Crowned Heads Paniolo Especiale 2015

Today we have the Crowned Heads Paniolo Especiale.  This cigar has a dark brown wrapper with visible seems and small veins.  It comes in at 5 5/8 X 46.  After lighting the draw is near perfect giving just the right amount of resistance and is producing a large amount of smoke output.  The draw has a huge amount of pepper flavor and tingle sensation, especially through the nose.  Some sweet cedar is also present but the black pepper is dominating the draw.  The finish has a lot of black pepper.  Some faint notes of coco and earth are also present but pepper is dominating so far.  The body is at a medium to full and the pepper and earth stay on the palate long into the next draw.  The burn line is fairly straight and has not required any attention so far.

On inch down and some flavor shifts occur.  The draw has settled down as far as the pepper is concerned.  Its still present but not nearly as powerful.  The cigar is starting to balance out a little.  The finish has some black pepper flavor and tingle, followed by the earth and coco notes.  Every now and again some leather shows up followed by a prune or raisin flavor.  The prune/raisin is sweet and is mixing well with the coco and earth.  Also mixing in and out on the finish is a bread and yeast flavor. The cigar has settled in at a full body.  The cigar has been impressive up to this point.  Its burning perfectly and tasting great

Two and a quarter inches down the cigar and the cigar completely changes.  The pepper is still present on the draw but has settled way down compared to the first third.  The finish has dropped the pepper tinge but still has the pepper flavor.  The earth is still present and is coming up in sweetness.  The coco has left and is no longer detectable.  The leather does however come in every few puffs.  The prune/raisin is still present but is also retreating.  Whats left is the pepper, followed by the leather, and ending with the yeast/bread notes.  The cigar is at a medium to full in body and is still burning perfectly.

With two inches left the coco has come back in on the draw and finished but it has scorched caramel note with it as well.  The pepper is starting to come back.  A leather and chard tobacco note starts to dominate the finish.  I sat the cigar down for the last time at the 1 hour and 24 minute mark, which is an outstanding smoke time for this size cigar.  Overall this cigar really impressed me and was something completely different from what I've experienced from other cigars Crowned Heads offers.

Price: $8,75

Appearance: 9/10

Draw: 20/20

Burn: 20/20

Flavor:  18/20

Complexity: 18/20

Burn Time: 10/10

Overall Score:  95 / Fine Cigar