As I told you a few years ago, during my first years in the Johannesburg cigar business (in the 1970’s), there were plenty of Cuban cigars available, but two cigars appeared to be more revered than all the others: the Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.2 (Ring 50 x 124mm), and the much larger Montecristo No.2 (Ring 52 x 156mm, pyramid).

If you wanted a good cigar you were told by those in the know to buy an “epicurenumbertwo”.
I don’t think that the brand name Hoyo de Monterrey was even considered in this context.
No analytical reasons were given – they were just “the greatest smokes”.
And when Blue Mould seriously struck Cuba, drastically curtailing supplies, there was near panic in the boardrooms, professional offices and homes of their devotees. Nothing else would do.

When we started importing cigars from the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua we found that the Epicure No.2 size cigar was often named Rothschild, and before long it was our most popular size cigar: “What have you got in a Rothschild size?”
It became clear to us that this popularity was created purely by the dimensions of the cigar, not necessarily by the blend or taste. The draw is easy; the flavour is full and the length of smoking time comfortable.
But when the Cuban Cohiba 50x124mm cigar was produced, they used the name Robusto - and this is the name that has become the generic for all cigars of approximately these dimensions.

Our thoughts were confirmed during the cigar boom of the 1990’s when, in every brand that offered it, the cigar of these dimensions became the best seller.
In fact in the Premier issue of Cigar Aficionado (Autumn 1992) the “Robusto/Rothschild” size was selected for the first tasting – in a fine article they described the size as the “perfect power lunch smoke”.

But there is something extra special about these three cigars:
I don’t know what it is about boxes of 50 – but the cigars seem to be smoother and may be richer than the equivalent boxes of 25. These Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.2 are from boxes of 50, and they haven’t made me change my mind.
In June 2007 James Suckling, writing for Cigar Aficionado “A Good Robusto” commented on the quality of his 2006 Ramon Allones Specially Selected compared with one from 1996 shared with a friend which he found too bitter. This elicited the reply “Hi James, I am now back in Hong Kong and I just smoked a Ramon SS 2006 from cabinet of 50. What a bomb! I think you may be right, these new cigars are really first class! I have smoked a lot of new cigars recently, (D 4s, Epicure 2s, petit Edmundos, regional releases) and I must say I have never enjoyed young smokes more. The quality of the cigars coming out of Cuba in the last year or so is the best I've seen in a long while. Keep it up!” The RASS you will taste is from a 2007 box of 50.
Over recent years the Partagas Serie D No.4 has gradually become the Robusto of choice, eclipsing its peers (unless you want to pay the extra for the Cohiba Robusto).

Colin Wesley
March 13 to March 26, 2008

In the Habanos 2007 Newsletter these cigars are described: “The Limited Edition distinguishes itself for the inclusion of sizes which are not part of the usual range of the brand, and is characterised by a special manufacture.

The careful selection of the two-year aged wrapper from the upper level of the plant grants it a darker color and turns this product into something unique. Binder and filler leaves used for the making of the Limited Edition cigars have been aged for two years as well turning these smokes into something far more great.” While we may not agree with the grammar, we certainly applaud the sentiment and the results.
Some years ago James Suckling wrote in Cigar Aficionado magazine of an interview with Fernando Lopez (head of Cuban cigar factories), and more recently (August 2007) again made the point that “One thing that I noticed about the two cigars is that their wrappers were not very maduro. In fact, they didn’t look very Colorado, or dark chocolaty brown. They were darker than normal, however. I remember a few years back that Habanos said that Edición Limitadas were not necessarily dark wrappers but specially selected tobacco with addition aging. I remember a conversation with Hilda Baró, who is the head of the Partagas factory back in 2002, and she said during a visit to her factory that some people have been confused with the Edición Limitada program because many have been calling them maduro cigars. “This is not true,” she said. “These cigars are not maduro. They are simply made with aged wrappers which have been coming from the upper parts of the plant, particularly the top ones or coronas.”
Because wrapper leafs come from the top of the plant, they are richer and slightly thicker, which gives them a slightly darker color brown after processing. In fact, for many years, numerous tobacco growers in the Vuelta Abajo didn’t even bother picking their coronas because they took too much time to cure and process. In any case, the cigar people I spoke to in Havana a few weeks ago about the limitadas called the limitada wrappers colorado oscuro or oscuro, but not maduro.”
He was talking of two cigars he had just bought in Hong Kong ($35 each!!) - Hoyo de Monterrey Regalos Edición Limitada (135mm x Ring46) and Romeo y Julieta Escudos Edición Limitada (140mm x Ring 50).
Towards the end of last year our “Outstanding Selection” (now sold out) compared Cohiba Maduro 5 cigars with the Hoyo Regalos. Did you buy one? If so, what did you think?
It would now appear that a base has been established for these extra fine cigars to become part of the annual production. It also seems that they will be confined to the major brands.
Two promised limited editions for 2008 are “H.Upmann Magnum 50” and “Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure Special”. The advance, specially packaged, samples from this year’s Habanos festival look superb, and both these fine cigars have relatively light coloured wrappers. They should be available June/July 2008.
But we don’t have to wait until then to taste and test this category of cigar because the R & J Escudos, the last limited edition release for 2007, has just arrived in South Africa. We have teamed it up with 2 other outstanding similar size R & J cigars – the “Short Churchill” (124mm x 50) and the “Exhibicion No.4” (127mm x 48).
Because there are several things to compare, you may have to budget for more than one pack:
• The Short Churchill is a classic Robusto size – compare with the Escudos which is16mm longer. Other than the length of time needed to smoke it, does this length affect the smoking experience? Smoother? Cooler?
• The Exhibicion No.4 and the Short Churchill are two examples of the traditional short thick cigars, exemplified for South Africans in the Upmann Connoisseur No.1 (127mm x 48) and Hoyo Epicure No.2 (124mm x 50), and each size has its devotees. Now you can test the two sizes from the same brand - do you have a preference?
• The Short Churchill in this selection was boxed Oct.2007 – that’s the same cigar that was awarded 92 points (third highest) in a preview of the blind tasting for Cigar Aficionado June 2008. The description reads: A subtly pressed robusto with a gleaming wrapper. The draw is a bit firm, but manages to impart a complex flavor profile of leather, cocoa bean and wood punctuated by an orange peel note and a long, tobacco finish. How many of those flavours can you identify?
• James Suckling says that the Escudos reminds him of the Short Churchill in flavour – What do you think?
What’s more, you can use the “Tasting Form” enclosed with the selection to rate each cigar.
That should give you plenty to do over the long weekend!

Colin Wesley
April 10 to April 23, 2008

You can read previous articles from "Across the Counter" in The Library.