Montecristo Open Master

Overall Score

1 review for Montecristo Open Master

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    Cigar Inspector

    Montecristo Open Master

    Origin : CubaMontecristo
    Format : Robusto
    Size : 5 x 50
    Ring : 50
    Hand-Made
    Price : $10+ each

    Montecristo Open finally hit the shelves of my local B&M and, of course, I had to give them a try. Unfortunately the Regatas weren’t available yet so I took a couple of Masters (classic 5×50 robustos). At well over $10 each in the B&M, it was a costly purchase and, although I wasn’t expecting a flavor bomb, I was hoping for a pleasant smoking experience.

    Appearance : [rating:4.5/5]
    The looks are real good, I have to admit that. Apart from a few water spots on the wrapper, this is a gorgeous cigar. It exhales a very strong tobacco smell, one of the most intense I have ever experienced on a Cuban cigar.

    Montecristo Open Master

    Construction : [rating:3/5]
    This is where it starts. I understand that the cigar is young and I smoked it straight out of the box, but the Open line is supposed to attract young smokers, who do not have any knowledge in storing cigars and purchase them to smoke an hour later sitting in a café. Although the ash held very well, the burn line was quite bad. I don’t even remember how many times I had to correct it. Fortunately, the draw was flawless.

    Flavor : [rating:3.5/5]
    Despite a very spicy pre-draw, there is no spice kick in the beginning. The smoke is medium-bodied and quite round. The Open Master immediately deploys solid woody flavors which will be dominating until the last pulls. As secondary notes, one can detect herbaceous flavors in the first third along with some coffee and bitter spice in the last two thirds. There is no real evolution in this cigar, it is woody and medium-bodied throughout the smoke.

    Value : [rating:2/5]
    Considerably more expensive than the Petit Edmundo, this cigar provides a particularly low price/quality ratio based on this first experience.

    Overall Rating : [rating:3/5]
    If not for the construction and the inflated price, I could say that the Montecristo Open Master was a decent smoke for beginners. Good-looking, medium-bodied and accessible flavor-wise, it has everything to be a success. However, if you have some experience with Cuban cigars, I do not see this line as a good addition to your humidor.

    Helpful?
    0 0
    • Rocket

      I like Montes, like No2. Not a big fan of Open series,,, BUT just opend a tubos MASTER robusto from 2012 and,, yes. a good smoke. So I think its good, after now 5 years. as it says from years before its woody, yes. Milder than the Monte series.
      First third: mild woody, much smoke. perfect burn.
      2nd: still woody, earth, marsipan, get stronger with a bit ”kick” in it (nicotine) Took off the band so not the heat not keep the ”hot” of the taste. Caramel, sweetness is there. less woody now. Still very mild. As they want to sell it, to beginners, yea, good n’ mild.
      3: Im a daily cuban smoker. will not buy it again, I like it strong . Dont take me wrong, good buy for a friend who just smoke sometime. I think about a smoot HDM when I smoke it, its ok. smoot all in to nub. Its a after lunch cigar it is.
      Thx.
      3:

    • Beneluxor

      Am feeling mixed about the ‘Open’ series … just smoked one of the Cuban Montecristo Open Junior Trabucos (110mm x 15.08mm) … Was a bit dark-coffee-flavoured & over-spicy in first third, then got smoother & more subtle in the middle … drew and burned well but burned fast, a half-hour smoke … was interesting & ultimately pleasant, but a bit harsh at the beginning, so too uneven for the price & maybe not so suited to its intended youthful market

    • Cigarboy

      Just smoked one that has been in my humi for a year. Have to say it was superb

    • OneTime

      P.S:
      I know that the Montecristo brand has technically two different “strains” of their cigars:
      One, where the tobacco is grown and cigars rolled in Havana, for Habanos SA company, and the other where the tobacco and cigars are sourced from the Dominican Republic, for Imperial Tobacco Company.

      This could also be the reason the Open Master cigars others have tasted differ from the ones I enjoyed.

    • OneTime

      I recently went on a trip to the Caribbean, naturally, stopping into Havana was top priority. We stayed at the Hotel Nacionales, which is where i bought a large variety of cigars to try, when in Cuba right?

      Although i have smoked cigars before, my experience was very limited, luckily the staff was very informative and helpful, explaining the basics of properly enjoying a cigar, the tasting, and which beverage to accompany it with (Cuban white rum, duh!).

      I have to say the Open Master was by far my favourite/most palatable. It was very smooth, with subtle flavours, nothing to knock your socks off but plenty to enjoy, I immediately bought a 20 pack (like AUD$5 a cigar).

