Montecristo Classic Especial cigars are the name given to a grouping of sizes that run more narrow than the mainline of Classics. While the main run generally is set for a ring gauge of around 52, these Especial cigars are rolled at a width of 44.
One of the main effects of this type of roll is to increase the presence of the wrapper leaf in the flavor profile. The thinner the cigar, the less filler leaf you have proportional to the wrapper. This gives the cover leaf more of a chance to shine, so to speak.
And in Montecristo Classic Especial cigars, you really want to get a taste of that outer leaf.
Montecristo describes it as their highest grade Connecticut shade wrapper, which could be marketing lingo or it could indicate that some of the most experience tobacco experts on earth only use the good stuff for these stogies. We believe it’s the latter.
A genuine Connecticut wrapper is not something you can take lightly anymore. So much of the industry has moved over to Ecuador Connecticut leaf, but this is the authentic article grown right here in the USA. While Ecuador’s wrappers are indeed fantastic, we’ll always have a soft spot in our hearts for our own homegrown tobacco. And clearly, so does Montecristo.
Montecristo Classic Especial cigars have just what you’d expect under the hood: high-quality Dominican leaf that makes an outstanding and timeless filler blend. For those who might be confused, these smokes are a product of the Dominican branch of the Montecristo brand. In reality, there are two companies. One produces excellent Cuban cigars, the other fine Dominicans. Due to the embargo, the Cuban Montecristos are not available stateside (sadly), but we find that the DR version is nothing to sneeze at. In fact, the two companies compete quite well head to head, with both earning high ratings and regular placements on aficionado’s “best of” lists.
In 2019, Montecristo Classic Especial cigars earned a respectable 89 point rating at Cigar Aficionado. The tasters called out “woody smoke tangy with minerals and citrus”. They also noted that there were “[s]ome bready, toasty notes of a biscuit” that also come through before a “graham cracker finish.” For Connecticut fans, this is a flavor profile that should scratch the right itch. It’s a smooth, easy drawing blend that knows how to deliver CT flavor without being anything close to boring.
Please browse our selection of Montecristo Classic Especial cigars at your leisure.
