Pre-light Experience

The wrapper is dark brown with a bit of a turtle shell effect to it. There are a few small, slightly raised veins present while the seams are easily visible due to the color variations of the wrapper. The head is finished off with a well applied triple cap. The band has the traditional Four Kicks design but with a black background instead of the red on the original release. The aroma from the wrapper is a mix of damp wood and barnyard while the foot brings some wood along with a bit of sweet hay. The pre-light draw brings a faint aged wood note along with a decent spicy tingle on my tongue and lips.

Pre-light Experience

The wrapper on the Crowned Heads Four Kicks Maduro is a rustic dark brown, approaching oscuro in places. It has a well applied cap, with an elegant gold and black band. The aroma is notes of wet cedar and faint pepper on the wrapper. The foot is a combination of stewed raisins and plums.

Pre-light Experience

The Crowned Heads Four Kicks Maduro Robusto has a very dark and rich oscuro wrapper shade. One major vein protrudes from the wrapper, seams are tight, bunch and roll even and cap has a deep triple wrap. Aromas from the wrapper give dank barnyard, baking spices and hay. Aromas from the foot tell white pepper and mixed nuts. Cold draw gives namely cedar and hay.

First Third

The cigar begins with a full dose of black pepper which quickly morphs into a heavy baking spice where some cinnamon shows through. At a half inch in, the baking spice settles down to allow some dark wood to shine through. At three quarters of an inch in, some cocoa joins the dark wood and baking spice. The retrohale consists of the wood and baking spice. As the third comes to a close, the profile of dark wood, baking spice and cocoa is working well. The strength in this third was slightly above medium.

First Third

The Four Kicks Maduro starts with sweetness, and a subdued pepper that lingers at the back of my throat. The flavor profile on the retrohale is sweet with spices, and then you get a pepper bite at the end. The lingering pepper increases in intensity between draws significantly. As the first third starts to settle in, I start to get raisins in the retrohale. A few minutes later I get a vegetal component, and then powdered cocoa that picks up in intensity in the post draw. That cocoa serves to counter the pepper intensity nicely. The powdered cocoa dominates the flavor profile, and all of the flavors have harmonized wonderfully by the 20 minute mark. At the halfway point of the first third, there’s a toasted bread note that joins the complex medley on the retrohale. The pepper at the back of my throat reaches a peak strength level of medium and then falls to a light plus by the end of the first third. There’s some mild post draw earth coming through as the Four Kicks Maduro moves towards the middle third.

First Third

The first third opens up with darker and robust flavors of baker’s chocolate, minerals and baking spices. Inch in, earthiness weighs in on the palate, deepening the body of the profile. Retrohaling creates a surprising (surprising in the sense that mouth draws don’t create much spice) amount of white pepper spice. The finish is comprised of subtle dry cocoa and dry cedar. Strength and body is for the most part medium.

Second Third

As the second third begins, some cream joins the profile which lessens the cocoa note, but the dark wood and baking spice are still up front. At a half inch in, the baking spice begins to subside as the cream increases to match up with the dark wood note. The cocoa is very faint in the background. At an inch and a quarter, the dark wood is up front with the cream not far behind and all of the other flavors are gone. The retrohale also consists of the dark wood and cream. This is how the third finishes. The strength in this third has bumped up to medium-full.

Second Third

The retrohale doesn’t undergo any notable flavor changes moving into the middle third. It’s still a balanced combination of powdered cocoa, sweetness, and spices. As the middle third starts to settle in, some espresso notes come through on the retrohale. At the halfway point, some faint citrus is detectable on the regular draw, but is buried underneath the other prominent flavors. As the middle third gets into the second half, I’m getting some toasted barbecue flavors, and some earthiness on the post draw that brings up the citrus intensity with it. Some cedar joins in on the already packed retrohale.

Second Third

The main notable difference within the second third is spice in the form of white / black pepper showing up on the mouth draws. The overall profile still has baker’s chocolate up front, minerals and baking spices. Retrohaling still shows a good spice pop. Strength is creeping towards medium-full, while body is still medium.

Final Third

As the final third begins, some mustiness joins in with the dark wood and cream. At a half inch in, the cigar begins to warm up with the dark wood gaining a slight bitterness and the cream and mustiness in the background. As the cigar comes to a close, not much changes other than a slight increase in bitterness with the dark wood while the cream and mustiness remain in the background. The strength in this third remained at medium-full.

Final Third

Like the middle third, the flavors are quite consistent moving into the final third. I don’t pick up any flavor changes or intensity shifts throughout the final third.

Final Third

The last third shifts into namely white/black pepper, baking spices and minerals while at the same time devaluing the baker’s chocolate note. The finish continues to be heavy earth on the palate, lathering the entire palate. Strength and body for the most part ends medium.

Burn

I had to do a major touch-up in each third as there was a side of the wrapper that just didn’t want to burn with the rest of the cigar. The ash held on in inch and quarter increments.

Burn

The ash holds on very well, and there are no burn issues or touch-ups that are required.

Burn

The only downside to the burn was a couple minor touch-ups. Other than that, burning temperature was cool, rock sturdy ashes and decently even burn.

Draw

The draw had the perfect amount of resistance that I prefer.

Overall

The first third had a nice profile with the wood, baking spice and cocoa notes, but from the second third on, it was less complex, focused around the dark wood, some cream and mustiness. The burn left a lot to be desired, but the draw was perfect. For me, I prefer the original Four Kicks over the Maduro, but this is still a decent cigar. If you’re a Maduro fan, or a Crowned Heads fan, it’s definitely worth trying to see how it fits your profile. I wouldn’t mind smoking more, but I’m probably not going to go out of my way to do so.

Draw

The draw leans towards the resistant spectrum but is still excellent.

Overall

The Crowned Heads Four Kicks Maduro is balanced, nuanced and delivers very consistent flavors from light to nub. This is one that will be on my shopping list in the near future.

Draw

The draw was perfect. Perfect air flow and resistance.

Overall

This was a good and tasty representation of a maduro cigar. The baker’s chocolate, minerals, baking spices, white/black pepper especially varying on greater intensities within the retrohale was nothing short of a great tasting profile. The last third held off on the accelerator but I’m hoping some extra humidor time may help with that. Easy recommendation.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.80

Cost/Point

$1.54

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

8.23

Cost/Point

$1.09

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

6.72

Cost/Point

$1.33

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Crowned Heads Four Kicks Maduro Robusto