Jericho Hill Cigars is the fourth line from Crowned Heads Cigars and was the first time the brand stepped outside the Dominican Republic for full production, rather than a limited edition release.
It's a mostly Nicaraguan creation, with a Mexican San Andres wrapper and a squarish box-pressed profile. That's good news for your humidor, as the slightly squared-off shape means you can fit more in, whether or not you agree that a box-pressed cigar offers anything different on the draw.
For a one-minute summary of what to expect from this Crowned Heads creation, watch our YouTube video review at the bottom of this page. Or if you want the full details, read my Jericho Hill cigar review below.
How did Jericho Hill come about?
The name 'Jericho Hill' is a tribute to the original Man in Black, Johnny Cash. In the song 'Cocaine Blues,' Cash sings the story of a man from Jericho Hill who murders his girlfriend in a fit of drug-fueled rage.
In the song, Cash sings: "In walked the sheriff from Jericho Hill, he said: 'Willy Lee, your name is not Jack Brown, you're the dirty hack that shot your woman down.'" These and other lines from 'Cocaine Blues' give the five Jericho Hill Vitolas their name, including 'Jack Brown' and 'Willy Lee'.
Cigar Specs
- Country of Origin: Nicaragua
- Factory: My Father S.A. (Esteli, Nicaragua)
- Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Sizes available:
- Jericho Hill OBS (4.75 x 52)
- Jericho Hill Jack Brown (5 x 56)
- Jericho Hill .44S (5.12 x 44)
- Jericho Hill Willy Lee (6 x 54)
- Jericho Hill LBV (6.5 x 46)
- Smoke time: Jericho Hill - 45 minutes
A look at how the the Jerico Hill is constructed
Jericho Hill is Nicaraguan on the inside, with fillers and binder all sourced from the Central American nation, but encased in a Mexican San Andres wrapper. The box-pressed stick has a squared-circle profile with rounded corners, allowing more to fit into a smaller space.
The dark brown Maduro tobacco leaves give the wrapper a rich and luxurious appearance, which is only enhanced further by the sleek square shaped and the blocky band with its gold embossed crest and 'Jericho Hill' lettering. Expertly rolled and pressed at the My Father factory in Esteli, it's a real eye-catcher.
A few words on the cold draw
The cold draw is earthy, leathery, with hints of molasses. Overall it offers a sense of indulgence and the feeling that Jericho Hill is a high-quality premium cigar, with an even aroma and only a hint of sweetness.
Flavors I enjoyed
A complex flavor profile offers up leather, earth, pepper and sweet spices. The body is in the medium range but the smoking experience is deeply satisfying. Use the retrohales to adjust the spices to suit your palate.
Jericho Hill has a rich and rounded taste, which will pair extremely well with syrupy spirits such as a dark rum poured over ice.
First third
The earthy Mexican taste of the San Andres Maduro wrapper is a constant throughout Jericho Hill and one of the first and strongest flavors to notice. There's a woody taste too, with plenty of pepper spice early on.
Retrohales are peppery, but it's a lighter, almost sparkling white pepper, which brings some lightness to the nose.
Second third
As the burn continues, the flavors start to combine into a pungent stew of wood, earth, and pepper, with even more pepper on the retrohales. It's not unpleasant, and if you prefer to just sit back and savor the smoke, rather than try to spot subtle individual tastes in a complex profile, Jericho Hill is for you.
That being said, there are sparks of flavors to watch out for, including butterscotch, honeysuckle, and sweet rum candy. Definitely a case of YMMV and what your palate is best tuned to pick up on.
Final third
Into the final third, the earthy Maduro wrapper is still noticeable amid that blended flavor profile. There's candied citrus - lemon or orange? You decide - and the retrohales have developed into a punchy peppercorn from that early white pepper sparkle.
How strong is the Jericho Hill?
Jericho Hill is a medium body, medium-full strength smoke, but it's that unusually blended flavor profile that stands out. You have a real chance to choose your own journey here, either by sitting back and letting the smoke carry you away, or focusing on some of those sweet top notes in amongst the satisfying stew of wood and earth. Either way, the overall experience of my Jericho review is rich and deeply enjoyable.
Final thoughts
Crowned Heads Cigars are always a winner, and Jericho Hill Cigars delivers on that promise. The space-saving box-pressed profile is one practical reason to make this a permanent addition to your humidor, but the heady flavor mix should be enough of a selling point. Available in singles and boxes of 24, you really can't lose with this expertly handmade boutique cigar.
