Wrapper: Connecticut Havana-Seed
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Size: 6 x 54 (Not finalized yet)
Body: Medium
Price: Not determined yet
Today we take a look at the Pre-Release of the Diamond Crown Black Diamond.
It will be released in spring of 2016.
Thanks to Drew Newman for the samples.
I measure my sticks and one has a ring gauge of 50 and the other 54. I choose the 50 to review.
BACKGROUND:
From Drew Newman of J.C. Newman cigars:
“We haven’t announced the name of the size yet or finalized the price. Unfortunately, we don’t really much information about it yet as we are still working on the packaging and branding. It truly is a pre-release cigar that we are hoping to finally release in spring 2016.”
DESCRIPTION:
This is a good looking stick. Very oily. A beautifully mottled wrapper whose color is that of dark coffee bean and black walnut wood. Seams are nearly invisible. Very few veins. Lots of tooth.
The cigar is very solid without a single soft spot.
And the triple cap is flawless. I also notice that the cigar is perfectly round. It hasn’t been squished from handling or boxing.
SIZES AND PRICING.
Undetermined at this time.
AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I smell cinnamon, cream, dark chocolate, espresso, black licorice, raisins, and oak.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell dark chocolate, barnyard, spice, black cherries, strong tobacco, espresso, and oak.
The cold draw presents flavors of lemon zest, sweetness, spice, chocolate, coffee, dried fruit, cumin, and fruit.
FIRST THIRD:
I carefully torch the foot and then lay it down to cool a bit before puffing. I’m finding it gives me a better chance of a perfect char line if I don’t start sucking away like a Puffer fish. (That was an attempt at a pun because I’m not aware of Puffer fishes’s…fishees?….fishettes?….fish sticks?..being able to make a sucking motion with their tiny mouths.
OK. A few minutes pass and now I am rewarded with a dead nuts burn line.
Right of the bat there is a big dollop of pepper. Followed by chocolate, rye bread, espresso, sweetness, creaminess, cumin, floral notes, and a nutty, toasty flavor.
I’ve had glances of rye bread elements before but nothing like this. It is strong baby, strong.
The Diamond Crown Black Diamond shows its uniqueness immediately. And within the first quarter inch, it hits a boat load of complexity.
There are some Mediterranean spices (saffron and rosemary) at play.
At first, I thought the Diamond Crown Black Diamond might follow some pre-determined flavor profile path. But it is anything but.
This is the most unusual blend I’ve smoked in ages. I’m smacking my lips like our pooch when she wants dinner. The finish is incredibly long and delightful.
Wow. I wasn’t expecting this. Really.
What is this thing? I recently reviewed the DC Julius Ceaser and loved it. But the Diamond Crown Black Diamond is a whole different animal.
As a kid, my parents would go to the Jewish deli in Long Beach (CA) and always snag goodies. But my favorite goodie was a fresh loaf of real rye bread. I grabbed a couple pieces, toasted them, buttered them and scarfed them down. The Diamond Crown Black Diamond is bringing back that whole experience. Now, that’s pretty cool.
Strength is classic medium body.
The spiciness dissipates some. The rest of the flavors push on the gas a little and find themselves a bit bolder.
The ash is hanging tough just waiting to fall into my lap and scorch my naughty bits as I always write in my sleep wear…and a robe so as not to excite the neighbors.
The 80’s just came back. Charlotte left for work and I cranked the music as she was closing the door behind her. Steve Winwood’s “While You See a Chance.” Nice.
Gotta have music to sway and bop to while smoking and reviewing.
The Diamond Crown Black Diamond is a slow going smoke. I’ve smoked an inch and it’s taken almost 15 minutes. Let’s do the math…Hmmmm…15 minutes x 6”…..hmmm…it should take 14 hours to smoke the Diamond Crown Black Diamond. (I had to take algebra 3 times before I passed in junior high).
Now this is what I’m talkin’ ‘bout. No excuses. No miscalculations. The construction is top notch with a dead nuts perfect burn line. No touch ups required. I won’t mention the names of previous reviews in which I couldn’t get the sticks to burn right to save my life. It’s all down to the rollers, my friends. It’s not your fault you get a big run. Look to quality control at the manufacturing stage.
The sun came out and allows you to see the gorgeous color variations in the wrapper. We often take for granted the beauty of something so organic such as the leaf used as the wrapper. You sit in a room with artificial lighting…or worse: overhead lighting, and you don’t see the fruits of the manufacturer. They, in most cases, worked hard in picking, or growing, the perfect leaf and we go about our business ignoring it. A shame.
SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 35 minutes.
Strength remains at medium body.
And here they are: Chocolate, creaminess, rye bread, caraway, espresso, fruity sweetness, spice, floral notes, roasted nuts, toasty, oak, saffron, and rosemary.
I’m impressed. This blend doesn’t bowl you over with strength. Instead, it enters through the back door with a gentle strength and then a blind side right hook to the jaw.
I must reiterate. This is one of the most unusual flavor profiles I have smoked in I don’t know how long. The finish is delicious. The balance teeters on the edge of a razor perfectly.
And then a giant boost of flavors!
Malts enter: Chocolate Rye Malt, Crystal Caramel Malt, and Flaked Rye Malt. (See Malt Chart).
Not one touch up required.
Now this pre-release version of the Diamond Crown Black Diamond has no fancy cigar band. But the wrapper is totally exposed and I love the beauty inherent in this wrapper. So I took another photo in bright sunlight so you can see how natural light affects this organic being. Just gorgeous.
The Diamond Crown Black Diamond defines the word “smooth.” (polished, elegant, and agreeable).
I’m dying to know the price point. But Drew is keeping his cards close to his chest on this one.
It feels like I’m smoking an expensive cigar that I probably can’t afford. LOL.
Transitions. The body and soul of a great blend. They come and go like a whirling dervish. Complexity: “An intricate or complicated association, or assemblage, of related things.” Bingo!
With every puff, the Diamond Crown Black Diamond tastes silky, lustrous, and delicate.
The Diamond Crown Black Diamond is going to make a big splash when released. I think this is a quantum leap for the J.C. Newman Cigar Company.
I reach the halfway point.
Smoke time is 50 minutes.
The blend is so smooth, I can’t tell what strength it is. There are moments of medium body, medium/full body, and mild/medium body. Like I said; a whirling dervish.
Ain’t sunlight grand?
Time stands still except for the sound of the kitchen clock ticking.
OK. Ladies and germs….let’s have a big rousing hand for the perfect, dead nuts char line!!
Like I’ve said all along…each time I get a cigar with a lousy burn line, I feel my Jewish guilt kick in thinking I’ve done something wrong. And here comes a cigar where the passion is displayed in its construction. I truly admire that.
Caramel is now very strong. The creaminess and the malts soar. The chocolate and coffee becomes cappuccino. The raisiny note is just there for a look out. Unobtrusive but necessary.
The rye bread screams out for some delectable French dark cherry preserves.
And not once, has the ash fallen into my lap. Alert the media.
Dear readers, you are going to love this cigar. Start saving your shekels.
LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is one hour 15 minutes.
I’m so busy thinking up soliloquies to describe the Diamond Crown Black Diamond that it goes out on me.
Note to Jalal Haidar, CEO and managing director of World Aviation Forum…Baby, you’re going to love this blend!
Tell your prime minister friends that the Katman turned you onto the Diamond Crown Black Diamond. I would like a bridge named after me.
Look at this photo…tell me this is not a gorgeous cigar! It don’t need no stinkin’ cigar band.
Zap. The flavor profile explodes like the 4th of July fireworks.
Oh my. The apex of this mountain has been attained.
Flavors are going crazy. Uncontrolled. Snaking around my palate like a ninja.
The Diamond Crown Black Diamond becomes very meaty now. It tastes like the finest Kobe beef on a sizzling metal platter.
Is there no end to this insanity? LOL.
I’m not kidding readers. The Diamond Crown Black is the Godzilla of cigar blends.
The flavors slap my face over and over screaming at me to pay attention because I only get one shot at getting this right.
The depth of flavors is one layer piled upon layer. Within the flavor explosion hides several subtleties and nuances.
Spiciness returns in a big way. The strength hits medium/full. The spiciness has nothing to do with the strength.
The Diamond Crown Black Diamond sits next to me a living, breathing creature of comfort.
I can’t go on. I finish the cigar in just under 2 hours.
This has been the most fun I’ve had with my clothes on.
Thank you Drew Newman. And to the folks at J.C. Newman Cigar Co…..well, good one. You’ve created a monster blend. You put all your passion for creating cigars on the table for everyone to enjoy.
RATING. 96
Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS
Cigar Reviews by Phil 'Katman' Kohn 
Great review! Sounds like a must have experience to me whether I can afford it or not. More like an investment. Hoping they have 5 packs available when these are released.
Katman, I really like and appreciate your reviews and always look to you first when looking to see if I may like a particular stick. You and the C.O. guy, Bryan Glynn.
I appreciate your writing style and irreverent humor!