Vitola: Gordito- 5.5” x 50 ring gauge
- MSRP ~$12.25
- Purchased at Burns Tobacconist
Background
I remember several years ago asking Jon Huber, “Who else might you collaborate with for new blends?” After working with Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, Jr., and Don Pepin Garcia, his answer was, “With those two, who else do I need to work with?” I didn’t have a good answer on the spot, but if I had thought about it for long enough I might have come around to the same conclusion he eventually did: Willy Herrera.
Word of La Coalición came out in the first half of 2019 and an official press release was issued in June, ahead of the IPCPR trade show. Crowned Heads was working with Drew Estate for this latest project, combining the minds and palates of Jon Huber with DE’s Master Blender, Willy Herrera. They used Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers, a Sumatran binder, and a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. La Coalición is available in boxes of 20 cigars, in 4 different vitolas; it started shipping nationally in November.
I have smoked 2 or more samples of this blend before this review stick, which I purchased at Burns Tobacconist. If you local store does not carry it, you can find it at Small Batch Cigar, a Leaf Enthusiast sponsor.
Prelight
Crowned Heads has made a practice of very understated boxes and bands. Simple, attractive…simple…sometimes too simple. This one breaks the mold a bit with a box that is definitely “traditional” in appearance, but is more ornate and colorful than their norm. The box is white with gold type and some red liberally applied. The bands are red and gold and quite ornate. In contrast with something like Four Kicks, the embossing here is very light, almost invisible unless you keep moving the band under the lights. It says “La Coalición” in medium-sized letters on the front of the band, with “Crowned Heads” very small underneath. One arm has type reading “Estelí, Nicaragua” and “Handmade” while the other arm of the band has the Drew Estate logo.
The wrapper leaf was a dark chocolate brown color with some mottling and bumpiness from veins. It had an oily appearance and touch, along with an aroma that combined rich earth and leather, as well as touches of anise and coffee. The foot of the cigar had notes of bread, hay, cedar and light earth.
The cold draw was excellent and tasted of milk chocolate, hay, and cedar.
Flavor
La Coalición opened up with pronounced cedar flavor over notes of earth and leather, with a subdued sweetness behind all that and touches of espresso bean and baker’s cocoa. There was a little peppery heat on the finish and the body was medium-plus at the start. The retrohale had cedar, red pepper flake, and coffee. A few minutes in I got a flavor almost like cherry cola, which was odd, but really nice.
As I got into the second third, I still got notes of cherry cola from time to time, but there was also a peculiar bread flavor that was a little unexpected. These flavors were punctuations in the overall earthy profile that also included semi-sweet chocolate and espresso bean notes, along with a steady build-up of pepper spice.
Cola and fruit flavors died down a bit in the final third, allowing more semi-sweet chocolate to come through. The espresso bean also faded a bit, but the pepper spice stayed steady.
Construction
In early samples, I had trouble with burn line staying even close to even, but after this one sat for a month or more in my review humidor, it burned very evenly. I had a very good draw and solid ash, as well.
Value
I found this to be an excellent blend, and although the price is a little higher than average, it felt worth it to me.
Conclusions
“Right Off The Truck” samples of La Coalición were a little disappointing and I ended up pushing this review back. I’m so glad I did. With a little rest, this blend was rich and rewarding, complex and pleasing, as well as bearing little resemblance to anything else from either Crowned Heads or Drew Estate. La Coalición is a definite winner and one of the best things Crowned Heads has done in years.
By-The-Numbers
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10
