#10 Caldwell – Blind Man’s Bluff

Caldwell’s Blind Man’s Bluff is another great cigar from the company. They came flying out of the gate and haven’t slowed down. Add the price of this cigar in comparison to the other cigars in Caldwell’s portfolio into the equation and it’s easy to see why this cigar has been so popular amongst the cigar community. The flavors, full body, marketing, and price all lured me towards this cigar. Not to mention Caldwell’s track record, and it impressed me out of the gate. This may be a bit too full bodied for the novice cigar smoker, but it would fit in perfectly with one who wants to venture into full-bodied premium cigars without breaking the bank. On the flip side, and seasoned cigar smoker looking for a great, solid, reasonably priced cigar should be all over these. I plan on picking up a box as this is something I could easily see being a long-time contender in my daily rotation.

Full Review Here

#9 Foundation Cigar Company – El Güegüense

I’ve smoked a handful of these and have been impressed each run. The flavor profile is awesome, solid, and consistent while the price point is right where it should be. This is a perfect cigar for novice cigar smokers looking for a great full-bodied cigar that isn’t too powerful nor will it break the bank. It’s also perfect for those seasoned smokers looking for a solid, full-bodied stick to add to their regular rotation. Box worthy for sure.

Full Review Here

#8 Drew Estate – Undercrown Shade

In the last few years some great Connecticut wrapped cigars have crashed into the cigar world, the Undercrown Shade is amongst the best. I was once very wary of Connecticut wrapped cigars, but the manufacturers have really done a bang up job creating blends utilizing this wrapper that remain bolder, yet balanced and the Undwecrown Shade is a perfect example of that. While it’s on the very mild side of medium/full, the cigar showcased some great flavors, a perfect burning experience, all at a great price. Not really much more you can ask for there. This is perfect for the novice smoker looking for a premium cigar that won’t overpower them with strength or body. And us seasoned smokers ca really appreciate the cigar as well. I’ll be sure to keep quite a few of these around for those times when I’m looking for something that delivers on flavors, but isn’t quite as strong as some of the other cigars in my rotation.

Full Review Here

#7 Quesada – Oktoberfest 2015 Double Bock Nicaraguan

The departure from the Dominican Republic was a success with the Double Bock blend. The cigar was complex, yet relaxed and made for a full body experience without being too overpowering. The price is perfect for the cigar and in my opinion, may even be less than I’d expect to pay for it. This is a perfect cigar for a novice looking for some great work without breaking the bank, and of course us seasoned cigar smokers looking for a great full-bodied cigar that won’t knock us on our ass will love it. Box worthy for sure.

Full Review Here

#6 La For Dominicana – La Nox

La Nox is quite a departure from what we normally expect from La Flor Dominicana, and it served as a breath of fresh air. Not that LFD’s stuff is bad by any means, I quite enjoy their offerings. What I mean is, it’s nice to see them step out of their element a bit, and they killed it. La Nox is a deep, rich, bold, flavor bomb that hits on all marks. The fact that it’s full production makes it that much more desirable. The price is a bit steep, but I can honestly say that it delivered and the price is well worth it.

Full Review Here

#5 RoMa Craft Tobac – Neanderthal

Skip has just added to an already stacked arsenal. Out of the gate I expected the RoMa Craft cigars to have a bit more bite than they had when they first launched (mostly due to Skip’s love for full-bodied, full-strength cigars), but was surprised with the more mild approach. It’s not a bad thing by any means as I’ve been a huge fan of each of the past sticks in their portfolio, but they delivered a powerhouse cigar with great balance, and bold flavors with the Neanderthal. This cigar comes out of the gate firing on all cylinders and doesn’t give up until your fingertips are burning. At $12 a pop it’s not the most affordable cigar out there, but it’s more than justified and very box worthy. Being that the Neanderthal is a full-production line I can see it having a permanent place in my regular rotation for a very long time. The Aquitaine has been my favorite RoMa Craft Tobac stick for a very long time, but it now has some competition. Now if we could just get them in a shop here locally, that would be great.

