The Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure Number 2 is one of the all-time classic Cuban cigars. They are available in cabinets of 15. 25 and 50 and run around $10 USD per stick. They are among the most sought-after regular offerings from Habanos S.A. I have a cabinet of 25 that I have been pulling from for about 6 months now and I have yet to find time to review this cigar; that ends today. The cabinet I have is a 2019 box, so they are still relatively young at the time of smoking.
Wrapper: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Filler: Cuba
Length: 4 7/8"
Ring Gauge: 50
Size: Robusto
The Smoke: I paired this cigar with a macchiato and enjoyed both of them early morning on a rare day off from work in between the Christmas and New Year's holiday. The first thing to note about this cigar is the light tan hue provided by the wrapper leaf. The wrapper has a velvet like texture along with some wrinkles. The cigar feels well-constructed but is not made as tight as other Habanos cigars I have smoked in the past. The cigar appears to be slightly under packed as it has, what I would deem, a significant budge when squeezed. No matter, the scent of the cigar is great. The aroma has notes of hay and flowers.
I used my Xikar V2 cutter to take a wedge out of the head. Upon slicing the cigar, some of the wrapper became loose at the base of the head and I removed it by tearing the leaf away from the wrapper. The cold draw was good and provided notes of nut, malt, and caramel. The cigar is slightly sweet too. As the cigar progresses, cocoa and cedar enter. The flavor is complex and blend together well.
The burn rate of the cigar is good, and it retains its construction despite the issue with the wrapper from the cut. The cigar is of lighter strength than many Cuban cigars that I have smoked but I would still place this cigar as a medium strength smoke.
Overall, this cigar is solid. Out of the 6 or so I have smoked, this one was the only one that had any issues with construction quality. My advice would be to add this to the list of must have cigars in your humidor.
The Score: Buy a Box
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