Crowned Heads Le Carême Hermoso No. 1 Toro Review

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Crowned Heads Le Careme Review

Smoking cigars with a fine meal done properly can enhance and elevate the gastronomy experience. Crown Heads Cigars sought to develop a cigar that derives inspiration from haut cuisine. In Le Carême the blend was created as an homage to Marie-Antoine Carême, a French chef renowned for defining elaborate and elegant dining. Le Carême Hermoso No. 1 could indeed be a course in a chef’s tasting menu, as the flavors go from sweet to savory and demonstrate the highest levels of ingredients and execution.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Crowned Heads Le Carême Hermoso No. 1 Toro
  • Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
  • Filler: Nicaraguan
  • Binder: Ecuadorian Sumatra
  • Size: 6.5″x48 Toro

Crowned Heads Le Careme Closeup

Appearance & Construction

The Crowned Heads Le Carême has a dark, oily Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper that is beautiful to look at. The white band is an attractive contrast to the wrapper leaf and really stands out. The clean look with the large blue “C” in the center of the band and “Le. Carême” underneath reminds me of a dining table at a Michelin starred restaurant.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

Lighting the Le Carême, I’m greeted with flavors of raisin and vanilla bean. After a few puffs, graham cracker and sugar cane come forward. Notes of almond paste and a savory quality envelopes the palate as well. The cigar is beginning to taste like dessert already and food pairings are evident. The retrohale serves up cedar with a slight creaminess. Delicious.

Crowned Heads Le Careme Closeup2

In the second half of the Le Carême, an onslaught of clotted cream hits me along with a touch of salt. The burn is excellent, as is the draw at this point. As the cigar builds up, it becomes toasty while maintaining that wonderful creaminess.  Cocoa powder overpowers the toast at this point and the mouthfeel is like chocolate mousse.

As the Le Carême hits its final third, the creaminess continues to dominate while hints of cedar round out the profile. Cinnamon is picked up which revitalizes the palate and demonstrates this cigar has more complexities coming. The final few puffs leave your palate salivating and eager for another helping of this smoke. Excellent.

Conclusion

Crown Heads hit its mark with the Le. Carême Hermoso No. 1. They were looking to pay tribute to a grand chef and place a cigar on par with haut cuisine, and this couldn’t have been any better of a delivery of that concept. If you are looking to elegantly finish your journey through elevated gastronomy then skip your sweet course and bring this to your table.

Final Rating: 91

Nat Sherman Panamericana Rubstico Review

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Nat Sherman Panamericana Robustico Review

The Nat Sherman Panamericana was originally a cigar line only available at the Nat Sherman Townhouse in NYC. Years later, the Panamericana blend became available to TAA retailers as an exclusive offering.  As the line grew, I was able to smoke several sizes (including the Secretos, reviewed here) and I’ve been looking forward to the Rubustico to complete smoking all the vitolas.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Nat Sherman Panamericana Robustico
  • Wrapper: Ecuador Sumatra
  • Binder: Nicaraguan
  • Filler: Costa Rica, Nicaraguan
  • Size: 4 x 54 Short Robusto

Appearance & Construction

Stout, dark and veiny, the Nat Sherman Panamericana Robustico is a solid squat smoke full of tobacco with no soft spots to speak of. The band is lime green, red, browns and gold which I do not find particularly appealing, and the “Nat Sherman New York” logo is clearly present on the front. The design does not seem to strive to impress in my opinion with the somewhat off putting color scheme. I’m thinking 70’s leisure suits when I see it. Nevertheless the proof is in the smoking.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

Lighting up the Nat Sherman Panamericana Robustico, you are greeted to pencil lead and cedar. There is an earthy presence as the cigar picks up with a touch of sweetness that starts to develop. The ring gauge aides in surrounding the palate with bready notes and a short finish. Smoking past the second half mark, there is loads of milk chocolate coming through that lingers on. Coffee and cedar dominate, bringing the complexities of the Robustico out, and there’s more graphite and wood interplay as the cigar picks up. For a short smoke the development is impressive at this point.

On the final third, the earthiness builds up and the cigar is a bit gritty at this point. The wood notes shift to be a bit charred despite my smoking the cigar slowly. Near the end, the flavors become linear with no notable changes leading to a bitter finish. A disappointing ending to an otherwise flavorful smoke.

Conclusion

The Nat Sherman Panamericana Robustico presented a flavorful start with cedar and graphite while delivering an attractive sweetness. The milk chocolate and coffee added to its complexities midway and enhanced the blend. What hurt this cigar was the last third of it turning rather bitter and charred. Short smokes are a pleasure when they can deliver complexities and flavors in an abbreviated time frame. The robustico achieved this until its final third which hurt its score. I would advise giving it a try in the hopes the finish is a better experience for others.

