Montecristo Morning
It’s a dreary Thursday morning out; the type of overcast that makes everything in the world seem grey and dull. A misty rain is falling. You know the type: not quite enough rain to warrant turning on your windshield wipers but enough to obscure your vision. That kind.
I was up late last night, though I can’t complain. I was in good company. But, I got a late start this morning. I rushed through my first cup of coffee so quickly that I burned a spot on my tongue that can now neither taste nor feel anything and probably won’t regain sensation until sometime later this evening, maybe never, who knows.
Now onto my second cup of coffee, this time I dropped a single cube of ice into it before my initial sip to ensure the temperature had dropped to a tolerable level to humans. I never understood why the older generations liked their coffee blazing hot.
As I grow older, I realize, it is the days like today that I truly enjoy the most. Nothing wrong with a little cloud cover to keep you cool and to force your appreciation of the creature comforts we surround ourselves with, a la, warm and dry means of transportation and a hot cup of coffee.
Now to start my day. I’m blessed to work in an environment that is conducive to my cigar hobby. As such, my thoughts turn to an even more interesting topic: What cigar shall I smoke with my now-bathwater-warm coffee? I should pour a little more coffee into my mug to warm it up while I contemplate.
Before I make my choice however, another question crosses my mind: How do other people choose which cigar they’ll smoke? Why? What’s the thought process?
For me oftentimes, and some others I imagine, it bares much similarity to the humble late night snack. One has a desire to eat (in this case smoke) so what does one do? Open the pantry or the refrigerator (in this case a humidor) and feast your eyes upon the options (or lack of in some cases) until the chemical signals in your brain say “Oooh, that one.”
For some others maybe there’s a more careful, thought-driven process, steeped in logical back-and-forth with all the finesse and forethought of a chess grandmaster: “If I smoke this now, It will pair nicely with the boldness of the Colombian coffee, which has now reached the optimal temperature for consumption, and won’t ruin my palate for an afternoon cigar with more body and flavor and should set up nicely for a post-dinner grand finale with a glass of Islay Single Malt Scotch.”
I check my watch. A couple of hours remain until I’m to make my next life choice “What to eat for lunch?” Plenty of time for a cigar of any length. Now I reach into the depths of my ever-failing memory to consider at least choosing something to add variety to the list of cigars I’ve smoked as of late. Can I smoke the same cigar twice in a row? You betcha! But I enjoy the thought of expanding my horizons a little and trying something new. That narrows it down quite a bit. I’ve smoked a great number of cigars in my career in the industry, yet there still always seem to be more popping up everyday.
Anyway, let’s to cut to the chase, “Sh** or get off the pot,” my father would say. Decision time. The hands on my watch seem to be either ticking faster or slower depending upon how certain I am of my choice. Suddenly I’m unaware of the temperature of my coffee, or the rain and overcast outside my office window. My unfinished chores have disappeared from mind and my problems seem less problematic within this moment. I have a singular focus. All the world seems to be revolving around such a magnanimous yet simple decision, “What shall I smoke?”.
It’s surreal how my mind subconsciously guides my hand to my favorites, but at the same time removes it to seek out something new. I’m on the fence. New or Classic? Sure thing vs. a gamble?
Suddenly, there it is. The one: A Montecristo. A familiar brand to me; I’ve smoked dozens if not hundred of them over the course of my life. But this is a new one, Montecristo Epic Craft Cured. I’ve somehow done the impossible. Merged the New with the Classic. What should be a sure thing given my experience with Montecristo coupled with the excitement of taking in a new experience. Perfection on a Thursday morning… save the fact that my coffee is now, once again, too cold. Seems the older generation knew what they were doing when it comes to hot coffee.
Montecristo Epic Craft Cured
ABOUT THE CIGAR:
Montecristo Epic Craft Cured is the result of choice Nicaraguan tobaccos having undergone a long forgotten process. The time honored technique cures each tobacco component of the cigar together in small pilones. The meticulous process unifies all the components, allowing the flavors of the cigar’s wrapper, binder and filler to marry into a more harmonious profile.
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Strength: Medium to Full Bodied
