Diamond Crown #4 Natural
Thursday, October 6th, 2011The Diamond Crown is made by Fuente and JC Newman. It was developed in celebration of JC Newman Cigar Co’s 100th anniversary in 1995. They boast the wrapper is fermented twice, which is said to boost the smooth sweet flavors.
I should mention that this is a first impression review, meaning I’ve only smoked one. The cigar was sent to me awhile back from Bonita Smoke Shop. Given the $11.80 MSRP for a Robusto, I probably would have passed up buying this cigar.
Wrapper: Connecticut
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Size: Robusto 5.5 x 54
Price: $11.80
Pre-Smoke & Construction:
The light tan Connecticut wrapper was shiny with small veins. It had a somewhat toothy (bumpy) appearance, but no visible flaws. The smell of the wrapper was cedar. The foot had a mild tobacco odor. The cigar was very solidly packed. It was a bit harder to the touch towards the cap. The pre-light draw had slight resistance and had a mild cedar and earthy flavor.
The burn required one minor correction, and the ash was solid, holding for around 1.5 inches.
Flavor:
The first third went pretty much the way I expected of a Connecticut wrapped cigar. Cedar and nuttiness were the main flavors. Through the nose, a smooth, mild spice was present. It was almost like a mild pepper (not black pepper). Overall the smoke was silky smooth and pleasant. The further I dug in, the more richer the flavors became.
The second third continued that develop a rich flavor profile. It was simple, but rich. The flavors were basically unchanged – Nuttiness and some cedar. The spice increased in strength but remained smooth and easy to pass through the nose. Occasionally I found earthiness very far in the background. The smoke feel bordered on creaminess, but never quite got there.
The spice kicked up another notch in the last third. It left a nice sweet tingle on the lips and palate. The nuttiness became the dominant flavor. Cedar was there but didn’t seem as prominent. The smoke feel became crisp and went well with the increased spice. Like before, wispy earthy notes were in the background.
Conclusion:
This was a good mild to medium bodied cigar. It started off mild, and crept into the mid-medium range. The flavors were simple but very rich and refined. Construction was another plus. While many aspects of the flavor profile were typical Connecticut, there was a bit more going on here. The only downside I see is the price. If it were cheaper, I could easily smoke this often with coffee. Price aside, anyone who likes Connecticut wrapped cigars could appreciate the Diamond Crown. I’d sum it up as a Connecticut wrapped cigar with a spicy twist.
