Earlier this year I reviewed the Robusto size of this cigar. The blends are the same, but it is said that each size provides a different smoking experience. These cigars are Brazilian puros. You don’t run across that very often. When Wesley from Tabacos Mata Fina USA asked if I’d like to try the Monte Pascoal Corona I jumped at the chance.
I’ve been a fan of Dona Flor, another Brazilian puro, for years. I wonder what ever happened to them anyway. Anyone out there know? They literally just went quiet and dropped off of the face of the earth.
Anyway… I was sent a five pack and smoked a few before doing this review.
Wrapper: Brazil Mata Fina
Binder: Brazil Mata Fina
Filler: Brazil Mata Fina and Mata Norte
Size: 5 5/8 x 42
Price: Around $6.00
Pre-Smoke & Construction:
It is common for these wrappers to look very rugged, yet they look velvety at the same time. This was no exception. The odor from the wrapper was a smooth, sweet earthiness. The foot was basically the same. The cigar was pretty evenly packed, and had a slight give when pinched. The pre-light draw had slight resistance, and there was a smooth sweet earthiness with notes of cedar.
The ash held for about an inch, and the burn required no corrections.
Flavor:
The first third was woody with wispy earthy notes. There was something else going on with the aftertaste, but my palate may be too crude to find something to compare it to. When passing smoke through the nose, I picked up an easy pepper and wood.
The second third kept the same dominant woody flavor with earthy notes. What changed was the smoke feel became thicker and clung to the mouth and lips. The aftertaste hung around for awhile, and eventually developed a nice sweet note. Like before, the pepper didn’t go anywhere when passing smoke through the nose. Occasionally I got bitter sweetness, similar to what you’d find in dark chocolate (not the Hershy candy bar), if you know what I mean.
The last third developed into a focused combination of wood, chocolate, and peppery spice. The smoke feel became creamier and sweeter. Basically the flavors blended together and became more focused.
Conclusion:
This was a very good, solid medium bodied cigar. I can’t recall if the other 3 I smoked were this rich. I only recall getting that from the large ring gauges. No matter, this cigar hit the spot. As always, I have to point out any negative aspects, and that would be the price. I’d hope to pay a little less for a corona size, but these Brazilian puro’s tend to cost a little more. Since my old favorite Dona Flor went MIA, these would easily satisfy a craving for Brazilian tobacco. Although the flavors are common, something about tobacco from this region is unique. I can’t quite explain it. Monte Pascoal is definitely worth checking out.