Juarez by Crowned Heads

Out of all of the cigars in the Crowned Heads lineup, this is the first from the Tabacalera Pichardo factory, the first to be originally exclusive to Thompson Cigars, and maybe a true competitor to the cheap and fantastic Charter Oak from Foundation. See, most Crowned Heads cigars are in the $10 range, “juarez” this one is on the cheaper side...See what I did there?

Undeniably this new factory knows how to construct a quality cigar. Sporting that signature Mexican San Andrés wrapper that Crowned Heads used quite often in 2018 for their exclusive and yearly releases. Nothing but two thumbs up there boys and girls. So far so good...

The burn was no different as well. Nice even burns? Check. Did it pass our 5-minute hold test? Check. Did it make mE SMOKE LIKE A CHIMNEY?! Check!

Ok. Ok. Exemplary construction and burn are great and all (slow clap), but what about the flavor? You’d imagine with now 4 different factories producing Crowned Heads cigars you’d expect to find inconsistencies in the quality and blends of their cigars, right? Wrong, breh. This one really does look, smoke and taste like it belongs in the Crowned Heads family. Tangy, bitter, and savory notes backed by some pretty powerful spices for nearly the entire time I smoked this cigar. Sometimes the tangy, savory flavors were a little muted, but just let the cigar rest a moment and then hit it hard, and those flavors come right back. Give it the ole 1-2 puff. I was a skeptic at first, but I really did enjoy the flavors in this one.

If for whatever reason, other Crowned Heads cigars scare you when it comes to price (wuss), then get this one. This is a super great ‘budget-conscience’ cigar, solid introductory to the brand, and it encourages you to try the others in their lineup.  Does it stack up to the Charter Oak? From a price, yes. From a flavor perspective? For me, depending on what you like, yes... I think it can be better for some. BUT, I’ll leave that to you and your palate.