Pepin Garcia / Holt's Casa Royale Crown

[pablocruze]

Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Strength: Medium to Full
Wrapper: Esteli Sungrown
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicarauan
Size: 5 x 50 Crown

I have never been one to buy many "Private label" blends from manufacturers. In most cases you get a 2nd best cigar that just wasn't good enough to put a manufactures name on it. Consistency and construction usually becomes an issue. Old Henry has been an exception to that rule. A consistently well made, great tasting cigar that made me curious about this new Pepin/Holts venture. As I opened the box I could see that I would not be disappointed.

The Casa Royale crown is a stout cigar with a thick, dark, and oily wrapper firmly packed and heavy in your hand. I could feel no soft spots and detected no flaws in the wrapper.

After clipping the end I found the draw was easy with just a hint of resistance. The pre-light draw was sweet and light with some earthy notes. Also I could detect that signature nuts and butter flavor that you get with a Pepin cigar.

The foot toasted easily and it took very little effort to get a good even burn going on this cigar. With my very first pull I was rewarded with a ton of sweet nut and leathery smoke that was smooth and creamy. The cigar never gave me that rough start up bite that you get from most cigars.

The first half of the cigar was creamy and smooth. The burn was straight and as moist as the cigar looks it remained lit even after a beverage time out in the ashtray. I am a big fan of the Sun grown wrappers and this one added a nice delicate sweetness to the flavors.

The second half of the cigar became even more complex. I could taste coffee, nut, leather and a hint of citrus that adds a little tang to the back of the tongue with a short finish. Holts advertised this as a medium to full body cigar, but to my pallet at least, it's more of a light medium cigar.

As I peel away the band to get to the nub of the cigar, the burn remains sharp and straight. The smoke is still cool and the oil has pulled out of the cigar making the wrapper shinny and smooth. There is no harsh ammonia notes and the flavor remains sweet and complex. OH YEA.... This is a finger burner my friends!

If you are a fan of the creamy, nutty flavors of Pepin Garcia but not big on full body cigars, don't be afraid to pull the trigger on this one.