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Home > What's New > Connoisseur's Corner, April 2005
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Connoisseur's Corner, April 2005
Posted: Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Reprinted from the April 2005 issue of Cigar Aficionado
There was no Cuban embargo in 1959, and the Montecristos made in that year would be some of the last legally available in the U.S. market. Some lucky (and wise) aficionados stocked up on those boxes, and a select few had the patience to age them into the next century. A Montecristo No. 1 lonsdale from that year aged into a near-perfect smoke, with balance, complexity and elegance. Of course, it doesn't take 46 years of age to make a classic. A 1988 Punch Monarcas also scored 98 points, as did a 1985 "A"-sized Romeo y Julieta Fabuloso. They were among the four cigars to earn a classic rating -- 95 points or more -- in this edition of Connoisseur's Corner, making it one of our best installments.
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Montecristo No. 1 (1959)
98 Nearly perfect to behold, this stunning chocolate-brown lonsdale has a silky wrapper that begs to be touched. It's superbly rich and extremely flavorful, with balanced cedar, vanilla and coffee notes complemented by a long, long finish. Amazing flavor after 46 years in the box.
--David Savona
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Punch Monarcas (1988)
98 This is a Churchill in tubo and absolutely glorious. They don't make them anymore and they don't make cigars today like this. A cigar with great flavor yet incredible finesse. It shows a smooth texture with cedar, tea and honey that turns to a café latte character. Very creamy.
--James Suckling
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Romeo y Julieta Fabuloso (1985)
98 This came from a varnished box of 10 from the cigar merchants of Gerard in Geneva. It's a Monte A sized smoke and it's what the name says—fabulous. It's a refined yet flavorful smoke that starts off mild with tea and tobacco character but later turns nutty, with a cappuccino flavor. The finish is long and delicious.
--James Suckling
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Partagas Lusitania Cabinet (1988)
97 Extraordinary. This cigar, from a cabinet of 50, is a perfectly balanced, smooth smoke, showing all the refinement that a 17-year-old cigar should have. There are initial notes of cocoa bean layered over cedar, and a light leathery finish with a solid core of smooth, earthy flavors. The texture is mouth-filling and round, and the finish stays in the mouth all morning.
--Gordon Mott
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Bolivar Belicoso Fino (1995)
93 I received a box of these in 1998 for my birthday from an actor friend, and I hadn't smoked one until now. Fantastic smoke! It's full yet mellow, with cedar, tobacco and light coffee character that turns to walnuts. It smokes just right now.
--James Suckling
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Partagas Tres Petit Corona (1961)
92 This reminds me of what the English called the English Dry Cigar, a smoke that had been aged at a lower humidity and has a wood character. It smoked beautifully, with loads of tea and cedar flavor. It was mild and smooth. A beauty.
--James Suckling
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