Vitola: Robusto- 5” x 50 ring gauge
- MSRP $8.25
- Purchased at Burns Tobacconist
Background
Time has been flying by lately. I would have sworn that I just posted a “Cigar Extra” article on the Le Careme by Crowned Heads back in November or so…I would also have sworn that I had done a full review on it at some other time. And I would have been wrong on both counts. Turns out the Cigar Extra was all the way back in September and I never got around to doing a real review…though Keith did take a look at a show sample in the intervening time frame. So it turns out I still have a job to do…
Le Careme is one of two major “regular” releases from Crowned Heads at the 2016 IPCPR show, the other being Las Mareas. The name pays tribute to Marie Antoine Careme, the French check who popularized the soufflé. The story goes that once the blend for this cigar was done, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, Jr., said, “It tastes like a chocolate soufflé!” They used Nicaraguan fillers, an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder leaf, and a Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper, all put together at EPC’s Alianza factory in the Dominican Republic.
I’ve had a few of these since they came out, including smoking my way through a sampler that had one of each size. I continue to think the Cosacos size doesn’t get the most from the blend and that the Canonazo goes too far the other way…but the Robusto is something extra special in this case. I bought this review sample at Burns.
Prelight
I love the band on the Le Careme…it’s a white background with ornate, but delicate, artwork rendered in blue and gold foil. Coins on either side of the main part of the band depict a crown (for Crowned Heads) and 3 stars (for the Tennessee state flag). The cigar wrapper itself was a dark chocolate brown with some large veins in evidence on what become the bottom side of the stick, as well as a blemish or chunk out of the foot of the cigar. Let’s face it, Connecticut Broadleaf will rarely win beauty contests, but it’s ugliness does signal some great flavor.
The wrapper had a strong, ripe earthiness to it, with just a bare touch of cocoa powder. The foot was also strong with barnyard aromas, although it had more going on…some hay and wood, some coffee bean and vegetal notes.
The cold draw of this Robusto was quite good and tasted of notes of chocolate and sweet hay, with just a slight mineral note that I believe was coming through courtesy of the Sumatra binder.
Flavor
Le Careme was easy enough to get fully ignited with a single flame torch. Once going it delivered flavors or semi-sweet chocolate, coffee bean and earth, with just a touch of black pepper on the palate and a retrohale that was woody, nutty and had a slightly higher dash of pepper. The body started off low in the medium range, which is what I’ve consistently seen, and what has caused me to refer to this cigar as the “Breakfast Broadleaf” or “Morning Maduro.” Truly this is a dark cigar that most people should be able to smoke and enjoy first thing in the a.m.
As I burned my way through the first third and into the second, I noted a distinct cinnamon note coming into the mix, accenting the growing richness of the chocolate flavors. The body did increase a bit into the mid-part of the medium range.
The last third saw Le Careme increase in body slightly to just above the mid-point on a scale of 1 to 10, while it still delivered tons of semi-sweet chocolate, espresso bean, and cinnamon flavor. Notes of earth and cedar were secondary and there was still a nice low-level pepper burn on the nose.
Construction
As with many Broadleaf cigars, the burn line had to be touched up a bit, but other than that, there were no construction issues whatsoever.
Value
The price point of these is very reasonable for the experience they deliver.
Conclusions
Repeated smoking of Le Careme has not diminished my love of this cigar. I’m having trouble saying if this is my second or third favorite blend from Crowned Heads (Four Kicks still being my favorite and Las Mareas being the other one vying for the #2 spot), but I can say that this is a dynamite Maduro blend that is enjoyable with a morning cup of coffee (or 5) for all but the most novice of smokers.
By-The-Numbers
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10
Crowned Heads just keeps knocking it out of the park. Only real misstep was with the JD Howard for my tastes. Great company!
yes this is a cigar I was only able to get one but I loved it and I can’t wait to buy a box. it is def. box worthy. Way to go CH and of course the great guys over at Leaf Enthusiast!