Stogie_Bear
Chulo Savage
Date: 10th day of December, the year 2014.
Review: RoMa Craft CroMagnon Blockhead
Size: Box-pressed Gran Toro (6x54)
MSRP: $9.00
Smoking Environment: I’m in my cave, where I work most nights writing or building financial reports for my clients. It’s a brisk 54 degrees. I’m forced to turn the heater on for short blasts every 5-10 minutes so that I don’t have to change into a long-sleeved shirt. I’d like to say today was “your average Wednesday,” but it seems that the closer we get to the holidays, the more monotony slowly creeps into each day, an increasing presence with each passing sunrise. I work hard. I know my brothers of the leaf work hard. I hear and read about it daily, and praise the continued efforts of everyone to stay productive in a month stocked full of excuses to perform inefficiently. We work for any number of reasons; sometimes the diversity scares me almost. Yet, we all put that little stash (big or small) aside to carefully hand-pick our tobacco selections. So, to enthuse our mutual passion for cigars I write my reviews, allowing me to deepen my own understanding of a blend and plan my future purchases, as well as help out with your own selections.
Wrapper: US Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Cameroon
Filler: Nicaragua
Appearance/construction: Impeccable coffee-colored wrapper, with a near seamless and delightfully oily wrapper, blocked into an impressive box press shape. There is a slight toothiness to the feel. Double-cap from what I can see. Filled to the brim with tobacco, showing little give and rebound with a quick squeeze, and appears to be consistently filled throughout the length of the cigar. No cracks or blemishes, with minimal veining on the wrapper.
Aroma Pre-Light: Sweet chocolate and black pepper.
Cold draw: I’ve been frequently using my V-cut Xikar cutter that I was gifted from a mysterious, jolly, fat, bearded man. This CroMag shares the same fate. The cold draw is showing a lot of chocolate and faint coffee flavors, afloat an earthy backdrop.
Light: This stick lit quickly after some extensive toasting, but slanted. . I used a no-name single torch I picked up recently in a pinch. It’s funny how sometimes these accessories that we grab on the fly somehow all become our “trusty ol’ whatever.” I’m sure this lighter will probably make the same case for itself.
First impression: Lots of spice right off the light with earthy undertones. The box press is comfortable in this size. I know that I’ll most likely encounter the sweet chocolate and coffee flavors, but for the first impression I’m getting a rather large spice bomb. Some age would probably clam this part down substantially.
Aroma Post-Light: Fiery spice and roasted earth/hay in the aroma.
First Third: The bomb quickly fades, and by the time I reach 1 inch of ash I’ve settled into an earthy flavor with some roasted coffee on the front of the palate. Dark coffee and peppercorn in the retrohale. The burn is a little wonky, slating side to side multiple times but never actually evening out. That’s fine with me, as it doesn’t seem to be affecting the experience at all, and the smoke volume is tremendous. The ash falls at just over 1 inch and stays completely intact. Wonderful compact silver grey ash with a fantastic blue smoke. The retrohale flavors have come off the spice, filling my nostrils with coffee and dark chocolate with a touch of vary faint citrus. Moving into the second third and somehow the smoke production is increasing! Giant plumes of smoke reaching to the ceiling. Medium strength so far.
Second Third: Wow. Lots of smoke, and the flavor reached down deep and pulled that sweet chocolate out into the forefront. There are still prevalent roasted coffee flavors and the pepper spice seems to be floating in and out of the flavor profile, a few puffs at a time. Moving through the meat of second third the smoke volume comes back down to par, which is still a generous amount. The entire flavor profile is beginning to darken once again, with lots of dark coffee, a warm red pepper spice on the lips and fragrant earthy scent in the aroma and retrohale. The chocolate is still present but very faint, and a much darker bittersweet chocolate versus the milky chocolate I was picking up in the beginning of the second third. The complexity of this third is solely held on the factor that flavors were constantly evolving at this point.
