Julius Caeser Newman emigrated to the Unites States in 1888. Known as JC (the “Caeser” added on Ellis Island by an immigration officer who decided young Julius needed a middle name, and who also presumably misspelled it), his particular version of the American Dream involved a long apprenticeship in cigar rolling, finally selling his first 10 wheels to grocers around his family’s Cleveland, Ohio home. He was 20 years old.
Today, J.C. Newman Cigars is the oldest family-owned premium cigar maker in the US. To honor their founder and Great-grandfather, the company released the Diamond Crown Julius Caeser in 2010. These cigars were originally only available at select Diamond Crown Lounges around the country. It has since become available at a few on-line retailers. After an exhaustive search, I located a retailer who carried the Julius Caeser, but circumstances being what they were, it sat in the Sasquatch-a-dor for about 9 months– not intentionally, I just didn’t get around to it. You see, aging this cigar for 9 months would be a pointless gesture. But more on that in a bit.
Diamond Crown Julius Caeser Toro (6x52)
The blend of this cigar is somewhat mysterious. Some sources identify the filler and binder as Dominican, but company literature describes them only as “Central American,” although that tells you more about that it isn’t than what it is. I picture the Dominican Republic as more Caribbean than Central American, but I’m not here to give anyone geography lessons. What is known is that the wrapper is an Ecuadorian-grown Havana-seed leaf, and that the fillers are all 5-year aged tobaccos. So yeah, 9 months in the box aren’t going to make much difference on this one. It’s fully mature from the factory. Like all Diamond Crown cigars, these are made at Tobacalera A. Fuente, Dominican Republic.
I selected the Toro (6×52). The first thing you notice is the band, with its almost cartoonish visage of JC Newman himself. But don’t let this slightly comical presentation dissuade you. This cigar is all business. The roll is solid as a rock and seamlessly wrapped, and finished with a perfect triple cap. The first flavors are bright tastes of cedar and citrus, over a woody, nutty background. And the aroma– WOW! The first act also shows transient hints of milk chocolate. The draw is dead even (0) from a cap cut, producing a moderate smoke volume (0) of medium strength (3).
The second act evolves to show a distinct herbal and floral quality, which develops out of the caramelization of the citrus flavors present at the first. It retains the nutty background, but rounds it out slightly, to produce a remarkable transition from opening to middle. The medium grey ash is nicely scaled, and holds to a solid inch with perfect double cones. The burn is ring-straight throughout.
The cigar smokes smooth and cool, and perfectly balanced, continuously evolving in flavor, adding richness and depth as it goes. By the end, the flavors begin to muddle slightly, becoming somewhat indistinct, but retaining the wonderful smoothness and balance that make this cigar so enjoyable. It smokes to an inch and a half nub in just over an hour.
Overall I rate this cigar 9.3. It burns perfectly, and provides a delicious and satisfying smoke. My only possible complaint is the disorganization of flavors at the finish, which should not be taken to imply that the flavors are at all unpleasant, they simply lose some of the remarkable distinction that defines the opening stages of the smoke. It is an altogether enjoyable experience, a buttery smooth and remarkably flavorful smoke, a testament to the skill of the Tobacalera A. Fuente, and a worthy tribute to the Newman family and company founder, J.C. Newman.
Until next time, this is the Cigar Sasquatch saying, “Love what you smoke, and smoke what you love.”
Loading...