Review Notes: I really can't understand the poor ratings. A year in the humidor from my last review has made this cigar significantly better. I would not hesitate to buy another 5 pack. I strongly suggest keeping these in the humidor for at least ten months. The flavor and burn were much better after the aging. Sure this is a rough hewn "blood and guts cigar" without gimmicks or excuses. This IS a handmade cigar and I got that from two sources (the band and Perelmans). It snowed as I hiked with this cigar, exactly like it did last March when I smoked and reviewed my first. Even though one of the black dog has passed on, the replacement black dog had no problems or chuffing with this cigar in or out of the SUV. Maybe, this cigar is closer to a legend than I first thought?

Review Notes: This machine made cigar sported a dark, blotchy rosado wrapper. Small leaks provided carbeuration at the draw and made this 7.5 x 46 stick very hard to smoke. There were many small clumps or bunches of tobacco in the short filler. Hard as wood at the head, several soft spots were evident throughout. The taste was, fortunately, forgettable and what little flavor came through was mild and bland.

Review Notes: You know how the old saying goes you get what you paid for well this is it one of the worst cigars that I had bought from JR. I though I was getting a deal. I know that Montesiso makes good mild Cigars but not this one the only good think about this is the draw everything else sucks even after letting it age 70/70 and it got worse. Lots of bad smoke. Its not worth wasting a nice evening for a bad CIGAR.

Review Notes: these are extremely tasty. nicely done, fuente family. awesome value and surprisingly well contructed considering these wrappers look terrible.

Review Notes: This was one of the first cigars I read about when I took up the quest. At that time all the literature raved about Napolean Grande as the best moderately priced cigar for the money. It was a legend. I almost bought a box umpteen times! Well this weekend as I hiked the beautiful Potomac Highlands of WV in six inches of new March snow, I finally managed to smoke the legend. The appearance looked worse than most of the seconds from other brands. At best it reminded me of a Puros Indios, maybe this is the cigars they use to train new rollers. It did burn evenly on a moderately breezy afternoon. Anyway, my two canine companions didn't really care and would not have been impressed even if it was a Montecristo. Like their master they feel it's all about the flavor. About an inch in I started getting a sweet-salty tartness liked dried fruit that was very nice. Alas, if only the rest of the stick had been that tasty. With half the Grande gone a flinty taste slowly crept into my palate and then became stronger. In my book, flinty and metallic tastes are not good. Maybe this long gar was getting hot? Thinking this, I tried and babied it. Soon I couldn't wait to get to the band to toss it. Except, strangely about a half inch before the paper, it mellowed and became less flinty, so I smoked it to the nub. The black dogs and I decided that this was not 1999 and that while good, the Montesino Napolean Grande was no longer a legend ... if it had ever been.