Last night after a wonderful steak dinner, I sat down, covered up in myblanket and prepared to watch The Apprentice. Melly was with me and she struck up an Ashton VSG Enchantment and I decided upon a Diamond Crown maximus Robusto.
I used a "V" cutter and torched the end. According to my hygrometer, it came out of a 69% environment and had been sitting there along withit's twin for a couple weeks now.
The look of this cigar was phenomonal. Firm in the hand with the type of sturdiness that I like my cigars to have. The draw was excellent as well, showing that this was a well rolled cigar.
The burn was also incredible - never wavering - almost a perfect burn. The ash was nice and thick, cooling down the smoke, which was volumnous as Ismoked it. The beginning of the cigar had a taste that reminded me of a VSG - though no where near as spicy or tastful, but still nice.
The construction of this cigar was nearly flawless and quite frankly was a major draw for me when I first saw these cigars. After seeing the burn, the ash, ect. I can say without a doubt one of the best constructed "domestic" cigars I have seen in awhile.
But unfortunately construction is not all the score in a cigar rview.
The cigar started off great - nice little hints of spices, almost a sungrwon taste which despite people telling me about I just didn't see it when looking at this cigar. Medium bodied as well and smooth. Where the regular line of DC's are smooth and creamy, this cigar was smooth and a hint of roughness in it - like it wanted to play the bad boy but was too shy. It was early in the cigar though so I thought for sure this cigar would blossom into that big bad boy and start kicking my butt with strength and power. It definately seemed to have the potential.
Half way through the cigar and again I am amazed at the flawless construction of this cigar - but it hasn't developed into anything past the start of it. No increase in strenght or body - no more subtle hints other than was already there. Indeed it stayed the same the whole way though the cigar - except the last 1/2 inch of it when I was nubbing it. THEN the power hit, then the STRENGTH hit, then the TASTE hit, then the BODY hit. But all an illusion - after all it wasnearly down to the end of the cigar - myself hanging onto it by just a couple fingers.
One place on the internet describes this cigar as: "This is a new bolder version of Diamond Crown cigars...called Maximus. The ring is a little smaller than the standard Diamond Crown, but the smaller gauge makes for a stronger smoke. The Diamond Crown Maximus has filler and binder from the Dominican Republic with a full-flavored Ecuadorian wrapper."
I have to say that this cigar is a little bolder than the original line. But it is not the powerhouse that I felt this cigar could of been. I enjoyed the smoke - it was tasty and smooth. While I wouldn't say it was a one-dimensional smoke, I can definately say it was consistant all the way through the cigar. Now sometimes this can be a good thing, but in this case, this cigar had such potential to develop and grown into something more, that it was dissappointing that it did not.
In the end, I have one more and I will smoke it for sure. But not after a steak dinner - maybe during an afternoon ride or out on the porch on the weekend talking to friends. Though this cigar should be that "special occassion" cigar, I found it to be better than an everyday smoke - but not better enough to elevate it beyond that.
Overall I give it an 86 - though the construction was superb and flawless, it is the tastes of a cigar that counts a little more in my book and the construction is simply not enough to elevate it any higher. On tastes alone I would only give it an 84 - still a good cigar - but only that, not a great cigar.
Thanks for reading.
Sam
I used a "V" cutter and torched the end. According to my hygrometer, it came out of a 69% environment and had been sitting there along withit's twin for a couple weeks now.
The look of this cigar was phenomonal. Firm in the hand with the type of sturdiness that I like my cigars to have. The draw was excellent as well, showing that this was a well rolled cigar.
The burn was also incredible - never wavering - almost a perfect burn. The ash was nice and thick, cooling down the smoke, which was volumnous as Ismoked it. The beginning of the cigar had a taste that reminded me of a VSG - though no where near as spicy or tastful, but still nice.
The construction of this cigar was nearly flawless and quite frankly was a major draw for me when I first saw these cigars. After seeing the burn, the ash, ect. I can say without a doubt one of the best constructed "domestic" cigars I have seen in awhile.
But unfortunately construction is not all the score in a cigar rview.
The cigar started off great - nice little hints of spices, almost a sungrwon taste which despite people telling me about I just didn't see it when looking at this cigar. Medium bodied as well and smooth. Where the regular line of DC's are smooth and creamy, this cigar was smooth and a hint of roughness in it - like it wanted to play the bad boy but was too shy. It was early in the cigar though so I thought for sure this cigar would blossom into that big bad boy and start kicking my butt with strength and power. It definately seemed to have the potential.
Half way through the cigar and again I am amazed at the flawless construction of this cigar - but it hasn't developed into anything past the start of it. No increase in strenght or body - no more subtle hints other than was already there. Indeed it stayed the same the whole way though the cigar - except the last 1/2 inch of it when I was nubbing it. THEN the power hit, then the STRENGTH hit, then the TASTE hit, then the BODY hit. But all an illusion - after all it wasnearly down to the end of the cigar - myself hanging onto it by just a couple fingers.
One place on the internet describes this cigar as: "This is a new bolder version of Diamond Crown cigars...called Maximus. The ring is a little smaller than the standard Diamond Crown, but the smaller gauge makes for a stronger smoke. The Diamond Crown Maximus has filler and binder from the Dominican Republic with a full-flavored Ecuadorian wrapper."
I have to say that this cigar is a little bolder than the original line. But it is not the powerhouse that I felt this cigar could of been. I enjoyed the smoke - it was tasty and smooth. While I wouldn't say it was a one-dimensional smoke, I can definately say it was consistant all the way through the cigar. Now sometimes this can be a good thing, but in this case, this cigar had such potential to develop and grown into something more, that it was dissappointing that it did not.
In the end, I have one more and I will smoke it for sure. But not after a steak dinner - maybe during an afternoon ride or out on the porch on the weekend talking to friends. Though this cigar should be that "special occassion" cigar, I found it to be better than an everyday smoke - but not better enough to elevate it beyond that.
Overall I give it an 86 - though the construction was superb and flawless, it is the tastes of a cigar that counts a little more in my book and the construction is simply not enough to elevate it any higher. On tastes alone I would only give it an 84 - still a good cigar - but only that, not a great cigar.
Thanks for reading.
Sam
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