TX Duo Review - Crowned Heads Las Calaveras Decimo

[Çnote]

@Capn_Jackson's pick.

I've liked a few things from CH, but haven't really branched out from the marquees that 'look' and read Cubanesque. The Mil Dias and Careme got my attention early and I stopped there.

Starts big and blocky with tons of earth, leather and rough and tumble bitterness. I can see the allure, but this isn't my style. It rained all morning and I'd dry boxed this for 2 days, so humidity is all over the place with major canoeing. I had thought I had a major computer work project, but after lighting up and 10m of clicks, the estimate of an hour+ of work was way off so here we are, fighting a cigar. Construction seems to be a little of the issue, not terrible, but not the razor sharp lines I'd expect from My Father. Very flaky ash, nothing dire really, but noticeable compared against all the Tatuaje I've been enjoying over the past few months.

About 1/2 from the band it mellows into molasses and pumpernickel. A little anise on the retro, smoke texture is velvet, but sour like gueuze beer. Enjoyable, but not my cup of tea. Not a lot of transition either, but not monolithic, just veering around the mall, looking for a parking space.

I've been talking a lot about wine at work, both to tables and staff. With staff, it's been the subtle difference between 'fine' wine and 'commodity' wine. With what i call fine wine, the emphasis is on the vineyard and terroir and perhaps age-ability. Commodity wine is more brand and price point driven. I see the similarities here, a very popular NC brand, making an LE anniversary in a great factory, but it's just not great. I'd have rather had a Tatuaje Escacos for the price.

Getting into the nub, it's quite fine, but still not rocking on all cylinders for me. Sour sweet, still more earthy, lots of fine leather.  Very Bolivar kinda vibe. I bet Cap'n really enjoyed this.

I'll give this an 88 for the nub.

[Capn_Jackson]

Back to the toro size of my youth. Got a box of these in a raffle some time ago, and have been waiting for this big stick to acclimate. Supremely dark Oscuro wrapper, some mottled spots with quite a bit of tooth. Foot has some great barnyard and clove coming off it. Cold draw doesn’t tell me much. Coffee and maybe a little dried fruit.

Light up puff is very, very NC. Dark agave, some dark jammy fruits, lots of raisin on the finish. Going on, more of the same, with perhaps some allspice. Not the standard palate-washing new world vibe, but still very forward in its presentation. No pepper, which I appreciate. If any heat, maybe just on the back end of the finish, behind raisins and baking spice. Some Brazil nut, and faint whisps of toasted coconut. The rest of the first third is basically woody, with some smoked meat or Worcestershire. Great burn and construction, around medium strength. No issues, just a little basic.

Second third has a drastic change. More flavor here, but…milk? Not milk chocolate, and not really latte. Maybe a latte if it were 80% milk and 20% coffee. Kinda nice, momentarily. Salted cashew on the finish. Around the midpoint, not so much milk but some serious cake icing blasts through for a minute. Not subtle at all like an Upmann. Salted butter cream. Doesn’t last.

The last third bores me a little. No... a lot. Much of the same going on, and it’s not really “bad,” just what I usually experience from cigars that are so front-loaded…my palate is bored. Some mango sweetness shows up, which keeps me from being completely disinterested, but still dominated by coffee and earth. Somewhat okay, just not coming across as rich as I wish it did here towards the last.

Right at the last inch, a shot of bourbon barrel sweetness hits that I wish had come sooner. Overall, not crazy about this one. The rest of the box will sit, long forgotten, much like the somewhat-good David Graham novel Down to a Sunless Sea. Re-read that one again this past month, after twenty years or so. Maybe this cigar, like that novel, will get better with age. One can dream.

80. Being friendly.

Oh wait, they are around 20 smackers USD.

76, because of the high tag.

[Capn_Jackson]

4 hours ago, Çnote said:

Very flaky ash,

I forgot to mention this. Yes.

[Capn_Jackson]

12 hours ago, Çnote said:

I bet Cap'n really enjoyed this.

Not so much. Not my vibe at all. Didn’t get anything like Bolivar at the end. If the nub could be compared to any CC, it might be Sancho Panza. But not in a refined, cordial kind of way. More like a feisty slap in a dank back alley.

[Çnote]

7 hours ago, Capn_Jackson said:

Not my vibe at all. Didn’t get anything like Bolivar at the end.

I was unclear. The entirety was what I get from Bolivar, earth and leather and face smacks. The end was much more in my general style of smooth and sweet, but i have some questions about construction and tobacco quality at this price point. At $20 there's a bevvy of regular production selection NC to be had B&M, I think RyJ Ex#4 could be got at that price, I'd happily split those with you.

[Capn_Jackson]

18 hours ago, Çnote said:

I was unclear. The entirety was what I get from Bolivar, earth and leather and face smacks. The end was much more in my general style of smooth and sweet, but i have some questions about construction and tobacco quality at this price point. At $20 there's a bevvy of regular production selection NC to be had B&M, I think RyJ Ex#4 could be got at that price, I'd happily split those with you.

Ah, I see. I just didn’t get any of the stout, or the cherry/citrus, or much of the holiday spices I get from Bolivar. My burn was good, but ash was flaky to the point of annoyance, which I forgot to mention. Straight burn lines and no relight necessary. I was indoors, not dealing with outside humidity. 

Like you, the quality of tobacco is what I really question about this one. I’ve had far better for $7. I’ve had many sticks for $10-$12 that put this one to shame.