humidor.
