Diamond Crown No. 4 Maduro Cigar Review

I have three passions in life. The first is obvious with my love of cigars, but outside of that I enjoy hockey and the weather. In fact, back in the day I wanted to be a meteorologist. Living in New Hampshire, I have learned that New England weather is the definition of bi-polar. With the temperatures of 70 degrees yesterday and today, this weekend is bringing an arctic blast with some snow and high winds. So much for sitting out on my deck and lighting up a cigar. What does this have to do with the review, absolutely nothing.

According to the Diamond Crown website, “After immigrating from Austria-Hungary, in 1895 Julius Caeser Newman craved the American Dream and started the J.C. Newman Cigar Company. It was a very humble beginning in the family barn’s basement in Cleveland, Ohio. However because of the tenacity and perseverance, of young J.C., the company quickly grew and expanded. One hundred years later, Stanford Newman, J.C.’s son, wanted to honor his father’s vision with a very special cigar. This cigar would be called a Diamond Crown and would be like no other.”

Cigar Review: Diamond Crown
Country of Origin: No. 4
Factory: Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Length: 5.5 Inches
Ring Gauge: 54
Vitola: No. 4 (Robusto Extra)
Strength: Medium

The Look: Packaged in 15-count wooden dress boxes with a lacquer finish, the Diamond Crown is laid horizontal in the box, instead of the traditional vertical placement. As a result the cigars stand out on the shelf of a crowded humidor and call the eye to it. The Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper  is evenly colored with some crystallization visible when the light hits it just right. The classic Diamond Crown band adorns this cigar and pops against the dark wrapper. In the hand the cigar is firm, with a well packed foot and a hefty weight.

The Notes: Once clipped with my Lotus Jaws cutter, the cold draw of the Diamond Crown is earthy with a hint of sweetness while the foot of the cigar serves up similar notes with the sweetness being more dominant.

Once I execute my light with a Vertigo Glock lighter the initial notes are sweet but they become an after thought as heavy notes of cedar become dominant with a hint of leather. As we continue through the first third a clove like element enters the mix, while the finish of the cigar is long and sweet, especially on the retrohale.

As we transition through the second third there is some definitive sweet cherry notes and cedar that is mixed together like the perfect cocktail. Some spice begins to develop on the aroma and retrohale as the cigar is definitively medium in strength but full on flavor.

As we finish the Diamond Crown No. 4 Maduro, notes of leather become dominant with some nuttiness and some underlying sweetness. Through the nose the cigar there is some spice mixed in with some coffee on the aroma making this a Diamond Crown experience for the ages.

The Burn: The Diamond Crown Maduro No. 4 is a slow burning cigar with a draw that offers just the right amount of resistance. The combustion line is razor thin albeit it slightly jagged. The cigar never gave an indication it needed to be touched up and its remained lit from start to finish. The nearly white ash was firm and held strong.

The Finish: When I smoke Diamond Crown I always reach for the shade wrapper version. When I want something a little stronger I reach for the Maximus. In browsing the humidor today I realized I always skip over the Maduro version and opted for the No. 5 for the purpose of today’s review. What caught me off guard was how much I enjoyed the cigar with its classic Broadleaf notes. When you mention Broadleaf, this cigar gets overlooked and in my opinion that is a mistake. I know this, I’ll be reaching for the Diamond Crown Maduro No. 4 again.

Score: 92
Price: $12.69 / $168.99