Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano 2000
Binder: Dominican Olor
Filler: Dominican Piloto Cubano, Dominican Criollo ’98, Nicaraguan Criollo Estelí
Size: 6 x 52 Toro
Strength: Medium/Full
Price: $13.00
Date Released: 2023
Quantity Released: Regular Production
Factory: Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic

My cigars received 4 months of naked humidor time.

BACKGROUND:
From Chateau Diadem Cigars:
“CERTITUDE is our US name for our award-winning blend named CONVICTION. It’s complex and generous with a richly flavored palate of aromas that evolve throughout. This expressive blend features notes of cocoa, coffee, earth, and nuts as the volcanic soils of Nicaragua combine with characteristically soft and creamy Dominican leaves.Our commitment to perfection extends beyond the blend. Each cigar undergoes meticulous scrutiny for consistency and color. The cigars are laid to rest for 6 months, a period of patience and anticipation, allowing the distinctive tobacco flavors to marry and develop.”

THE WHOLE MEGILLAH:
Despite having an Ecuadorian wrapper, the aromas are missing the beloved sweet floral. Instead, the aromas are dark chocolate, espresso, a lot of barnyard, baking spices, and tart citrus.

My PerfecPunch is as reliable as day old sauerkraut. But the open draw is dead on arrival. My previous sticks fell victim to clogs as well. My PerfecDraw is just as dependable for saving good cigars from the trash bin. The plug is near disastrous as I’m forced to go in from both ends and it still does not clear the detritus. This is never a good sign. My Humidimeter shows the internal humidity is 67%. Therefore, the cigar is not under or over humidified. The cold draw is mostly sour lemon. The initial tidings from this cigar is a warning. Lousy construction with off-putting early impressions. I forge ahead anyway.

I checked this cigar’s status in online reviews and there was a unanimous thumbs up. As all three of my review cigars have had construction issues, I must ask myself if I got a bum bunch. Regardless, I’m not paid to make decisions, just judgments.

The first puffs are delicious with rich earthiness and singular depth. Rarely does a cigar begin this way as it takes minutes, or even longer, to form an opinion.

And then 3 minutes in, sour lemon. Damn. The earthiness disappears. Oh no. This is a 90–120-minute smoke. I could have chosen the Robusto but I felt adventurous. It toggles back and forth between earthy and sour. Same as my last two cigars. But I smoked them two months ago and gave it up as too early.

Chateau Diadem calls the flavors out as “…notes of rich wood and pepper while always maintaining a creamy overtone. Flavors of liquorice, molasses and almonds, buttery notes of toast and roasted coffee. The evolution is three-fold and ends with a pleasant surprise of rosewood, grilled almonds and worn leather.”

Not once does it describe flavors of citrus which is what I taste. Except for the worn leather. I lick my old gun belt and confirm.

With those manufacturer suggestions, I keep an eye out. Especially the ‘three-fold.’

I choose to listen to Byrds Radio to keep me in tune. I occasionally listen to Spotify and I’ve noticed that after the identified songs on the menu you’ve chosen, the songs continue in that vein but are better choices. If you’ve ever been eight miles high, you get it.

At my age, it is very difficult to remember exact memories of my teen years or earlier. But I have vivid images of things that made an impact. Like hanging out with The Byrds in 1967. Interviewing them on tape. Watching them from the sidelines. Standing directly in front of the stage to take photos. Being in their dressing room between sets. Ask me if I remember my high school graduation or prom. Actually, don’t. My mother was fighting for her life at UCLA Medical Center and died a month after I graduated.

Inch two begins and the cigar is dormant in an Afghan cave. I’m not receiving any of the suggested flavors. Just an average blend that is medium in strength but light in body. I should note that the draw self-healed and construction gets a thumbs up with a rigid char line. Maybe the flavor-toids will self-heal too.

Cigar Journal and Cigar Lovers Magazine both rated this cigar 90. The Robusto did better with a 91 and made it to 18 on Cigar Journal’s top cigars of 2023. I found no other written cigar reviews. Hmmm, this cigar has been out for two years. There should be more reviews in print. There are a couple of reviews from online retailers who sing the cigar’s praise, but their mission is to sell cigars. Could this be a fluke? I’m less than impressed with this cigar’s behavior.

Let’s skip ahead. How was the first half? I don’t know as it lulled me to sleep. I awakened just in time for a realization that this all might be a dream. This blend could easily be any Oliva natural cigar. But the leaf stats are impressive. What could have gone wrong? Maybe this new company (2022) doesn’t have their shit together yet. Maybe their palates are not like yours and mine. No clue.

I hope the second half shows some signs of life. Strength has been medium and the body light/medium. It needs to step up or step out.

We like the foods and music we grew up with. Hip hop is a generational thing that bypasses most Boomers. Same thing goes for jazz…only musicians and those wearing berets appreciate the genre.

I’m an inch into the second half and it’s going nowhere fast. I’m calling it. I’m going to wash my palate and smoke something from Saka.

You want a better cigar? The Eladio Diaz La Diana. Similar leaf stats and price. You can enter a box giveaway here. And read my review here.

If you want to try Chateau Diadem Certitude, you can purchase the cigars from Small Batch Cigar. Take 10% off with promo code KATMAN.

RATING: 85

Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS

Tags: Chateau Diadem Certitude | Cigar Reviews by the Katman, chateau diadem cigars, cigar reviews by the katman, cigars, katman, phil kohn