Vitola: Corona Gorda- 5.75” x 46 ring gauge
- ~$16.00
- Purchased at Burns Tobacconist
Background
It’s been over 2 years since I spent time on these pages with Nicholas, but it is time to visit again with The Last Tsar. Caldwell’s flagship blend was first introduced in late 2014/early 2015 as a Belicoso limited edition. That was followed up by a Churchill edition and the suggestion that each year would bring a separate limited edition size. Somewhere along the way the plans changed, though, and now Last Tsar is a regular (thought still limited) release, available only for select stores, always offered (if stock is available) in several vitolas, and with price tags reduced from the original level.
Some things haven’t changed, though. We still don’t know for sure what tobaccos are used in the blend, although my review of the Churchill size indicates that Robert Caldwell stated the filler and binder are all Dominican leaf, including some HVA 20/20, Carbonell, Corojo and Negrito. The wrapper is believed to be a variation of the Ecuadorian-grown Connecticut Shade/Brazilian hybrid leaf used for the Eastern Standard…or perhaps something totally different and unspecified.
I’ve had several Belicoso and Churchill versions of the Last Tsar, as well as one Corona Gorda previous to this review sample, which I purchased at Burns Tobacconist.
Prelight
It would be easy enough to just refer you to my previous review for the prelight description…nothing’s really changed in the appearance:
The look of the Last Tsar is typical Caldwell. The band is made up of an image of a man who is indicated to be “The Last Tsar”…it says so on the side of the band that wrap around to the back. The date May 18, 1868 is also indicated…that is the Gregorian calendar birthdate of Nicholas II (the namesake for this cigar), although Russia at the time was using the Julian calendar, on which he was born on May 6, 1868. From the brief reading I did on him, he was mostly a failed leader with violent tendencies (nicknamed Nicholas the Bloody), but the Commie bastards that followed (and killed) him were so bad that he was later canonized as a “passion bearer” and a martyr by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. I digress…the secondary band reads “East is Everywhere” which I take as a reference to this wrapper being the same as the Eastern Standard.
It occurred to me while re-reading that that the Russians did with Nicholas the same thing the Cubans did with Bautista…traded in a bad ruler for someone infinitely worse. But I digress again…
The wrapper leaf was a dark milk chocolate brown color, velvety and oily to the touch, possessing an aroma that mixed mild figgy fruit sweetness, grassiness and cedar. The foot had notes of earth, along with some bread, bell pepper and wood.
The cold draw was excellent and tasted of earth, hay and wood, with just a slight touch of pepper spice.
Flavor
The Last Tsar Corona Gorda started off with heavy cedar and toasted almond notes, followed on closely by medium-roast coffee and bread flavors and completed be a finishing touch of red pepper flake. The first third continued on with a mix of woody and nutty flavors, along with nice touches of salt and sweetness.
The second third had a big increase in saltiness which enhanced the nuttiness. Cedar flavors took a definite backseat while bread and coffee notes continued steady. Pepper spice had a slight increase along with way, as well.
In the last third the Last Tsar Corona Gorda had an almost leathery note, with the nuttiness and salty notes taking a more supporting role. The pepper continued steady; coffee and bread notes provided a nice finish.
Construction
The burn line was a little wonky, but nothing too dramatic. The ash was slightly flaky, but the draw was excellent.
Value
The one problem I had with Last Tsar before was the high price tag. With the lower current price point, that is not an issue. Don’t mistake…this is still an expensive cigar, but now it’s just slightly more than the regular Caldwell Collection blends.
Conclusions
The Last Tsar was always a special blend with a great flavor profile, but an unfortunately elevated price tag. The Corona Gorda is the best of the three vitolas I have smoked and the new lower price point makes it an easy recommendation. It was full-bodied and full-flavored with a great complexity, easily besting most of the other cigars in this price range.
The Last Tsar Corona Gorda is available from site-sponsor, Small Batch Cigars.
By-The-Numbers
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10