Final Third: The ash has been progressively becoming weaker. Still holding together after the drop, but continuing to ash in shorter and shorter intervals than when I began the cigar. That being said, since entering the final third my wonky burn has evened into a straight razor. The flavor profile transitioned into another spicy pepper, earth, and dark coffee profile where it seems to be holding for the length of the final third. I have to stop retrohaling at this point out of fear, because the heat is beginning to ramp up. There is also a dark licorice flavor I keep getting randomly moving into the nub, but it is quickly overwhelmed by the spice and heat. Still incredible smoke production, but the heat will keep me from nubbing this to its full potential.
Overall Impression/Final Notes: This stick was a wonderful combination of spicy pepper, coffee, earth, hay, and chocolate. I picked this one up from my local B&M a few weeks ago and let it settle in my humidor before smoking. This cigar could use a significant amount of aging to let the flavors coalesce into a balanced smoke, although I’m not sure how long my B&M had it on the shelf before I purchased. I was told it was their first box and there was only 3 or 4 sticks missing, so it couldn’t have been long. Regardless, it was a pleasant post-meal smoke, medium-full bodied and strong. While the experience started with medium strength, the heat and spice ushered the cigar into the full strength category with a decent amount of nicotine. This too may calm down substantially with age. I’ll be picking up a box, because I loved the flavors, to age for 6 months to 1 year before I smoke again (maybe, sometimes I can’t help but smoke a stick in the downtime). Overall, good smoke.
Smoke time: 1h40m
Scoring:
Appearance and Presentation: 18/20
Lighting and Burning Properties: 12/15
Construction Properties: 27/30
Taste Properties: 32/35
Total: 89/100
Author’s Note: As always, I welcome any constructive criticism so that my reviews can continue to grow in strength and depth. I will try my best to review sticks that have not been previously reviewed here and that are generally “available.” As a service to my brothers, I intend to write with as much detail as I can muster, and with an honest opinion. However, it is only MY opinion, so please try a stick before you buy a box if you have any intention of being fiscally responsible with this beloved affliction for fine tobacco that we all have. Also, all cigars are kept humidified at 68% and dry boxed for at least 8 hours before enjoying. Thanks for reading!
Review: RoMa Craft CroMagnon Blockhead
Size: Box-pressed Gran Toro (6x54)
MSRP: $9.00
Smoking Environment: I’m in my cave, where I work most nights writing or building financial reports for my clients. It’s a brisk 54 degrees. I’m forced to turn the heater on for short blasts every 5-10 minutes so that I don’t have to change into a long-sleeved shirt. I’d like to say today was “your average Wednesday,” but it seems that the closer we get to the holidays, the more monotony slowly creeps into each day, an increasing presence with each passing sunrise. I work hard. I know my brothers of the leaf work hard. I hear and read about it daily, and praise the continued efforts of everyone to stay productive in a month stocked full of excuses to perform inefficiently. We work for any number of reasons; sometimes the diversity scares me almost. Yet, we all put that little stash (big or small) aside to carefully hand-pick our tobacco selections. So, to enthuse our mutual passion for cigars I write my reviews, allowing me to deepen my own understanding of a blend and plan my future purchases, as well as help out with your own selections.
Wrapper: US Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Cameroon
Filler: Nicaragua
Appearance/construction: Impeccable coffee-colored wrapper, with a near seamless and delightfully oily wrapper, blocked into an impressive box press shape. There is a slight toothiness to the feel. Double-cap from what I can see. Filled to the brim with tobacco, showing little give and rebound with a quick squeeze, and appears to be consistently filled throughout the length of the cigar. No cracks or blemishes, with minimal veining on the wrapper.
Aroma Pre-Light: Sweet chocolate and black pepper.
Cold draw: I’ve been frequently using my V-cut Xikar cutter that I was gifted from a mysterious, jolly, fat, bearded man. This CroMag shares the same fate. The cold draw is showing a lot of chocolate and faint coffee flavors, afloat an earthy backdrop.
Light: This stick lit quickly after some extensive toasting, but slanted. . I used a no-name single torch I picked up recently in a pinch. It’s funny how sometimes these accessories that we grab on the fly somehow all become our “trusty ol’ whatever.” I’m sure this lighter will probably make the same case for itself.
