My first taste of the Cromagnon Fomorian was at the 2014 DC Tweetup, when then was a box of them up for bid at a silent auction to benefit charity. As it turns out me and the owner of Leaf & Bean Vegas were bidding against each other and we decided on a bid where we would split the box. It was at this point that I deemed the Cromagnon the best candela I have ever smoked.
Here a year later Two Guys Smoke Shop was able to get a couple of boxes of this limited edition smoke in stock and I decided to spark one up and see how it compares to the original release.
Cigar: Cromagnon Fomorian
Size: 5 x 56 (EMH/Early Modern Human)
Wrapper: Candela
Binder: Cameroon
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Medium-Full
Source: Two Guys Smoke Shop
The Look: It ain’t easy being green, lets face it Candela cigars get a bad rap. The green wrapper has the look of Kermit The Frog. There are a few discolorations near the foot where the green has more of an olive appearance. The simple band has the RoMaCraft logo in the back and Cromagnon is embossed in the front. The filler provides an interesting contrast with the green wrapper. There is some tooth and in the hand there are no soft spots and an above average weight.
The Notes: The cold draw of the cigar isn’t the vegetal note you would expect from though it is a tad earthy. The foot of the cigar is tobacco, with nothing that really stands out. Thankfully the cold draw and nose rarely makes it into a cigar.
Once the cigar is lit there are notes of hay, and earth but also some creaminess to it which isn’t what you would expect from a Candela. There is some pepper through the nose that picks up with intensity as you smoke through the first third of the cigar.
In the second third of the cigar some coffee notes come through, much like a strong espresso. There is a touch of leather that forms as well, and despite the slightly bitter coffee note there is a creaminess to the cigar with some continued pepper through the nose that has a nice but pleasant intensity.
The last third of the cigar see some notes of cocoa powder much like Swiss Miss Chocolate form and it is a bit drying so a beverage is suggested to pair this with. There are some oak like notes and a bit of coffee as well with a pepper and leather finish.
The Burn: One would expect a Candela to have an ugly burn line but the Cromagnon Fomorian has does a good job here. The cigar burns even and it reveals a very light-colored ash that holds strong for more than a quarter at a time. The draw serves up the right amount of resistance making this a well constructed cigar.
The Finish: For me, there have been two companies that have gotten the Candela right, the first was Illusione the first year they released their version, and RoMaCraft Tobac. The Cromagnon Formosan is the perfect example of how good a candela can be if it is blended properly. One of my favorite cigars to smoke around St. Patrick’s Day and I look forward to getting my hands on a box every time they come out though the can be hard to track down.
Score: 90
Price: $7.89 / $44.99 Cromagnon Sampler
Cromagnon Fomorian
Cromagnon Fomorian Foot
Cromagnon Fomorian Burn
