Crowned Heads Las Calaveras 2014 LC50

Tonight we have the Crowned Heads Las Calaveras Limited Edition 2014.  The sample I am smoking tonight is the robusto size.  It comes in at 5 X 50.  It has a medium brown oily wrapper.  It has invisible seems and a few veins.  At first light I am met with a medium to full bodied black pepper and faint coffee on the draw.  The pepper is heavy on the "retro-hale".  Its at a 8 out of 10 on the "pepper zing" scale.  The finish flavor is a sweet cedar and slight coffee.  The flavors stay on the palate all the way to the next draw.  The draw is producing large amounts of smoke and isn't snug or lose, its right in the middle.  The burn line is razor sharp.

The second inch starts out with some flavor changes.  A slight coco is mixing with the black pepper and coffee on the draw.  The pepper is still heavy through the nose.  The finish is black pepper, and a sweet prune cedar note.  A nice vanilla note comes in and out on the finish between draws. The draw is still good, producing large amounts of smoke.  The burn has gone a little wavy.  It's about a quarter inch higher on one side than the other.  It did not require a touch-up and self corrected fairly quickly.  Shortly after the burn corrected the ash fell off on it's own.  It held on for near two inches! The body is still medium-full and is starting to ramp up to a full.

Three inches down and some more flavors come in.  Its gone up to a full body.  The draw still has the pepper which has never backed off of its 8 out of 10 on the "zing" scale.  The coffee has left and so has the coco. They've been replaced by a toasty cinnamon flavor.  The finish continues with the toasty cinnamon, vanilla, and prune cedar note.  Again, the vanilla comes in and out between draws and is a nice compliment.  The burn went wavy again but like last time self corrected.  The draw has stayed very good throughout

With two inches left the pepper and a warm molasses flavor have taken over.  The cigar is starting to get mushy and warm and I sat it down for the last time at the 57 minute mark.  This cigar was very different from the other Crowned Heads brands.  This cigar is made by the Garcia's at the My Father Factory.  All other Crowned Heads products have been made by  The E.P Carrillo brand.  The difference in tobacco and flavors are well noted in this cigar.  It was different from what I have become accustomed to from them but still a very good cigar!

Price: $ 8.25

Appearance: 9/10

Draw: 20/20

Burn: 15/20

Flavor: 16/20

Complexity: 16/20

Burn Time: 9/10

Overall Score:  85 / Good Cigar