Full Review Here

#4 Illusione ~eccj~ 20th

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. If I was forced to smoke only one brand for the rest of my life it would have to be Illusione. The ~eccj~ is a great example of an absolutely great cigar experience. The bold, complex, yet complimentary flavors provide an amazing profile with great construction and flawless burned all delivered at a decent price point. Yes, it’s one of the more expensive cigars in Illusione’s portfolio but it more than satisfies and I’d pay it time and time again. While the ~eccj~ is limited, it’s still widely available and this is a box-worthy purchase for sure as it would hold a place in my regular rotation for a very long time.

Full Review Here

#3 Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust – Sobremesa

This is exactly what I expected as an introduction cigar by a very meticulous man who knows his shit. The Sobremesa delivers a full-bodied, medium/full strength cigar that doesn’t overpower you in any one direction. Add that with a very enjoyable, unique flavor profile and it’s easy to call Saka’s re-introduction a success. The price of the cigar isn’t too bad either making it an easy box-worthy decision. While they are a bit hard to obtain right now due to demand, expect these cigars to keep popping up in shops across the nation, and don’t hesitate to grab them when they do. You won’t regret it.

Full Review Here

#2 The Crowned Heads – Las Calaveras 2015

Let’s face it, The Crowned Heads are a force to be reckoned with. Here they are again kicking out yet another amazing blend. I was a big fan of last year’s Las Calaveras, but the 2015 blew last year’s out of the water. I know it’s still very, very early in the year but this is the best new release that I have had so far. I’m a big fan of bold cigars, and I am even a bigger fan of bold cigars that create amazing flavor profiles without being overloaded with strength. The Las Calaveras did just that. This is a great cigar that for a novice cigar smoker looking for a bold experience without breaking the bank, and a perfect cigar for those seasoned vets looking for a complex, bold experience. At a very affordable price point the only bad thing about this cigar is the availability. Believe me, I have quite a few on hand now and will be on the hunt for more. Get your hands on these while you can.

Full Review Here

#1 L’Atlier  – La Mission Du L’Atlier

L’Atelier has made some great blends in the past, but they have outdone themselves with the La Mission which has quickly become my favorite release by them to date. The cigar is bold, complex, and just all around enjoyable at a damn good price. L’Atelier has become increasingly easier to track down as well. This is a perfect cigar for a novice looking for a perfect bold, premium cigar that won’t break the bank, and the seasoned cigar smoker who enjoys more full-bodied cigars, especially those who tend to pair their cigars with wine.

Full Review Here

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The Good Stuff:

Starting last year, the Crowned Heads have been releasing an annual limited edition blend they call Las Calaveras (you can read last year’s review here). Las Calaveras is a cigar created each year to honor those who have passed. Here is some detailed information from Jon Huber, co-owner of The Crowned Heads about the project:

Crowned Heads Las Calaveras was inspired by “La Calavera Catrina,” a zinc etching by Mexican printmaker and illustrator, Jose Guadalupe Posada.

The image depicts a female skeleton dressed only in a hat, and has become an icon of the Mexican Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.  The holiday focuses upon gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember those who have died.

Beginning with the Edicion Limitada 2014, Las Calaveras will be an annual release that is a respectful homage to those who have passed away in the year before, and is intended to be a celebration of their lives and remembrances, rather than a mourning or a symbol of sadness and death.  Each year, we all lose a friend or loved one, or know of someone who has endured that same loss. In today’s fast-paced world, it is all too easy to forget the fragile nature that is life.  Often, in the race to gain material success, we lose sight that our true legacy are the lives we touch and the love we leave behind once we pass on.  It is in this spirit that Las Calaveras pays tribute to those who have touched our lives and shared their love.

With each year’s annual limited release, the blend and presentation of Las Calaveras will be altered.  What will remain the same, however, is the spirit behind the cigar.  We hope that with this annual remembrance, we will choose to celebrate–rather than mourn–the lives of those who have so graciously shared their legacies with us.

The blend features an Ecuadorian Habano Rosado wrapper (last year’s blend carried a Habano Oscuro wrapper) with Nicaraguan binder and fillers. The cigar, like some of the Crowned Heads releases is manufactured at My Father Cigars S.A. in Esteli, Nicaragua. The Crowned Heads Las Calaveras is offered in three sizes this year: The LC50 (5 x 50), the LC52 (6 x 52) and the LC46 (5 5/8 x 46). The Las Calaveras come packaged in boxes of 24 with a limited run of 1,250 boxes of each vitola produced which run between $8.95 and $10.95 a stick. These hit retailers this past week and WILL sell out extremely fast so get them while you can. I pre-ordered a bunch of these over at Cigar Federation and got them shipped right over.

