Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.3 SLB - 25 cigars

Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.3 SLB - 25 cigars [4.92” x 54]

A uniquely shaped cigar for an iconic brand - the Hoyo Epicure No.3 strikes a home-run on its debut

• • Rich and complex smoke with classic Hoyo de Monterrey flavors and more
• • Excellent construction, a great pick for any cigar aficionados

Newly released, a must-try while available

Presentation:

The Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.3 comes in a slide lid box of 25 cigars. Habanos packing code SLB-UW-GPSR-M-n-25

Dimensions:

Length: 125 mm (4.92 inches)

Ring Gauge: 54

Shape: 

Robusto

Appearance:

The Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.3 boasts a beautifully dark wrapper, just a shade deeper than usual, adding to its allure. This vitola is truly captivating, with a sleek and elegant shape that stands out. The wrapper has a slight sheen, hinting at the richness within. It's a cigar that catches the eye and promises a luxurious experience even before it's lit. Absolutely gorgeous!

Smoking Notes:

Before lighting up

The Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.3 presents an intriguing aroma, starting with a subtle barnyard scent from the wrapper. The foot, however, reveals a richer and more complex profile, with notes of artificial chocolate layered over cranberries, woodiness, and a hint of sweet citrus. While the wrapper’s aroma is muted and medium in intensity, the foot delivers a fuller, more robust experience.

The cold draw is exceptionally satisfying, offering woody and herbal notes right away. There’s a distinct combination of coffee and leather, enriched by a pronounced woodiness that adds depth. Additionally, floral flavors and a creamy, milky texture come through, enhancing the complexity. The cigar carries the classic Hoyo de Monterrey profile, with hints of Cuban twang, oatmeal raisin cookies, earthiness, and subtle creaminess. Despite any firmness in the cigars, the cold draw remains excellent, delivering a medium-full flavor profile that promises a rich and satisfying smoke.

Burn/ Draw

Upon lighting up the Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 3, the first puffs deliver a delightful combination of flavors, a little bit of coffee mixed with a bit of leather. Sweet notes immediately greet the palate, followed by the rich taste of molasses, adding a deep, syrupy sweetness. Hints of blonde tobacco and wood emerge, bringing a balanced complexity to the experience.

The draw is superb, allowing the flavors to flow effortlessly, while the ash remains firm, holding well as you smoke. Although the burn starts off a bit uneven, it's manageable and doesn't detract from the overall enjoyment of this finely crafted cigar.

Initial third:

The first part of the Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 3 offers a rich and satisfying experience, beginning with deep earthiness and bread notes that are reminiscent of classic Hoyo cigars. These are layered over flavors of cedar, toastiness, and a creamy texture, accompanied by a touch of bitter coffee that adds depth to the profile. The flavor is medium-full, with a thick, complex character. As you continue, herbal flavors, leather, and a subtle fruitiness emerge, along with hints of burnt coffee, toasted almonds, and mineral notes. A gentle bitterness rounds out the flavor, giving it a well-balanced structure.

The retrohale enhances the experience with oily mineral and floral notes, while also amplifying the bread flavors, evoking the soft inside of a French loaf, with acorns, black pepper, white pepper, and a creamy finish that ties everything together. The finish is sharp yet smooth, featuring milky creaminess and bread flavors on the tongue, complemented by bright pepper on the back of the throat. A dry swallow reveals underlying herbal notes, adding another layer of complexity.

Construction-wise, the cigar draws superbly, delivering a creamy sensation that coats the tongue and mouth, enhancing the overall experience. The burn line is uneven, but the firm, white ash and massive smoke production compensate for this minor flaw. The strength is on the milder side, though it gradually builds in intensity toward the middle, making it an excellent starter cigar with a consistent and enjoyable flavor throughout.

Middle third:

In the second part of the Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 3, the flavors evolve with intriguing new layers. The palate is greeted by notes of saltine crackers and dry pasta, leading into a deep earthiness balanced by white pepper, a touch of sweetness, and subtle bitterness. Woodiness and creaminess emerge alongside black pepper, while the cigar maintains its core elements of earthiness, terroir, and sweetness, all underscored by a consistent creamy texture.

As the smoke progresses, the finish mirrors the main flavors, though with an added creaminess and a slight increase in sweetness. On the retrohale, you’ll find nuttiness over a base of salty bread, accompanied by sugary sweetness, a touch of bitterness, and the occasional hint of acidic mustard flavor noted earlier. The finish also brings more woodiness, reminiscent of sawdust, combined with earthiness, black pepper, white pepper, and the distinctive taste of damp earth accented by creaminess and a hint of pasta water.

Flavor-wise, this part of the cigar is full-bodied, with the body ranging from medium-plus to medium-full, and the strength remaining medium. Construction remains solid overall, with the second third smoking smoothly and no harshness detected. The draw remains very enjoyable and the smoke now offers a more consistent experience. The cigar's sweetness becomes more pronounced, while the mineral flavor fades away, leaving a smoother, sweeter profile with a clean white ash.

Final third:

In the final part of the Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 3, the flavors deepen, with earthiness becoming more pronounced, accompanied by accents of leather and terroir that emerge more frequently. An increase in black pepper adds a spicy kick, but it remains balanced and avoids becoming harsh. The cigar continues to deliver a creamy, nutty, and woody profile, enriched by leather and a sharper note of white pepper.

While the sugar cookie sweetness, toastiness, and earthiness from earlier have receded, faint remnants linger in the background, adding complexity. A starchy pasta note appears, layered with nuttiness and creaminess. The finish introduces more coffee, blending bitter and sweet elements with a touch of nutmeg. The sharper white pepper and roasted flavors return, reminiscent of the cigar’s earlier stages, but now they are more subdued, contributing to a smoother overall experience.

On the retrohale, the flavors are reminiscent of Rold Gold pretzels, with a foundation of earthiness, leather, and that distinct Cuban twang. There’s a hint of generic sweetness, though it quickly transitions to saltiness, earthiness, cedar, and toastiness. The flavor is full, with the body and strength both settling at medium-full, offering a rich and satisfying conclusion. In terms of construction, the cigar continues to perform exceptionally well, with a flawless burn that requires no touch-ups and an excellent draw that enhances the overall smoking experience.

The Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 3 stands out not just for its superb construction and flavor but also for its visually appealing presentation. The burn was nearly flawless, and smoke production was consistently satisfying throughout the entire experience. Flavor-wise, the cigar delivered a complex and evolving profile that kept me engaged from start to finish.

At its peak, the Epicure No. 3 was more than impressive, earning a spot in my regular rotation of Cuban cigars. It's a cigar that not only meets but exceeds expectations, making it a standout choice for any aficionado.

Smoking time:

50 minutes – 1 hour 10 minutes