Pre-light Experience

Aaron: The wrapper on the Crowned Heads Mil Días Marranitos E648 LE2023 is a dull medium brown with a fine grit sandpaper feel and some raised veins that carry a lighter color to them. The seams are smooth and the head is a bit misshapen. There are three bands, with the primary being the traditional design for the line, the secondary being the traditional LE band used by the company and the foot band is the band used on all of the companies cigars now, carrying the company name. The aroma from the wrapper is dusty earth and light wood while the foot brings a dank cedar note. The pre-light draw brings a nice floral and cedar combination.
Seth: Can we just begin by saying that Mexican gingerbread cookies, Marranitos, sound amazing. I could see them being soft or crunchy, and either way amazing. Great with some coffee. This Marranitos though, the Crowned Heads Mil Días Marranitos E648 LE2023 is gorgeous in appearance. Natural wrapper that is dryer in texture with some silkiness. Small veins throughout, the cigar is firm in hand. Aromas of sweet cinnamon spices, dry wood, earth and tobacco.
John: The Crowned Heads Mil Días Marranitos E648 LE2023 comes in cellophane and has a UPC sticker on the main cellophane body to remain intact when opened. The cigar is triple banded, with a “Limited Edition 2023” secondary band, and a “Crowned Heads” foot band. Aromas from the wrapper included rich tobacco, barnyard and earth. From the foot, there was sweet raisin, tobacco and hay.
Jiunn: The Crowned Heads Mil Días Marranitos E648 LE2023 has a Colorado maduro wrapper shade. Veins are well pressed, seams tight, bunch and roll even and head is well wrapped and capped. Aromas from the wrapper tell of dry cedar and dry hay. Aromas from the foot tell of spicy cedar and hay. Cold draw gives paint thinner and slight cedar.

Team Cigar Review: Crowned Heads Mil Días Marranitos E648 LE2023

First Third

Aaron: The cigar begins with a mellow profile of lightly toasted cedar, earthy minerality and light spice. At a half inch in, the minerality fades away while the earthiness remains. At three quarters of an inch, a light mustiness joins the profile. The retrohale is musty, toasted cedar, earth and mild spice. At an inch and a half in, a light mix of creaminess and chalkiness joins the profile. As the third comes to a close, the toasted cedar is up front, with earth, mustiness, creaminess and chalkiness all a bit behind and now a light wood bitterness in the background. The strength was slightly below medium.
Seth: The first third starts out with some sweet spices. I am picking up some cinnamon and cloves, and there is leather, tobacco, dry earth and wood present as well. Bits of soft fruit as well with some molasses on the finish. Medium to medium-full in strength and body.
John: My first few puffs of the first third were creamy wood, followed by mild spices, and wood lingering into the post draw. Chocolate is present through the retrohale almost immediately. The first third settles into a creamy chocolate profile moving towards the halfway mark.
Jiunn: The first thing I realized about the cigar is not necessarily the flavors, but the dry and leathery tannins. This is no doubt a cigar in which I will have to keep my water close by. Flavor-wise, its cherries, dry hay, grilled meat type of smokiness and cedar. Retrohaling brings in spice in the form of dried red pepper spice. The finish is medium in length with a mixture of dry hay and aged cedar. Strength and body is medium.

Team Cigar Review: Crowned Heads Mil Días Marranitos E648 LE2023

Second Third

Aaron: As the second third begins, the creaminess has dropped out. At a half inch in, the spice is really only showing up on the finish. The retrohale is now musty, toasted cedar and earth. At an inch and a quarter, the minerality returns. As the third comes to a close, the profile is musty, toasted cedar up front with earth a bit behind and light chalkiness in the background with light spice on the finish. The strength remains at slightly below medium.
Seth: The second third shows some salt and pepper profiles. It has some tobacco and herbal qualities with dry earth. Nice bit of transitioning. I am still getting this cinnamon and molasses flavor, and the finish has that tobacco and fruity profile. Still medium to medium-full in strength and body.
John: Creamy chocolate leads into the second third, with baking spices and wood following as tannic wood finishes. The profile remains stable until the halfway point where earth is present on the finish and into the post draw.
Jiunn: Much of the second third’s flavors have tapered down. There’s less influence on everything. Less dry leather tannins, less cherries (actually, it’s gone), dry hay, grilled meat smokiness and cedar. Strength and body remains medium.

