In 2021, Limited Cigar Association (owned by Privada Cigar Club) released Cigar Clowns “The Ronald.” This toro size cigar recognizes the popular clown Ronald McDonald of the fast food McDonalds chain. Master blender AJ Fernandez created this smoke at his Esteli factory as a Nicaraguan puro. AJ has developed blends for a variety of cigar companies and has a superb reputation as someone that processes and treats tobacco with an expert touch. I’ve smoked many of his cigars which rarely if ever disappoint in taste and quality. Read on for the blind review.
Blend Specifics
- Cigar Reviewed: Cigar Clowns “The Ronald”
- Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
- Binder: Nicaraguan
- Filler: Nicaraguan
- Size: 6″ x 50 (Toro)
Blind Review: Cigar Clowns “The Ronald”
Appearance & Construction
There’s an oily sheen to this toothy, milk chocolate colored wrapper. The foot is a bit spongy and as I run my fingers alongside the cigar there are no discerning soft spots. Giving a roll in my palm, the uniformity of the smoke is evident and the quality in construction is there. The accent is the triple cap on the head that makes the cigar more attractive. The foot smells of cocoa bean and rich chocolate.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
A straight cut clips just enough of the head and giving a dry draw, there’s must and some grit from the wrapper. With a cigar taper I toast the foot which burns brightly. Taking a puff, the cigar starts off spicy with some heat and black pepper. The smoke turns up right away and is wafting thick in the air. Taking a retrohale there’s distinct graham cracker and floral notes resonating from my nostrils. The white/gray ash is uneven while I draw slowly. Vanilla and cream counterbalance the strength from the cigar’s full body.
By midway, I’m picking up burnt almonds with the profile in the medium to full bodied range. On the retrohale there’s notes of tin and copper that is rather displeasing. Another draw yields spiciness that ends a bit harshly. The burn line continues to falter, and the spice turns to cedar with a short finish. I’m currently enjoying the spice and wood notes although I wish the flavors lasted a little longer. With another puff there is serious chocolate coming from the cigar, giving this cigar some sweetness and making the profile more interesting.
Reaching the last third the full strength continues with black pepper interplaying with cocoa and cinnamon. I’m getting sea salt with toasted oats and a full blast of smoke that coats my palate. The finish continues to be short with little left on the tongue as I exhale. There’s a metallic taste with a retrohale and bakers chocolate pushing through that’s becoming bitter. With a final puff the wood and pepper come together to emphasize the strength of this cigar.
Conclusion
AJ has such a wide variety of blends and styles its hard to nail down where this one fits. Right away there was spice and heat with a full bodied profile. The toast and wood notes evident midway were enjoyable, minus the tin and copper notes on the retrohale which create some bitterness on the short finish. With the exception of the metallic tastes that resonated on the last two thirds of the cigar, this was an enjoyable full bodied smoke. I would recommend picking up one or two and laying them down for a few months and see where The Clown takes you.