The Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No 2 Reserva Cosecha 2012 is the latest in the annual line of Reserva cigars to be released from Habanos S.A. It was debuted on the first night of the 18th Habanos Festival on February 29th. These are some of the most exclusive and expensive cigars that come out of Cuba. Hoyo de Monterrey was the only national brand to not have a Reserva release prior to this year.
I imagine this is what a fresh Cuban Davidoff would have tasted like back in the 80's. I've been fortunate to have one that was almost 30 years old, so I know the profile, but in those 30 years, some strength is lost. I appreciated the Davidoff Nicaragua for it's Nicaraguan take on the classic Davidoff profile and it's perfectly balanced flavors. I appreciated the Escurio for how unique and different it was. But this, is something completely different. This is a truly full flavored cigar that teeters in medium-full strength and has such a great classic profile. This is a game changer, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I liked this cigar even better than the Box-Pressed Nicaragua.
This cigar was so much better after a couple months of rest. When I first smoked it, I knew it was good, but not as special as I hoped. This time it was special. This 20th Anniversary Opus is nothing like the regular opus. It is medium bodied and nuanced, not in your face strength. The construction was almost perfect and the flavors were balanced. I only look forward to how this will age years on. Definitely recommend if you can find them.
"I loved the flavor profile present, really up my alley, and it was complex with a nice bit of depth. There was some transitioning throughout, but it kept this core flavor profile as well that really changed up in thirds. I loved the body and strength present with the cigar and it made for a great evening smoke. I am a big fan of cigars in this size, corona gorda area, and they perform incredibly well when constructed correctly. This will only get better with age, and if it did not have some age on it right now, I would be surprised. I believe a lot of smokers would love this cigar and enjoy what was offered." -Seth (Seth's Humidor)
This cigar was exactly what a project like this should be: not so prominent in the barrel-aged department that it takes over the blend, but enough that you know it was there. It reminded me of the Diesel Unlimited blend both profile-wise and on paper, but just with a little something extra. I'm not sure this is my favorite Diesel release, but it is up there with the Rage and Delirium. Definitely pick some of these up if you are a fan of Diesel, barrel aged cigars, or just want to try something new in general.
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·"This was about as close as I have come to smoking the perfect cigar. I mean, it's hard to call the flavors perfect because everyone has a different preference, but this one was right up my alley. It was medium strength, but full flavored. The draw, burn and construction were impeccable. This may be my favorite cigar I have reviewed. I am blown away." -Emmett (BMP_Emmett)
Overall, this was a tremendous smoke, not even taking into account the fact that it's pretty young and hasn't been released yet. I can only imagine how these will be in 6 months or a year. The draw and burn were both spot on and I had no issues with construction. I think Jon Huber has struck gold again with this release and I will definitely pick up a box for myself.
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·While the Diademas size was amazing I always find them a struggle with construction, burn, etc. This cigar from a construction point of view was on point. The burn was great, and the cigar smoked perfectly. Would I spend $100 on this cigar if it was regular production? Of course not. Definitely a treat to smoke and I was happy to get the chance. I give this a score of 93.
This was an excellent cigar. I have never come across a PDR that I didn't enjoy, but this one was among the best. I could also sense in it great aging potential and I believe time will only bring out more of the spice and coffee bean I detected in pre-light. These will not be around long, and I would advise against hesitation on purchasing some of these, as they will not lost long. I remember debating on pulling the trigger on a box of these when they were available years ago, and now regret not buying it even more. Buy a box of these, you will not be sorry.
Muestra de Saka is a collection of different cigar blends from Steve Saka of Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust, each to be released at separate times throughout the next year. It was unveiled at the 2016 IPCPR and Muestra de Saka translated means “Sample of Saka".