Por Larranaga Montecarlo

Overall Score

1 review for Por Larranaga Montecarlo

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    Cigar Inspector

    Por Larranaga Montecarlo

    Origin : CubaPor Larranaga
    Format : Slim Panetela (Delicioso)
    Size : 6.3 x 33
    Hand-Made
    Price : ~$125 for a box of 25

    I got this cigar in a trade on r/cigars and, to be honest, wasn’t expecting much out of it. Not my favorite brand, not my favorite format (although Montecristo Especial No. 1, a slightly thicker panatela, is a fine smoke!). These cigars used to be machine-made back in the days, but now proudly bear the hand-made tag. Besides, they are rather cheap… Let’s see how the Por Larranaga Montecarlo fared?

    Appearance : [rating:3.5/5]
    The Por Larranaga Montecarlo has a narrow appearance with a dark brown wrapper. A few veins are visible, and there is also a “spotty” look to the tobacco leaf, though it’s obvious that this isn’t a flaw. The plume makes me eager to light this up!

    Por Larranaga Montecarlo

    Construction : [rating:4/5]
    I was rather pleased with the construction. Just as I’d have expected from the beautiful appearance of the cigar, it performed decently with a nice, even burn and a comfortable draw, just slightly tight, but not so much so that it caused any problems. The ash holds nicely. The duration of the smoke lasts around 50 minutes.

    Flavor : [rating:3.5/5]
    There are a lot of different flavors present here, even though it’s a relatively mild cigar. You get honey, vanilla, cedar, and tobacco in the beginning, with just a hint of something floral. Continuing into the middle third, banana and spice emerge (nutmeg or cinnamon, maybe both), cooled down with a bit of mint. There’s also something of whiskey in here, which makes me think this would pair great with alcohol. The last third is dominated by cedar once again with some pepper on the back end.

    Value : [rating:4/5]
    At around $5-7 a stick, this cigar isn’t too expensive, although it’s not the easiest in the world to hunt down. You get quite a unique smoking experience for the price, and these mild but flavorful cigars fit nicely into any occasion or are perfect for everyday.

    Overall Rating : [rating:3.75/5] (3.75)
    Aside from a slightly tight draw, the Por Larranaga Montecarlo offers beautiful construction and an interesting flavor profile. Mild cigars are sometimes avoided by smokers who prefer stronger smokes because they associate mild cigars with a lack of complexity, but this panetela proves that it doesn’t have to be the case. This mild smoke, accessible to beginners, wouldn’t disappoint a veteran either.

    Helpful?
    0 0
    • Wilson

      I’m dying to know the smoke times for this skinny thing.

      I am always frustrated when a review does not state any time scale

      • Inspector

        This is a very good point. We will make sure to update it in the future.
        This is a good 15-20 minute smoke. One of my favorite breakfast cigar.

    • yayaWHO

      Just had one of these on SAT (one of 3 bought actually) c I must admit I DID like it. Considering the more then reasonable price, def. worth it … & even a nice ´starter´ when you´ve got some other cigar(s) to follow the respective day/eve/night as it is quite light cigar (I am quite new to cigars & still would rate it medium @ the strongest 🙂 ).

      Once, you´ve published ´The best cigars below 5 USD´ – this Larranaga vitola is just over it … but had that been those approx. 50 cents cheaper, it would def. be TOP of my ´nearly cheap´ cigars.

      regards

    • kml

      My favorite cheap cigar too. The quality is excellent. Sometimes they look ugly but have excellent taste. Have 2-3 years to mature, then the taste is better. I have several boxes of 2009 and so far I have not have bad piece.

    • Iplay_guitar

      that “plume” looks like mold to me

    • jmj_203

      These were available at my most trusted vendor awhile back. Kicking myself for not grabbing a box, as I’m a thin-ring nut anymore. Anxiously awaiting my email stock alert, so I can order a box to age. Great review.

    • anotherwaytogetold

      One of my fav cheao smoke.
      I have two boxes in my humidor. I try to age them a bit but i can’t help smoking them in a year 🙂

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Cigar Region Cuba
Filler Cuban
Wrapper Cuba
Binder Cuba
Length 6 1/4
Ring Gauge 33
Vitola Deliciosos
Construction Hand Made