Final Rating: 88

The Glenrothes 12 Year Old Soleo Collection Review

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The Glenrothes 12 Years Old Review

Like many, I’ve watched with dismay as the list of distilleries running full speed toward the No-Age-Statement model has grown faster and faster. So it came as a surprise to find a distillery doing the exact opposite. Enter The Glenrothes. The Glenrothes 12 Year Old which we review today is just one in a brand new collection known as the Soleo Collection, which is a new range from The Glenrothes chock full of age-labeled whiskies. The collection is comprised of six new expressions:

  • Glenrothes Soleo Collection 10 Year Old (40% abv)
  • Glenrothes Soleo Collection 12 Year Old (40% abv)
  • Glenrothes Soleo Collection Whisky Maker’s Cut (48.8% abv)
  • Glenrothes Soleo Collection 18 Year Old (43% abv)
  • Glenrothes Soleo Collection 25 Year Old (43% abv)
  • Glenrothes Soleo Collection 40 Year Old (no abv available)

For many years, The Glenrothes modeled product releases on vintages, allowing sippers to experience The Glenrothes whisky at different stages of maturation. It’s a unique and noteworthy model, but the company had a difficult time educating the market on it, likely due to the prominence of age statements as a differentiator. In an article on the Berry Bros & Rudd blog, Stuart Cassells, Head of Marketing at The Glenrothes described the difficulty saying,

“…it was difficult for consumers to navigate the brand. Many did not understand what vintage meant in terms of whisky – or the fact that you could have a 2001 that was 12 years old and one that was 16 years old; and they were different products with different prices.”

So today we have the pleasure of seeing a slight reversal in the discouraging trend of blending and reblending younger and younger whiskies.

Let’s get to the product itself.

Product Specifics

  • Whisky Reviewed: The Glenrothes Soleo Collection 12 year Old
  • Distiller: The Glenrothes
  • Age: 12 years
  • Matured in: ex-Sherry casks
  • ABV: 40% (80 proof)

Appearance

Like previous Glenrothes releases, the Glenrothes Soleo Collection 12 Year is packaged in a roundish squat bottle. The label, which is a strong burnt orange color, has the usual notes on character (“vanilla, melon, and cinnamon”) as well as a note stating “matured only in sherry seasoned oak casks and bottled at natural colour.” The liquid itself is nearly as orange as the label, and has nice viscosity to it when rolled around the glass.

Nose

A slight whiff is all any Glenrothes fan would need to sense that the essential character of the brand is preserved in the new 12 year. The aroma itself is gentle but present, with very little ethanol burn. Juicy aromas waft up from the glass, with deep notes of melon and plums as well as some dry grass, baking spices, and oak. The sherry maturation is evident.

Overall, not a a stand-out, but quite nice and 100% Glenrothes.

The Glenrothes 12 Years Old Review3

Palate

The liquid enters gently and sweetly, with a malty, bready character. As the liquid pools and expands, the flavors bloom into oak, vanilla and some juicy stone fruits. Secondary flavors include light confectionary spices, salt, and minerality. The body is in the mild to medium category, making this an easy sipper.

The Glenrothes 12 Years Old Review2

Finish

The finish is moderate in length, with balanced sweetness, some sea salt, and fresh fruits. Nice and clean, though it could perhaps use a touch more personality here.

Conclusion

Overall, the Glenrothes Soleo Collection 12 Year absolutely remains true to what we’d expect from The Glenrothes, while adding a thoughtful accent that adds something new to the experience. A significant strength is how little ethanol burn there is on the palate, which I suspect was a core goal for The Glenrothes in crafting this 12 year (i.e. it will appeal to a large audience). Still, I can’t help but wish there was a tad more oomph on the palate.

If you’re experimenting with the new collection, this is a good starting place. I’m a bit more interested though in how the Whisky Makers Cut performs given it is bottled at cask strength.

Final Score: 86

Montecristo Grupo de Maestros Private Batch IV Review

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Up for review today is the Montecristo Grupo de Maestros Private Batch IV, a limited edition cigar that represents the experience of the Grupo de Maestros. Together, the Maestros have a combined experience of more than 200 years.  Like previous Grupo de Maestros releases, the Private Batch IV is shipped in large, 100 count crates, and features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Dominican fillers, and a combo of Nicaraguan, Dominican, and Peruvian tobaccos. I’ve never been a big fan of Peruvian tobaccos, so I’m curious to see what I think of the Private Batch IV, especially after Private Batch III landed at #10 on our Top 10 Cigars of 2017 list.

Production for the cigar is limited to just 500 crates, meaning there are just 50,000 of these on the market until they’re gone.

Product Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Montecristo Grupo de Maestros Private Batch IV
  • Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
  • Binder: Dominican
  • Filler: Nicaraguan / Dominican / Peruvian
  • Size: 6 3/4″ x 48

Appearance & Construction

The Montecristo Grupo de Maestros Private Batch IV comes wrapped in a seamless Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. It has minimal veins, a slight oiliness, and the back of the band denotes that this is Private Batch IV. When squeezed, the cigar has a slightly above average give, but seems to be packed consistently the length of the cigar. Overall, it’s pretty attractive, and the shiny gold on the band reflects the limited nature of this blend.

