My name is Agent 10.  My mission was to review the Hoyo de Monterrrey Excalibur Toro from the 1990’s. As an asset of The Cigar Spy agency I promise to respect the A.S.H.E.S. code of honor. These are the facts. This is my debriefing.

Target Name:

Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Toro

Target Vitals:

Size: Toro – 6 x 50

Wrapper: Connecticut

Binder: Honduran

Filler: Honduran

Background Info:

An extremely well constructed medium to full bodied cigar, Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur is a superb example of Honduran craftsmanship. Lighter in color than a Cuban cigar as a result of its fine Connecticut Shade wrapper, this cedar-aged cigar is made with a rich Honduran blend that is very much in the Cuban tradition. – Absolute Cigars.com

Mission Notes:

This cigar came to me in a trade from a SOTL on one of the cigar forums I frequent. It is a Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Toro, boxed and sold in the 1990’s, making this stick 10+ years old! I was excited to see how age would affect this normally run-of-the-mill cigar. It came to me in perfect condition, with a nice yellowed cellophane sleeve. Upon inspection I found the cigar was evenly packed, save for a small hard spot near the cap. The connecticut shade wrapper on this cigar seemed slightly dull, like you might expect an aged cigar to look. No noticeable flaws were seen and only minor veins ran along its side. I clipped the cap and found the draw to be perfect! IT was time to light this puppy up!

The most perdominant flavor was a papery tobacco that I’ve heard comes with an aged cigar. It was enjoyable, and when joined by a rich nut flavor and a crisp cedar wood flavor, this cigar really impressed me. It left a slighty dry, nutty finish in the mouth, but was still enjoyable. The body was mild as opposed to the medium body the description above states; I assume that this is because of how aged this cigar was. The ash was white as snow, and held solid for an inch or so before falling. I only had to touch up the burn line twice, and it stayed within normal parameters for my liking. Towards the end, the papery flavor took a bit of a turn for the worse, and turned bitter and harsh.  I decided it was time to put her down.

Final Statement:

For those of you who haven’t tried an aged cigar, don’t fret. Yes, this cigar was enjoyable, but I have had many, many better cigars the were rolled this year. If you ever get your hands on an aged cigar, I urge you to try it and see how you like it before seeking out more. The flavors that can be found may not be to your liking, and you would have wasted a lot of money on sticks you don’t enjoy. Overall, This stick was very satisfying, but I will not be seeking out more.

Tune in next week, where I *might* be reviewing another aged cigar.

Wishing everyone Clean Cuts and Thick Smoke,

-10