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Diamond Crown Review

Diamond Crown Review

Brand overview

If your pew is positioned at the luxury end of the cigar table, you best save a seat for the super-premium smokes of Diamond Crown. The brand is part of the J.C. Newman portfolio and was first introduced in 1995 – a year of centurial celebration for the company.

Stamford Newman, the son of the company’s founder, Julius Caesar, turned to Carlos Fuente SR. to create “the best cigar in the world” to mark the occasion. Handmade in the Fuente factory in the Dominican Republic, the manufacturing of Diamond Crown cigars creates smoke that puffs proudly at the summit of the cigar industry.

From selecting only the most skilled cigar makers to a rigorous quality control process, each Diamond Crown cigar passes through three inspections and is aged in lots of 50 in cedar curing rooms, for a minimum of 12 months. Even the wrappers are conditioned, graded, and selected for a second fermentation (unlike most quality tobacco wrappers which normally only receive one).

The brand has expanded over the years with releases including the Diamond Crown Black Diamond and Diamond Crown Maximus. However, today we go back in time through their short yet sterling history to focus on where it all began with the original Diamond Crown cigar.

It uses a selection of five different fillers from the Caribbean and Central America, a Dominican binder, and a light Connecticut shade wrapper with a slight rosado tint. This gives it a rustic and veiny appearance, with smooth, visible seams.

The band design with its red and gold color scheme oozes class. It’s a timeless logo, fitting perfectly with their ethos of excellence.

There was sweet wood and hay chirruping from the wrapper as I brought out my double-blade guillotine. This delivered a clean slice through the cap of my well-packed and nicely weighted stogie. It’s a classical way of cutting a cigar and seemed very apt for one that carries such prestige.

Cigar Specs

Cold draw

The cold draw was very enjoyable as the hay continued its march from the initial wrapper aroma.

There were also hints of earth and chocolate, as well as a twist of pepper on the finish, bringing some light spice to my lips.

Flavor profile: first third

There was enough complexity in the Maximus before I’d even put flame to foot. The dry draw was very pleasurable

I fired up my Diamond Crown to reveal a subtle butterscotch note. The draw had just the right amount of resistance as thick, pungent smoke reigned the air after my first double puff.

There were also flavor elements very typical of Dominican tobacco – a mix of grass, cedar, and bread.

Flavor profile: second third

As I entered the second third of the cigar, there was ample natural sweetness and creaminess provided by the bread, cedar, and an emerging vanilla twang that was heightened by the retrohale.

As I burned through the middle stages, the cream notes began to diminish, as the third concluded with a flavor contour of notable nutty character.

Flavor profile: final third

The nuttiness that had joined proceedings moments earlier was the primary driver in the final third.

The cedar had retreated into the background, but it was still bolstering the profile alongside secondary notes of earth, espresso, hay, and grass to bring a rich complexity of Dominican and other tobaccos working in tandem.

Conclusion

Diamond Crown cigars are a smoke for the cigar connoisseur. With a legacy as one of the highest-rated cigar brands, it seems futile trying to justify why you need the stick that sparked it all off.

With its textbook construction and flawless draw, the Diamond Crown cigar is one I would recommend to any stogie enthusiast looking for a lighter cigar that screams luxury. The different flavors that pop in and out of the smoking journey kept every puff interesting and made for a full-flavored experience.

If you have a penchant for the finer things in life, then this is the perfect way to start any day.

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