Monte Afrique Sublimation Review

[bimmian]

Drink - Cherry-flavored soda
Eaten - Mozzarella and Fire-roasted tomato Triscuits about 15 mins prior
Time to smoke - 40 mins

5 1/8" x 42 RG (Petit Corona)
Wrapper - Cameroon
Binder - Equador
Filler - Africa/Nic/Peru
Mfr. - D.R.

These are probably some of my favorite NC cigars around. I like them because they're very complex and smooth without "trying to be Cuban". Don't get me wrong, I love Tatuajes (The Noellas 2nd 3rd tastes just like a Cuban Partagas Short's final 3rd to my palate, if smoked slowly) and other fuller-bodied "Cuban-esque" cigars, but I appreciate cigars that taste like I think tobacco from their nations of origin should taste. Before you point this out, I'm aware that there isn't any D.R. tobacco in these, but they taste very "Dominican" to me...

These are a mild, yet still full-flavored smoke. They almost always burn and draw perfectly, and the only drawback is the excessive packaging and gimmicky marketing. (They come in glass tubes with cork stoppers and a cedar wrap, and sometimes I think this causes them to be moldy around the foot straight out of the box, which is an elaborate black, latched affair.) I wish they would sell these in normal boxes of 25 for less $$ and without the gimmicks, because they really are good cigars and they don't need it.

The flavor is terrific, with notes of chocolate, cedar, and the D.R.s equivalent of the "Havana twang". I can't describe it, only that it is slightly musty and sour to my palate. Most good Dominican cigars have this very subtle taste to me. There is a little bit of pepper near the finish line, and some VERY slight leathery notes. Nice, complex, and smooth, while being very mild (to me) and easy to smoke.

The aroma is nice and woodsy, with some slight tanginess to it. The finish is smooth and sweet, with cocoa and some woodsy flavors.

I like to smoke these every once in a while to change pace, but if smoked every day they can become boring to me.

As previously stated, my only complaints are the over-the-top packaging, and the occasional moldy foot, which is easily fixed by clipping it from a Petit Corona into a Minuto. Also, the wrappers are very delicate and prone to splitting when cut, but most Cameroons are like this in my experience. They're relatively inexpensive (for Montecristos, at least) at a little over $5 ea. when purchased by the box.

Also, if you can manage to let a few rest for a year or two, they turn into wonderfully smooth, mild cigars, taking on a much more creamy and woodsy profile, but keeping the chocolate and spices, just toned down a notch.

All in all, a very nice quick smoke. I recommend trying at least one, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, once you get over the gimmicky marketing angle. 8.5/10

[Stinkdyr]

I would echo that you have to age these a long time before they smooth out. I bought a box of the Jungle Book robustos, and they needed a solid year of humi aging before they lost their harsh edge. Once aged to that degree, I liked them. I agree, they have a unique flavor to them.

[Frinkiac7]

I have a couple of these in the humidor that have been sitting there for maybe 8 months, have never got around to smoking them. Might break them out, but in reality I'll probably leave them in there until it's warm again!