Size: 5 5/8 x 46
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Rosado
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Body: Full
Strength: Medium/Full
Price: $8.95
Pairing: Brouwerij Van Steenberge – Gulden Draak Brewmaster’s Edition (Belgian Strong Ale 10.5% ABV)

Prelight:

The Crowned Heads Las Calaveras features a gorgeous, medium brown wrapper. The wrapper features some natural darkening around the webbing in the leaf, a mild tooth, and a whole mess of caked on oils. There are a few larger veins running through the cigar’s slender body with lead up to a perfect, round, triple cap. The wrapper feels very thin and delicate while the most of the cigar has a slight sponginess to it which is more evident around the foot. The Las Calaveras is polished off with the same style band we saw on the 2014 release, except the red is replaced with a nice, elegant cream color. The band features the “Las Calaveras” crest in the front along with “Esteli, Nicaragua” and “EL 2015” embossed in gold metallic ink along with two more gold crests around the back of the cigar with the initials “P.S.” and “K.B.” which I can only assume honor individuals were very are close to the Crowned Heads.

The wrapper screams sweetness, honey, and cedar as I take a few whiffs while the foot of the cigar carries a more natural, spicy aroma. The cap like butter using my double bladed Palio cutter. The cold draw already showcases how much flavor this cigar packs with notes of cherry, spice, cedar, and deep natural tobacco.

First Third:

The Crowned Heads Las Calaveras starts out with a quick little black pepper blast which quickly faded into some very, very strong sweetness, brown sugar, deep cedar, cherry, and natural tobacco. It’s a flavor bomb right off the bat, but the flavors are really complimentary and well balanced. The draw is perfect. Each little puff gets the right amount of thick smoke while the cigar gives off almost no stationary smoke as it rests in my ashtray. The burn line is pretty thin, and very even leaving behind a trail of mostly compacted medium to dark gray ash which held on for about an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Second Third:

Into the second third of the Crowned Heads Las Calaveras and more of the cherry/plum flavor has been brought to the center backed by the strong sweetness, spice, deep cedar, and natural tobacco. The retrohale is real smooth coating my nasal passage with a ton of cedar and spice. The burn line has been rocking dead even since I’ve lit the cigar up and I close out the second third with absolutely no nicotine kick.

Finish:

Early into the final third the black pepper made it’s resurgence backing up the sweetness, cherry, cedar, spice, and natural flavors. The flavor profile has been pretty consistent but the flavors themselves would ramp up at different times creating a unique experience that kept me on my toes. The Crowned Heads Las Calaveras took me about an hour and a half to take down to the nub and I experience no harshness, no heat, and only a little nicotine kick.

Overview:

Let’s face it, The Crowned Heads are a force to be reckoned with. Here they are again kicking out yet another amazing blend. I was a big fan of last year’s Las Calaveras, but the 2015 blew last year’s out of the water. I know it’s still very, very early in the year but this is the best new release that I have had so far. I’m a big fan of bold cigars, and I am even a bigger fan of bold cigars that create amazing flavor profiles without being overloaded with strength. The Las Calaveras did just that. This is a great cigar that for a novice cigar smoker looking for a bold experience without breaking the bank, and a perfect cigar for those seasoned vets looking for a complex, bold experience. At a very affordable price point the only bad thing about this cigar is the availability. Believe me, I have quite a few on hand now and will be on the hunt for more. Get your hands on these while you can.

Pairing

Brewed at the Brouwerij Van Steenberge brewery in Belgium this strong ale comes in at a whopping 10.5% ABV. The Gulden Draak Brewmaster’s Edition is the same Gulden Draak we have grown to love, aged in whiskey barrels making for a very smooth, yet bold finish. The beer starts off with some great bitterness, sweetness, cherry, and citrus with a light mouthfeel before finishing strong and clean with a bunch of booziness, whiskey, cherry, and malt. This is a perfect pairing as the sweetness and cherry paired great with the Crowned Heads Las Calaveras. I would also pair this cigar with any Belgian strong ale or quad, some sweet bourbon, or some nice iced tea.

The post The Crowned Heads Las Calaveras 2015 appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.