First impression: Lots of spice right off the light with earthy undertones. The box press is comfortable in this size. I know that I’ll most likely encounter the sweet chocolate and coffee flavors, but for the first impression I’m getting a rather large spice bomb. Some age would probably clam this part down substantially.
Aroma Post-Light: Fiery spice and roasted earth/hay in the aroma.
First Third: The bomb quickly fades, and by the time I reach 1 inch of ash I’ve settled into an earthy flavor with some roasted coffee on the front of the palate. Dark coffee and peppercorn in the retrohale. The burn is a little wonky, slating side to side multiple times but never actually evening out. That’s fine with me, as it doesn’t seem to be affecting the experience at all, and the smoke volume is tremendous. The ash falls at just over 1 inch and stays completely intact. Wonderful compact silver grey ash with a fantastic blue smoke. The retrohale flavors have come off the spice, filling my nostrils with coffee and dark chocolate with a touch of vary faint citrus. Moving into the second third and somehow the smoke production is increasing! Giant plumes of smoke reaching to the ceiling. Medium strength so far.
Second Third: Wow. Lots of smoke, and the flavor reached down deep and pulled that sweet chocolate out into the forefront. There are still prevalent roasted coffee flavors and the pepper spice seems to be floating in and out of the flavor profile, a few puffs at a time. Moving through the meat of second third the smoke volume comes back down to par, which is still a generous amount. The entire flavor profile is beginning to darken once again, with lots of dark coffee, a warm red pepper spice on the lips and fragrant earthy scent in the aroma and retrohale. The chocolate is still present but very faint, and a much darker bittersweet chocolate versus the milky chocolate I was picking up in the beginning of the second third. The complexity of this third is solely held on the factor that flavors were constantly evolving at this point.
Final Third: The ash has been progressively becoming weaker. Still holding together after the drop, but continuing to ash in shorter and shorter intervals than when I began the cigar. That being said, since entering the final third my wonky burn has evened into a straight razor. The flavor profile transitioned into another spicy pepper, earth, and dark coffee profile where it seems to be holding for the length of the final third. I have to stop retrohaling at this point out of fear, because the heat is beginning to ramp up. There is also a dark licorice flavor I keep getting randomly moving into the nub, but it is quickly overwhelmed by the spice and heat. Still incredible smoke production, but the heat will keep me from nubbing this to its full potential.
Overall Impression/Final Notes: This stick was a wonderful combination of spicy pepper, coffee, earth, hay, and chocolate. I picked this one up from my local B&M a few weeks ago and let it settle in my humidor before smoking. This cigar could use a significant amount of aging to let the flavors coalesce into a balanced smoke, although I’m not sure how long my B&M had it on the shelf before I purchased. I was told it was their first box and there was only 3 or 4 sticks missing, so it couldn’t have been long. Regardless, it was a pleasant post-meal smoke, medium-full bodied and strong. While the experience started with medium strength, the heat and spice ushered the cigar into the full strength category with a decent amount of nicotine. This too may calm down substantially with age. I’ll be picking up a box, because I loved the flavors, to age for 6 months to 1 year before I smoke again (maybe, sometimes I can’t help but smoke a stick in the downtime). Overall, good smoke.
Smoke time: 1h40m
Scoring:
Appearance and Presentation: 18/20
Lighting and Burning Properties: 12/15
Construction Properties: 27/30
Taste Properties: 32/35
Total: 89/100
Author’s Note: As always, I welcome any constructive criticism so that my reviews can continue to grow in strength and depth. I will try my best to review sticks that have not been previously reviewed here and that are generally “available.” As a service to my brothers, I intend to write with as much detail as I can muster, and with an honest opinion. However, it is only MY opinion, so please try a stick before you buy a box if you have any intention of being fiscally responsible with this beloved affliction for fine tobacco that we all have. Also, all cigars are kept humidified at 68% and dry boxed for at least 8 hours before enjoying. Thanks for reading!
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