      I did notice that a week later, the few cigars that still survived were starting to have the wrapping fall apart 1/2-2/3 of the way through smoking it. They obviously weren’t stored in a humidor, instead just the basic cardboard box, on a boat, surrounded by salt.

      So, I was disappointed by some of the comments here, I’m not saying any were wrong, because I don’t doubt the experience of the posters, but after getting so much enjoyment from the cigar in Cuba, I just had to put my 2 cents in.

      Maybe it just comes down to the fact that they were stored poorly, or lose some of their charm during transport/import. I guess theres nothing like straight from the source.

    • Seedeater56

      Ok, I have resolved to give all the Open Series a shot and I want to start with the Open Master here:

      It’s hard to be objective about the whole experience because it was marred by what can only be described as a shockingly abysmal construction. At pre light it looked robust enough although the wrapper appeared a little loose. Within a couple of minutes, the wrapper started to literally disintegrate, flaking away in tiny pieces. Clearly, the heat passing through the cigar exacerbated this condition and by the time I was 2/3 of the way through the binder had also started to come apart. At the end, I was actually holding the filler together with my fingers. So much for the build quality.

      The flavour, such as I managed to enjoy, was classic MC; not as challenging as a 4 or 5, but with peppery overtones and some chocolatey notes underneath. This is as should be with the open series.

      I am a born optimist and will put this wretched example down to questionable storage (though I got it from a very reputable dealer and lit it up within fifteen minutes). I shall try this again, but this time get it from my favourite store in St James’, London.

      In sum: I have not ever come across the like of this and the result was nil value for money, two, or at best two and a half stars for enjoyment. Caveat Emptor!

    • LaMartina

      Most of the Malaysian airport cigars r fakes, so r most D/F cubans or non Cuban,

    • Dee Dee Ramone

      Oh it’s the August 2013 issue of CA by the way

    • Dee Dee Ramone

      I was browsing through the Cigar Reviews section of the CA magazine where they reviewed this particular cigar. They gave it a 91 rating which I find really baffling.

      . I’ve bought a 3-pack of this smoke at the Malaysian airport duty, smoked it and regretted not picking up the Edmundo instead (same price) as they smoked terribly. Tight draw on all 3. Tasted bland bordering shit to me. The burn wave was so wavy that I could surf on the damn thing!

      This begs me the question; is there something wrong with my taste palate or they should review the panel of cigar testers at CA?

    • Grinder

      Have to agree with the negatives here – this is not a cigar for afficionados or beginners. This is for movie prop providers. The draw and smoke levels are fine as is the burn correction but it lacks flavour and charisma. As an introduction to Montecristo? Forget it – this is clearly designed to discourage smoking. Massive Montecristo failure. Anyone who knows cigars should avoid and no salesperson should recommend for anyone, beginner or otherwise. These are the blow-back Airsoft, or blank firing replicas of cigars.

    • Tashaz

      I have tried the opens in Junior, Regatta & Master releases. All have been dissapointing. I think this is a massive failure by montecristo. I have read what they tried to do here but I think they will just turn new smokers off. My two cents. 🙂

    • Louis

      I tried the MC open eagle and really enjoed it. Lit well, burned even and draw was effordless. I tried a Regatta today, very disappointing. Hard to light and burn was uneven, hard draw with a stale tasted. Ring size was too small for this cigar, I recommend the eagle or the master.

    • Avatar photo

      Inspector

      Well, perhaps you will enjoy it – although I must say I doubt so. My local salesman told me he was disgusted by the cigar.

    • Jobbastic

      Hmmz.. Just bought 2 good looking open masters and planning of smoking it tonight at the birthday of my best friend. Wrong decision is see now! Better first read your reviews before going to my local tabaccoshop! Strange thing is, the guy of the tabaccoshop(who i have been knowing for 4 years now) even recomended this one… !?

    • TimD

      Thanks for the review. Unfortunate info as I know they hyped these up quite a lot.

    • cigarfan

      I remember when the Edmundo was first introduced that it was panned pretty thoroughly. Since then the reviews have gotten much better. Let’s hope the same thing happens with the Open.

    • Soundwave

      I’ve had the Open Eagle & thought it was quite good, no burn issues. I didn’t have any expectations goin in either. Instead of chocolate-spice I got chocolate-creamm which I suppose is more palatable for the newb. I’ll let the price drop a bit before purchasing any also, though I’d love to get some more…

    • ehibbert

      You are being kind. The are actually terrible!

    • Daize

      Thanks mate, you confirmed my suspicions. Will defo avoid.

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Cigar Region Cuba
Filler Cuban
Wrapper Cuba
Binder Cuba
Length 4 7/8
Ring Gauge 50
Vitola Robusto
Construction Hand Made