Team Cigar Review: Crowned Heads Mil Días Marranitos E648 LE2023

Final Third

Aaron: As the final third begins, the toast and mustiness levels both increase a bit. At a half inch in, the spice has departed. At three quarters of an inch in, the toasted cedar is taking on a slightly damp profile. The retrohale remains musty, toasted cedar and earth. At an inch and a quarter a vegetal bitterness joins the profile. As the cigar wraps up, the profile is musty, toasted and damp cedar up front, with earth right behind and light chalkiness and vegetal bitterness in the background. The strength bumped up to medium.
Seth: The final third continues to smoke at that medium to medium-full level, and I am picking up some minerals with dry earth. Pepper and salt present with bits of cinnamon and tobacco. Not as much fruitiness. Not as strong as the first and second, but still solid.
John: Earth and wood combine to lead into the last third. Tannic wood defines the post draw with creaminess coming into the retrohale. Some mild bitterness joins the post draw as it progresses. Chocolate combines with earth in the center of the profile as it continues to evolve. By the halfway point, earth has faded to light-plus and creaminess is leading the draw.
Jiunn: The final third is the same as the second third. A rather monotone and boring representation of the same flavors. Strength and body finish the same medium.

Team Cigar Review: Crowned Heads Mil Días Marranitos E648 LE2023

Burn

Aaron: The burn was a bit wavy at times and did require one touch-up to keep everything burning in unison. The ash held on in inch and a quarter increments.
Seth: Great burn from start to finish.
John: The burn was uneven in the first third, self correcting. The unevenness continued in the second third, correcting itself. The cigar spontaneously went out in the second third, requiring a re-light. Burn was fairly straight through the last third.
Jiunn: Burn performance was perfect. Even burn, ample smoke production, tight ashes and cool burning temperature.

Team Cigar Review: Crowned Heads Mil Días Marranitos E648 LE2023

Draw

Aaron: The draw was slightly tighter than I prefer, but didn’t cause any issues with the smoking experience.
Seth: Perfect draw.
John: The draw started 2 to 2-1/2 notches into the resistant spectrum initially, but opened to 1-1/2 to 2 notches as it settled in which rates as a very good draw.
Jiunn: The draw was a little tight, but it didn’t hinder the smoking experience all that much.

Overall

Aaron: The cigar began with a mellow profile of lightly toasted cedar, earthy minerality and light spice. The minerality dropped out fairly quickly. Some mustiness, creaminess and chalkiness joined in later. The second third saw the creaminess depart and some minerality return for a brief time. The final third saw the spice depart and the cedar gained a dampness. Later, a vegetal bitterness joined in. The Crowned Heads Mil Días Marranitos E648 LE2023 started pretty mellow with an average enjoyment level. It maintained that level throughout and the cigar just seemed a bit muted throughout. I was curious to smoke this as it’s the first offering from the factory after the dust settled from the previous commotion. Not a cigar that captured my attention and I’m hoping future offerings from this factory step it up a bit.
Seth: I enjoyed the Crowned Heads Mil Días Marranitos E648 LE2023 and I felt every aspect of this cigar made it box worthy. It is a fun smoke with an enjoyable flavor profile that fits in well with the summer and fall. It would even be a nice winter smoke depending on the circumstances. I would be interested in seeing how it ages, but I imagine it will mellow out some and the flavors will blend together even more. I have always been drawn to the Mil Dias line, even if it has not performed well for me with scoring, but this is the best release yet. Single vitola release as well, which I love.
John: The Crowned Heads Mil Días Marranitos E648 LE2023 provided a very dessert like experience with big notes of chocolate and creaminess throughout the review. While the profile didn’t evolve dramatically in the first and second thirds, I didn’t feel that it needed to as the flavor combinations were interesting and engaging. The draw was slightly into the resistant spectrum and the cigar went out once, requiring a re-light. I would definitely smoke the Mil Días Marranitos E648 LE2023 again, and if you’re already a fan of Crowned Heads cigars, I think this is one you won’t want to miss. Total smoking time was 2 hours and 29 minutes.
Jiunn: For my money, the original blend of the Mil Días is where it’s really at. This Crowned Heads Mil Días Marranitos E648 LE2023 had a couple flavors in which it really hindered the profile to shine. The dry leathery tannins and odd meat smokiness could have been tapered or better yet, entirely eliminated. As such, this is a pass for me.

Aaron Loomis

SCORE

5.40

Cost/Point

$2.31

Scoring System

Seth Geise

SCORE

6.72

Cost/Point

$1.86

Scoring System

John McTavish

SCORE

6.47

Cost/Point

$1.93

Scoring System

Jiunn Liu

SCORE

5.60

Cost/Point

$2.23

Scoring System

Team Cigar Review: Crowned Heads Mil Días Marranitos E648 LE2023