In 2018 the CLE Prieto gets a line extension with the release of the box-pressed Diadema. The brand debuted along side Chele in 2016 at TAA although they weren’t TAA Exclusives. Themes were an interesting take on light and dark wrappers as Chele, which is slang for light-skinned and Prieto, which is Spanish slang for dark-skinned.
Cigar Review: CLE Prieto
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Length: 7″
Ring Gauge: 52
Vitola: Diadema
The Look: The box pressed Diadema comes in 10 count boxes. Inside the slide top cabinet box the sticks are laid out in two rows of 5. The cigars which are sans cello feature tissue paper below the band with the word Prieto and Est. 2012. The band is silver and black with the company name and the words Prieto y Prensado, the latter word meaning pressed. In the hand the cigar is firm with no voids of tobacco and a nice weight. Despite the 52 ring, the cigar feels smaller due to the hard pressing.
The Notes: The cold draw of the Prieto serves up notes of dark chocolate and earth. The aroma wrapper and foot has some earth and cedar. Once the cigar is lit, the first note is notes of moist chocolate cake are the first definable note.
Moving into the first third the chocolate notes are joined by by some hints of leather and coffee. The retrohale is smooth with touches of cedar and as the first third comes to a close the coffee notes are the primary focal point.
The second third of the Prieto continues with notes of coffee as some hints of chocolate remain. On the retrohale some cedar remains with hints of pepper . As the second third comes a close some marshmallow fluff makes an appearances.
As the cigar comes to a close some marshmallow notes remain with subtle notes of chocolate and coffee. The pepper remains on the retrohale with some traces of cedar that continue to linger on the finish
The Finish: The cigar like many salomons started off with some uneven burns, corrected itself before the first third came to a close. It is important to note that I never touched up the cigar after the first light. The cigar was smooth, with a nice flavor profile and it does offer some more intensity of the Prieto flavors. It’s definitely worth checking out.
Score: 91
Price: $15.99 / $143.99 (Box of 10)
CLE Prieto Diadema
CLE Prieto Diadema Foot
CLE Prieto Diadema Burn
