Diamond Crown Black Diamond Radiant Cigar Review

This past weekend was a big one for the J.C. Newman Cigar Company. Finally, after 4 years of work and hundreds of man hours, the long awaited Diamond Crown Black Diamond made its worldwide debut at all three Two Guys Smoke Shop locations. In attendance for the events were brand owner Eric Newman and North East Sales Representative Brad Jarvis. The cigar features tobacco grown on the same Fuente farms as Opus X.

What am I smoking?
Cigar Review: Diamond Crown Black Diamond
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Factory: Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia
Wrapper: Connecticut Cuban Seed Sungrown
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Length: 4.5 Inches
Ring Gauge: 52
Vitola: Radiant (Robusto)

Packaging & Design
As the photos below will show, the packaging of the Diamond Crown Black Diamond is one of the most impressive designs I’ve ever seen. The glossy black boxes are protected inside an embroidered black velvet bag with a royal purple interior. On the top side of the case is a decorative metal crest showcasing the brand name and blend, which is also on the lid inside. The front side designates the size of the cigar in silver lettering.

First Impressions
At first glance, these handmade cigars appear to be crafted with a high level of care. The veins and seams are nearly invisible and the construction feels uniform throughout. The foot gives off aromas of raisins and leather, while the prelight draw offers notes of cayenne pepper and nutmeg powder.

The Smoke
The Diamond Crown Black Diamond shows off a rich profile of brown sugar and cocoa on the first draw. Moments into the first third, the cigars power increases, giving way to sweet and spicy undertones. The draw is of average resistance, making for an easy pull with each puff. The burn wavered slightly before the halfway point, but corrected itself after a few moments.

Slowly making my way into the second third, subtle complexities of earth and dark chocolate covered raisins are making for an interesting smoke. These nuances are complimented by a solid backbone of aged tobacco and worn leather. The aforementioned notes of pepper are still present on the finish, making for a balanced and easygoing experience.

Into the last third and the cigar has hit its sweet spot. The notes from the second third are still all there, but added is an expression of dark and ripe plums (which took me until right before I put the cigar down to figure that one out). During the last few puffs, the finish slowly fades out leaving nuances of red cedar behind.

Final Thoughts
With this possibly being the final new release from J.C. Newman, the Diamond Crown Black Diamond is a special cigar. For this particular review, I smoked three cigars of the same size so I could really get an idea of how the profile was put together. This is a blend that is best enjoyed slow so you can appreciate the work that went into creating them. I’ll be putting a few of these into my aging humidor, as I’m sure they’ll only get better in time.

Rating: 94
Price: $17.19 / $305.99