Diamond Crown Maximus Stanfords 90th
I have to thank my friend Pete at www.pcbcigars.com for the chance to smoke this amazing cigar. It is always fantastic to be given an amazing cigar. I hope that you all check out his site, and if you happen to come down to the Gulf Coast, stop by and say hello to Pete and myself. I spend so much time in Petes shop that I should live there.
A quick bio on the cigar, it was blended to honor Stanford Newman, chairman of the J.C.Newman cigar company and a pivotal figure in the history of cigars in the United States. He introduced the use of the camroon wrapper on U.S.-made cigars in the 1960s with his Cuesta-Rey line. He was the man who asked Arturo Fuente to make a premium cigar for him in 1986 that was the La Unica that was sold in bundles and not boxes. He was also the man that agreed to distribute a little known Arturo Fuentes line to smoke shops nation wide in 1990 and the rest is history. as a tribute to Stanford said Carlos Fuente Jr., I wanted to make an exceptionally flavorful cigar for this celebration. It started with the respected maximus filler and as a tribute to Stanford they used a very well aged cameroom wrapper. It was made in one size 7 inches by 50 ring or a double corona. Only 850 boxes were shipped with 20 in each box. That was in 2006 so now with more age I will start the review.
Wrapper: Modeled with light veins (looks very leaf like if that makes sense) and firm to the touch but light in the hand.
Pre Light aroma: Very light grassy with a bit of dark rue (buttery nutty smell). Foot is square I think that is from the package. It has a great nutty smell to the wrapper.
First cut: I wetted the cap before I cut today as the wrapper felt a little brittle. The draw was loose with a nice smooth pull. Good clean tobacco tastes on the tip of the tongue.
First light: The Smell off the foot after toasting was like a wheat bread in a toaster on the dark setting, sweet and nutty. It took a light well and evenly. First draw was very smooth with a light fruity note on the retro hale.
First third: This cigar doesnt have the power that I have to love from the Maximus, I think that is due to the age of the tobacco and wrapper. This was the first Maximus to use a Cameroon wrapper. The burn seems to be even and holding ash well. The flavor has a sharp hit of spice that leaves as quickly as it came. The burn is not fast but not as slow as some might be due to the light roll. Tip of the tongue is picking up a slight salt taste mixed with a buttered toast flavor.
Ash is holding but the burn is still uneven but should fix its self, the color of the ash is light tan and flaking.This cigar is still in the realm of a light to medium body and there is no spice to talk about a longer.
Second third: Burn is starting to even out and there is much more smoke than then when I first started smoking the cigar but still not billowing out its thin and wispy.
The flavor profile is starting to shift from the buttery toast to a saltine cracker that you have been chewing on and the starch is starting to change to sugar. Toasty salty and sweet.
Ash fell about mid way though this third. Near the end of this third the smoke has gotten a lot thicker and the flavor is building to more of a medium along with the spice on the back of my throat and the sides of my tongue. The spice is like a pink pepper corn spice (mot harsh like a black pepper). The burn is still uneven but I will let it play out.
Last third: II unbranded the cigar and cleansed my pallet with some water. Sweet tobacco taste is reemerging and I was joined be a friend to smoke with.
The smoke is building in thickness and it is accompanied by a new grassy flavor and a new fullness. I can taste it on the roof of my mouth on the exhale. The cigar has remained mellow with no harsh notes and the spice note has left completely. The burn remained uneven but never got raged. This amazing cigar has remained cool and mellow and the smoke has become thick and fluffy. Getting close to the end of this third and the buttery flavor is gone replaced by a great an aged tobacco flavor in my nose and mouth with a black tea finish.
Final inch: Cleansed my pallet for my favorite part. The burn Remains cool and the draw has become perfect, burn has also evened out and is sharp. The ash is still the light tan that it started out as. Sweetness has returned to off set the sharp black tea flavor. I have really fallen in love with this cigar. When you leisurely smoke it, it stays light and sweet puff hard on it and it rewards you with a blast of spice. If you can get your hands on one I would recommend this to anybody. It has been a great experience full of complex flavors and surprising changes what a great cigar.