The foot is aromatic, with some light black pepper, savory spices, generic wood, and grass. On the cold draw are faint spice notes, warm bread, and wood. Not the most tantalizing pre-light draw but it is anyone’s guess if it will determine the experience of the cigar overall. The draw has just the right amount of restrictiveness for a cigar of this size. Let’s light up.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

The Montecristo Grupo de Maestros Private Batch IV opens with flavor loaded, medium bodied smoke. It’s very tasty, with notes of spicy oak, cream, sourdough bread, and some light kitchen spices / pepper. Overall, the profile at the beginning hits spicy, bitter (the sourdough), and sweet (the cream). It’s enticing, but a dozen puffs later, the bitterness and pepper build too much, leading to a very imbalanced flavor which sticks around on the finish for far too long. The draw is perfect and smoke production is just above average, which is great. But I find  myself hoping for a return of the opening cream note which balanced the profile nicely.

At an inch in to the Montecristo Grupo de Maestros Private Batch IV, the flaky white ash is holding strong and the burn is straight. The cream returns as well alongside a nice salt and floral note combination. Texture wise, the smoke is quite soft, though with a bit of texture from the spice. The retrohale is medium strength, with notes of mineral and red pepper.

The Montecristo Grupo de Maestros Private Batch IV retains this character until a bit past the second third mark. Then the profile changes, introducing a very distinct cappuccino note which has an incredible natural sweetness. Alongside that are notes of oak, burnt marshmallow, bitter leather and minor black pepper. Construction remains nearly perfect, with a straight burn and the ash falling in one inch increments. Strength and body remain at medium.

As the Montecristo Grupo de Maestros Private Batch IV burns into the final third, the balance again fails. Sourdough and dry cedar eclipse the sweet and savory notes, totally dominating the overall profile. It’s a big bummer considering the second third performed so well.

Conclusion

The Montecristo Grupo de Maestros Private Batch IV has some bright spots, but the first and final third are unfortunately mostly out of balance, with bitter leather and sourdough taking up far too much space. Given that bitterness is dominant for so much of this cigar, I’d recommend a sweeter single malt or a bourbon to pair here with. Glendronach, Macallan, Glenmorangie for single malts or Four Roses for bourbon.

Final Rating: 86

AVO LE05 Review

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AVO LE05 Review 4

For more than 10 years the AVO brand (led by Avo Uvezian himself until his death in 2017) celebrated each year with a limited edition blend. In 2018, the Davidoff-owned brand decided to re-release two previous limited edition blends: the AVO 22 (reviewed here), and the AVO LE05.  I found the AVO 22 to be a fairly uneventful smoke, complicated even more by its rather lengthy smoking time. The AVO LE05 is a bit different in that it is widely considered one of the brand’s finest limited edition blends. Obviously, the plan today is to put that assessment to the test. So let’s get on with it.

Product Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: AVO LE05 30 Years
  • Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sun Grown
  • Binder: Dominican Republic
  • Filler: Dominican Republic
  • Size: 5 3/8 x 50

AVO LE05 Review

Appearance & Construction

The AVO LE05 sports a beautiful Ecuadorian Sun Grown wrapper. It’s got a nice, leathery texture, and one or two very noticeable veins which hopefully won’t impede the smoking experience.

The cigar itself seems to be packed firmly and consistently the length of the cigar. Testing the draw I find it to be just right, about a 7/10 in terms of restrictiveness. The pre light draw releases typical AVO notes of hay, wood, and touches of floral.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

The AVO LE05 opens with cool, smooth, mild to medium bodied smoke. Overall, the profile leans toward the bitter end of the spectrum, with a heavy, dominant leather and bitter notes of espresso and wood. It’s a bit overly aggressive on the bitter side, but thankfully there’s some cream and floral finish that balances it out. After a few puffs, some meats and baking spices enter the mix, adding a slightly savory twist and some nice complexity. Still, the leather and bitter espresso at times are a overbearing, and I find myself hoping for a bit more sweetness to balance it out. Smoke production at this point is above average, and overall it’s a fairly complex and satisfying smoke.

AVO LE05 Review 5

At an inch in, the ash on the AVO LE05 is holding strong with a mostly straight burn. A few puffs into the first inch, a strong spice develops on the tip of the tongue, which keeps nice development in the story the cigar tells.

Not much changes until the second third arrives. At this point, the strength of the cigar settles at medium, and sweetness edges in to the profile along with some oak, fully balancing out the more bitter flavors. And dammit, it’s beautiful. Flavor, check. Complexity, check. Balance and harmony? Check. Construction as well is excellent. The burn to this point has had no problems and smoke production is perfect.

In the final third, the AVO LE05 brings forth notes of cream, dry cedar, bitter espresso,   leather, lots of spices, as well as touches of cinnamon and bread. The smoke starts to pick up some heat near the final inch, providing a good stopping point, but the final third

Conclusion

The AVO LE05 really is a wonderful cigar and its performance justifies the praise it receives.  After a little bit of trouble with imbalanced bitterness at the beginning, the cigar opens up to become very complex and harmonious. This is an easy buy, but don’t wait too long. Once this cigar is gone, it’s gone for good (at least until the next re-release!).

Final Score: 91

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