El Monstruo by Martinez

[Don Fernando]

Me and a friend were looking on the internet for big cigars with enormous ring sizes and we came up with the El Monstruo from the New York based Martinez Cigars. They produce hand rolled cigars with rings up to 140+ like this El Monstruo. Made of Dominican filler and binder with a Sumatra wrapper.

Being up for a joke, I ordered a 6pack and damn, they smell, they don’t feel well constructed, but who can construct a cigar like that? With just a sniff and a feel I knew that this cigar wouldn’t be a pleasure to smoke, even if I could fit it in my mouth.

Smokey and I decided to try an El Monstruo while sitting in the smoke lounge of my favorite cigar shop, Non Plus Ultra in Den Bosch. We’re both experienced cigar smokers but this cigar made both of us cough a lot while lighting it. Even lighting it took a few minutes and a lot of gas from a Blazer torch. And then the taste, just plain old rice crackers, nothing more nothing less. The draw was better then I expected though, and the smoke was ok, but the taste and mainly the size made both of us decide to put the cigar away after just a few minutes.

So, the cigar wasn’t very nice, but I am glad I bought them, as a novelty and especially for the fun we had before smoking it. Need to see pictures? Go to www.sigarenplatform.nl and check the El Monstruo topic at the Dominican section

Would I buy this cigar again? No, it is a nice cigar to show off in your humidor, but smoking it is a drag.

I bet you two looked funny as hell smoking on those.

finally, I am done learning from you. thanks.

[Don Fernando]

This is me smoking an El Monstruo





And this is Smokey

To me it tasted like more than ricecracker, there was also some fungus flavour and a hint of diesel fuell.