Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is medium brown and is a bit darker at the foot than the head. There are a few slightly raised veins present and the seams are only really visible due to the color variations in the wrapper. The head is finished off with a very well applied triple cap. The band is a bluish-purple with silver lettering and has the company and line name on it. The aroma from the wrapper is just a hay note while the foot is a mix of wood and naturally sweet tobacco. The pre-light draw is wood and a grape-like sweetness. There is also a slight spicy tingle on my lips.

Pre-light Experience

The Camacho Diploma Special Edition has a Colorado Maduro wrapper shade that’s on the paler side of the spectrum. Major veins are well pressed, seams tight, uniformed bunch and roll and a well adhered triple cap. Aromas from the wrapper tell cedar, hay, flowery perfume and campfire. Aromas from the foot give spicy cedar, white pepper and nuts. Cold draw tells hay, nuts and cedar.

First Third

The cigar begins with a mix of black pepper, baking spice, wood and cream. At a quarter inch in, the baking spice fades out while the black pepper is the most dominant flavor with the wood and cream not far behind. At three quarters of an inch in, the pepper backs down to equal the wood with the cream close behind them. The retrohale is still pepper heavy with a wood supporting note. At an inch and a quarter, a mellow sweetness joins the mix of pepper, wood and cream. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

First Third

The first third exhibits a great mixture of spice, sweetness and earthiness. The Honduran Corojo shines beautifully giving a rich, naturally sweet and creamy nuttiness. This is also balanced by baking spices, slight cinnamon, black pepper, faintly dry earthiness and leather. Retrohaling gives a bigger dose of black pepper, baking spices and nuts. The finish is a long, lingering earth and leather. Strength and body is medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, the pepper, wood and cream are still working well together along with a hint of sweetness. The retrohale is now primarily wood with the pepper as a supporting note. At a half inch in, the wood has taken the lead while the cream and pepper are in the background. At an inch in, the cream has dropped out while the pepper is very faint and the wood note, now more defined as oak, is quite prominent. As the third comes to a close, a slight bitterness joins the wood while the pepper is still very faint in the background. The strength in this third remained at slightly above medium.

Second Third

The second third although still a very tasty profile, throws off the balance in a minor way such that it is more spice forward with black pepper, cinnamon and baking spices. The other notes maintain such as the rich naturally sweet and creamy nuttiness. The finish also carries forth a spicier delivery that’s baking spices based (along with the same earth and leather). Strength is nearing medium-full, while body stays medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, the pepper has dropped out and the oak is the lone note with a very faint bitterness. At a quarter inch in, a slight earthiness joins in with the oak while the bitterness drops out. At three quarters of an inch in, some slight bitterness rejoins the profile. The retrohale is oak along with a slight toast note. At an inch in, some cream comes back to the profile to mix with the oak while the earthiness has left. This is the profile the cigar finishes with. The strength in this third remained at slightly above medium.

Final Third

The last third transitions into a profile that is leather and earth centric (as opposed to spice centric within the second third). Once again, the finish is also effected, giving primarily a lingering earth and leather. Strength and body is still near medium-full and medium, respectively.

Burn

The burn line was slightly wavy the entire way but never needed any attention. The ash held on in inch and a half increments.

Burn

Burn performance was very good. Only downsides were an uneven burn and flaky ashes. The cigar did burn cool with zero touch-ups or re-lights.

Draw

The draw was perfect with the right amount of resistance that I prefer.

Overall

This cigar had a pretty nice profile around oak, pepper and cream. The final third wasn’t as complex as it just featured the oak. Construction was really good and needed no attention. While price doesn’t factor into our score, it’s worth noting that it is quite high. While I would have no problem smoking this cigar again based on the smoking experience, the price point would deter me from reaching for it again as many other lower price cigars can match the profile. It’s worth checking one of these out to see what you think and then you can determine if the price of admission is worth grabbing more.

Draw

The draw was a tad loose for my liking but nonetheless very good.

Overall

Classic Camacho Honduran Corojo goodness that takes me back to the early days of Camacho. Sometimes I smoke a cigar and I am reminded of the “good old days of smoking cigars.” The Camacho Diploma Special Edition is just that. The creaminess and nuttiness paired by just the right amount of spice and earth (especially in the first third) was a pleasure and one that I will smoke again and again.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

6.72

Cost/Point

$2.98

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

7.27

Cost/Point

$2.75

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Camacho Diploma Special Selection