- Cigar Reviewed: Diamond Crown Black Diamond Emerald
- Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
- Factory: Tabacalera A Fuente y Cia
- Wrapper: Sun Grown Connecticut Maduro
- Binder: Dominican
- Filler: Dominican
- Length: 6”
- Ring Gauge: 52
- Vitola: Toro
As part of a sampler pack I purchased to support the Cigar Rights of America, I received a Diamond Crown Black Diamond Emerald. I was hesitant as my usual go-to is the Julius Caeser and I suspected the Black Diamond would be a much more earthy smoke than the smooth and creamy Julius. However, I do love new experiences so I moved forward with smoking this cigar.
The wrapper is a rich chocolate color, with a few visible veins and seams that were well camouflaged by the darkness of the wrapper. The label is luxuriant in that “new money” kind of feel, when the new money still knows what it means to be classy. The center of the band is a sapphire blue surrounded by silver and black. The main flash is that, in that center lies a red crown and below it is the text “Black Diamond” in silver. There are adornments in silver and black to the left and right that designate the line and brand names.
I pull the cigar out of its cellophane wrapper and get my first scent of the flavors held within. It smells of damp wood and mocha, possibly some spices. Earthy, just as I expected, but sweet, which I didn’t anticipate, and spices, which is promising. Curious now, I light the cigar.
The first third of the cigar is primarily woods, chocolate, and sweet. There are traces of some peppers or baking spices, possibly like cinnamon. There are also fruit notes, I think I would say cherries. The peppers linger when exhaling. It’s a delightful blend thus far.
The wood becomes more distinct, like cedar I would say, in the second third. The sweetness also fades a little at this point, although the cherries become more prominent. Otherwise, I do not note any particularly strong transitions in taste from the first third of the cigar. The burn on the cigar becomes uneven but this does not develop into any kind of issue.
The final third the mocha flavors come back a bit, making the cigar creamier than it has been. It’s a wonderful compliment to the very rich earthiness and the cherry notes that continue into the final third. The cigar remained cool and slightly uneven throughout the smoke. The ash was a nice grey color and firm, I would say as a result of the ideal burn rate and temperature.
Overall, I would say that J.C. Newman, who released the cigar, did well in taking their time to develop it into something that is as excellent as this maduro. I would say that this cigar is lovely for those with a complex palate but I would not shy away from recommending it to a novice looking to experience their first foray into the medium-to-full-bodied smoke. Indeed, I enjoyed this cigar so much, I would say it is gift giving by the box worthy.