I have to thank my friend Pete at www.pcbcigars.com for the chance to smoke this amazing cigar. It is always fantastic to be given an amazing cigar. I hope that you all check out his site, and if you happen to come down to the Gulf Coast, stop by and say hello to Pete and myself. I spend so much time in Petes shop that I should live there.
A quick bio on the cigar, it was blended to honor Stanford Newman, chairman of the J.C.Newman cigar company and a pivotal figure in the history of cigars in the United States. He introduced the use of the camroon wrapper on U.S.-made cigars in the 1960s with his Cuesta-Rey line. He was the man who asked Arturo Fuente to make a premium cigar for him in 1986 that was the La Unica that was sold in bundles and not boxes. He was also the man that agreed to distribute a little known Arturo Fuentes line to smoke shops nation wide in 1990 and the rest is history. as a tribute to Stanford said Carlos Fuente Jr., I wanted to make an exceptionally flavorful cigar for this celebration. It started with the respected maximus filler and as a tribute to Stanford they used a very well aged cameroom wrapper. It was made in one size 7 inches by 50 ring or a double corona. Only 850 boxes were shipped with 20 in each box. That was in 2006 so now with more age I will start the review.
Wrapper: Modeled with light veins (looks very leaf like if that makes sense) and firm to the touch but light in the hand.
Pre Light aroma: Very light grassy with a bit of dark rue (buttery nutty smell). Foot is square I think that is from the package. It has a great nutty smell to the wrapper.
First cut: I wetted the cap before I cut today as the wrapper felt a little brittle. The draw was loose with a nice smooth pull. Good clean tobacco tastes on the tip of the tongue.
First light: The Smell off the foot after toasting was like a wheat bread in a toaster on the dark setting, sweet and nutty. It took a light well and evenly. First draw was very smooth with a light fruity note on the retro hale.
First third: This cigar doesnt have the power that I have to love from the Maximus, I think that is due to the age of the tobacco and wrapper. This was the first Maximus to use a Cameroon wrapper. The burn seems to be even and holding ash well. The flavor has a sharp hit of spice that leaves as quickly as it came. The burn is not fast but not as slow as some might be due to the light roll. Tip of the tongue is picking up a slight salt taste mixed with a buttered toast flavor.
Ash is holding but the burn is still uneven but should fix its self, the color of the ash is light tan and flaking.This cigar is still in the realm of a light to medium body and there is no spice to talk about a longer.
Second third: Burn is starting to even out and there is much more smoke than then when I first started smoking the cigar but still not billowing out its thin and wispy.
The flavor profile is starting to shift from the buttery toast to a saltine cracker that you have been chewing on and the starch is starting to change to sugar. Toasty salty and sweet.
Ash fell about mid way though this third. Near the end of this third the smoke has gotten a lot thicker and the flavor is building to more of a medium along with the spice on the back of my throat and the sides of my tongue. The spice is like a pink pepper corn spice (mot harsh like a black pepper). The burn is still uneven but I will let it play out.
Last third: II unbranded the cigar and cleansed my pallet with some water. Sweet tobacco taste is reemerging and I was joined be a friend to smoke with.
The smoke is building in thickness and it is accompanied by a new grassy flavor and a new fullness. I can taste it on the roof of my mouth on the exhale. The cigar has remained mellow with no harsh notes and the spice note has left completely. The burn remained uneven but never got raged. This amazing cigar has remained cool and mellow and the smoke has become thick and fluffy. Getting close to the end of this third and the buttery flavor is gone replaced by a great an aged tobacco flavor in my nose and mouth with a black tea finish.
Final inch: Cleansed my pallet for my favorite part. The burn Remains cool and the draw has become perfect, burn has also evened out and is sharp. The ash is still the light tan that it started out as. Sweetness has returned to off set the sharp black tea flavor. I have really fallen in love with this cigar. When you leisurely smoke it, it stays light and sweet puff hard on it and it rewards you with a blast of spice. If you can get your hands on one I would recommend this to anybody. It has been a great experience full of complex flavors and surprising changes what a great cigar.
