Montecristo Serie VI Belicoso

Montecristo Serie VI Belicoso
6 1/8 X 52
Filler: Dom Braz, Binder: Dom, Wrapper: Cam

Well constructed and attractive cigar with a thick Cameroon wrapper. Much sturdier than the Cameroon I'm used to seeing. The cigar was a medium brown in color and firm to the touch. Two fairly prominent veins ran up either side of the perfectly cylindrical torpedo and there were a few small blemishes present. Pre light draw was fairly loose and tasted of musty earth with a slight chemical taint.

The cigar came to life quickly and burned straight. The pattern of the ash and exposed filler at the head showed a double booked construction with a few voids in the center. The flavor was medium strong and slightly unpleasant. While there was a core taste of solid tobacco and the Cameroon lent a small amount of spice, the overall impression was of plastic and petroleum. The bright, almost white ash grew to an alarming length before dropping off to reveal a short cone, and the burn remained razor sharp all the way down.

I enjoyed the cigar in the shade near the mall while people watching and basking in the late summer weather. Unfortunately the cigar continued to disappoint as it burned with the sharp, artificial flavor growing in prominence throughout the smoke. The finish was flat and acrid with an astringent quality that made me wish for a bottle of water. I was also slightly put off by the pungent aroma that, while obviously related to tobacco, included a strange synthetic quality that was distracting. Several small splits materialized in the stout Cameroon wrapper, with the last one extending an inch or so from the burn line.

I had to put this cigar down with about two inches to go because it just wasn't right. I paid $10 for it and from what I could tell I'd have been better off rolling up the currency and smoking that. While it was pretty, I just couldn't get by the bad flavor and distracting odor. Not recommended.

Appearance: 9/10
Construction: 8/10
Flavor: 12/20
Finish: 5/10
Smoking experience: 18/20
Aroma: 5/10
Overall impression: 15/20

Total: 72/100