BACKGROUND: The Espada is the result of an amazing collaboration between Montecristo and Nestor Plasencia. The Plasencia family is world-renowned for growing exceptional tobaccos; they own state of the art factories and create premium cigars for several well-known brands. For this particular collaboration, Montecristo’s team of top blenders (known as Grupo de Maestros) were given full access to Palencia’s entire repository of specially aged Nicaraguan tobaccos. The result was the Espada; Montecristo’s first Nicaraguan Puro.
The Espada is adorned with three bands which provides a handsome, distinctive look. The middle band displays 2 crossed swords, as Espada means “sword” in Spanish.
Wrapper: The Maestros have selected a gorgeous brown Habano wrapper (Vintage 2010) from Jalapa, Nicaragua.
I discussed Jalapa in great detail in my last review. Did you retain any of that information??? Do you need to go back and reread it??? If so, it’s located in the section about Cuban tobacco..
Binder: Habano Jalapa, Vintage 2009
Filler: Habano Jalapa, Viso Ometepe (Vintage 2008), and Habano Condega Ligero (Vintage 2008). These well-aged fillers create an exceptionally rich-tasting cigar.
Body: Medium-Full, though this reviewer rates it as Medium.
Sizes: Churchill, Robusto, Toro
Origin: Nicaragua
Blender: Grupo De Maestros with the Plasencia Family
MSRP: $12.00. Beautifully packaged in suede-covered 10-count boxes. The box is so handsome that, upon glancing at it in the humidor, it has you in its clutches already…..
Release Date: August 2014FLAVOR: The Espada is overflowing with flavor. A mingling of wood, nut, and a touch of subtle underlying sweetness. Although my ex-husbands may disagree, I too have a touch of underlying sweetness.
This cigar’s flavor evolves as you smoke it. The flavors develop and change in complexity as you move through the second third and approach the final third. The combination of flavors makes it a bold, deeply satisfying smoke. Deeply satisfying is obviously preferred; a man doesn’t want to be partially satisfied, he wants to finish and be satisfied upon completion. Pleasure from smoking a cigar can last more than an hour…. but another type of pleasure – between 2 people – can peak from 10 to 30 seconds, or (if you’re lucky) 30 seconds to 5 minutes. At that moment when your body hits the height of passion, you must completely surrender to euphoria; only then you have reached the deepest level of ecstasy, allowing you to achieve that 5-minute mark of lingering bliss.
BURN/DRAW: Although it is well-packed, the cigar feels extremely light in my hand. The draw is absolutely impeccable and provides plenty of flavorful smoke on my palate. It produces an uninterrupted stream of creamy, light-colored smoke. The ash is firm and dark gray and holds for about an inch before falling off. It burns straight and flawlessly throughout the length of the shaft.
RELAX…..
There are a multitude of relaxation techniques and stress-management programs to reduce the symptoms of stress, lower blood pressure, slow your heart rate, and generally help you enjoy a better quality of life. My stress-management program is as follows: chillin’ out and smoking a cigar.
Getting enough sleep and exercising is good for your body too, but fuck that shit. No one I know gets enough sleep, and I would rather pay Takeru Kobayashi’s bill at the hot dog shop than exercise.
I don’t do yoga, Tai Chi, or meditation; I smoke cigars. Whether my anxiety is minimal or spiraling out of control (and lately it’s been spiraling), taking time to sit down and smoke a premium cigar completely calms me and clears my mind so I can continue with the rest of my crazy, fucked-up day.Sexual desire is supposed to decrease during times of stress (if a lion is on the prowl, sexual excitement needs to diminish so you can focus on your survival), but I find sexual activity to be intensely therapeutic and relaxing. When I am feeling tense and my man comforts me…. kissing, touching, licking and stroking begin to take over, I become excited, I become wet, passion takes over, and afterwards I am more relaxed.
I normally smoke in the morning while having my coffee and in the evening while working on my blog; during these cold winter days when I cannot smoke on my little balcony I go to the smoke shop. I love my little neighborhood smoke shop, but it takes time to get dressed, drive there, talk to the guys… My stress level is at its lowest when I can just wander out onto my little balcony in my pj’s (each sexy teddy has a matching silk robe). My stress level is significantly higher when I am forced to leave home to smoke.
My stress is out of control when I am unable to smoke AT ALL!! Occasionally, while traveling, I am not able to smoke for 3 or 4 days, and the results are not pretty. Not at all. While I was in Florida a few weeks ago, I was unable to smoke for FIVE DAYS. When I landed back home, I dashed to my car at the airport and immediately lit a cigar for the ride home. Fortunately, I had wooden matches stashed in my car as I knew my lighters would be frozen. The fact that it was a mere 6 degrees outside and snowing heavily was of no consequence. I put the window down and lit up. As I began to puff on the round tip, I could feel my body begin to relax. I was able to let go and surrender myself to the moment, so by the time I got home, my level of stress was much lower.
PAIRING: I have paired the Montecristo Espada with an elegant, slightly ostentatious purse. The luscious shade of green complements the delicious milk chocolate color of the wrapper.
RAMONA’S FINAL THOUGHTS: I experienced the Espada by Montecristo for the first time approximately one year ago, and since that time it has remained in my “Top 5.” Holding a spot in Ramona’s Top 5 is not an easy task…. for either cigars or men. They must both be deeply satisfying; something I know with certainty I will enjoy every time. My Top 5 are my go-to cigars. When I saunter into a cigar shop ready to smoke, I want to grab something hard and veiny, something I know I’m going to love. My Top 5 cigars come alive in my hand, throbbing when touched to a hot flame.
A Beautiful Cigar Touches All Of My Senses. Similar to being with a lover that you have ravaged many times before as opposed to cautiously undressing with a new partner; with a new partner you must slowly explore their body bit by bit, inch by inch…. to learn how they taste and feel….. until you know exactly where to lick to send electricity surging through their body.
This cigar is exquisite, elegant, refined, and most importantly smooooth. Ramona always likes it smooth…A Beautiful Cigar Touches All Of My Senses
MMMmmmm…..
…Love, Ramona
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