Four Kicks Maduro Limited Edition Lancero 2018

This week Crowned Heads has released their Four Kicks Maduro Lancero early to members of the Tobacconist Association of America. The TAA is a group of retailers and manufacturers that get together once a year in a mini trade show / convention setting. This year the meeting took place on the Dominican Republic, despite being originally scheduled in Mexico and the violence in the Central American country toward tourists force the group to move.

Cigar Review: Four Kicks Maduro Limited Edition Lancero 2018
Wrapper: Nicaragua Habano
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Length: 7.5″
Ring Gauge: 38
Size: Lancero

The Look: The matte box that houses the Four Kicks Maduro reminds me a bit of a clay tile especially with the coloring of the box. The Maduro Ecuador Habano wrapper is toothy with a fair amount of oils present. The cigar oddly enough has the red Four Kicks band of the original instead of the black that adorns the Maduro. There is a secondary line that denotes Limited Edition 2018. In the hand the cigar firm with no voids of tobacco and a well packed foot.

The Notes: Once the cap is clipped off the cold draw shows up hints of molasses, warm chocolate and raisins. There is a lot going on from the cold draw that even has a subtle mesquite to it. The foot of the cigar sees similar notes but in lesser amounts than the cold draw. Once the cigar is lit, there is some sweetness of molasses.

As we progress into the first third notes of chocolate begin to emerge along with continued molasses sweetness. There is some licorice as well that shows itself on the retrohale and the finish of the cigar which also has the slightest hint of a strong espresso.

The second third saw the espresso become dominant with some vanilla bean on the finish. It’s faint but it shows itself every few puffs. . There is some spice on the retrohale along with a bit of licorice. The aroma shows some cedar on the aroma.
As we close out the Four Kicks Maduro the cedar notes become dominant as the coffee and licorice notes are an afterthought. There is some hints of leather present, especially on the finish.

The Finish: I am a fan of the lancero, but I have to answer the question if this is better than the rest of the line. My answer is yes. It’s rich and complex and as an added bonus it stayed lit from first light to last puff which is a huge plus for the size in my book. The 10 count box is definitely worthy of a box purchase and this line remains my favorite Four Kicks to date.

Score: 94
Price: $9.99 / 89.99